What a season it has been for the 2013 Red Sox! Coming in with low expectations and a
division that seemed to be wide open, they took charge from the get-go. They never spent a day under .500, unlike
the disastrous 2012 team, who only occasionally peeked over that mark. The lowest they placed in the standings was
third, during a brief skid in May, and have spent most of the season atop the
division, en route to their first division crown since 2007. While there are still questions about this
team heading into the postseason (*cough* bullpen *cough*), this season has
been one of the best in team history and one of the truest team efforts in the
game.
While the 2013 Red
Sox personify the concept of team play, there is still plenty of virtual
hardware to go around for some of the individual players of said team:
The King of the
Hill: The winner of this award has
been the subject of some controversy this season and it wasn’t a slam-dunk
choice, given that he missed so much time, but when he’s been on the mound,
he’s been a true force of nature. A
12-1 record with a 1.74 ERA (with the smaller sample size caveat) is hard to
just brush aside due to his extended time on the DL. Therefore, the 2013 King of the Hill Soxie
goes to Clay Buchholz. One can only
imagine how his numbers would have looked had he stayed healthy the whole
season. Honorable Mentions: Jon Lester and John Lackey
Teddy Yaz: Named for two of the greatest hitters in Red
Sox history, this award goes to the best offensive producer of the season. This year’s recipient continues to get it
done at the plate at age 37, finishing with 30 HR and 103 RBI and showed
pitchers why you never intentionally walk anyone to pitch to him. He’s lethal to baseballs and dugout
phones. The 2013 Teddy Yaz Soxie goes
to David “Big Papi” Ortiz. Honorable
Mention: Mike Napoli
Dirt Doggery: He’s played the entire season with a torn
ligament in this thumb that will probably need surgery in the offseason. He’s a player that goes all out, sore thumb
be damned and he’s put up his usual numbers (.301 AVG, 9 HR, 84 RBI, .787
OPS). Also known as “Pedey” or “Laser
Show,” Dustin Pedroia wins the 2013 Dirt
Doggery Soxie. Honorable Mention: Shane Victorino
The Golden Welcome
Mat: He may have been signed as a
platoon player and his batting average isn’t anything to write home about, but
he has a flair for the dramatic and has been a unifying force on this team. The Boston Strong 617 jersey to honor the
memories of the Boston Marathon bombing victims was his idea. The Golden Welcome Mat Soxie for 2013 goes to Jonny Gomes. Honorable Mentions: Koji Uehara, Mike Carp, Shane Victorino
The Comeback Kid: In
2011, he pitched through a shredded elbow and his ERA paid a hefty price. He was also allegedly part of the “Chicken
and Beer” controversy at the heart of the 2011 collapse. In 2012, he spent the season recovering from
Tommy John surgery and he came into the 2013 season having lost weight and
gotten himself into top shape. Though
his record isn’t pretty to look at due to poor run support, he has put forth a
3.52 ERA on the season and figures to start Game 2 of the ALDS. The 2013 Comeback Kid Soxie goes to John
Lackey Honorable Mention: Jon Lester
The Bullpen Cowboy:
This one’s a no-brainer. He
stepped up and dominated in a place of great need for the Red Sox when their
previous 2 closers went down with injuries and ineffectiveness. He also high-fives with the best of
them. Koji Uehara wins the 2013 Bullpen
Cowboy Soxie Honorable Mention: Craig Breslow
The Team Player: Pretty much all of the 2013 Red Sox could
lay claim to this award, but one guy stands out for his willingness to play
wherever he’s asked. He’s also helped
the team by putting up some very nice numbers (.303 avg, 12 HR, 66 RBI, .831
OPS). A big part of his game is just
getting on base. The 2013 Team Player
Soxie goes to Daniel Nava. Honorable
mention: Shane Victorino
2013 Red Sox
MVP: This is a tough one because so
much of this team’s success this season has been the result of a team
effort. The 2013 Red Sox did not have to
rely on a couple of superstars to propel them to 97 wins, rather they were an
ensemble cast. I could make a case for
at least a half dozen players, from Koji Uehara for stepping up as the best Red
Sox closer since 2007 Papelbon, to Big Papi for continuing to be the offensive
force in the middle of the lineup, to Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia, who
played through pain all year, to Jon Lester, who struggled in June and July,
but righted the ship in the second half, but the player I’m choosing is one
that I’ve had my doubts about over the course of his time with the Red Sox and
now I’m hoping he re-signs with the team, as he will be a free agent this
offseason. He has really stepped up his
game in 2013, from refining his hitting approach to developing a Varitek-like
rapport with the pitching staff. He
dealt with an increased workload in the absence of David Ross, yet managed to
avoid second-half fade. This is why I
choose Jarrod Saltalamacchia as the 2013 Red Sox MVP.
The following Soxies are whimsical new categories for 2013, with no
honorable mentions.
The Grand Salami
Soxie: Mike Napoli (3 Grand Slams this
season)
The FCC Be Damned
Soxie: David Ortiz, for “This is our
F@#%ing city!” in first home game after
the Boston Marathon bombings.
The “What Wall?”
Soxie: Shane Victorino, who had close encounters
with plenty of stationary objects in the field of play.
The Helmet Hero
Soxie: Jonny Gomes, for his helmet punt
after hitting a walk-off home run and wearing a soldier’s helmet during the
clinching celebration.
The Wheels of
Steal Soxie: Jacoby Ellsbury, who lead
all of MLB in stolen bases with 52
The “Call Me
Stephen” Soxie: Stephen, not J.D.,
Drew. However, should they reach Game 6
of the ALCS and he hits a grand slam, all bets are off.
The Smarty Pants
Soxie: Craig Breslow, who might have
been a doctor if he weren’t a pro baseball player.
Best Performance By A Pinch Hitter
Soxie: Mike Carp for his game-winning
pinch-hit grand slam against the division rival Rays.
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