Top 5 Iconic Red Sox Players and Their Rookie Cards
Today we are going to take a peek at the historic Boston Red Sox and try to narrow down their top 5 greatest players of all time. With being one of the original teams, there is a lot to sort through over the past 100 plus years. There are so many legends that have come through the doors, and so many legends that have started here, this list could be 100 players deep. With that in mind, there are a couple of ground rules to be on this list.
1. They must of played a minimum of 5 years with the team
2. They must of had some of their best years with the Red Sox
3. Babe Ruth is not making this list
Honorable Mentions: Manny Ramirez and Roger Clemens
Number 5: Wade Boggs
I can't discredit what Wade Boggs did with the Red Sox, even if he did end up playing for the NY Yankees later in his career. Wade Boggs was a hitting machine. His numbers were off the chart with a career .338 batting average with the Sox. During his time with the Red Sox, he led the league in batting average 5 times, and OBS. 6 times. In his 11 years with the team, he would end up with over 2,000 hits. Boggs finished his career with over 3,000 hits, 8 Silver Slugger Awards, 2 Gold Gloves, and was a 12 time All-star.
A 1983 Topps Wade Boggs RC PSA 10 can be had for around $2,200 to $2,500, which is definitely a premium price for his cards. Meanwhile, the same card in a PSA 9 holder can be fetched for under $150.
RELATED: Wade Boggs Rookie Cards Continue To Jump In Value
Number 4: Pedro Martinez
Pedro Martinez made this list over Roger Clemens for what he did with the Red Sox, and when he did it. Roger Clemens is an all-time great, and in my books, possibly the greatest pitcher of all time. However, when thinking of greatest Red Sox, I do feel Pedro Martinez has the edge.
Pedro Martinez came over to the Boston Red Sox in 1998, fresh off of winning his first Cy Young award with the Montreal Expos. What Martinez did for the next 7 years, was just epic. Martinez would go on to winning 117 games and losing only 37. He would carry a 2.52 ERA through those 7 years, while helping the Red Sox break the "Curse of the Bambino" in 2004. In 1999, Martinez would be the Triple Crown winner of pitchers, leading the league in wins (23), ERA (2.07), and strikeouts (313). With the Red Sox, Martinez would be a top 5 finisher in the Cy Young award 6 times, winning twice.
Incredibly a Pedro Martinez RC PSA 10 can be purchased for less than dinner at Applebees. A 1991 Upper Deck PSA 10 rookie has been going for around $50 on Ebay. You can opt for his 1992 Bowman rookie, which hovers around $110-130.
RELATED: Top 5 Seattle Mariners of All -Time, and Their Rookie Cards
Number 3: David Ortiz
David Ortiz is widely known for 2 things: being the greatest DH of all time and being the greatest clutch hitter of all time. After spending 6 seasons with the Minnesota Twins in a part time roll, Ortiz came to the Red Sox to show the world what he can do. The next 14 seasons, he would go onto hitting 483 of his 541 home runs, hit over 100 RBI's 10 times, all while carrying an impressive .290 batting average. He would help the Red Sox win 3 World Series titles and was an absolute leader in the clubhouse. The 10-time all-star would eventually end up in both the Red Sox Hall of Fame, as well as the Baseball Hall of Fame.
David Ortiz has a few different rookie cards available. One of the more popular cards is his 1997 Fleer (Card # 517). The PSA 10 version sells between $150-$200, depending on availability.
Number 2: Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Yastrzemski may be one of the greatest and underappreciated Red Sox of all time. Yaz spent his entire 23-year career with the Red Sox, patrolling Left Field of Fenway Park. He would go onto hitting over 3,400 hits, driving in over 1,800 runs, with a career batting average of .285. In 1967 he had a year for the ages. The Triple Crown winner would lead the league in hits, runs, batting average, home runs, OBP, slugging, OPS, on his way to his first MVP. Carl was no slouch in the field either, winning a total of 7 Gold Glove awards. The 18-time all-star was truly one of the greatest of all time.
A nice Yastrzemski can go for a hefty price. A 1960 Topps PSA 8 RC will typically run you around $2,300.
Number 1: Ted Williams
What can you say about Ted Williams that has not already been said. Williams may be the greatest hitter that has ever lived. Arguments have been had that if he didn't miss 4 years of his prime fighting the war, he may had more home runs than Babe Ruth. WIlliams played his entire career with the Red Sox and hit an incredible .344 over the 19 years. Ted is still the last player to hit over .400, and that was over 80 years ago. Williams still hold the all-time OBP, getting on nearly half the time he was at bat (.482). Williams finished Top 5 in the MVP voting 9 times, bringing the award home twice. The two-time Triple Crown winner would be voted an all-star 19 times. It is truly incredible to look at his stats and see the number of times he led the league in an offensive category. When this man says he can see the seams of the baseball coming to home plate, its hard not to believe him.
Ted Williams rookie cards are out there but finding a nice condition one can be hard to find. Last year, a 1939 Ted Williams Playball SGC 7 sold for an incredible $12,250 (per Cardladder.com).
