Daily Red Sox Links: The Best Red Sox Not to Win a Title Since 2004

The mothership asked this question last week.

For the Boston Red Sox (and Boston sports in general), there are not many nominees from the last 20 years or so. That has made the rest of the sports world hate the Sox at worst or be bored of them at best. But that’s not what we’re here to talk about.

Instead, despite winning three World Series titles since 2004, the Red Sox have still had some very good players who were not a part of those magical seasons. It doesn’t mean they were on terrible teams, but they still missed out on winning titles. Of course there are legends of the game who played for the Sox somewhere between 1919 and 2003 that never won a ring. Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice etc. Writing an article detailing the best all-time Red Sox to never win a title would be a mountain of a task. Instead, here are some of the more recent Sox who missed out on a title.

Nomar Garciaparra

OK. Garciaparra might not technically belong here. He either should be included on that 1918 to 2003 list, or, since he got a ring for the 2004 World Series, he shouldn’t qualify at all. But you and I know that just getting a ring isn’t the same as being on the field when the team wins. Since he technically played on the 2004 team before being traded for Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz, we’re going to include him. The greatest shortstop in Red Sox history (don’t @ me), Garciappara should have been on the team that broke the curse. He and Pedro Martinez formed an incredible nucleus for the franchise in the mid-90’s. It’s just too bad things broke down after he accumulated 41.2 bWAR across eight and a half years in Boston.

Jason Bay

Bay’s tenure in Boston was short-lived, but it was fun while it lasted. After being added by trade in the 2008 season (in a deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers), the former Pittsburgh Pirate All-Star clobbered pitchers in the AL. He hit a career-high 36 home runs in 2009 and had an OPS of .921. But the Sox were swept in the ALDS by the Los Angeles Angels that fall and Bay went on to sign a free agent deal with the New York Mets.

Victor Martinez

Another trade deadline addition, V-Mart played parts of two seasons with the Red Sox and he was great. He slashed .313/.368/.497 across 775 plate appearances and hit 28 home runs. With he and Bay in the lineup (not to mention David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Lowell and Jacoby Ellsbury) in 2009, the Red Sox had a pretty formidable lineup, but they lost in the ALDS in Martinez’s first season and missed the playoffs in his second. He then signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers and has still yet to play a game in the World Series.

Adrian Beltre

Beltre is going to be a Hall of Famer easily and will go down as one of the best third basemen of all time. He only spent one season in Boston, however, and despite coming very close to glory a couple times with the Texas Rangers, he has never gotten a ring. In his short time with Boston he hit .321/.365/.553 and led the majors in doubles (49). He’s a player that deserves a ring before he retires, even though its looking like the chances of that happening are pretty slim at this point.

Adrian Gonzalez

Instead of being part of some of the best moments of the last 20 years for the franchise, Gonzalez will always be connected to some of the worst. As a member of the 2011 team that collapsed in September and missed the playoffs, Gonzalez said that the Red Sox didn’t advance because of God’s plan, which rubbed some the wrong way. He lasted only a year and a half in Boston, as the Sox hit the reset button in 2012. But despite the revisionist history some have spouted, Gonzalez was very good with the Sox. He slashed .321/.382/.513 with 42 home runs and 203 RBI in 282 games and if things had gone differently, may have enjoyed a celebrated career in Boston, especially since the Sox claimed the title the year after he was traded.

After 2013, there are more than a few players that are still waiting for their first ring with the Sox. Mookie Betts stands out as the most obvious pick, but Chris Sale, Craig Kimbrel and David Price should all be included as well. The hope is that they won’t end up playing for other teams without first helping the Sox win it all once more.

With a healthy start to spring training, David Price is in a good position to have a strong year. (Matthew Kory; BP Boston)

Do the Red Sox have the next Jose Altuve in Esteban Quiroz? (Eric Gomez; ESPN)

Brian Johnson has not had the easiest road with the Sox, but he appears ready to be on the Opening Day roster. (Jason Mastrodonato; Boston Herald)

Craig Kimbrel’s daughter had her second surgery for a heart condition and it appears she is improving. Kimbrel is now heading to spring training. #LydiaStrong. (Christopher Smith; MassLive)

Drew Pomeranz is on the comeback trail. (Alex Speier; Boston Globe)