FanPost

The Top 10 Best/Worst Red Sox C Seasons (1961 - 2000)

In what portends to be a very slow release series, I've taken the SS post and run with it. Looking at the Catcher Seasons from the past 50 years.

Reminder: to qualify, the player must have played the most at that position for the team in that season.

Rankings show Top 10 using www.baseball-reference.com WAR (showing oWAR/dWAR) and by OPS+

Here we go....

 Top 10 Worst Catcher Seasons (by WAR)

# Year Player WAR oWAR dWAR OPS+ G
1 2001 Hatteburg, Scott -1.4 0.6 -2.0 78 72
2 1993 Pena, Tony -1.3 -1.4 0.1 32 125
3 1969 Gibson, Russ -1.1 -0.9 -0.2 66 83
4 1965 Tillman, Bob -1.1 -0.6 -0.5 66 106
5 1987 Sullivan, Marc -0.9 -1.5 0.6 14 60
6 1968 Gibson, Russ -0.8 0.2 -1.0 66 74
7 1966 Ryan, Mike -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 54 114
8 1967 Ryan, Mike -0.5 -0.2 -0.3 56 79
9 1963 Tillman, Bob -0.4 0.5 -0.9 81 95
10 1979 Allenson, Gary -0.3 -0.4 0.1 49 104

Comments: With Salty/Tek manning the position for the present, lamentations run amok about the Sox catching situation. From this list, it seems like they've had these problems before. Hatteburg always had an average bat, but man did he suck something awful behind the plate. In 2001 he was pretty pedestrian with the bat and criminaly awful as a backstop. Think Salty/Tek are bad throwing out runners? Try 115 SB given up in a mere 72 games with only 12 CS! - For the math challenged that's a 9% success rate. Number of these years are from the 60's (Pre-69) which of coure was the era of pitching and catcher was often overlooked as an offensive need. Still its not like we have defensive catching stalwarts here.

Top 10 Worst Catching Seasons (by OPS+)

# Year Player WAR oWAR dWAR OPS+ G
1 1987 Sullivan, Marc -0.9 -1.5 0.6 14 60
2 1993 Pena, Tony -1.3 -1.4 0.1 32 125
3 1979 Allenson, Gary -0.3 -0.4 0.1 49 104
4 1966 Ryan, Mike -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 54 114
5 1967 Ryan, Mike -0.5 -0.2 -0.3 56 79
6 1992 Pena, Tony 0.2 0.4 -0.2 62 132
7 1969 Gibson, Russ -1.1 -0.9 -0.2 66 83
8 1965 Tillman, Bob -1.1 -0.6 -0.5 66 106
9 1968 Gibson, Russ -0.8 0.2 -1.0 66 74
10 1991 Pena, Tony -0.2 -0.3 0.1 66 140

Comments: During the barrage of offense that was 1987 (Boggs hit 24 HR), Marc Sullivan managed to be 86 pts below average. If you remember, he was the owner/general partner's son (Haywood Sullivan). Tony Pena, I loved his catching "style" but he sucked at the plate by the time he was with Boston.

and now for the good stuff.....

Top 10 Best Catching Seasons (by WAR)

# Year Player WAR oWAR dWAR OPS+ G
1 1972 Fisk, Carlton 7.1 6.8 0.3 162 131
2 1977 Fisk, Carlton 6.8 5.6 1.2 138 151
3 1978 Fisk, Carlton 6.1 5.9 0.2 125 154
4 1985 Gedman, Rich 5.0 4.0 1.0 126 139
5 2004 Varitek, Jason 4.1 3.9 -0.2 121 130
6 2005 Varitek, Jason 4.0 4.4 -0.4 122 130
7 1976 Fisk, Carlton 3.9 3.4 0.5 109 133
8 1986 Gedman, Rich 3.4 2.1 1.3 99 134
9 1973 Fisk, Carlton 3.4 3.0 0.4 105 131
10 1980 Fisk, Carlton 3.3 3.2 0.1 118 115
10 2003 Varitek, Jason 3.3 3.2 0.1 120 137

Comments: Ah Mr. Fisk, how we all will remember you waving that 1975 HR fair. Only 3 position players in 1972 had a 6+ WAR and Fisk was one of the three. He occupies 6 of the 10 spots here. Tek's 03-05 run was pretty impressive. Gedman while not the best hitter, was outstanding behind the plate.

Top 10 Best Catching Seasons (by OPS+)

# Year Player WAR oWAR dWAR OPS+ G
1 1972 Fisk, Carlton 7.1 6.8 0.3 162 131
2 1975 Fisk, Carlton 3.1 3.1 0.0 150 71
3 1977 Fisk, Carlton 6.8 5.6 1.2 138 151
4 1985 Gedman, Rich 5.0 4.0 1.0 126 139
5 1978 Fisk, Carlton 6.1 5.9 0.2 125 154
T6 2005 Varitek, Jason 4.0 4.4 -0.4 122 130
T6 2010 Martinez, Victor 3.0 3.8 -0.8 122 110
T6 1996 Stanley, Mike 2.3 3.7 -1.4 122 105
9 2004 Varitek, Jason 4.1 3.9 -0.2 121 130
10 2003 Varitek, Jason 3.3 3.2 0.1 120 137

Comments: Victor slips onto this list in a tie for the #6 slot with another newcomer - Mike Stanley, both of whom were pretty poor backstops who moved from behind the plate. Fisk dominates this list as most would expect. 154 games at catcher? :()

 

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