2004 Boston Red Sox season
2004 Boston Red Sox | ||
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World Series Champions American League Champions American League Wild Card Winners | ||
![]() Tim Wakefield (right) with the Commissioner's Trophy | ||
League | American League | |
Division | East | |
Ballpark | Fenway Park | |
City | Boston | |
Record | 98–64 (.605) | |
Divisional place | 2nd (3 GB) | |
Owners | John W. Henry (New England Sports Ventures) | |
President | Larry Lucchino | |
General manager | Theo Epstein | |
Manager | Terry Francona | |
Television | WSBK-TV WBZ-TV (Sean McDonough, Jerry Remy) NESN (Don Orsillo, Jerry Remy) | |
Radio | WEEI (Jerry Trupiano, Joe Castiglione) WROL (Bill Kulik, Uri Berenguer, Juan Pedro Villamán) | |
Stats | ESPN.com BB-reference | |
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The 2004 Boston Red Sox season was the 104th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. Managed by Terry Francona, the Red Sox finished with a 98–64 record, three games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East. The Red Sox qualified for the postseason as the AL wild card, swept the Anaheim Angels in the ALDS, and faced the Yankees in the ALCS for the second straight year. After losing the first three games to the Yankees and trailing in the ninth inning of the fourth game, the Red Sox became the first team in major league history to come back from a three-game postseason deficit, defeating the Yankees in seven games. The Red Sox then swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, capturing their first championship since 1918.[1]
The Red Sox led the major leagues in runs scored (949), doubles (373), batting average (.282), on-base percentage (.360), slugging percentage (.472), OPS (.832) and total bases (2,702).
Offseason
[edit]- November 28, 2003: Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, Jorge de la Rosa, and Michael Goss (minors) were traded by the Red Sox to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Curt Schilling.[2]
- December 16, 2003: Mark Bellhorn was acquired by the Red Sox from the Colorado Rockies as part of a conditional deal.[3]
- December 22, 2003: Gabe Kapler was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox.[4]
- December 23, 2003: Pokey Reese was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox.[5]
- January 7, 2004: Keith Foulke was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox.[6]
A New Manager
[edit]Following the Sox' exit from the Postseason by the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, Red Sox manager Grady Little was fired from his position on October 27, one business day after the 2003 World Series.[7] Little, who had accumulated a 188─136 record with the Red Sox, received a $250,000 parting gift as well as $60,000 in performance bonuses.[8]
After a month of searching, the Red Sox hired former Philadelphia manager Terry Francona on December 4, 2003.[9] Other candidates for consideration included Anaheim bench coach Joe Maddon, Texas first base coach DeMarlo Hale, and Los Angeles third base coach Glenn Hoffman.[10] The Red Sox gave Francona a three-year deal with an option for a fourth.[11]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Terry_Francona_2009.jpg/220px-Terry_Francona_2009.jpg)
Pre-season events
[edit]During the 2003–04 off season, the Red Sox acquired a starting ace pitcher; Curt Schilling, as well as a closer, Keith Foulke.[12] Many visitors at their spring training at Fort Myers, Florida, were very enthusiastic about the 2004 Red Sox team. Expectations once again ran high that 2004 would finally be the year that the Red Sox ended their championship drought.[13]
Spring Training
[edit]Red Sox Win | Red Sox Loss | Tie Game |
The Red Sox also played exhibition games against Boston College and Northeastern University. The games were played as a doubleheader on March 5. The Red Sox defeated Boston College 9─3, and then defeated Northeastern University 7─0.[43][44]
Regular Season Records
[edit]Season standings
[edit]Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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New York Yankees | 101 | 61 | .623 | — | 57–24 | 44–37 |
Boston Red Sox | 98 | 64 | .605 | 3 | 55–26 | 43–38 |
Baltimore Orioles | 78 | 84 | .481 | 23 | 38–43 | 40–41 |
Tampa Bay Devil Rays | 70 | 91 | .435 | 30½ | 41–39 | 29–52 |
Toronto Blue Jays | 67 | 94 | .416 | 33½ | 40–41 | 27–53 |
Record vs. opponents
[edit]Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] | |||||||||||||||
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Team | ANA | BAL | BOS | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIN | NYY | OAK | SEA | TB | TEX | TOR | NL |
Anaheim | — | 6–3 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 7–2 | 7–0 | 5–4 | 5–4 | 10–9 | 13–7 | 6–1 | 9–10 | 4–5 | 7–11 |
Baltimore | 3–6 | — | 10–9 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 5–14 | 0–7 | 7–2 | 11–8 | 5–2 | 11–8 | 5–13 |
Boston | 5–4 | 9–10 | — | 4–2 | 3–4 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 11–8 | 8–1 | 5–4 | 14–5 | 4–5 | 14–5 | 9–9 |
Chicago | 4–5 | 4–2 | 2–4 | — | 10–9 | 8–11 | 13–6 | 9–10 | 3–4 | 2–7 | 7–2 | 4–2 | 6–3 | 3–4 | 8–10 |
Cleveland | 5–4 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 9–10 | — | 9–10 | 11–8 | 7–12 | 2–4 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 1–8 | 5–2 | 10–8 |
Detroit | 2–7 | 0–6 | 1–6 | 11–8 | 10–9 | — | 8–11 | 7–12 | 4–3 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 4–5 | 4–2 | 9–9 |
Kansas City | 0–7 | 3–6 | 2–4 | 6–13 | 8–11 | 11–8 | — | 7–12 | 1–5 | 2–7 | 2–5 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 3–3 | 6–12 |
Minnesota | 4–5 | 5–4 | 4–2 | 10–9 | 12–7 | 12–7 | 12–7 | — | 2–4 | 2–5 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 11–7 |
New York | 4–5 | 14–5 | 8–11 | 4–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 4–2 | — | 7–2 | 6–3 | 15–4 | 5–4 | 12–7 | 10–8 |
Oakland | 9–10 | 7–0 | 1–8 | 7–2 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 7–2 | 5–2 | 2–7 | — | 11–8 | 7–2 | 11–9 | 6–3 | 10–8 |
Seattle | 7–13 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 5–2 | 4–5 | 3–6 | 8–11 | — | 2–5 | 7–12 | 2–7 | 9–9 |
Tampa Bay | 1–6 | 8–11 | 5–14 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 4–15 | 2–7 | 5–2 | — | 2–7 | 9–9 | 15–3 |
Texas | 10–9 | 2–5 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 8–1 | 5–4 | 5–4 | 2–5 | 4–5 | 9–11 | 12–7 | 7–2 | — | 7–2 | 10–8 |
Toronto | 5–4 | 8–11 | 5–14 | 4–3 | 2–5 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 7–12 | 3–6 | 7–2 | 9–9 | 2–7 | — | 8–10 |
Team | NL West | ||||||
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ARI | COL | LAD | SDP | SFG | ATL | PHI | |
Boston | — | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 |
Transactions
[edit]April
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May
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June
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- July 21, 2004: Ricky Gutiérrez was acquired by the Red Sox from the Cubs as part of a conditional deal.[67]
- July 24, 2004: Terry Adams was acquired by the Red Sox from the Blue Jays in exchange for minor leaguer John Hattig.[68]
- July 31, 2004: As part of a four-team trade, Orlando Cabrera was acquired by the Red Sox from the Expos and Doug Mientkiewicz was acquired by the Red Sox from the Twins.[69][70] In exchange, the Red Sox sent star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton (minors) to the Cubs.[71] In a separate trade, Dave Roberts was acquired by the Red Sox from the Dodgers in exchange for Henri Stanley (minors).[72]
- August 6, 2004: Mike Myers was selected off waivers by the Red Sox from the Mariners.[73]
- August 31, 2004: Sandy Martínez was purchased by the Red Sox from the Indians.[74]
Opening Day lineup
[edit]18 | Johnny Damon | CF |
11 | Bill Mueller | 3B |
24 | Manny Ramirez | LF |
34 | David Ortiz | DH |
15 | Kevin Millar | 1B |
19 | Gabe Kapler | RF |
33 | Jason Varitek | C |
12 | Mark Bellhorn | 2B |
3 | Pokey Reese | SS |
45 | Pedro Martínez | P |
Roster
[edit]2004 Boston Red Sox roster | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
Designated hitter
Pinch hitter
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Manager
Coaches
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Road to a Championship
[edit]The regular season started well in April, but through midseason the team struggled due to injuries, inconsistency and defensive woes, and fell more than eight games behind New York. A bright point came on July 24, when the Red Sox overcame a five-run deficit as Bill Mueller hit a game-winning home run to right-center off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. The game also featured a now infamous brawl between Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez and Red Sox catcher and captain Jason Varitek.
Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein shook up the team at the MLB trading deadline July 31, trading the team's wildly popular yet often hurt and disgruntled shortstop, Nomar Garciaparra, to the Chicago Cubs,[77] receiving Orlando Cabrera from the Montreal Expos and Doug Mientkiewicz from the Minnesota Twins in return. In a separate transaction, the Red Sox also traded AAA outfielder Henri Stanley to the Los Angeles Dodgers for center fielder Dave Roberts. With valuable players like Cabrera, Mientkiewicz, and Roberts in the lineup, the club turned things around, winning twenty-two out of twenty-five games and going on to finish within three games of the Yankees in the AL East and qualifying for the playoffs as the AL Wild Card.
The team played its home games at Fenway Park, before a regular season total attendance of 2,837,294 fans.
Game log
[edit]2004 Game Log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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April (15-6)
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May (16-14)
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June (11-14)
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July (14-12)
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August (21-7)
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September (18-10)
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October (3-1)
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Postseason game log
[edit]Boston Red Sox 2004 Postseason Game Log (11–3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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World Series vs. St. Louis Cardinals (4–0)
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Player stats
[edit]= Indicates team leader |
Batting
[edit]Starters by position
[edit]Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player[78] | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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C | Jason Varitek | 137 | 463 | 137 | .296 | 18 | 73 |
1B | Kevin Millar | 150 | 508 | 151 | .297 | 18 | 74 |
2B | Mark Bellhorn | 138 | 523 | 138 | .264 | 17 | 82 |
SS | Pokey Reese | 96 | 244 | 54 | .221 | 3 | 29 |
3B | Bill Mueller | 110 | 399 | 113 | .283 | 12 | 57 |
LF | Manny Ramirez | 152 | 568 | 175 | .308 | 43 | 130 |
CF | Johnny Damon | 150 | 621 | 189 | .304 | 20 | 94 |
RF | Gabe Kapler | 136 | 290 | 79 | .272 | 6 | 33 |
DH | David Ortiz | 150 | 582 | 175 | .301 | 41 | 139 |
Other batters
[edit]Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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Orlando Cabrera | 58 | 228 | 67 | .294 | 6 | 31 |
Kevin Youkilis | 72 | 208 | 54 | .260 | 7 | 35 |
Doug Mirabelli | 59 | 160 | 45 | .281 | 9 | 32 |
Nomar Garciaparra | 38 | 156 | 50 | .321 | 5 | 21 |
David McCarty | 91 | 151 | 39 | .258 | 4 | 17 |
Trot Nixon | 48 | 149 | 47 | .315 | 6 | 23 |
Doug Mientkiewicz | 49 | 107 | 23 | .215 | 1 | 10 |
Dave Roberts | 45 | 86 | 22 | .256 | 2 | 14 |
César Crespo | 52 | 79 | 13 | .165 | 0 | 2 |
Brian Daubach | 30 | 75 | 17 | .227 | 2 | 8 |
Ricky Gutiérrez | 21 | 40 | 11 | .275 | 0 | 3 |
Ellis Burks | 11 | 33 | 6 | .182 | 1 | 1 |
Andy Dominique | 7 | 11 | 2 | .182 | 0 | 1 |
Adam Hyzdu | 17 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 1 | 2 |
Sandy Martínez | 3 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Earl Snyder | 1 | 4 | 1 | .250 | 0 | 0 |
Pitching
[edit]Starting pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player[78] | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Curt Schilling | 32 | 226.2 | 21 | 6 | 3.26 | 203 |
Pedro Martínez | 33 | 217.0 | 16 | 9 | 3.90 | 227 |
Tim Wakefield | 32 | 188.1 | 12 | 10 | 4.87 | 116 |
Derek Lowe | 33 | 182.2 | 14 | 12 | 5.42 | 105 |
Bronson Arroyo | 32 | 178.2 | 10 | 9 | 4.03 | 142 |
Other pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player[78] | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Byung-hyun Kim | 7 | 17.1 | 2 | 1 | 6.23 | 6 |
Pedro Astacio | 5 | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | 10.38 | 6 |
Abe Alvarez | 1 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 | 2 |
Relief pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
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Keith Foulke | 72 | 5 | 3 | 32 | 2.17 | 79 |
Mike Timlin | 76 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4.13 | 56 |
Alan Embree | 71 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4.13 | 37 |
Curtis Leskanic | 32 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3.58 | 22 |
Scott Williamson | 28 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.26 | 28 |
Ramiro Mendoza | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3.52 | 13 |
Mike Myers | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.20 | 9 |
Lenny DiNardo | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.23 | 21 |
Terry Adams | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6.00 | 21 |
Mark Malaska | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.50 | 12 |
Anastacio Martínez | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8.44 | 5 |
Jimmy Anderson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.00 | 3 |
Jaime Brown | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.87 | 6 |
Dave McCarty | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.45 | 4 |
Bobby Jones | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.40 | 3 |
Joe Nelson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.88 | 5 |
Phil Seibel | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 |
Frank Castillo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
Postseason
[edit]Division Series
[edit]Boston began the playoffs by sweeping the AL West champion Anaheim Angels.[79] The Red Sox blew out the Angels 9–3 in Game 1, scoring 7 of those runs in the fourth inning. However, the Sox' 2003 off season prize pickup Curt Schilling suffered a torn tendon when he was hit by a line drive. The injury was exacerbated when Schilling fielded a ball rolling down the first base line. The second game, pitched by Pedro Martínez, stayed close until Boston scored four in the ninth to win 8–3. In game three, what looked to be a blowout turned out to be a nail-biter, as Vladimir Guerrero hit a grand slam off Mike Timlin in the top of the seventh inning to tie it at six. However, David Ortiz, who was noted for his clutch hitting, delivered in the 10th inning with a game winning two-run homer, off Jarrod Washburn, sailing over the Green Monster. The Red Sox advanced to a rematch in the 2004 American League Championship Series against their bitter rivals, the New York Yankees.
League Championship Series
[edit]Despite high hopes that the Red Sox would finally vanquish their nemesis from the Bronx, the series started disastrously for them. Curt Schilling pitched with the torn tendon sheath in his right ankle he had suffered in Game 1 of the Division Series against Anaheim, and was routed for six runs in three innings. Yankee starter Mike Mussina retired the first nineteen Red Sox that came to the plate before Mark Bellhorn broke it up with a double with one out in the top of the seventh. Despite the Sox' best effort to come back (they scored seven runs to make it 8–7), they ended up losing 10–7. In Game 2, already with his Yankees leading 1–0 for most of the game, John Olerud hit a two-run home run to put the New York team up for good. The Sox were soon down three games to none after a 19–8 loss in Game 3 at home. In that game, the two clubs set the record for most runs scored in a League Championship Series game. At that point in the history of baseball, no team had come back to win from a 3–0 series deficit (only the 1998 Atlanta Braves and 1999 New York Mets had ever gotten as far as a Game 6).
In Game 4, the Red Sox found themselves facing elimination, trailing 4–3 in the ninth with Yankees closer Mariano Rivera on the mound. After Rivera issued a walk to Kevin Millar, Dave Roberts came on to pinch run and promptly stole second base, this being what many consider the turning point in the series.[80][81][82] He then scored on an RBI single by Bill Mueller which sent the game to extra innings. The Red Sox went on to win the game on a two-run home run by David Ortiz in the 12th inning. In Game 5, the Red Sox were again down late, this time by the score of 4–2, as a result of Derek Jeter's bases-clearing triple. But the Sox struck back in the eighth, as Ortiz hit a homer over the Green Monster to bring the Sox within a run. Then Jason Varitek hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Roberts, scoring the tying run. The game would go for 14 innings, capped off by many squandered Yankee opportunities (they were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position). In the top of the 12th inning, the knuckleballing Tim Wakefield came in from the bullpen, without his customary "personal catcher", Doug Mirabelli. Varitek, the starting catcher, had trouble with Wakefield's tricky knuckleballs in the 13th: he allowed three passed balls in the top of the 13th. The third and last of those gave the Yankees runners on second and third with two out. The Red Sox were spared, however, as Rubén Sierra struck out to end the inning. In the bottom of the 14th, Ortiz would again seal the win with a game-winning RBI single that brought home Damon. The game set the record for longest postseason game in terms of time (5 hours and 49 minutes) and for the longest American League Championship Series game (14 innings), though the former has since been broken.
With the series returning to Yankee Stadium for Game 6, the improbable comeback continued, with Curt Schilling pitching on an ankle that had three sutures wrapped in a bloody white sock (red with a blood stain). Schilling struck out four, walked none, and only allowed one run over seven innings to lead the team to victory. Mark Bellhorn also helped in the effort as he hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Originally called a double, the umpires conferred and agreed that the ball had actually gone into the stands before falling back into the field of play. A key play came in the bottom of the eighth inning with Derek Jeter on first and Alex Rodríguez facing Bronson Arroyo. Rodríguez hit a ground ball down the first base line. Arroyo fielded it and reached out to tag him as he raced down the line. Rodríguez slapped at the ball and it came loose, rolling down the line. Jeter scored and Rodríguez ended up on second. After conferring, however, the umpires called Rodríguez out on interference and returned Jeter to first base, the second time in the game they reversed a call. Yankees fans, upset with the calls, littered the field with debris. The umpires called police clad in riot gear to line the field in the top of the 9th inning. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees staged a rally and brought former Red Sox player Tony Clark, who had played well against the Red Sox since leaving the team, to the plate as the potential winning run. Closer Keith Foulke however, struck out Clark to end the game and force a Game 7. In this game, the Red Sox completed their historic comeback on the strength of Derek Lowe's one-hit, one-run pitching and Johnny Damon's two home runs, including a grand slam in the second inning off the first pitch of reliever Javier Vázquez, and defeated the New York Yankees, 10–3. Ortiz, who had the game-winning RBIs in Games 4 and 5, was named ALCS Most Valuable Player.
Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League are three professional sports that feature best-of-seven games series in their playoffs. Coming back to win a seven-game series when down by three games has only been accomplished by four National Hockey League teams and only one Major League Baseball team in the history of the MLB, NBA, and NHL:
- The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) came back from being down by three games to the Detroit Red Wings to win the 1942 Stanley Cup.
- The 1975 New York Islanders (NHL) did the same when they came back to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1975 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals.
- The Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), during their Cinderella run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, came back from three games down to defeat the Boston Bruins to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
- The Los Angeles Kings defeated the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2013–14 NHL Playoffs on their way to winning the 2014 Stanley Cup.
The Boston Red Sox are currently the only team in Major League Baseball history to overcome a three-game deficit in either a league or a World Series championship.[83]
2004 World Series
[edit]The Red Sox faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. The Cardinals had posted the best record in the major leagues that season, and had previously defeated the Red Sox in the 1946 and 1967 Series, with both series going seven games. The third time would be the charm, however, as the momentum and confidence Boston had built up in the ALCS would overwhelm St. Louis. The Red Sox began the Series with an 11–9 win, marked by Mark Bellhorn's game-winning home run off Pesky's Pole. He later on said that he "just did what he needed to do." It was the highest scoring World Series opening game ever (breaking the previous record set in 1932). The Red Sox would go on to win Game 2 in Boston (thanks to another sensational performance by the bloody-socked Schilling). The Red Sox won both these games despite making 4 errors in each game. In Game 3, Pedro Martínez shut out the Cardinals for seven innings. The Cardinals only made one real threat — in the third inning when they put runners on second and third with no outs. However, the Cardinals' rally was killed by pitcher Jeff Suppan's baserunning gaffe. With no outs, Suppan should have scored easily from third on a Larry Walker ground ball to second baseman Bellhorn, who was playing back, conceding the run. But as Bellhorn threw out Walker at first base, Suppan inexplicably froze after taking several steps toward home and was thrown out by Sox first baseman David Ortiz as he scrambled back to third. The double play was devastating for St. Louis. The Red Sox needed one more game to win their first championship since the 1918 World Series. In Game Four, the Red Sox did not allow a run, and the game ended as Édgar Rentería (who would become the 2005 Red Sox starting SS) hit the ball back to Keith Foulke. After Foulke lobbed the ball to Doug Mientkiewicz, the Sox had won their first World Championship in 86 years (this was the second time that Rentería had ended a Series, as he had won it for the Marlins seven years prior in the 1997 World Series). The Sox held the Cardinals' offense (the best in the NL in 2004) to only three runs in the last three games, never trailing in the Series. Manny Ramírez was named World Series MVP. The Red Sox won Game Four of the series on October 27, eighteen years to the day from when they lost to the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series. In fact, it came 18 years to the day they lost their last World Series game, as they would sweep the 2004 World Series.
The Red Sox performed well in the 2004 postseason. From the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees (a tie) until the end of the World Series, the Sox played 60 innings, and never trailed at any point. This was only the fourth World Series ever played in which the losing team had never held a lead.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Boston_Red_Sox_George_W._Bush_2005.jpg/250px-Boston_Red_Sox_George_W._Bush_2005.jpg)
To add a final, surreal touch to the Red Sox championship title, on the night the Red Sox won, a total lunar eclipse colored the moon over Busch Stadium to a deep red hue. The Red Sox won the title about eleven minutes before totality ended. Many Red Sox fans who were turned away due to no tickets for the game were allowed to watch the final inning from the confines of Busch Stadium after being let in free of charge.
Fox commentator Joe Buck famously called the final out, saying:
Back to Foulke. Red Sox fans have longed to hear it: the Boston Red Sox are World Champions!"
The Red Sox held a parade (or as Boston mayor Thomas Menino put it, a "rolling rally") on Saturday, October 30, 2004. A crowd of more than three million people filled the streets of Boston to cheer as the team rode on the city's famous Duck Boats. The parade followed the same route the New England Patriots took following their victories in Super Bowls Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 and Super Bowl XXXVIII in February.
Following their 2004 World Series win, the Red Sox replaced the dirt from the field as a "fresh start". They earned many accolades from sports media and throughout the nation for their incredible season.
Pitcher Derek Lowe said that with the win, the chants of "1918!" would no longer echo at Yankee Stadium again.[84]
The Patriots win in the Super Bowl meant the Red Sox World Series win made Boston the first city to have Super Bowl and World Series champions in the same year in 25 years, when the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XIII, followed by the Pirates winning the 1979 World Series.[85] The Patriots winning Super Bowl XXXIX in the ensuing offseason made Boston the first city to have two Super Bowls and one World Series championship over a span of 12 months since Pittsburgh in 1979–1980.[85]
After the Bruins won the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, which made Boston the first city to win championships in all four sports leagues in the new millennium, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe ranked all seven championships by the Boston teams (the Patriots in the Super Bowls played in 2002, 2004 and 2005, the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, the Celtics in 2008, and the Bruins in 2011) and picked the Red Sox win in 2004 as the greatest Boston sports championship during the ten-year span.[86]
Awards and honors
[edit]- David Ortiz – Silver Slugger Award (DH)
- Manny Ramirez – Silver Slugger Award (OF)
- Kevin Youkilis – AL Rookie of the Month (May)
- David Ortiz, reserve 1B
- Manny Ramirez, starting LF
- Curt Schilling, reserve P
Farm system
[edit]Level | Team | League | Manager |
---|---|---|---|
AAA | Pawtucket Red Sox | International League | Buddy Bailey |
AA | Portland Sea Dogs | Eastern League | Ron Johnson |
A-Advanced | Sarasota Red Sox | Florida State League | Todd Claus |
A | Augusta GreenJackets | South Atlantic League | Chad Epperson |
A-Short Season | Lowell Spinners | New York–Penn League | Luis Alicea |
Rookie | GCL Red Sox | Gulf Coast League | Ralph Treuel |
Rookie | DSL Red Sox | Dominican Summer League | Nelson Paulino |
Rookie | VSL Red Sox | Venezuelan Summer League | Josman Robles |
VSL team was also known as Ciudad Alianza.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ "2004 Boston Red Sox Statistics". Baseball Reference. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ^ Curt Schilling at Baseball Reference
- ^ Mark Bellhorn at Baseball Reference
- ^ Gabe Kapler at Baseball Reference
- ^ Pokey Reese Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ Keith Foulke Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ Francona, Terry; Shaughnessy, Dan (2013). Francona: The Red Sox Years. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 46.
- ^ Hohler, Bob (October 28, 2003). "Point Of No Return". The Boston Globe. pp. D1 & D10.
- ^ Stout, Glenn; Johnson, Richard A. (2005). Red Sox Century: The Definitive History of Baseball's Most Storied Franchise, Expanded and Updated. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin. p. 459. ISBN 978-0-618-62226-9.
- ^ Hohler, Bob (December 5, 2003). "Nice And Easy For Sox". The Boston Globe. pp. E1 & E6.
- ^ Golen, Jimmy (December 5, 2003). "Francona Hired As Red Sox Manager". The Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. pp. C1 & C6. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ Keith Foulke Statistics and History Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ Shaughnessy, Dan; Ryan, Bob (April 2, 2004). "Staff picks". The Boston Globe. p. F12. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
World Series: Red Sox over Cubs
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 5, 2004). "Francona Flips Over New Lineup". The Boston Globe. p. C6.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 7, 2004). "Kim Throws Media A Curve". The Boston Globe. p. C5.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 8, 2004). "Red Sox Plenty Loose For 'Rematch'". The Boston Globe. p. D6.
- ^ a b Bob Hohler (March 9, 2004). "A Knuckler Sandwich". The Boston Globe. p. F2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 10, 2004). "That Florida Heat". The Boston Globe. pp. F1–F2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 11, 2004). "Kim Back For More On Mound". The Boston Globe. p. C6.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 11, 2004). "Arroyo Faces The Music". The Boston Globe. p. E2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 13, 2004). "Foulke's Debut All Business". The Boston Globe. p. E2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 14, 2004). "Jays Contend That They Can Hang In There". The Boston Globe. p. E5.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 15, 2004). "Putting His Name In Lights". The Boston Globe. p. D2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 17, 2004). "Nixon Status Could Shift Outfield". The Boston Globe. p. F2.
- ^ Nick Cafardo (March 18, 2004). "Ace Talks Good Game". The Boston Globe. pp. C1–C2.
- ^ Nick Cafardo (March 19, 2004). "Garciaparra, Nixon Still Feeling The Pain". The Boston Globe. p. E2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 20, 2004). "Martinez Takes Good With Bad". The Boston Globe. p. D3.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 21, 2004). "Arroyo To Start Home Opener". The Boston Globe. p. D9.
- ^ Nick Cafardo (March 22, 2004). "A Feather In His Cap". The Boston Globe. p. C2.
- ^ Nick Cafardo (March 23, 2004). "Schilling's Pitches A Little Up". The Boston Globe. p. F2.
- ^ Nick Cafardo (March 24, 2004). "Pitching To The Shortstop". The Boston Globe. p. D2.
- ^ Nick Cafardo (March 25, 2004). "Garciaparra Optimistic; Nixon In Pain". The Boston Globe. p. C2.
- ^ Dan Shaughnessy (March 26, 2004). "No Short Answer On Garciaparra". The Boston Globe. p. E6.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 27, 2004). "Arroyo Hit Hard In Outing". The Boston Globe. p. E2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 28, 2004). "Schilling Already Going 100". The Boston Globe. p. E3.
- ^ Gordon Edes (March 29, 2004). "Reese Has A Big Fan In McKeon". The Boston Globe. p. D3.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 30, 2004). "No Gain On The Pain". The Boston Globe. p. F2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (March 31, 2004). "A Late Spring Bash". The Boston Globe. p. F1 & F5.
- ^ Bob Hohler (April 1, 2004). "Team Has No Plans For A Short-Term Fix". The Boston Globe. p. C6.
- ^ Bob Hohler (April 2, 2004). "He's Ready... Or Not: Skipper Confident in Foulke". The Boston Globe. p. F14.
- ^ Bob Hohler (April 3, 2004). "Ramirez Snaps Out Of It With Pop". The Boston Globe. p. D2.
- ^ Bob Hohler (April 4, 2004). "A Turbulent Close For Foulke's Stormy Spring". The Boston Globe. p. E10.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox 9, Boston College 3". Boston College Eagles. March 5, 2004. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "2004 Baseball Schedule". Northeastern Huskies. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 9, 2004. p. E2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 10, 2024. p. F2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 11, 2004. p. C3.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 15, 2024. p. C2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 16, 2004. p. E2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 18, 2004. p. D3.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 19, 2004. p. D2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 20, 2024. p. D2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 22, 2004. p. C2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 27, 2004. p. F2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. April 28, 2004. p. D2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. May 12, 2004. p. D2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. May 13, 2004. p. E2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. May 16, 2004. p. D3.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. May 22, 2004. p. E2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. May 26, 2004. p. D2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. June 10, 2004. p. C2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. June 12, 2004. p. F2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. June 15, 2004. p. C2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. June 17, 2024. p. C2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. June 23, 2004. p. F2.
- ^ "Sports Log: Transactions". The Boston Globe. July 1, 2024. p. C2.
- ^ Ricky Gutiérrez Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Terry Adams Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Orlando Cabrera Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Doug Mientkiewicz Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Nomar Garciaparra Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Dave Roberts Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Mike Myers Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ Sandy Martinez Statistics - Baseball Reference.com
- ^ "Opening Day Lineups – Boston Red Sox". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
- ^ "Baltimore Orioles 7, Boston Red Sox 2". Retrosheet. April 4, 2004. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
- ^ Nomar Garciaparra Statistics and History Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ a b c "Statmaster: A baseball Team Statistics Tool". Baseball-almanac. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ^ "2004 League Division Series". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ^ Ryan, Bob (August 7, 2005). "A stolen moment of fame". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "Red Sox hero, now Padres coach, Dave Roberts talks about 'The Steal' (video)". Cleveland.com. April 8, 2014.
- ^ Browne, Ian (October 17, 2014). "Roberts' steal set amazing 2004 playoff run in motion". MLB.com.
- ^ "Could the 2020 Astros join the 2004 Red Sox on Saturday? The anatomy of a 3-0 comeback". ESPN.com. October 17, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Curry, Jack (October 28, 2004). "Kiss That Curse Goodbye". The New York Times. p. D1.
- ^ a b Shapiro, Leonard (February 7, 2005). "Patriots Grab Share of NFL History". Washington Post. p. A1. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2010.
- ^ Shaughnessy, Dan (June 17, 2011). "How great is this?". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ^ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
- ^ Boston Red Sox Media Guide. 2004. p. 516. Retrieved March 14, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
External links
[edit]- 2004 Boston Red Sox season at Baseball Almanac
- 2004 Boston Red Sox season at ESPN
- 2004 Boston Red Sox Draft Selections
- Review of the 2004 Red Sox championship MLB.com, 12/26/2021