Right at the beginning of the Corona panic, a tweet popped up on my timeline and it was to create a starting nine of my favorite players of all time. Needless to say, this sucked all the energy out of me just thinking back on players I have watched in my life and brought back some incredible names like Grady Sizemore and Trot Nixon. At the end of the day, this is my starting lineup:
Catcher: Jason Varitek
Tek was the last official captain the Red Sox ever saw and growing up watching him win two championships in Boston will never be forgotten. Along with his legendary brawl in 2004, it is hard not to love the grit that he embodied in the field. Plus he is the only player to play in the Little League World Series, College World Series, World Series, and World Baseball Classic. Legend.
1st Base: Prince Fielder
Growing up as a fat kid who was anchored to first base his entire little league career, Prince Fielder was one of my absolute idols. It was hard to choose between Fielder, Ryan Howard, and Albert Pujols seeing as these were all guys who I tried to copy when I played the game but between the three of them nobody did it as cool as Prince Fielder did. His swing was so violent that it brought him to two Home Run Derby titles. Not to mention the clip of him
eating that guys nachos will live on forever in the internet hall of fame.
2nd Base: Dustin Pedroia
I'll say it now, I am very aware this is gonna turn into a wet sticky mess of mid-2000s Red Sox baseball, so fuckin deal with it. Peady was the definition of grit and still is. After his rookie of the year and MVP campaigns in 2007 and 2008, he has deemed a star second basemen despite his height always being pointed out by analysts and scouts on his way up to the majors. He played with ferocity in the box and on the field that was used to help win two championships in 2007 and 2013. Although he didn't play for the 2018 team he was critical to the locker room and culture of the best Red Sox team of all time.
3rd Base: Josh Donaldson
Not many people can make hitting a baseball look so easy, Josh Donaldson does every time. Whenever he makes contact the ball just seems to follow a laser-like line. The guy is just ridiculously cool when he plays and nobody can match it. Along with that, he works hard to make baseball have a reputation for being a fun game with a Viking look and winning personality.
Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts
If I am being honest, there is such little personal memory of Nomar besides him leading off in MVP Baseball '04. Since 2013, Bogey has been such a force and incredibly fun to watch. Offensively he has established himself as one of the best shortstops in the league, due in part to the green monster's inviting space for right-handed hitters at Fenway 81 games a year. Along with his love for playing in Boston, it is hard for me to ignore how much he has meant to my baseball fandom over the past several years.
Left Field: Manny Ramirez
Nobody cooler has ever patrolled left field in my lifetime. From the hair to just not seeming like he gave a fuck ever was admirable for some reason. Wait, he hit home runs frequently. When he was traded that felt like getting my heart ripped out, but honestly after his 500th home run, he seemed checked out from Boston as a whole. However, even his time as a Dodger was incredible to watch and until his career ended the way it did, but even to this day, I will always be a Manny guy.
Centerfield: Mike Trout
Some could call this a run of the mill pick, but Mike Trout is simply the best player I have ever been able to watch. The amazing thing is that the entire world can just about agree that Mike Trout is the best player on earth, a feat which very few athletes have been able to do in their respective sport. Not to mention, he has the
single sweetest swing in all of baseball and is equally as talented
defensively.
Right Field: Vladimir Guerrero
Vlad might have been the funniest player to watch in this lineup based on just how he could hit any ball put near the plate and get on base. His ability to generate power as well on offense and defense was enormous to his value. I always remember the videos of him hitting pitches in the dirt like he played cricket, this really just shows how talented, or lucky, he was.
Designated Hitter: David Ortiz
My undisputed favorite player to ever play baseball. The definition of clutch. Many of my favorite sports memories are centered around David Ortiz, including 2004, 2007, and 2013 World Series championships he brought to Boston. Big Papi turned himself into a household name due to his massive home runs and the ability to make any pitcher fear him when he would stroll up to the plate. By no means the best Red Sox player in history, but you better believe he is the most important.
Starter: Jon Lester
This was tough because I also could have chosen Curt Schilling but that would have been too much to explain why. Jon Lester was just as important to my early years. He was a homegrown ace who made his breakthrough with the world series-clinching victory in 2007 and a
no-hitter against the Royals in early 2008. Through the years he was a dominant piece in several winning seasons in Boston and Chicago with the rings to back it up and even beat cancer early in his career while he was coming up through the Red Sox farm system.
Relief Pitcher: Jonathan Papelbon
Most days I felt like the only one who liked the guy. I remember older Red Sox fans hated him and thought he was an
arrogant son of a bitch. I for one LOVED his passion and excitement he brought to the mound when he was closing out games. People forget his career ended because of
Bryce Harper's bad attitude.
