MLB history: From worst to first, what made the 2013 Boston Red Sox so special

In a previous article, I wrote about the 2012 trade that sent some serious big names out of Boston (Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett) and gave the Boston Red Sox payroll flexibility. So, what did they do with the extra money and roster spots? Let’s take a look.

How the Boston Red Sox made big things out of a 2012 trade

First, they re-signed David Ortiz. Even though management called it one of the most pressing needs, the Boston press members were not convinced. An article written by Cliff Corcoran said this, “His signing had far less to do with what he’s likely to do in the two seasons covered by his new contract than with what he has done in the last 10.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Looking back that signing was monstrous, as Ortiz stayed healthy, rang up some big numbers, and retired as a Red Sox legend.

Next, they signed David Ross. Now, we know Ross wasn’t some powerhouse player. He was a backup catcher, but I really liked this signing. He was a great leader in the clubhouse and able to bring the club together after a terrible year in 2012. His leadership transferred well after his playing days as he is the current manager of the Chicago Cubs. Ross was a great extra piece.

Another part vital to their success was signing Jonny Gomes. Here is where I was wrong at the time … I didn’t like the deal. He had a nice 2012 in Oakland, but the previous years were not good and I thought he was way past prime. He was a good right-handed bat off the bench and a spark plug … and you need those guys and the Red Sox needed his fire.

Mid-December, they struck gold. On the 13th, they got Shane Victorino and then grabbed Koji Uehara on the 18th. To top it off, the next day they picked up Ryan Dempster. Victorino was a very nice piece to pencil in the second spot and play right field. Koji was unhittable, going 4-1 with a 1.09 ERA and 21 saves. Might be the greatest year of any closer in Red Sox history. Dempster was in his final year, but still posted an 8-9 record and ate up some innings. In all, there were three great signings.

Later on the 26th, they got Steven Drew. The veteran shortstop gave them another bat with some pop to sit at the bottom of the lineup. One through nine, this was a team that hit and hit well. No easy outs here!

A month later, they signed Mike Napoli, and converted him to a full-time first baseman. He gave them some serious punch in the middle of the lineup, hitting 23 home runs and logging 92 RBI. He also played a very good first base defensively. This was a signing I loved. Always been a fan of him and you could see he was a proven winner.

With everything in place, they started off hot, going 18-8 in April before cooling off in May (15-15). June and July they were playing well, but they needed another spare part. Clay Buchholtz, who at the time was 9-0 when he went down with an injury in June and he didn’t come back until September. At the trade deadline, the Red Sox traded for Jake Peavy. Peavy, the 2007 Cy Young award winner, had his share of injuries as well, but was having a good season in Chicago, going 8-4 with the White Sox.

The rest as they say is history, but in order to get a team to go from worst to first, you have to hit and hit big. The trade they made in August of 2012 to set all this up was big all by itself. The combination of signings and trade to make this happen was Supernova big … and I’m not sure if it will ever happen anytime soon. Looking back, these were brilliant moves by the Red Sox brass.