Red Sox Hall of Fame

Dennis Eckersley leads a new field of inductees to the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Eckersley had two great seasons with the Sox, before injuries and off-field issues made him mediocre. He redefined the closers role in Oakland, and that got him into Cooperstown. Still, he had a good career with the Sox (84-71) and he remains in good graces with the team, working as a NESN analyst, so he's a good choice.

Other inductees include Wade Boggs, an obvious choice who will head to Cooperstown next summer, Bruce Hurst, Lewiston, Maine native Bill "Rough" Carrigan, Billy Goodman, Pete Runnels, Haywood Sullivan, and Hall of Famer Jimmy Collins. Bernie Carbo will also receive recognition for his home run in The Game in the 1975 Series.

Carrigan was the manager of the Sox' World Champs in 1915-16 - the Babe Ruth years. His overall record fell below .500 when he came back after Frazee dismantled the team in the 1920's. Goodman and Runnels both won batting championships for the Sox. Sullivan owned the team for a while after Yawkey died, but I'm not a fan of those years.

Hurst had a career record of 88-73 for the Sox, and was huge (3-0, 2.13) in the post season in 1986. Jimmy Collins (who the article incorrectly identifies as Eddie Collins, another Hall of Famer) was player manager for the first six years of the Red Sox' existence (actually, the Boston Americans and Boston Pilgrims in those years). He won two pennants and the first modern World Series as manager (the Giants refused to play the Sox in 1904).

Bernie Carbo was a favorite of mine. He was one of those guys whose skills (drawing walks, hitting for power) were not all that highly valued during his career. Carbo had a pedestrian .264 career batting average, therefore never reached 500 plate appearances in a single season. Yet his .387 OBP and .427 SLG were both well above league average, resulting in a career OPS+ of 126. Contrast that number with some of the "great hitters" who were his teammates: Yaz and Lynn, 130; Rice 128; Fisk 117; Boomer Scott 114. If Carbo were playing today, Billy Beane would be all over him. Or Theo Epstein, for that matter - Carbo's sweet lefty swing was tailor made for Fenway.