Boston Red Sox: Top 5 displaced homegrown players in history, ranked

Boston Red Sox: Top 5 displaced homegrown players in history

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 25: A detailed view of the logo on the helmet of Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox during batting practice prior to MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mookie Betts /

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(Photo by Darren Carroll/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Top 5 Displaced Homegrown Red Sox Players in History

3B, Wade Boggs | 71.3 WAR in Boston

Wade Boggs became one of the first in a line of elite Boston Red Sox players to be allowed to walk away starting in the 1990s. Though he was just one year removed from a phenomenal season in which he hit .332, in 1993 the Red Sox allowed Boggs to sign with the arch-rival New York Yankees.

In five New York seasons, Boggs continued his raking abilities by slashing .313 / .396 / .407 and taking home a World Series title in 1996.

What’s more, Boggs gave Yankees fans – like me – one of the most memorable moments. After the celebration on the mound, Boggs hopped on a police horse and took a ride around the ballpark, cap tilted and waving one finger in the air as Kool & The Gang’s “Celebrate” blasts through the speakers.

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Boggs was one of those players who defied all logic in the batter’s box, especially in the current state of the game. For his career, he walked more than twice as much as he struck out, which kind of defines his career.

In the end, Boggs would retire as one of the founding players on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In his final season, at the age of 41, Boggs hit for an average of .301, again walking (38) more than striking out (23).

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