Boston Red Sox 2018 hitting duo looks like 2004 duo
The Boston Red Sox are the best team in baseball with their 108 wins. Their 2018 campaign is looking very similar to 2004 thanks to two of their hitters.
Think back to the 2004 Boston Red Sox. They won 98 games that year, it was the first time they won more than 95 in more than a decade.
Their pitching was great that year thanks to guys like Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling. But when you think of the 2004 team, you mostly think of their hitters. Mainly, you’re going to think of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
Those two were great, and 14 years later it looks like the Red Sox have their successors in Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Yes, the 2018 team has a ton of other great players too, but Martinez and Betts are having incredibly similar seasons to how the 2004 duo dominated the league. Both Ramirez and Betts spent their respective seasons in the outfield, Ramirez at left and Betts at right. Both Martinez and Ortiz spent most of the season as a designated hitter.
In 2004, Ortiz hit .301 with 41 home runs, 139 runs batted in, and 47 doubles as a 28-year-old. In 2018, Martinez hit .330 with 43 home runs, 130 runs batted in, and 37 doubles as a 30-year old.
In 2004 Ramirez hit .308 with 43 home runs, 130 runs batted in, 44 doubles, and 108 runs scored. In 2018, Betts hit an incredible .346 along with 32 home runs, 80 runs batted in, 47 doubles, and 129 runs scored.
Where Betts didn’t match up in home runs and runs batted in, he excelled in average and runs scored. In 2004, Ramirez was 32 and in 2018 Betts is 25.
After the 2004 season concluded, Ramirez was with the team for another three and a half seasons while Ortiz was with them for another 12.
They both had amazing careers and from the looks of it, both Martinez and Betts are going to have a few more amazing seasons each. Martinez has up to four more seasons on his contract and Betts still has two more seasons before he will be a free agent.
Next. Red Sox fan hits Stanton with home run ball. dark
Maybe their 2018 season is a sign of good things to come for the new powerhouse duo, maybe they can lead the Boston Red Sox to a couple championships like what happened in 2004 and 2007.