Chowder and Champions
Fansided

Boston Red Sox history: The moves of 1997 set up franchise for success

By Jason Haskins

Starting pitcher Bret Saberhagen of the Boston Red Sox reacts to a first inning strike out against the New York Yankees 17 October, 1999, in game four of the American League Championship Series at Feneway Park in Boston, MA. The Yankees lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Mark JOHNSON (Photo by Mark E. JOHNSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK E. JOHNSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Starting pitcher Bret Saberhagen of the Boston Red Sox reacts to a first inning strike out against the New York Yankees 17 October, 1999, in game four of the American League Championship Series at Feneway Park in Boston, MA. The Yankees lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Mark JOHNSON (Photo by Mark E. JOHNSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK E. JOHNSON/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
Boston Red Sox
10/6/2004 Boston starter Pedro Martine  Photo by Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY staff (Via MerlinFTP Drop) /

A rocket of an ace for Boston Red Sox

Boston had been on the hunt for a true ace in the middle part of the 1990s. Former stud Roger Clemens left after the 1996 season but had his struggles his last four seasons with the club (and, you know, had a resurgence that saw Clemens pitch 11 more seasons and win 162 more games).

Enter the star pitcher of the future, Pedro Martinez.

In a trade with the Montreal Expos, the Red Sox acquired Martinez for top pitching prospect Carl Pavano and player to be name later (Tony Armas Jr.).

It turned out to be a lopsided trade, even as both Pavano and Armas spent plenty of years pitching in the big leagues. But Martinez was in a class all by himself for that seven-year stretch with the Red Sox.

He was coming off a 1997 season in which he was 17-8 with a 1.90 ERA. The other numbers were off the charts, even for that day-and-age as Martinez posted 13 complete games, four shutouts, and 305 strikeout.

That dominance continued with the Red Sox, going 117-37 in his time with Boston. Martinez pitched 22 complete games and 8 shutouts, compiling a 2.52 ERA over that span. He won two Cy Young Awards, had one notable altercation with Don Zimmer, and ultimately helped break that 86-year curse by leading the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2004.

It was really a steal of a deal for the Red Sox. Martinez was a player in his prime and we saw some of the most dominant pitching of that era.

It was another pitcher at the tail end of his career, and former ace himself, that helped Boston in those first couple of years following the 1997 season.

Bret Saberhagen initially joined the Red Sox as a free agent after the 1996 season but his first year was cut short after six games.

So, Saberhagen signed again with the Red Sox heading into 1998 and was solid in the next two seasons with the Red Sox. He went 25-14, with a 2.45 ERA in 1999. Over the two seasons, Saberhagen pitched 294 innings and was reliable and efficient.

So, too, was another pitcher who came over in 1997, along with a very special catcher.

Home/Boston Red Sox