A Red Sox Dynasty: 1995-????

[Moriarty9]

I began a solo game a little while ago, starting with the 1995 Boston Red Sox. I manage most of the games, including all of the post-season games, and have made a number of trades, signings and draft selections over a number of simulated seasons. The draft has been set up in such a way that rookies were not automatically placed on their original teams but instead were tossed into the draft pool and chosen that way.

The following is a reader's digest recap of each season thus far.

[Moriarty9]

1995: World Series Champions
Red Sox win first title since 1918

In my first season as GM of the Boston Red Sox, the team exceeded everybody's expectations and won 101 games in the regular season en route to its first World Series championship since 1918.

The team's 101-61 record was the best in the American League (only the Houston Astros, with 102 wins, had a better record in all of baseball). The hated New York Yankees finished 11 games back with a 90-72 record, falling just 1 game short in the race for the Wild Card.

The team drew more than 3.5 million fans (highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $52.6 million payroll (7th highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Mo Vaughn, 1B (All Star, MVP)
In 158 games, Vaughn hit .329 with 47 HR, 144 RBI and 153 runs scored. The All Star led the league in homers and RBI, was third in hits and OPS, fifth in OBP and sixth in batting average. At the season's end, Vaughn was honored with the MVP award.

Reggie Jefferson, DH (Batting Champion)
Appearing in 140 games, Jefferson hit 26 HR, 114 RBI and scored 100 runs while hitting a league-leading .356 average.

Jose Valentin, 2B (All Star, Gold Glove)
Acquired during a late April trade, Valentin hit .283 with 15 HR, 67 RBI and 104 runs in 127 games.

John Valentin, SS (Gold Glove)
Valentin sparkled on defense, winning the Gold Glove award, but was no slouch at the plate as he hit .316 with 23 HR, 83 RBI and scored 135 runs while stealing 20 bases.

Tim Naehring, 3B
Despite Mo Vaughn's tendency to unclog the bases, Naehring took advantage of every RBI opportunity he got and hit .307 with 20 HR, 122 RBI and scored 101 runs in 153 games. His fine work at the plate and in the field resulted in a two-year, $9.3 million contract extension.

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Mike Macfarlane, C (traded to Brewers)
Although he was never an offensive star, Macfarlane struggled mightily to open up the season. Appearing in just 15 games with Boston, Macfarlane hit .125 with three RBI, striking out 11 times in 48 at bats before being dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jose Canseco, DH (traded to Brewers)
Considering his track record, Boston may have acted a little quickly in trading the slugger to Milwaukee because of a very slow start to the season. Canseco hit just .212 with one homer and nine RBI in 17 games, striking out 23 times in 66 at bats with Boston.

KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Roger Clemens (Staff Ace)
The Rocket went 17-9 with a 4.07 ERA and 219 strikeouts as the staff ace.

Zane Smith (Southpaw Starter)
Smith was a pleasant surprise for the Red Sox, going 15-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 30 games. He was unbeaten in the postseason, posting a 3-0 record with a 4.15 ERA in four starts.

Vaughn Eshelman (Swing Man)
The lefty worked primarily out of the Boston bullpen (30 relief appearances), but did make six starts for the Red Sox. Eshelman performed well in both roles, going 7-4 with 2 saves and a 2.60 ERA in 83 innings pitched.

Ken Ryan (Closer)
Boston's closer went 4-5 with 37 saves, posting a 4.08 ERA in 62 relief appearances for the Red Sox.

NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Canseco dealt to Brewers in seven-player swap
To Boston Red Sox: B.J. Surhoff, Pat Listach, Bob Scanlan, Jose Valentin
To Milwaukee Brewers: Jose Canseco, Mike Macfarlane, Juan Bell
Canseco (.212, 1 HR, 9 RBI in 17 games) and Macfarlane () struggled at the plate in their short time with Boston. Canseco rebounded after the trade, hitting .276 with 41 HR and 134 RBI in 135 games, including his 300th home run and 1,000th RBI. He led the league in strikeouts with 184 and, after filing for free agency in November, signed a two-year deal with the Florida Marlins. Canseco would go on to play with five teams through the remaining eight years of his career before retiring with 498 career home runs.
Valentin was a key contributor for the Red Sox after the trade but would be traded away early in the 1996 season.
Surhoff took over behind the plate for Macfarlane in Boston before his defensive shortcomings (his arm in particular) resulted in a move to the outfield. He hit .288 with 6 HR and 27 RBI in 51 games with the Red Sox before his season ended with a dislocated shoulder on June 28. He became a free agent at season's end and signed with the Marlins.

Steinbach heads to Boston in six-player deal
To Boston Red Sox: Terry Steinbach, Mark Acre, Jim Corsi
To Oakland Athletics: Bill Haselman, Stan Belinda, Terry Shumpert
With their catcher's defense becoming a problem, the Red Sox traded for Steinbach to provide a solid backstop while also improving their lineup. Steinbach hit .281 with 21 HR and 86 RBI in 136 games between Boston and Oakland, including .279 with 13 HR and 62 RBI in 92 games with the Red Sox. He performed very well in the playoffs, hitting .302 with four homers and 17 RBI in 16 games. Acre made just four appearances with Boston in 1995 and spent the rest of his career in the Red Sox organization. His career was highlighted by his 1996 season in which he saved 23 games and posted a 2.66 ERA in 51 games with Boston. Corsi went 3-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 33 games with the Red Sox and was traded in the off-season.
The most successful of the players sent to Oakland proved to be Shumpert, who hit six homers and 32 RBI in 360 at bats with the A's. He retired in 2003 with a .235 average and 106 home runs.

THE PLAYOFFS
Division Series: Brewers v. Red Sox
The AL East Champion Red Sox (101-61) defeated the AL Wild Card winning Milwaukee Brewers (91-71) in four games.

Division Series: Indians v. Rangers
The AL Central Champion Indians (97-65) swept the AL West Champion Texas Rangers (90-72) in three games.

Division Series: Astros v. Braves
The NL Central Champion Houston Astros (102-60) swept the NL East Champion Atlanta Braves (97-65) in three games.

Division Series: Cardinals v. Padres
The NL West Champion San Diego Padres (97-65) were taken to the limit by the NL Wild Card winning St. Louis Cardinals (87-75), advancing to the NLCS after playing all five games of the division series.

ALCS: Indians v. Red Sox
The best two teams in the AL squared off for the pennant, playing six games in the best-of-seven ALCS. Boston took the series 4-2.

NLCS: Astros v. Padres
Baseball's best record fell in the seventh game of the NLCS as the Astros were defeated by the Padres.

World Series: Padres v. Red Sox
The Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918 by defeating the NL's San Diego Padres in six games.

AWARDS
Vaughn, Larkin claim MVP honors
Mo Vaughn of the Red Sox (.329, 47 HR, 144 RBI) won the AL MVP. Vaughn led the AL in runs scored (153), total bases (384), home runs (47) and RBI (144).
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin was named NL MVP with a .318 average, 15 HR and 79 RBI, beating out Astros slugger Jeff Bagwell for the award. Larkin's 64 stolen bases led the NL.

Tewksbury, Sanders win Cy Young Awards
Texas Rangers pitcher Bob Tewksbury was given the AL Cy Young Award with an 18-10 record and 3.23 ERA. Tewksbury led the AL in innings pitched (242 2/3) and was second in the league in ERA (3.23), wins (18)
San Diego Padres pitcher Scott Sanders took home the NL Cy Young Award after an 18-5 season in which he posted a league best 2.42 ERA.

Higginson, Nomo baseball's top rookies
Detroit Tigers outfielder Bobby Higginson's .314 average, 25 HR and 108 RBI was good enough to win the AL's Rookie of the Year award. Higginson was tied with several others for the league lead in sacrifice flies with nine.
Japanese import Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers was the NL's best rookie this year. Nomo went 16-14 with a 4.38 ERA and 230 strikeouts for LA. He led the NL in strikeouts per 9 innings (10.0) and was second in strikeouts with 230.

[Moriarty9]

1996: Title Defense Falls Short
Team repeats as division champs

In their first title defense since the 1919 season, the Red Sox cruised to the AL East championship for the second consecutive year but were ousted in five games during the division series.

The team's 91-71 record was good enough to win the division with the Baltimore Orioles, finishing 12 games back at 79-83, good enough for second place.

The team drew more than 3.15 million fans (3rd highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $59.3 million payroll (6th highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Mo Vaughn, 1B (All Star)
After signing a three-year contract extension worth $25.8 million in the off-season, Mo Vaughn responded with another MVP-type season by hitting .334 with 48 home runs, 130 RBI and 128 runs. The Hit Dawg performed well in the post-season, hitting .421 (8-for-19) with three homers and five RBI.
Vaughn led the league in total bases (380), second in hits (209) and runs (128), third in home runs (48) and RBI (130), and fourth in batting average (.334).

John Valentin, SS/2B (All Star with 42-game hit streak)
John Valentin was a key to the middle of the Boston lineup while playing middle infield (87 games at shortstop, 58 games at secondbase) all season long. Val hit .315 with career highs in home runs (26) and RBI (108) while scoring 102 runs. He was sixth in the league in hits with 196 and seventh in total bases with 317.

Manny Ramirez, RF
Acquired in an off-season trade, 24-year-old Manny Ramirez battled a couple of injuries during the season but still hit .276 with 26 HR and 91 RBI with 97 runs scored.

Reggie Jefferson, DH
Jefferson earned a four-year contract extension worth just more than $40 million after appearing in 147 games, hitting .319 with 17 HR and 87 RBI.

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Jose Valentin, 2B (traded to Tigers)
After helping the Red Sox to a World Series championship in 1995, Valentin's offensive production dropped off with Boston in 1996. Valentin hit .218 with nine homers and 21 RBI in 79 games before being sent to Detroit for Travis Fryman on July 19. He rebounded a little with Detroit, hitting .250 with eight round trippers and 26 RBI in 61 games for the Tigers.
Valentin spent the 1997 and 1998 seasons with the Tigers before moving on to eight years with the Cleveland Indians and two years with the Milwaukee Brewers. He retired following the 2008 season with a .257 career average, 1,676 hits and 992 RBI.

Travis Fryman, SS (acquired from Tigers)
After winning a gold glove at third base in 1995 and starting the 1996 season with a .283 average, 13 HR and 64 RBI in 92 games, the Red Sox dealt Jose Valentin to the Tigers for Fryman. The infielder struggled mightily for Boston, hitting just .208 with seven homers and 24 RBI in 59 games down the stretch. His struggled continued throughout the playoffs, hitting .217 (5-for-23) with two runs scored and no RBI.


KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Mike Hampton (Southpaw Starter)
Hampton, 23, stepped up for the Boston rotation and put together a 15-7 record, 3.80 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 30 starts. He opened up the ALDS for the Red Sox, going 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in two postseason starts.

Mark Acre (Surprise Closer)
Acquired in 1995 trade with Oakland as a throw-in, Acre filled the hole left by Ken Ryan when the closer was injured and later faltered. Acre went 4-3 with 23 saves and a 2.66 ERA in 51 appearances.

Ken Ryan (Closer)
Boston's closer went 4-5 with 37 saves, posting a 4.08 ERA in 62 relief appearances for the Red Sox.

PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS
David West (Lefty Reliever; Traded to Reds)
An All Star with the Phillies in 1995, West was claimed off waivers in December and was expected to be a key member of the Boston bullpen as a left-handed specialist. West made 33 appearances with the Red Sox, posting a 3-5 record and 6.15 ERA. He was traded on July 22 to the Cincinnati Reds for lefty reliever C.J. Nitkowski and struggled upon his return to the National League. West went 0-5 with a 12.06 ERA in 23 games with the Reds and spent the next three seasons in the minor leagues before retiring in September 1999.

NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Valentin dealt to Tigers for Fryman
To Boston Red Sox: Travis Fryman
To Detroit Tigers: Jose Valentin
Struggling through the first half of the season, Boston dealt secondbaseman Jose Valentin to the Detroit Tigers for shortstop Travis Fryman. The acquistion led to John Valentin moving from shortstop to second base for the Red Sox. Fryman struggled during his stay with Boston and spent the next seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals before playing his final season with the San Francisco Giants in 2004.

Young slugger comes to Boston, Greene to Cleveland
To Boston Red Sox: Manny Ramirez
To Cleveland Indians: Willie Greene
Content with their infield, the Red Sox dealt 23-year-old Willie Greene to the Indians for 24-year-old outfielder Manny Ramirez. Greene had performed well in limited action for the 1995 Red Sox (.310, 6 HR, 11 RBI in 18 games) and put up impressive power numbers over the next few seasons. In 1996, Greene hit just .224 but did slug 35 homers and 97 RBI, following up with a .259/30/95 campaign in 1997. Greene's last big league season came with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2006 before retiring with a .239 career average and 159 home runs in 15 years.
Ramirez performed well in his first season with the Red Sox (.276, 26 HR, 91 RBI in 135 games) and became a future Hall of Famer with Boston over the next several seasons. Through the 2008 season, Ramirez had a .301 lifetime average with 494 home runs and 1,540 RBI.

Boston bolsters bullpen
To Boston Red Sox: Troy Percival
To California Angels: Lee Tinsley
In an effort to help out the bullpen, the Red Sox dealt extra outfielder Lee Tinsley to the Angels for reliever Troy Percival. The 26-year-old Percival (1-1, 1 save, 3.68 ERA in 17 games with California) pitched effectively for Boston after the June 10 trade, going 2-0 with three saves and a 4.24 ERA in 35 games. Percival spent parts of four seasons with the Red Sox, including one as the team's closer, before spending the final years of his career with St. Louis Cardinals. He retired with 121 saves in 459 relief appearances over 10 years.

THE DRAFT
Cruz, Lowe taken by Red Sox
Working with the 27th pick of the amateur draft, the Boston Red Sox took 22-year-old outfielder Jose Cruz, Jr. He put on a clinic with AAA Pawtucket (.416, 16 HR, 48 RBI in 39 games), Cruz was called up to the big leagues where he hit .200 with 12 homers and 37 RBI in 78 games. He spent five years with Boston, highlighted by his 1998 season in which he hit .267 with 28 HR and 100 RBI with 113 runs scored and 27 steals. Through the 2008 season, Cruz had played for four teams in 13 seasons with a .249 average and 209 home runs.
Lowe spent his first professional season in Pawtucket's bullpen, going 1-3 with nine saves and a 5.24 ERA in 23 games. He made his big league debut in 1998 with Boston and spent three years as the team's closer before moving to the starting rotation in 2001. He has been with the Chicago Cubs since 2005 and owns a 96-69 career record with a 4.00 ERA in 430 appearances, 184 of which have been starts.
Boston's other draft picks in 1996 were reliever Tom Martin (13-7, 6 saves, 4.10 ERA in 197 appearances through 2008), reliever Jeff Wallace (a career minor leaguer in Boston's system), reliever Rick DeHart (0-0, 11.57 ERA in seven appearances; retired in 2005) and Dan Rohrmeier (career minor leaguer who retired in 2000).

Helton only position player taken in first 10 draft picks
In a pitching dominated draft, the Kansas City Royals set the tone by selecting Chris Carpenter with the first pick of the draft. Carpenter is 116-145 with a 5.10 ERA through the 2008 season.
Firstbaseman Todd Helton, the only position player taken in the first 10 picks of the draft, was taken with the second pick of the draft by the Detroit Tigers. Helton has hit .324 with 339 HR and 1,215 RBI through the 2008 season.
Kevin Millwood (163-156, 4.56 ERA to date) was taken third overall by the Colorado Rockies with Matt Morris (165-94, 3.60 ERA to date) was taken by the San Francisco Giants with the fourth pick of the draft.

THE PLAYOFFS
Division Series: Mariners v. White Sox
The 103-win Seattle Mariners were shocked as they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Chicago White Sox, who had entered the post-season as the league's Wild Card entry. The 89-win White Sox took the best-of-five series in four games.

Division Series: Indians v. Red Sox
In a rematch of the 1995 ALCS, the Indians and Red Sox squared off in the 1996 ALDS. This time around, however, it was Cleveland that came out on top in five games.

Division Series: Giants v. Mets
The NL West Champion San Francisco Giants (92-70) topped the NL's Wild Card entry, the New York Mets (88-74), in four games.

Division Series: Astros v. Braves
After Houston swept Atlanta in the 1995 NLDS, the Braves returned the favor in 1996, knocking the Astros out of the playoffs in three games.

ALCS: Indians v. White Sox
Division rivals from Chicago and Cleveland took one another to the limit in the ALCS as the White Sox defeated the Indians four games to three for the right to advance to the World Series.

NLCS: Braves v. Giants
Although they won 11 more games in the regular season, its post-season wins that matter come playoff time as the Atlanta Braves were swept out of the NLCS by the Giants.

World Series: Giants v. White Sox
A year after the Red Sox ended their World Series drought, the White Sox ended theirs during an exciting seven-game series against the Giants.

AWARDS
Big Mac and Chipper named game's MVPs
Mark McGwire, slugging firstbaseman of the Oakland Athletics, was honored with the AL MVP award after putting up a .302 average, 53 homers and 111 RBI for the third-place A's. Big Mac led the league in slugging (.637), OPS (1.076), home runs, walks (129) and intentional walks (17).
Atlanta Braves thirdbaseman Chipper Jones had a season to remember and earned the NL's MVP award. Jones hit .350 with 33 home runs and 132 RBI. He edged out teammate Ryan Klesko (45 HR, 131 RBI), batting champ Mark Grace of the Chicago Cubs (.360) and Dodgers backstop Mike Piazza (.333, 43 HR).

Big Unit, Maddux take home pitching hardware
No stranger to pitching awards, Atlanta Braves ace Greg Maddux won the NL Cy Young Award with a remarkable 25-6 record and 2.30 ERA with 224 strikeouts. Maddux led the NL in wins, ERA, complete games (6), shutouts (2), and walks per nine innings pitched (0.5).
Also dominant on the mound this year was Seattle Mariners southpaw Randy Johnson. Posting a 23-4 record and 2.81 ERA, Johnson struck out 332 opposing hitters, to earn the AL Cy Young. The Big Unit led the AL in wins, ERA, winning percentage (.852), strikeouts, and opponents average (.217).

Giles, Grieve win Rookie of the Year honors
Brian Giles, outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, was named the AL Rookie of the Year after hitting .325 with 32 HR and 120 RBI.
Chicago Cubs rookie outfielder Ben Grieve was recognized for a fine first season in the big leagues with the NL Rookie of the Year award. Grieve hit .288 with 20 HR and 87 RBI for the Cubs.

[Moriarty9]

1997: 101 Wins, 2nd Place Finish
Red Sox enter playoffs as Wild Card team

For the first time since I took over as general manager of the Red Sox three years ago, the team didn't win the division. The team's 101 wins were good enough, however, to secure the AL Wild Card.

The team's 101-61 record put them four games behind the division-winning Baltimore Orioles, who had put together a 105-57 season.

The team drew more than 3.44 million fans (2nd highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $74.7 million payroll (3rd highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Mo Vaughn, 1B (All Star, HR King)
Mo Vaughn continued to put together an impressive career in 1997, hitting .308 with 50 HR, 127 RBI and 143 runs scored. Vaughn led the league in homers and runs scored, was second in total bases (369) and third in RBI (127).

Manny Ramirez, RF (All Star)
In his second season with the Red Sox, Ramirez blossomed and hit .333 with 33 HR, 110 RBI and 101 runs. He led the AL in triples (9), second in extra-base hits (73) and batting average, eighth in RBI, 10th in home runs.

Reggie Jefferson, DH
Continuing to quietly impress, Jefferson hit .314 with 24 HR, 117 RBI and 92 runs scored with 50 doubles. He led the AL in doubles, was second in extra-base hits (76), fifth in RBI, sixth in total bases (316) and intentional walks (9), eighth in hits (190) and 10th in batting average.

Todd Helton, LF
Acquired in an off-season trade, Helton impressed in limited playing time during his first season with the Red Sox. The left-handed hitting Helton played in leftfield and spent a bit of time as a DH while also filling in at times at first base, he hit .358 with 19 HR and 60 RBI in 318 at bats over 114 games.

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
John Valentin, SS
After two straight All Star seasons, Valentin's production suffered a drop off in 1997. The shortstop hit .227 with 16 HR and 76 RBI in 151 games.

KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Randy Johnson (Cy Young)
After signing a five-year deal worth more than $69.3 million, the Big Unit's first season in Boston was one to remember as he went 22-8 with a 2.14 ERA and 318 strikeouts.
Johnson led the AL in ERA, wins, winning percentage (.733), strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings (11.6), WHIP (1.01), and opponents average (.195).

Roger Clemens (Face of the rotation)
The Rocket rebounded after a subpar 1996 season with a 19-9 record, 4.11 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 33 starts. Clemens trailed only teammate Randy Johnson in wins and had the AL's fifth-best winning percentage (.679).

Aaron Sele (Breakthrough season)
Aaron Sele finally came through and showed why the Red Sox had been so high on him for several years as the 26-year-old starter went 12-3 with a 3.01 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 23 games.

Troy Percival (Closer)
In his first season as the team's closer, Troy Percival was impressive. The 27-year-old went 4-2 with 31 saves and a 2.72 ERA in 47 appearances. He was seventh in the AL in saves and ninth in games finished with 42.

PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS
Scott Sanders (Traded to Dodgers)
In 1997, Sanders no longer resembled the 1995 version of himself that won the Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres. Sanders struggled to a 6-10 record with a 5.91 ERA in 19 games before the starter was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers where he went 4-4 with a 4.33 ERA in 13 games.

Mike Myers
An All Star in 1996, left-handed specialist Mike Myers struggled in 1997, going 3-4 with one save and a 5.22 ERA in 51 appearances out of the bullpen.

NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Sox deal Steinbach for prospect Helton
To Boston Red Sox: Todd Helton
To Detroit Tigers: Terry Steinbach
Content to give the starting catcher's job to Scott Hatteberg, the Red Sox dealt veteran backstop Terry Steinbach to the Tigers for Todd Helton. Helton hit .358 with 19 HR and 60 RBI in 114 games with Boston in 1997 and became a mainstay in the middle of their lineup for a number of seasons. Through the 2008 season, Helton has remained in Boston and is a career .324 hitter with 339 home runs.
Steinbach hit .243 with 14 HR and 65 RBI for the Tigers in 1997 at the age of 35. He spent two seasons with Detroit before heading to Milwaukee and later Philadelphia. He retired after the 2002 season.

Big Unit signs big deal with BoSox
Coming off a Cy Young season with the Mariners, Randy Johnson filed for free agency and ultimately signed a five-year deal with the Red Sox worth $69.36 million. Johnson spent the rest of his career in Boston and retired after the 2007 season with a 302-148 career record, a 3.59 ERA and 4,257 strikeouts.

THE DRAFT
Boston drafts infielder Polanco
Losing their first round pick as compensation for signing Randy Johnson, Boston selected Placido Polanco with its second round draft choice.
Polanco hit .300 with 8 HR and 31 RBI in 96 games, primarily at second base, for the Red Sox in 1997.

THE PLAYOFFS
Division Series: Indians v. Red Sox
In a replay of the previous season's division series, Boston fell to Cleveland in five games.

Division Series: Mariners v. Orioles
Baseball's best record kept on rolling as Baltimore knocked AL West's division winners from Seattle out of the playoffs in four games.

Division Series: Giants v. Phillies
San Francisco advanced to the NLCS for the second year in a row by defeating Philadelphia in a four-game series.

Division Series: Astros v. Expos
Houston was swept out of the postseason at the hands of an NL East team for the second year in a row, this time the division-winning Expos.

ALCS: Indians v. Orioles
After coming one victory from the World Series in 1996, the Indians got over the hump by defeating the Orioles in six games.

NLCS: Expos v. Giants
The strongest team in the National League with 104 wins, 11 more than the next best team, Montreal swept the defending NL-champion Giants out of the playoffs and advanced to their first World Series.

World Series: Expos v. Indians
For the third straight year, a team with the letter "X" in its name won the World Series. The Expos took the title with relative ease, defeating the Indians in five games.

AWARDS
Palmeiro, Hundley win MVP awards
A key to Baltimore's best record in baseball, Orioles 1B Rafael Palmeiro was honored with the MVP award with a .324, 47 HR, 156 RBI campaign. He edged out challengers Jim Thome (.435 OBP, 1.057 OPS, 47 HR, 134 RBI, 116 runs, 116 walks) of the Indians and Mo Vaughn (50 HR, 127 RBI, 143 runs) of the Red Sox.
New York Mets catcher Todd Hundley was a surprise pick as the NL MVP in 1997. Hundley hit .288 with 46 home runs and 108 RBI for the fourth place Mets. He beat out Larry Walker (.345, 136 RBI, 118 runs, 41 steals) of the Rockies and Jeff Bagwell (37 HR, 116 RBI, 123 runs) of the Astros.

Big Unit repeats, Pedro takes home 1st Cy Young
Randy Johnson held onto the AL Cy Young Award for a second straight season in 1997 after going 22-8 with a 2.14 ERA and 318 strikeouts for the Boston Red Sox. Johnson led the AL in ERA, wins, winning percentage (.733), strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings (11.6), WHIP (1.01), and opponents average (.195).
After leading the Expos to baseball's best record and its first World Series championship, Pedro Martinez was recognized with the NL Cy Young Award. Martinez went 22-5 with a 2.41 ERA and 276 strikeouts for Montreal. His dominance was deemed slightly better than that of reigning-Cy Young winner Greg Maddux (2.19 ERA, 7 complete games, 5 shutouts, 0.9 walks per nine innings) and his teammate John Smoltz (16 wins, 2.26 ERA, 247 strikeouts, .227 opponents average).


Middle infielders Catalanotto, Bush win Rookie of the Year trophies
Anaheim Angels secondbaseman Frank Catalanotto's .289 average, nine home runs and 94 RBI were good enough to win the AL Rookie of the Year award.
Houston Astros shortstop Homer Bush was tabbed as the NL's top rookie after hitting .301, 18 HR and 80 RBI while making 11 errors in the field for NL Central Division champions.

[Moriarty9]

1998: Division Champs, Swept out of ALDS
Wild Card Royals KO Sox

For the third time in four seasons, the Red Sox won the American League East. The 1998 season marked the fourth straight season the team made the playoffs.

The team's 95-67 record put them 11 games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees, 84-78, and 14 games ahead of the defending AL East Champion Baltimore Orioles, 81-81.

The team drew more than 3.42 million fans (2nd highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $62.55 million payroll (7th highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Mo Vaughn, 1B (All Star, MVP)
Mo Vaughn took home his second MVP award in 1998, hitting .321 with 40 HR, 121 RBI and 132 runs. He led the team in a number of offensive catergories, including at bats, runs, total bases and home runs.

Manny Ramirez, RF
Manny earned a four-year, $39 million contract extension halfway through the 1998 season. Although he hit .328 with 28 HR, 109 RBI and 104 runs scored, Ramirez did not make the All-Star team.

Reggie Jefferson, DH (AL Hits Leader)
Jefferson had another fine season in 1998, hitting .327 with 43 doubles, 18 HR, 94 RBI and 110 runs scored. Jefferson led the AL in hits, was second in doubles, sixth in batting average and ninth in runs scored.

Todd Helton, LF
Although it was clear his outfield skills were nothing impressive, it was also very clear he had to be in the lineup with his offensive skills. Helton hit .305 with 33 HR, 127 RBI and 111 runs scored in his first full season as an everyday player. Helton led the AL in intentional walks (13), was third in RBI, sixth in extra-base hits (73), seventh in total bases (319), 10th in home runs.

Jose Cruz Jr., CF (All Star)
Curz blossomed in his third season with Boston, hitting .267 with 28 HR, 100 RBI, 113 runs, 108 walks and 27 stolen bases. As the team's leadoff man, Cruz led the AL in sacrifice hits (2), was second in walks and fourth in runs.

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Mike Devereaux, OF
Brought on as a veteran fourth outfielder, Devereaux failed to produce when given the opportunity. He hit .205 with a pair of homers and 12 RBI in 43 games before the team decided his services were no longer needed and traded him to San Francisco for backup catcher Rick Wilkins.

KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Randy Johnson (All Star)
Coming off a second straight Cy Young season, Johnson made a bid for three in a row with a 17-9, 4.08 ERA, 288 K season. The Big Unit led the AL in strikeouts, was second in wins and complete games (5).

Derek Lowe (Closer)
Though it was Troy Percival's job to start the season, Derek Lowe eventually took over as the team's closer, saving 22 games with a 2.78 ERA in his first 53 big league appearances.

PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS
Mark Acre (Reliever)
After two solid seasons in the bullpen (one as closer, another as a setup man), Acre struggled in 1998. He went 4-1 with 5 saves and a 5.25 ERA in 51 games.

Rheal Cormier (Southpaw Starter, Traded to Tigers)
After going 16-8 with a 3.80 ERA the year before (42-25 the three seasons prior with Boston), things went mysteriously downhill for Cormier in 1998. In 16 games, 12 of which were starts before being shipped to the bullpen, Cormier went 3-7 with a 5.19 ERA in 78 innings of work. He was traded in late June.

NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Cormier traded to Detroit for rookie Halladay
To Boston Red Sox: Roy Halladay
To Detroit Tigers: Rheal Cormier
After a poor first half of the season, Cormier was moved to the bullpen before being traded to the Tigers for 21-year-old Roy Halladay.
In 16 games, 12 of which were starts, Cormier went 3-7 with a 5.19 ERA over 78 innings. After the June 28 trade to the Tigers, he improved some, going 5-6 with a 3.96 ERA in 15 starts.
Halladay was 6-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 11 starts with Detroit at the time of the trade. He didn't adjust well immediately to Boston, going 4-5 with a 4.44 ERA in 16 starts with the Red Sox that season. He struggled over the next couple of seasons before blossoming into a strong starting pitcher and the 2004 AL Cy Young Award winner. In 11 big league seasons, Halladay owns a 209-105 record and 4.02 ERA.

THE DRAFT
Southpaw Scott Schoeneweis Selected
The Red Sox used their first round draft pick to select left-handed pitcher Scott Schoeneweis. The team's other main draft picks were infielder Chris Woodward (2nd round), reliever Mike Venafro (3rd round) and outfielder Peter Bergeron (4th round).

THE PLAYOFFS
Division Series: Angels v. Indians
After winning the AL West with an 82-80 record, the Anaheim Angels were pushed out of the post-season by the AL Central Champion Cleveland Indians (98-64) in four games.

Division Series: Red Sox v. Royals
For the third straight season, Boston's season came to an end in the ALDS as the Red Sox were swept in three games by the Kansas City Royals, winners of the AL Wild Card with a 93-69 record.

Division Series: Marlins v. Reds
The Cincinnati Reds won the NL Wild Card and then the NLDS in a four-game series with the Marlins.

Division Series: Dodgers v. Pirates
The Dodgers and Pirates went the distance in the best-of-five NLDS before Los Angeles was able to advance to the NLCS.

ALCS: Indians v. Royals
Division foes fought for the AL pennant in the ALCS and, just as they had the year prior, the Indians won and advanced to the World Series.

NLCS: Dodgers v. Reds
With the Indians in the World Series, the Reds were hoping to make it an all Ohio World Series but it was the Dodgers who came out on top in the seventh and deciding game of the NLCS.

World Series: Dodgers v. Indians
Having lost to the Expos in the 1997 World Series, the Indians rebounded by defeating the Dodgers in the 1998 World Series in five games.

AWARDS
MVPs: Mo Vaughn, Luis Gonzalez
Mo Vaughn of the Boston Red Sox won his second MVP award in 1998 after hitting .321 with 40 HR, 121 RBI and a league-leading 132 runs scored. Vaughn was second to teammate Reggie Jefferson in hits with 212, was third in the AL in total bases (362) and singles (143), fourth in homers. He beat out Carlos Delgado of the Blue Jays for the MVP award despite Delgado's 55 HR and 160 RBI.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Luis Gonzalez' .356 average may have won him a batting title but it, combined with his 25 HR and 128 RBI, earned him his first career MVP award. Gonzalez was led the NL in RBI and total bases (347), was second in hits (206) and third in triples (8). He tied for second in doubles with 50.

Heredia, Maddux win Cy Young Awards
Gil Heredia of the Cleveland Indians won his first Cy Young after going 23-6 with a 2.67 ERA and striking out 137 batters in 1998. The only 20-game winner in baseball, Heredia led the AL in ERA, winning percentage (.793), innings pitched (256) and walks per nine innings (1.1).
After a one-year hiatus, Greg Maddux returned to the winner's circle in the Cy Young Award race in 1998. He went 18-10 with a 3.15 ERA and 172 strikeouts for the Braves. He led the NL in wins (18) and complete games (6) and was fourth in ERA (3.15).

Rookies Singleton, Daubach honored for excellence
Chris Singleton of the Tigers took home the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1998 after hitting .329 with 27 HR and 110 RBI. He had the fourth highest average among all AL hitters as well as the fourth highest hit total at 203.
New York Mets 1B Brian Daubach had an impressive rookie season, putting up a .312 average, 29 homers, 110 RBI and scoring 107 runs in 159 games. He led all NL batters with 15 intentional walks, finished second in total bases (339) and doubles (50), and third in hits (198)

[HerbD]

I really like this format...easy to read!

[Moriarty9]

1999: Sox Season Ends In Disappointment
Boston fails to make playoffs

After making it to the playoffs the previous four seasons, the Boston Red Sox found themselves preparing for the 2000 season before the Division Series had gotten underway.

The team's 86-76 record was good enough for a second place finish in the AL East, 13 games behind the 99-63 New York Yankees. Boston finished 5 games behind the 91-72 Oakland Athletics in the hunt for the Wild Card spot.

The team drew more than 3.3 million fans (5th highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $78 million payroll (2nd highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Mo Vaughn, 1B (All Star, AL HR leader)
Mo Vaughn had another spectacular season in 1999 and hit his 300th career home run. Vaughn hit .360 with 55 HR, 153 RBI and 134 runs. He led the league in hits (226), home runs, slugging (.688) and total bases (432).

Jose Cruz Jr., CF
Coming off a career-season, Cruz performed well again in 1999, hitting .258 with 35 HR, 84 RBI, 109 runs and swiping 18 bases.

Manny Ramirez, RF (All Star)
Ramirez put together another strong season in 1999, hitting .289 with 30 HR, 75 RBI and 75 runs - good enough to earn a spot on the All Star team. His numbers were down due to a skull fracture suffered on July 17, putting him on the shelf for just more than one year.

Todd Helton, 1B
Todd Helton made the move to first base on a full time basis in 1999 and responded with a .348 average, 28 HR, 91 RBI and 93 runs.

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Jason Varitek, C
27-year-old catcher Jason Varitek was brought up as a backup backstop in 1999 with hopes he would show he could become the everyday catcher in 2000. His offensive skills, however, indicated he may not quite be ready. Varitek hit .175 with 4 HR and 24 RBI through 206 at bats, striking out 45 times.

John Valentin, 2B
Valentin battled a few injuries during the 1999 season but still managed to appear in 115 games. During those games, Valentin hit .222 with 6 HR and 27 RBI.

KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Randy Johnson (All Star, Cy Young)
Randy Johnson won his third Cy Young in four years in 1999, earned an All Star spot, led the league in numerous catergories and threw a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox. Johnson went 24-4 with a 2.90 ERA and 315 strikeouts over 248 innings.

Mike Hampton (Southpaw Starter)
Although he missed some time with a knee injury, Hampton had a successful 1999 season. He went 10-3 with a 3.34 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 140 innings.

Derek Lowe (All Star Closer)
Lowe earned a spot as an All Star in 1999, saving 38 games in 60 appearances, posting a 5-4 record with a 2.40 ERA and 64 strikeouts.

PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS

Roger Clemens (Starting Pitcher)
The Rocket never quite lifted off in 1999, although he did record his 3,000th career strikeout. The milestone was the lone highlight of the season as he went 4-14 with a 7.26 ERA in 30 games in which opponents hit .329 against Clemens.


Roy Halladay (Starting Pitcher)
With the pitching staff struggling, Halladay was given the opportunity to make his mark with Boston but failed to leave a good one. Halladay went 3-8 with a 7.13 ERA in 15 games, 10 of which were starts. Opponents hit .318 off him.


Rolando Arrojo (Starting Pitcher)
Having put together strong numbers in AAA, Arrojo was given the shot to help out the Red Sox rotation but failed to do so. Arrojo went 3-6 with a 9.90 ERA in 10 games, seven of which were starts. Opponents hit .382 against Arrojo.


Scott Schoeneweis (Reliver)
Boston's first round pick in the 1998 draft, Schoeneweis made his way to the Red Sox bullpen in 1999 but had some noticeable growing pains. In 65 appearances, Schoeneweis went 8-3 with 3 saves and a 5.89 ERA.


Troy Percival (Reliever, Traded to St. Louis)
Percival was not a happy camper in 1999 after Derek Lowe had claimed the closer's role as his job at the end of 1998. That, coupled with his start to the season, ultimately led to Percival being dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals after posting a 1-2 record with 4 saves and an 8.22 ERA in 36 games with Boston.

NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Sox Swap Valdez for OF Wells
To Boston Red Sox: Vernon Wells
To New York Mets: Ismael Valdez
During the winter of 1998, the Red Sox acquired 20-year-old outfielder Vernon Wells from the New York Mets for pitcher Ismael Valdez. Wells went on to hit .282 with 10 HR, 52 RBI and 57 runs in 126 games. In New York, Valdez went 13-10 with a 4.60 ERA in 30 games.
Through the 2008 season, Wells had hit 131 career HR with 537 RBI in 1,151 games over 11 seasons.
Valdez retired prior to the 2008 season with a 101-88 record and 4.30 ERA in 13 seasons.

Pitching Prospects Traded
To Boston Red Sox: Mark Buehrle
To Seattle Mariners: Bartolo Colon
In a swap of promising young hurlers, Boston landed lefty Mark Buehrle from Seattle Mariners on July 4. Buehrle went 8-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 17 games with Seattle before the trade and was seen as a strong young pitcher to help the struggling Boston staff. In 13 starts with the Red Sox, Buehrle went 4-4 with a 5.28 ERA, striking out 68 in 76 2/3 innings.
Buehrle would stay with the Red Sox organization through 2002 and, through the 2008 season, has posted a 120-67 record in nine seasons.
Colon struggled in just four appearances with Boston (0-3, 7.65 ERA) before the trade and went 3-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 16 games with Seattle.
Through the 2008 season, Colon has amassed a 91-132 record and a 4.77 ERA in 11 seasons.

THE DRAFT
Santana taken with Boston's 1st round pick
Shocked that he had fallen to the end of the 1st round, the Red Sox happily selected LHP Johan Santana with the 29th pick of the draft.
Boston's other draft selections included reliever Lorenzo Barcelo (2nd round), catcher Eric Munson (3rd round) and reliever Kris Wilson (4th round).

THE PLAYOFFS
Division Series: Athletics v. Indians
Returning to the playoffs once again, the 105-57 Cleveland Indians were expected to at least return to the ALCS if not get to the World Series. The Oakland A's, however, didn't care one bit about expectations and favorites as the Wild Card entrants knocked the Tribe out of the ALDS in four games.

Division Series: Rangers v. Yankees
A franchise with little-to-none experience in the post-season squared off against the most storied franchise in baseball and put them on their backside as the Texas Rangers eliminated the New York Yankees in the ALDS, 3 games to 1.

Division Series: Astros v. Braves
The upsets continued in the NLDS as the 99-63 Houston Astros (the best record in the NL) were knocked out by the Wild Card Atlanta Braves (92-71) in five games.

Division Series: Giants v. Mets
Where the Yankees failed, their cross-town rivals succeeded as the Mets advanced to the NLCS by defeating the San Francisco Giants in five games.

ALCS: Athletics v. Rangers
The A's and Rangers, familiar with one another from their numerous battles during the season as AL West foes, locked horns in the ALCS. The Wild Card Athletics took down the favored Rangers in five games to advance to the World Series.

NLCS: Braves v. Mets
Division rivals also squared off for the pennant in the NL as the Braves upset the division champion Mets in five games.

World Series: Athletics v. Braves
For the fourth time in the last five years, the American League's entrant into the World Series came out victorious. Oakland and Atlanta fought hard for the full seven games before the A's took home the trophy.

AWARDS
MVPs: Giambi, Alou
Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics hit .357 with 44 HR and 153 RBI. Giambi led the AL in on-base percentage (.489) was second in RBI (153) and walks (139), third in batting average and slugging (.667), fourth in runs (130) and total bases (361). He beat out batting champion Bernie Williams (.385) and former MVPs Mo Vaughn (.360, 55 HR, 153 RBI, 134 runs) and Carlos Delgado (49 HR, 168 RBI, 138 runs, 20 hits, 49 doubles, 9 triples).
Moises Alou of the Atlanta Braves had a career season in 1999, hitting .366 with 46 HR and 156 RBI. Alou led the NL in slugging (.680), OPS (1.121), total bases (415) and RBI. He was second in batting average, hits (223); third in runs (149) and homers (46); fifth in singles (128) and doubles (44).

Very familiar names take home Cy Young Awards
Randy Johnson won his third Cy Young Award in four years after posting an impressive 24-4 record, 2.90 ERA and striking out 315 batters. Johnson led baseball in wins and led the AL in ERA, complete games (5), shutouts (3), strikeouts, opponents batting average (.218) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.4).
Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves also won his third Cy Young Award in four years, going 21-8 with a 2.85 ERA and 168 strikeouts. Maddux was the NL's only 20-game winner, led the league in complete games (8) and shutouts (5), was third in ERA and in opponents batting average (.224), fourth in winning percentage (.724)

Rookies Huff, Meluskey honored for excellence
Toronto Blue Jays rookie Aubrey Huff slugged his way to the winner's circle in the Rookie of the Year race. Huff hit .356 with 36 HR and 112 RBI. Huff was fourth in the AL in batting.
Mitch Meluskey of the Colorado Rockies took home the NL Rookie of the Year in 1999. Colorado's catcher hit .313 with 20 HR and 101 RBI.

[Moriarty9]

2000: Return to Playoffs
Boston wins AL Wild Card


The Red Sox rebounded from a disappointing 1999 season by returning to the post-season for the fifth time in six years after securing the AL Wild Card.

The team's 89-73 record was good enough for a second place finish in the AL East, 4 games behind the 93-69 New York Yankees. Boston finished just 2 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays and Anaheim Angels in the race for the Wild Card.

The team drew more than 3.43 million fans (3rd highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $80.3 million payroll (4th highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Todd Helton, 1B (All Star)
In many seasons, Todd Helton may have won the triple crown or most certainly the MVP award with the numbers he put in 2000. Unfortunately for him, Carlos Delgado took care of both feats. Helton hit .341 with 52 doubles, 50 HR, 156 RBI, 143 runs, and had a 25-game hit streak.
He led the AL in doubles, hits (224) and extra-base hits (102) while finishing second in total bases (426) and runs, third in homers and RBI.
Helton also dominated in the playoffs, hitting .429 (9-for-21) with five homers, eight RBI and six runs scored in five games.

Mo Vaughn, DH (1,000 RBIs and runs)
Mo Vaughn added to his impressive resume in 2000, picking up his 1,000th RBI and run scored while hitting .297 with 48 HR, 140 RBI and 112 runs. Vaughn was third in the AL in total bases (377), fourth in extra-base hits (79), fifth in home runs and RBI, eighth in hits (197).

Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins in August 1999, Ramirez had a career season for the 2000 Red Sox by hitting .308 with 25 HR, 95 RBI and scoring 90 runs.

Manny Ramirez, LF

After fracturing his skill in July 1999, Ramirez wasn't expected to be back in action until August 2000 --- providing Boston with a dream of a late season addition to their lineup. In just 239 at bats over 61 games, Ramirez hit .310 with 22 HR, 59 RBI and scored 48 runs.

Ichiro Suzuki, RF

Thanks to Albert Pujols' power numbers, Ichiro Suzuki was unable to win the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2000 despite his .361 average, seven triples, 10 home runs, 63 RBI, 95 runs scored and 28 steals. He finished second in the league in batting, third in hits (206), fifth in triples, eighth in steals and ninth in intentional walks (8).

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Jose Cruz Jr., CF
After two strong seasons, Cruz struggled in 2000 and the result was diminished playing time down the stretch. In 113 games, Cruz hit .225 with 13 HR, 38 RBI and 38 runs scored.

KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Derek Lowe (All Star Closer)
Lowe returned to the All Star Game in 2000 and posted an impressive 4-1 record with 33 saves and a 2.74 ERA in 55 games. He finished fourth in the AL in saves.

Mike Myers (Lefty Specialist)
Reliever Mike Myers had a strong 2000 campaign, going 4-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 53 innings out of the bullpen. Opponents hit .266 off the lefty.

PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS
Tony Saunders (Southpaw Hurler)
Saunders got off to a very strong start with the Cincinnati Reds (3-0, 1.96 ERA in six starts) before being traded to the Red Sox. Once he arrived in Boston, however, Saunders appeared to have left his game in Cincinnati. Saunders went 1-4 with an 8.45 ERA in 20 appearances, all but one of which were made out of the bullpen.

Scott Schoeneweis (Lefty Reliever)
Schoeneweis struggled his way out of Boston after 24 appearances, including five starts, with the Red Sox. The lefty went 6-3 with three saves and a 6.03 ERA with Boston before being traded to Milwaukee.


NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Red Sox ink deal with Morandini
To Boston Red Sox: Mickey Morandini
Boston signed Morandini to a one-year deal worth $515,000 to serve as a bench player and extra middle infielder. Morandini hit .287 with one homer, 13 RBI and 17 runs scored in 83 games while playing a strong secondbase. He struggled defensively at short stop.

Boston lands Soriano in three-man trade
To Boston Red Sox: Alfonso Soriano, David Howard
To Houston Astros: Lorenzo Barcelo
The Red Sox landed middle infielder Alfonso Soriano during a July trade with Houston, a trade that helped Boston down the stretch. In 72 games with Houston, Soriano had hit .273 with seven homers and 30 RBI. With Boston, Soriano hit .272 with nine homers and 36 RBI in 66 games.
Howard spent 2000 in the minor leagues but did spend some time with Boston in 2001. In 10 big league seasons, Howard hit .232 with 14 homers in 530 games.
Barcelo, a reliever taken in the 2nd round of the 1999 amateur draft, pitched well for the Astros in 2000. In 25 relief outings, Barcelo went 1-3 with a save and a 2.82 ERA. To date, he has spent four seasons in the big leagues (all with Houston, 2000-2003) and is currently back in Boston's minor league system. Barcelo is 12-12 with 7 saves and a 4.57 ERA in 175 career appearances.
Soriano remained with the Red Sox until he was traded in 2005. Through the 2008 season, Soriano had hit 179 homers and 635 RBI in 10 seasons.

Red Sox, Brewers Swap Southpaws
To Boston Red Sox: Odalis Perez
To Milwaukee Brewers: Scott Schoeneweis
Boston gave up on Schoeneweis and dealt him away to Milwaukee in exchange for Perez. Schoeneweis was 6-3 with a 6.03 ERA in 24 games with Boston, primarily out of the bullpen, before the trade. With the Brewers, as a starter, he went 3-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 11 games.
Schoeneweis remained with Milwaukee through the 2008 season (first as a starter but then as a reliever since 2004) before signing a one-year deal with Tampa Bay prior to the 2009 season.
Perez started the 2000 season with Milwaukee and went 9-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 19 starts. In 14 starts with Boston, Perez went 3-4 with a 4.44 ERA, putting him at 12-9 with a 4.02 ERA on the year.
Perez remained in Boston until he was traded to Baltimore in 2004, where he has remained in the Orioles starting rotation since. Through the 2008 season, Perez had posted a 127-122 record in 394 games, 355 of which have been starts.


Saunders shipped off to Boston for relievers
To Boston Red Sox: Tony Saunders
To Cincinnati Reds: Greg McMichael, Bill Pulsipher
The Red Sox dealt away a pair of hurlers for a lefty starter off to a hot start in Cincinnati. Saunders was 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in six starts with the Reds. In Boston in 2000, Saunders went 1-4 with an 8.45 ERA in 20 games, only one of which was a start. Saunders was blown away in his only playoff appearance that season, being hit for 11 runs, eight earned, over five innings in which he walked six batters and allowed nine hits.
Saunders made very short appearances with Boston's bullpen in a number of seasons since before retiring prior to the 2008 season. In his career, Saunders went 36-39 with a 5.38 ERA in 193 games, 106 of which were starts. In Boston, he went 1-6 in 33 appearances.
McMichael went 1-0 with a save and a 7.71 ERA in 18 appearances out of the bullpen. He was released during spring training with Cincinnati in 2001 and officially retired several months later.
Pulsipher went 2-0 with a 3.13 ERA in six starts with the Reds. Like McMichael, he was released in the spring of 2001 and retired several months later.

THE DRAFT
Boston nabs Ichiro and Eckstein in draft
The Red Sox selected outfielder Ichiro Suzuki in the 1st round and paid instant dividends, hitting .361 with 10 HR, 63 RBI and scoring 95 runs while stealing 28 bases in 125 games. In his 9-year career with Boston, through 2008, Ichiro has maintained an average no lower than .306 with 89 homers, 50 triples, 618 RBI, 905 runs and 181 runs.
Eckstein was a fine complimentary player for the Red Sox in 2000 and throughout his career. In 2000, Eckstein hit .265 with five homers and 42 RBI in 85 games. Through the 2008 season, Eckstein had played in 565 games (all with Boston), never appearing in more than 136 games. He has been an excellent player in clutch situations and in the post-season, hitting .341 (31-for-91) with three homers, 17 RBI and 18 runs in 26 playoff games with the Red Sox. A free agent following the 2008 season, Eckstein signed a one-year deal with Toronto in February 2009.
Boston's other draft choices included pitchers Kurt Ainsworth (2nd round), Victor Zambrano (3rd round), Sun Woo Kim (4th round), Travis Phelps (5th round) and catcher Ken Huckaby (6th round).

THE PLAYOFFS
Division Series: Athletics v. Red Sox
Boston made its return to the playoffs while the A's were looking to defend their World Series championship when the two teams locked horns in the ALDS. After five games, it was Oakland that came out on top and was one step closer to repeating.

Division Series: Indians v. Yankees
The Yankees advanced to the ALCS with a 5-game victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Division Series: Expos v. Pirates
Pittsburgh narrowly escaped from the NLDS after five games against the Wild Card Expos.

Division Series: Dodgers v. Mets
After defeating the former New York Giants in 1999 NLDS, the New York Mets swept the former Brooklyn Dodgers in the 2000 NLDS to advance to the NLCS.

ALCS: Athletics v. Yankees
The A's quest for a second straight World Series title ended in the ALCS as the Yankees took out Oakland in six games.

NLCS: Mets v. Pirates
With the Yankees in the World Series, the Mets were hoping for a Subway Series in 2000 but it was the Pirates that won the pennant, knocking New York out in six games.

World Series: Pirates v. Yankees
Though they were underdogs for their World Series matchup with the Bronx Bombers, the Pirates controlled the championships quite well and won the World Series in five games.

AWARDS
Delgado, Floyd win league MVP trophies

After being a strong candidate for the MVP over the last few years, Kansas City's Carlos Delgado finally took the trophy home after winning the triple crown with a .370 average, 60 HR and 174 RBI. Delgado led the league in almost all major catergories, including batting, on-base percentage (.473), slugging (.747), OPS (1.220), runs, total base (446), homers, RBI, intentional walks (14) and times hit by the pitch (20).
Montreal Expos slugger Cliff Floyd was this year's NL MVP after he hit .338 with 48 HR, 132 RBI and scoring 116 runs. Floyd trailed only Lance Berkman's .345 average in the race for the batting title but led the league in slugging (.708), OPS (1.118), total bases (371) and RBI. Floyd was second in batting average and homers, and fifth in runs.

Maddux takes home another trophy, Oswalt wins 1st Cy Young

For the fourth time in five years, the NL's top pitcher proved to be Greg Maddux, ace of the Atlanta Braves staff. Maddux, the game's only 20-game winner, went 23-4 with a 2.85 ERA, striking out 190 batters in 36 starts. He led the NL in wins, winning percentage (.852), complete games (3), shutouts (2), innings (259 1/3) and was second in ERA, third in opponents batting average (.224).
In the AL, it was Tampa Bay's Roy Oswalt taking home his first Cy Young Award. Oswalt went 18-9 with a 2.91 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 36 starts for the Devil Rays. Oswalt led the AL in ERA, wins, innings pitched (254), walks per nine innings pitched (1.5), hits per nine innings pitched (8.1) and opponents batting average (.235).

Pujols, Santiago win ROY awards
If not for Delgado's historic season, Minnesota Twins rookie slugger Albert Pujolas just may have recieved some first place votes for the AL MVP after. Instead he had to settle for the Rookie of the Year award in 2000 after hitting .316 with 42 HR and 138 RBI.
Jose Santiago of the Milwaukee Brewers came out of nowhere to become one of the league's top closers in 2000. Santiago went 7-2 with 36 saves and a 1.93 ERA for the BrewCrew. His 36 saves were third most in the NL, trailing Robb Nen of the Marlins (42) and Ugueth Urbina of the Expos (37).

[Moriarty9]

2001: Baseball's Best Record
Wild Card Royals KO Red Sox

After the Yankees had won the division for two years in a row, the Red Sox overtook their rivals and claimed the AL East in 2001.

The team's 104-58 record was baseball's best, putting Boston 28 games ahead of the second place Yankees.

The Red Sox drew more than 3.5 million fans (2nd highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $71.97 million payroll (9th highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Todd Helton, 1B (All Star, MVP)
2001 was a season to remember for Helton as he hit for the cycle on August 18 against the Angels, nearly claimed the triple crown, was named to the All Star team for the second time and won the MVP. Helton hit .346 with 45 doubles, 4 triples, 46 home runs, 154 RBI and scored 122 runs.

Manny Ramirez, LF (All Star)
Already with an impressive career for a 29-year-old, Ramirez had a career season in 2001 when he hit .339 with 40 HR, 123 RBI and 120 runs. He was second in the AL in hits (202), total bases (359), batting average and runs, fourth in RBI, fifth in homers, sixth in extra base hits (73) and seventh in intentional walks (9).

Ichiro Suzuki, RF
Ichiro avoided a sophomore slump, hitting .307 with 10 homers, 61 RBI, 99 runs and 39 steals. He was third in the AL in stolen bases with 39, fourth in hits with 197, fifth in intentional walks with 11, seventh in runs and batting average.

Scott Hatteberg, C
Hatteberg had a career year in 2001, hitting .306 with 14 homers, 66 RBI and 58 runs in 113 games.

OFFENSIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Mike Lowell, 3B
After a couple of strong seasons in the minors, Lowell was given the starting job at the hot corner in 2001. He struggled at the big league level, however, hitting just .229 with six homers and 55 RBI in 128 games.

KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Brendan Donnelly (Closer)
With Derek Lowe out of the closer's job and in the starting rotation, 29-year-old rookie hurler Brendan Donnelly took over the job and exceeded all expectations. Donnelly went 4-3 with 31 saves and a 1.40 ERA in 46 games after being selected in the amateur draft in March 2001. His 31 saves were good enough for eighth in the American League.

Mike Crudale (Setup Man)
Crudale had a quick road to the big leagues after being drafted in 2001 and making his debut that season. In 50 appearances out of the Boston bullpen, Crudale went 7-0 with 7 saves and a 1.45 ERA while opponents hit .237 against him.

C.J. Nitkowski (Lefty Specialist)
After several years in the minor leagues, Nitkowski returned to the big leagues with Boston in 2000. While his return wasn't impressive, his 2001 season was. Nitkowski went 7-1 with a 2.02 ERA in 37 appearances for the Red Sox.

Randy Johnson (Ace)
Johnson picked up his 200th career victory in 2001, padding his Hall of Fame credentials. The Big Unit went 18-6 with a 3.20 ERA and 235 strikeouts in 29 starts. He led the AL in stikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings (10.59), winning percentage (.750) and was second in wins.

PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS
Roger Clemens
The Rocket notched his 250th career victory and missed the last few months of the season with a tricep injury after going 5-8 with a 4.83 ERA in 17 games.

NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Red Sox, Tigers swap outfielders
To Boston Red Sox: Austin Kearns
To Detroit Tigers: Jose Cruz Jr.
At the end of spring training 2001, Boston dealt Jose Cruz Jr. to the Tigers for minor leaguer Austin Kearns. The move paid off for the Red Sox as Kearns went on to win the 2001 Rookie of the Year award after hitting .272 with 14 HR, 53 RBI and 62 runs in 97 games.
Cruz had a good season with Detroit, hitting .282 with 20 HR, 62 RBI and 68 runs in 107 games. He remained in Detroit through the 2002 season and, through 2008, has hit 209 HR with 751 RBI and 810 runs in 1,536 games with four teams.
Through 2008, Kearns has hit 159 homers with 639 RBI in 1,049 games.

Sox Deal Benjamin for Slocumb
To Boston Red Sox: Heathcliff Slocumb
To Milwaukee Brewers: Mike Benjamin
Boston added to its bullpen strength in a May trade for reliever Heathcliff Slocumb. After going 1-0 with a save and a 0.77 ERA in nine outings with Milwaukee, Slocumb was dealt to the Red Sox and went 0-1 with a save and a 3.80 ERA in 31 appearances.
He became a free agent at the season's end and signed with the White Sox. He spent 2002 in the minor leagues and retired at that season's end.
Benjamin had gone 4-for-18 (.222) in five games with Boston before the trade and had just one at bat with Milwaukee in 2001. He retired in September 2002 after 13 seasons, hitting .218 with 14 HR and 97 RBI in 559 games.

THE DRAFT
Red Sox pitching rich with draft choices
Boston selected a handful of hurlers in the 2001 draft, including Mike Maroth, Brendan Donnelly and Mike Crudale.
Maroth has spent much of his career in the minor leagues due to Boston's strong pitching staff over the years. In 20 games, six of which were starts, through the 2008 season, Maroth has gone 2-3 with 1 save and a 4.68 ERA.
Donnelly had a stellar rookie season in 2001, going 4-3 with 31 saves and a 1.40 ERA in 46 games. Through the 2008 season, Donnelly has gone 21-16 with 102 saves and a 3.31 ERA in 340 games with Boston and Houston.
Crudale had an impressive rookie campaign in 2001, going 7-0 with 7 saves and a 1.45 ERA in 50 games. He spent his entire career with Boston, going 20-5 with 21 saves and a 3.67 ERA in 219 relief appearances over seven years. He retired prior to the 2009 season.

THE PLAYOFFS
Wild Card Playoff: Royals v. Tigers
Detroit and Kansas City ended the 2001 season with identical 89-73 records, tying for the AL Wild Card. The two teams met up in a one-game playoff, which was won by the Royals.

Division Series: Red Sox v. Royals
While they had baseball's best regular season record, Boston learned the regular season means nothing once the playoffs begin. The Red Sox lost in five games to the Wild Card winning Royals.

Division Series: Athletics v. Twins
The A's quest for a third straight season at least reaching the ALCS came to an end when the Twins knocked Oakland out of the post-season in four games.

Division Series: Cubs v. Giants
The Cubs, winners of more games than anyone else in the NL, advanced to the NLCS with a 3-1 victory over San Francisco in the NLDS.

Division Series: Astros v. Mets
Like Oakland, the Mets were denied of a third straight year reaching the LCS as the Astros knocked New York out of the playoffs in five games.

ALCS: Royals v. Twins
After having to fight to get to the playoffs and advancing to the ALCS, the Royals continued to defeat the odds when they defeated the AL Central champion Twins in six games.

NLCS: Astros v. Cubs
The Astros advanced to their first World Series with a four-game sweep over the Cubs.

World Series: Astros v. Royals
Cinderella was a Royal in 2001 as Kansas City won the World Series in six games over the Houston Astros.

AWARDS
Helton, Bonds slug way to MVP honors
BoSox 1B Todd Helton took home the AL MVP after winning the batting title with a .346 average. He also led the league in on-base percentage (.429), slugging (.674), OPS (1.103), runs (122), total bases (393) and RBI (154). He was second in the league in hits (202) and homers (46).
Phillies outfielder Barry Bonds won the NL MVP after hitting .313 with 52 HR and 115 RBI. Bonds led the NL in on-base percentage (.484), slugging (.747), OPS (1.231), home runs and walks (131).

Hudson, Martinez take home Cy Young awards
Tim Hudson, the AL's wins leader, won his first Cy Young award after going 19-7 with a 3.24 ERA in 202 strikeouts. He was second in the AL in winning percentage (.731).
Montreal Expos ace Pedro Martinez won his second Cy Young award (1997 NL Cy Young winner) with a 19-12 record, 2.57 ERA and 311 strikeouts in 2001. Pedro won the NL pitching triple crown, leading the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA, complete games (4), innings pitched (245 1/3), strikeouts per nine innings (11.4), hits per nine innings (6.5), opponents average (.196), and WHIP (0.90).

Kearns, Phelps claim ROY awards
Kearns won the Rookie of the Year award after hitting .272 with 14 HR and 53 RBI for the Red Sox.
Chicago Cubs catcher Josh Phelps helped lead his team to the World Series and was rewarded with the Rookie of the Year award. Phelps hit .263 with 33 HR, 98 RBI and 82 runs.

[Moriarty9]

2002: Best Record, Swept out of ALDS
Sox fold after winning 121

The Red Sox put together one of baseball's all time best seasons, winning 121 games in 2002, but that meant nothing in terms of post-season success.

The team's 121-41 record was baseball's best, giving Boston a 45 game lead over the second place Baltimore Orioles and a 67 game lead over the last place Tampa Bay Devil Rays (holders of baseball's worst record at 54-108).

The Red Sox drew more than 3.46 million fans (2nd highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $74.39 million payroll (8th highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Manny Ramirez, LF (All Star)

Ramirez had another fine season in 2002, hitting .302 with 44 home runs, 115 RBI and 119 runs in 148 games. Manny was one of a few Boston players to perform well in the playoffs, hitting .600 (9-for-15) with a homer and four RBI.

Todd Helton, 1B (All Star)
Helton's home run totals were down in 2002, but he still managed to rip the opposition for hits and doubles while driving in runs. The firstbaseman hit .313 with 46 doubles, 29 home runs, 117 RBI and scored 110 runs.

Ichiro Suzuki, RF
Ichiro had the best season of his young career in 2002, hitting .339 with 9 triples, 14 homers, 79 RBI, 111 runs scored and 36 steals. In the postseason, Suzuki hit .375 (6-for-16) with a triple, home run, two RBI, three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.


Jody Gerut, LF (All Star)
A first round draft pick in 2002, Gerut paid immediate dividends for the Red Sox and earned an All Star appearance. He hit .304 with 22 HR, 83 RBI and scored 93 runs in 137 games.


KEY PITCHING CONTRIBUTORS
Randy Johnson (All Star, Cy Young)
The Big Unit won his fourth Cy Young award in seven seasons with a 20-5 record, 2.65 ERA and 214 strikeouts in 32 games. Johnson earned an All Star appearance and struck out the 3,500th batter of his career.

Roger Clemens (All Star)
The Rocket rebounded from a disappointing 2001 season, partially due to an injury, and put together a vintage Roger Clemens season in 2002. He went 18-5 with a 2.91 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 29 starts. That success did not continue in the playoffs, however, as Clemens was hit for nine runs in 7 1/3 innings in his only start of the post-season.

Brendan Donnelly (All Star Closer)
Donnelly earned a spot on the AL All Star team in 2002 with a 3-6, 50 save, 3.99 ERA, 72 strikeouts in 66 appearances season. Donnelly led the league in saves with 50 and in games finished with 58.

Eric Gagne (All Star Setup Man)
Not many setup men are given the opportunity to be named to an All Star team, but that's just what 26-year-old Eric Gagne did in 2002. Gagne went 11-1 with 3 saves, a 2.59 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 54 games for Boston. He led the league in holds with 23.

Johan Santana (Southpaw Swingman)
A 23-year-old Johan Santana dominated as a starting pitcher and out of the bullpen in 2002 before shutting it down for the season with a shoulder injury in early August. Santana went 12-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 29 games, 19 of which were starts.


PITCHING DISAPPOINTMENTS
Mike Myers (Lefty Specialist)
In what would eventually prove to be his final season in the big leagues, Myers struggled and went 1-0 with a save, a 5.04 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 22 relief appearances out of the Boston bullpen.


NOTEABLE TRANSACTIONS
Sox bring Sele back to Boston
To Boston Red Sox: Aaron Sele
An All Star in 2001 with the New York Mets, Sele returned to the Red Sox in 2002 as a free agent. Sele worked out of both the rotation and the bullpen, going 10-4 with a pair of saves and a 4.22 ERA in 29 outings, 18 of which were starts. He was re-signed by the team at the end of the season.

THE DRAFT
Boston OF depth improves in draft
The first three draft selections made by the Red Sox in 2002 were outfielders, bolstering their depth charts with some strong, young talent.
Jody Gerut, selected with the 26th overall pick of the draft, was an instant success for Boston, hitting .304 with 22 HR, 83 RBI, 93 runs and 47 doubles in 137 games. He spent his first four big league seasons with the Red Sox before heading to the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks. His career has declined since leaving Boston and, through the 2008 season, has hit .266 with 89 HR, 370 RBI and 434 runs in 777 games over seven seasons. Gerut signed a minor league contract with Boston prior to the 2009 season.
Boston's second pick in the draft was Rhode Island's own Rocco Baldelli. He appeared in just seven games with the Red Sox in 2002, hitting .300 (6-for-20) and scoring four runs. He spent his entire four-year career with Boston, hitting .275 with 15 HR, 83 RBI, 106 runs and 116 steals in 178 games. He retired in September 2005 after being hit in the head by a pitch that resulted in permanent blurred vision.
The Red Sox selected outfielder Jason Ellison with their third draft choice. Through the 2008 season, Ellison had not yet made his big league debut, spending six seasons with AAA Pawtucket, blocked by some of the big bats in Boston's outfield.

THE PLAYOFFS

Division Series: Red Sox v. White Sox
For the second year in a row, the Red Sox entered the playoffs with baseball's best record only to be ousted by a Wild Card entry from the AL Central. In 2001 it was Kansas City, in 2002 it was the 96-66 Chicago White Sox sweeping Boston in three games.

Division Series: Indians v. Mariners

The 106-56 Cleveland Indians were the heavy favorites in the ALDS as they squared off against the 87-75 AL West champion Seattle Mariners, however, it was nearly a huge upset. Ultimately, the Indians prevailed with a five-game series.

Division Series: Cubs v. Giants

In a rematch of a 2001 NLDS matchup, the Cubs and Giants squared off. This time it was San Francisco that prevailed, winning the series 3 games to 1.

Division Series: Brewers v. Mets
As they were in 2001, the Mets were eliminated in the NLDS - this time at the hands of the 103-59 Brewers in five games.

ALCS: Indians v. White Sox
Division rivals took each other on in the ALCS and, just like the regular season, it was the Indians that came out on top. The AL Central champs became the AL champs in six games.

NLCS: Brewers v. Giants
It took seven games to crown a winner of the National League pennant, and it wound up being the Brewers.

World Series: Brewers v. Indians

Once again, it was the AL that came out victorious in the World Series as Cleveland defeated Milwaukee in six games. It was the second World Series championship in five seasons for the Indians.

AWARDS
Pujols, Sheffield: MVP winners

Minnesota Twins slugger Albert Pujols claimed his first MVP award with a .351, 43 HR, 136 RBI season in 2002. Pujols led the league in slugging (.670), total bases (383) and RBI, finishing second in batting, OPS (1.067) and hits (201).
NL batting champ Gary Sheffield of the Marlins won the NL MVP with a .336 with 38 HR and 102 RBI season. Sheffield led the league in batting averages, on-base percentage (.431), slugging (.624), OPS (1.055), home runs (38) and intentional walks (14).

Johnson, Maddux win Cy Youngs ... again
Randy Johnson won his fourth Cy Young Award in seven seasons after posting a 20-5 record with a 2.65 ERA and 214 strikeouts. The Big Unit led the league in wins and ERA, second in winning percentage (.800), strikeouts and hits per nine innings (7.6).
In the NL, it was Greg Maddux (18-7, 2.43 ERA, 127 K) of the Chicago Cubs taking home the trophy for top pitcher - the fifth time in seven season. Maddux led the league in ERA and was second in wins, innings pitched (236 2/3) and walks per nine innings (1.1).

Phillips, Reyes win ROY honors
Jason Phillips of the New York Yankees broke into the big leagues with a fine season and claimed the Rookie of the Year award with a .338, 11 HR, 74 RBI campaign. Phillips finished fourth in the AL in batting.
Jose Reyes put together a solid season for the San Diego Padres, hitting .297 with 16 HR and 76 RBI. Reyes tied Scott Podsednik of the Colorado Rockies for the NL lead in singles (140) and second in hits (197).

[Moriarty9]

2003: World Series Champions
Boston wins post-season series for first time since 1995

For the third straight season, the Red Sox earned baseball's best regular season record. While Boston worked on that streak, they ended a much more depressing one in which they had gone 8-18 in the playoffs, losing every post-season series the team had appeared in, since winning the 1995 World Series.

Boston had a handful of players who led the AL in a number of statistics. Miguel Cabrera was the AL batting champion (.355), Todd Helton led in on-base percentage (.431), Alfonso Soriano led in hits (217), Ichiro Suzuki led in stolen bases (41) and Manny Ramirez led the league with 15 intentional walks. Soriano and Suzuki tied for the league lead in two catergories: sacrifice flies (12 each) and singles (147 each). On the pitching side, Johan Santana led the league in ERA (2.99) and strikeouts (212) while Roy Halladay led the league with seven complete games.

The team's 109-53 record was baseball's best, giving Boston a 13 game lead over the second place Baltimore Orioles, winners of the AL Wild Card.

The Red Sox drew more than 3.7 million fans (highest total in AL) to Fenway Park with a $86.55 million payroll (2nd highest in AL).

KEY OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Todd Helton, 1B (All Star)
Helton continued to be one the game's more impressive hitters as he put up a .335 average, 34 home runs, 104 RBI and scored 114 runs while drawing 93 walks in 138 games. Helton led the league in on-base percen