My eyes were closed. I had been up since 4:00am and was having a difficult time staying awake. I was watching my beloved Red Sox playing in a tie game with the Anaheim of Southern California Los Angeles Area Angels (or something like that). I wanted the game over so I could go to bed. My mind drifted. I imagined oft-maligned Julio Lugo winning the game with a walk-off homer but that was too easy so I gave him a double. I saw the next two batters make outs and was disappointed that I gave Lugo a double; now they would walk Big Papi with first base open. Manny comes to the plate and hits one into New Hampshire. I hear Tessie playing in the background. What a dream! Wait a minute; it wasn't a dream. It really happened. Tessie was really playing in the background. Manny Ramirez, the Red Sox current left fielder, won the game in the bottom of the ninth with a wicked blast. Oh, those Red Sox left fielders!                    

   As hard as it is for fans to get a ticket to a Red Sox game in Fenway Park, it is harder for baseball players to play in left field for the Red Sox. Although there have been a lot of different players who have played the position for a few games over the years, only seven Red Sox players have called Left Field home during the past sixty eight years. That is seven players who, if they were not injured or not resting or not fighting in World War 2 would almost always be inserted into the line-up in front of the fabled Green Monster at the Fens.

In 1939, Manager Joe Cronin put a tall, skinny twenty-year-old kid from San Diego into the line-up. He would be penciled in every time he was available for the next twenty-two years. That kid was Theodore Samuel Williams; Teddy Ball-Game; The Splendid Splinter. He hit .327 his rookie year with 31 home runs and 145 RBIs. He committed 19 errors that year but his offense demanded that he stay put and eventually became an acceptable defensive left fielder. Ted Williams finished his career with a .344 lifetime batting average; he hit 521 home runs and had 1839 runs batted in and he is considered by many to be the greatest hitter who ever lived.

So in 1960 when Ted finally called it quits, who was going to take his place? Obviously nobody could. Left field was destined to be patrolled by the Marty Keoghs and the Gene Stevens and the Billy Harrells of baseball.  There was never going to be another Ted Williams.

Or was there?

A kid from Long Island, New York came up to the bigs in 1961. He was 5'11" and only weighed 180 pounds but he swung the bat harder than anybody I have ever seen. This was Carl Yastrzemski and he proved to have more character and heart than almost anybody who ever played the game. He had to. He was replacing Ted Williams. This was an impossible task for anyone, but Yaz put up with the unfair comparisons and severe criticisms and eventually became his own man. He won the Triple Crown in 1967 to go along with his MVP award. He was the veteran who led the "Cardiac Kids" to the American League Pennant in 1967. Although he played for 23 years, he patrolled left field for 15 of them. Only moving to first base and DH with the arrival of Jim Ed Rice in 1975.

Jim Rice quietly took over the left field spot in 1975. I say quietly because next to him in center was another phenom rookie named Fred Lynn. Lynn hit .331 with 21 homers and 105 RBIs that year compared to .309, 22, and 102 for Rice. But Jim missed the World Series because of injury and Fred Lynn won the Rookie of the Year title and the American League MVP award. Rice held the left field position for the next 13 years. During that period he won an MVP award and was Home Run and RBI champ twice. He also had 8 all-star appearances. 

In 1987 the torch was passed on to Mike Greenwell. Greenie hit .328 during his first full year in left. He had a career .303 average with occasional power and a pretty good ability to drive in runs. As a matter of fact, in 1996 Greenwell set the ML mark for RBIs in a single game with 9 against the Seattle Mariners.  In 1997 he signed a huge contract with a Japanese team but failed miserably due to injuries.

The position was up for grabs for the next 4 years Wil Cordero played left for the 1997 season and did pretty well. His personal problems (spousal abuse) for all intent and purpose got him kicked out of Boston. After his troubles became public he was booed every time he made an appearance. Troy O'Leary took the position for the next three years and did a real good job; actually knocking in 103 runs in 1999. But a fine job for a left fielder in Fenway Park is just not quite good enough. The Sox needed a "bat" there. They signed a free agent named Manny Ramirez prior to the 2001 season. Manny was a proven star for the Cleveland Indians with over 700 RBIs and a better than .300 batting average. He has owned the position for the past 6 years with batting accomplishments and statistics to numerous to chronicle here. He and David Ortiz make up the best 3-4 combinations in the Major Leagues. And Manny is Manny. He probably takes more heat from around the country than any other player in the league. But in Boston, he is just Manny being Manny and we love him.                          

I don't know if any team in baseball can boast of a success at one position the way that the Red Sox can boast of the success they have had in left field. Williams, Yaz, Rice, Greenwell and Manny. Who's next? Jacoby Ellsbury, Brandon Moss, or do the Sox just find a free agent who wants to take the legacy ordained to left fielders at Fenway Park. If it was my choice, I'd postpone any changes and resign Manny when the time comes. 

RED SOX ROLL!