1980 BOSTON RED SOX
25 GUYS, 25 CABS ...

The Red Sox played good baseball in 1979. They were defined by a potent offense and they led the league in runs scored. They simply hit the heck out of the ball and led the league in batting average, doubles and home runs, while being in the bottom half of the American League in walks. The Red Sox didn’t collapse, they just showed a slow but steady fade. Fred Lynn had a great year in 1979 and was the American League's batting champion. He would be playing in the final year of his $1.7 million contract.

The team signed Tony Perez to play first base on November 16th for three years and $1.1 million. Perez had been with the Cincinnati Reds, and Sox fans remembered him for hitting the home run that turned the momentum in that seventh game of the 1975 World Series.

On November 27th, the Sox signed pitcher Skip Lockwood for four years and $1.2 million and Dick Drago signed an extension through 1982. On February 11th, reserve outfielder Tom Poquette agreed to a one year contract and also did Stan Papi. Dwight Evans signed a contract extension for five years and $2 million after batting .264 and winning his third "Gold Glove".

Pitcher Bill Campbell began a muscle building rehabilitation program in December. He was not expected to be able to return to the Red Sox bullpen until May or June.

The Red Sox opened up camp in Winter Haven and new pitching coach Johnny Podres was satisfied with his three starting pitchers: Dennis Eckersley, Mike Torrez and Bob Stanley. He hoped youngsters like Bruce Hurst, Chuck Rainey, Allen Ripley, Joel Finch, Win Remmerswaal and John Tudor would be able to compete effectively for the fourth starting pitcher slot.

Carl Yastrzemski had hurt his back while lifting weights and was put on minimum duty when camp opened. Jerry Remy was also working out and seemed to be running fine, healed from his knee injury at Yankee Stadium last summer.

Rick Burleson arrived early in spring training, but soon began to suffer from a sore shoulder. Additionally, the contract he signed in 1976, after so much rancor, was coming to an end.

The big question going into spring training was the health of Carlton Fisk and his throwing arm. A schism had developed between Fisk and general manager Haywood Sullivan, who questioned how bad Fisk's elbow problem really was. Fisk, already was peeved about the way Sullivan had pinched pennies and hurt the team last season, at the expense of the "Buffalo Heads" and Bill Lee in particular. The Red Sox acquired catcher Dave Rader from the Phillies to be one of Fisk's backups along with Gary Allenson.

Labor negotiations between the players and management became a concern as the spring progressed. Troubled by the movement of players at steadily increasing salaries, the owners asked for a new rule giving compensation in the form of a front-line player to the team losing what they call a "premium" free agent (a player chosen by at least eight teams in the reentry draft).

While the owners said such compensation is "equity" covering part of their loss, the players saw the compensation as an obstacle to free movement. The players, in fact, asked for ever greater freedom by demanding free agent status be given to men with four years experience, not the six years experience presently required.

The players suggested a change in the free agent system. They would agree to some kind of compensation, something less than a front-line player, in return for a free agent whose statistics, by some agreed upon formula, proved him to be what the players consider a "premium" free agent.

On April 1st, Marvin Miller, announced the unanimous decision to cut short spring training and set a date certain for a strike already authorized by a 967-1 vote of the players. The players had voted not to play the rest of the exhibition season. The owners did not lock them out of their spring training sites and kept them operational, so the players continued to work out. The two sides decided to start the season without a contract and continue negotiations until midnight on May 22nd.

Garry Hancock was one of nine players cut by the Red Sox and assigned to Pawtucket on April 2nd. Sam Bowen, who led the International League in home runs the prior year with 28 ,and tied for the RBI crown with 75, was philosophical about the demotion. He said, “God didn’t make many Rices, Lynns and Evans on the same club.”

Reid Nichols’ performance in Winston-Salem had earned him an invitation to spring-training. He batted .400 in exhibition games, but he was one of the players sent sown to Pawtucket.

After a strong performance in spring training, Glenn Hoffman made the Red Sox Opening Day roster as a third baseman. And infielder, Dave Stapleton, who batted .486 in spring training, was sent to Pawtucket. After being cut, Stapleton asked, “What must I do to make this club?”

The first two games of the year at the Milwaukee were a foreshadowing. The Red Sox trailed the Brewers 5-3 in the ninth inning of Opening Day, on April 10th, when home runs by Yaz and third baseman Butch Hobson tied the game. Dick Drago came on in the ninth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Drago gave up a grand slam to Brewers rightfielder Sixto Lezcano and the Red Sox lost 9-5.

Mike Torrez pitched the second game on April 12th, and was battered 18-1. Chuck Rainey got into his first game after Torrez had been banged around for six runs in one inning of work, leaving after giving up a grand slam in the second inning, before he got an out. Rainey gave up seven more runs, the first four on yet another Brewers grand slam. Bruce Hurst was next. He had jumped from Double-A, but was rocked in his debut, giving up four hits and five runs in an inning of relief.

On April 13th, Bob Stanley stopped the Brewers and eked out a 3-1 win. The Sox got their three runs in the fourth inning on a walk, singles by Fred Lynn and Jim Rice, and a double by Yaz.

The Sox opened up at Fenway behind Dennis Eckersley, beating the Tigers, 3 to 1 on April 14th. Two days later, on April 16th, Tony Perez knocked in four runs and Dwight Evans stole a home run out of the right field stands in the ninth inning, to preserve a 10-9 win over Detroit. Carlton Fisk's 11th inning walk-off homer in the final game, swept the series against Detroit on April 17th.

On April 20th, the Sox had another walk-off win. Yaz grounded his third hit, with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning, to beat the Texas Rangers, 6 to 5.

Jack Brohamer knocked in the tying run and Dwight Evans drove home the winning run in the bottom of the eighth to come from behind and beat the White Sox, 9 to 8 on April 21st. Bruce Hurst got knocked around for four runs in 1+ innings.

Hurst came back and fired five no-hit innings to earn his first win on April 26th, against the Detroit Tigers.

When they beat the White Sox on April 29th, 11 to 1, the Sox were in first place by 1 1/2 games and that would be their high water mark for the season. From that point on, it would all be downhill.

Tom Burgmeier had to bail out Dick Drago, who had to bail out Bruce Hurst, to make a 4-3 Sox win in Chicago, hold up on May 1st. The Sox got their runs thanks to a home run and a double by Tony Perez.

In Kansas City on May 2nd, Jack Brohamer's pinch-hit single in the 11th inning gave the Sox a 6 to 5 victory. The next night on May 3rd, Chuck Rainey shut out the Royals, 7-0, on five hits.

The Sox lost the next three before winding up their .500 road trip in Texas, with a 7-4 win on May 7th. Two Ranger errors cost them the game in the 11th inning.

The Red Sox called pitcher Keith MacWhorter up from Pawtucket, placing Stan Papi on waivers on May 9th. MacWhorter got his first taste of the majors the very next day on May 10th. The Sox faced the Kansas City Royals at Fenway and Dennis Eckersley started, but gave up three quick first-inning runs. With the bases loaded, MacWhorter was brought in but was bombed. In his first 1 1/3 innings in the majors, MacWhorter had given up five runs, good for an initial ERA of 33.75. The Sox lost 13 to 8.

Chuck Rainey righted the ship and won a complete game, 5-2, over the Royals in the next game, on May 11th.

On May 12th, Sam Bowen was traded to the Detroit Tigers (with a player to be named later). Bowen had been “bothered by a bad leg” and “refused to go to Detroit because he was afraid he’d get there and wouldn’t get paid if the strike hits.” He had welcomed the trade, but just being honest, he had told Tigers GM Jim Campbell that he was hurt, Campbell canceled the trade in anger at the Red Sox, for trading him a less than fully healthy player.

On May 13th, Fred Lynn hit for the cycle and drove in four runs to lead the Sox over the Twins, 10-5, at Fenway. The next day, Bruce Hurst was optioned to Pawtucket with a 10.57 ERA, after pitching in seven games.

That night, on May 14th, Keith MacWhorter was put back into the game against the Twins. He closed out the fifth, and pitched 3 1/3 innings total, allowing just one single. He walked four batters, but permitted no runs and left the game in the top of the eighth. He was replaced by Tom Burgmeier, who got credit for the 7-6 victory when the Red Sox won, with a bases-loaded walk by Jim Dwyer in the bottom of the ninth.

On the road, in Cleveland on May 16th, Chuck Rainey beat the Indians, 2-1, giving up four hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Keith MacWhorter’s first major-league decision was in a May 17th loss in Cleveland, where he was victimized by an unearned run. Brought in to pitch the 10th inning in a 3-3 game, his first batter reached on an error, and scored the game-winner on a two-out single to center field for a walk-off 4 to 3 victory by the Indians.

Chuck Rainey won his fourth game in a row on May 20th in Toronto, again giving up just four hits, in five innings. He was 4-0, and had brought his ERA down to 4.57. The newspapers called him Boston’s ace.

MARVIN MILLER'S NEGOTIATION WITH MANAGEMENT

Homers by Jim Rice, Tony Perez and Jim Dwyer hammered the Blue Jays into submission with an 11-2 Sox win in Toronto on May 21st.

Jim Dwyer had gotten off to a great start. When players were poised to walk out on strike at midnight on May 22nd, he was batting a team-leading .417 and coming off a series in Toronto in which he’d homered four times in three games.

But in the early morning of May 23rd, the owners and the players reached agreement on all issues except free-agent compensation. A strike was avoided as the issue was sent to a player-management committee for study.

The Sox won for the seventh time in their last ten games on May 30th, back at Fenway, on May 23rd. Yaz, Butch Hobson and Jack Brohamer led the Sox to a 4-1 win over the Indians. Bob Stanley pitched seven strong innings before he handed the ball over to Tom Burgmeier, who picked up another save.

On May 27th, Yaz belted a two-run homer, with none out in the ninth inning, to lift the Sox past the Blue Jays, 5 to 4.

After Dave Stapleton’s torrid start in Pawtucket with a .340 batting average with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 37 contests, he was promoted to the Red Sox at the end of May. Ted Sizemore was waived on May 30th to make room.

Appearing in his first major-league game on May 30th, at Fenway Park, Stapleton went 1-for-4 against the Milwaukee Brewers. He recorded his first career hit in his third at-bat, doubling to begin the bottom of the fifth inning. He advanced to third on a groundout and then scored his first career run on a sacrifice fly. The Red Sox won the contest 5 to 3. Chuck Rainey (5-1) got the victory and as named American League "Pitcher of the Month".

On May 31st, when the Brewers came to Fenway, Mike Torrez started again and lost 19-8. But the Sox hit six home runs, including a back-to-back-to-back trio by Tony Perez, Carlton Fisk, and Butch Hobson.

The Sox unfortunately lost seven on the ten game homestand and seemed lost. Jim Rice was batting .240; Fred Lynn only had four home runs and Dwight Evans was hitting only .192 ... The starting rotation of Dennis Eckersley, Mike Torrez and Bob Stanley had a combined record of 6-15. The Sox' record was 22-23, and they were in fourth place, 7 1/2 games behind the Yankees, who sat atop the American League.

Their first stop in June's road trip was in Minnesota. On June 2nd, Bob Stanley allowed six hits and Jim Dwyer homered, to give them a 6 to 2 win. But they lost two of the three games played there.

They then went to Oakland and split a pair of games, winning on June 6th, 14 to 8. Rick Burleson led the charge, pounding out four hits as the Sox broke lose with 12 runs in the first five innings. Chuck Rainey easily won for the sixth time.

Two nights later on June 8th, they beat the A's again, 6 to 1. A ninth inning rally highlighted by Butch Hobson's three run homer was the reason. Dennis Eckersley, Dick Drago and Tom Burgmeier combined to pitch a six hitter, allowing one unearned run.

In Seattle, they next took two out of three. Jim Rice hit a tremendous homer in the ninth inning of the first game on June 10th, to tie the game up and Fred Lynn followed with a game winning homer in the 11th inning to close things out at 5 to 4.

CHUCK RAINEY

Chuck Rainey was next backed by a 13-hit attack, including a three run homer by Fred Lynn on June 11th, for a 7 to 5 decision over the Mariners.

Now it was down to Anaheim where the Sox swept, four straight games. They crushed the Angels 13-2 in the first game on June 12th. Jim Rice homered in the fourth inning and the Sox scored four times, to give Mike Torrez his first victory in three weeks. Butch Hobson hit two home runs and Dave Stapleton blasted one.

The following night on June 13th, Dennis Eckersley shut out the Angels, 3-0, scattering six hits. Hobson helped him with another home run. Jerry Remy stole four bases in the next meeting on June 14th and the Sox aggressive baserunning produced a 7-3 win. In the series finale on June 17th, the Sox banged out 14 hits, including a home run by Jim Rice and a combined seven hits by Rick Burleson and Dave Stapleton at the top of the batting order, winning 6 to 5.

They thus made a successful (9-3) western road but still returned home in the middle of the month, six games behind. The Yankees were on their way to a big year with 103 wins and while the Baltimore Orioles were amidst the pack, they would also catch fire and win 100 games.

The west coast teams next came to Fenway where the Sox won four of the seven matchups. The Sox banged out ten hits in support of Mike Torrez's best pitched game of the season thus far, on June 17th, beating the A's, 6 to 2.

Fred Lynn's homer backed Dennis Eckersley in the next game as the Sox rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Mariners on June 18th. Bob Stanley then shut out Seattle 2-0 on June 19th. It was his first shutout since 1977.

On June 21st, Jim Rice was hit on the wrist in a 4-2 loss against the Angels. Bone chips in the wrist resulted in his placement on the DL. Garry Hancock was called up and moved into his roster spot.

Mike Torrez, with some help from Tom Burgmeier, stranded 14 Angel baserunners, winning 6 to 3 on June 22nd.

The Red Sox also activated Bill Campbell and called up right-hander Win Remmerswaal from Pawtucket. To make the necessary roster space, the club optioned Keith MacWhorter to Pawtucket. Jack Brohamer came full circle, beginning the season with the Red Sox, but then also being sold to back to the Indians that day. Duane Kuiper had torn his knee up and needed reconstructive surgery.

The Sox had gone 13-7 in their last twenty games and next had to go to New York to meet the first place Yankees, who they trailed by eight games.

In the first matchup on June 23rd, the Sox knocked around Ron Guidry, while Dennis Eckersley (3-0, 1.20 ERA in his last four starts) finished with a strong six-hitter, winning 7 to 2. Glenn Hoffman finished off Guidry in the fourth, as the Sox hit for the cycle and scored four runs.

The Yankees returned the favor and beat up John Tudor 10-5, in the next game on June 24th.

But the Sox rebounded with a dramatic 4-3, 10 inning win in the rubber-game, on June 25th. Dave Stapleton doubled off Tommy John in the top of the tenth to put the Sox ahead. Then Tom Burgmeier struck out Willie Randolph, with a runner on third, to end the game. The Sox were still seven games behind the Yankees, after winning two of the three games.

The Orioles came to Fenway and split two games at the end of the month. On June 27th, the Sox beat them, 3 to 2. Chuck Rainey went 7 1/3 innings and got saved by Burgmeier.

The Sox then had another series with the Yankees to start the month at Fenway, and got swept three straight, putting them 10 1/2 games in the hole.

On July 3rd, Chuck Rainey (8-3) pitched his last game of the season, giving up a single before leaving the game mid-batter. After only nine pitches, he felt a twinge in his right elbow and departed. It was more than a twinge. Rainey had suffered a muscle tear in his right elbow and was placed on the disabled list. He was the winningest pitcher on the Red Sox at the time. Win Remmerswaal took over and led the Sox to a 5-2 win in Baltimore.

John Tudor escaped jams for six innings but shut out the Orioles, 1-0, with some help from Bob Stanley and Tom Burgmeier on July 5th. Yaz doubled off Jim Palmer and was brought home by Dave Stapleton for the only run of the game.

Three RBIs by Tony Perez gave Dennis Eckersley a 6 to 4 win over the Orioles on July 6th,

Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk (0 for 2) played in the All Star Game at Dodger Stadium on July 8th. Lynn's 5th inning two-run homer put the A.L. Stars ahead 2-0, but the National League went on to win the game, 4-2. Jim Rice and Tom Burgmeier were also on the American League team but didn't play.

TOM BURGMEIER

At the break, the Red Sox were in 5th place, 9 1/2 games behind the Yankees. Their pitching was last in the American League with a 4.79 ERA and allowed 758 hits, also the worst in the league. They led the American League with a .280 team batting average and were second best with 86 home runs. and second best with 758 hits. But they were 16-20 at home, outscored 207-156, and had hit two home runs in their last ten games. Dwight Evans was hitting only .194 while Carlton Fisk had bounced back and was batting .300. The Sox were 34-17 with him in the lineup.

And now the injuries started taking their toll. Tom Burgmeier had tendinitis in his left shoulder and Yaz then went down after hurting his back, while Jerry Remy twisted his left knee. However, when Remy got re-injured, it opened the door for Dave Stapleton to be a full-time starter.

They started the second half by splitting a doubleheader in Milwaukee on July 10th. Mike Torrez was out-dueled by Reggie Cleveland in the opener, 2-1. In the second game Steve Renko allowed just four singles, to chalk up a 7-0 shutout. Fred Lynn belted two homers and Carlton Fisk got four hits.

John Tudor struck out ten batters on July 12th and beat the Tigers 9 to 3 at Fenway. Dwight Evans bounced back with four hits, including a three-run homer.

Pitcher Bobby Ojeda was called up to the Red Sox and immediately put into the starting rotation. He saw his first action on July 13th against Detroit, pitching into the sixth inning. He was taken out in the sixth inning after surrendering a four-run lead that tied up the game. Fortunately, the Sox bounced back in the bottom of the inning when Stan Papi tripled with two men on. The Sox went on to win, 8 to 4.

The Red Sox scored 11 runs in two innings and seven runs in the fifth inning, including a homer by Dave Stapleton, to beat the Royals 12-4 on July 17th. Next day on July 18th, Stapleton's 10th inning walk-off homer, gave the Red Sox a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Larry Wolfe was recalled from Pawtucket on July 20th to help out in the infield. He drove in four runs, one of which was the go-ahead run in the July 23rd game against the visiting Texas Rangers that the Sox won 12 to 5.

With Butch Hobson's shoulder not getting better, Carlton Fisk played third base on July 25th in a 7-5 Sox win in Minnesota. Dennis Eckersley took a two-hitter into the ninth inning and beat the Twins, 5-1 on July 26th.

Against the Royals in Kansas City, on July 29th, Gary Allenson collected two singles and a double while driving in one run in a 9-8 loss. His third hit of the game, in the seventh inning, drove in the go-ahead run, putting the Sox up 7-6, but the bullpen could not hold the lead.

Garry Hancock's ninth inning base hit keyed a six run rally in the ninth inning, to beat the Royals, 7-1 in Kansas City on July 30th.

The Sox ended July having gone 12-15 for the month, and were in 6th place, 12 1/2 games behind the Yankees.

Bobby Ojeda’s first win came in Texas on August 2nd. Through six innings he shut out the Rangers on five hits and Bob Stanley came on for the save as the Red Sox won 1-0.

Glenn Hoffman led a 13 hit, six run attack, with four RBIs, a homer and a single, against the Rangers in Arlington on August 3rd. It gave Mike Torrez a 6-4 victory.

GLENN HOFFMAN

Back home, the Sox thrashed the Brewers, 7-2 on August 4th. Hoffman hit another homer and a double, and Steve Renko had a shutout going into the eighth inning.

Dave Stapleton's eighth inning hit drove in Hoffman with a run, that broke a 1-1 tie with the Brewers in the next game, on August 5th. Dennis Eckersley pitched a great game in winning, 3 to 1.

In the series finale with the Brewers on August 7th, Yaz dragged a bunt that started a Sox rally which broke a 3-3 tie. Mike Torrez turned in seven strong innings and Bob Stanley came in to mop things up in a game the Sox won, 7 to 3. The win gave the Sox three wins in the four game set with Milwaukee.

The next day, on August 8th, Skip Lockwood, Bill Campbell and Bob Stanley each pitched three innings, to give the Sox a 4-1 win over the visiting White Sox. On August 10th, Tony Perez knocked out two home runs, powering the Sox to a 4 to 3 victory against the White Sox. The Sox started the month going 8-3, but were still 10 games behind the Yankees.

In his last start, on August 11th in Detroit, Bobby Ojeda allowed a walk, a homer, and a single to the first three batters and Don Zimmer pulled him from the game, saying he “felt he would be maimed.” Ojeda was returned to Pawtucket for the balance of the season.

The next night the Sox squandered a 4-0 lead but came back to win 5-4 in Detroit, thanks to an eighth inning homer from the bat of Jim Dwyer on August 12th. Tony Perez's towering three-run homer carried the Sox to a 3-1 win and a split of the series with the Tigers on August 14th.

In Chicago, the Red Sox mounted a 15 hit attack while Dennis Eckersley surrendered only two hits and retired 16 batters in a row, to eventually survive 8 to 5, on August 17th.

After a couple days of rain, the Sox flew to Oakland. On August 19th, it took Tony Perez and Yaz to pull out a 7-5 ninth inning comeback win over the A's.

Jim Rice slugged a home run and Glenn Hoffman drove in a pair of runs to lead the Sox in a 5-3 win in Oakland on August 21st. Hoffman, since entering the starting lineup, was hitting .386 with 13 RBIs in 23 games.

The next night the Sox were in Seattle. There, on August 22nd, Steve Renko out dueled Jim Beattie to win 1 to 0.

The Sox lost the next night, but then began a nine game winning streak, that got them as close as 6 1/2 games to the first place Yankees.

It started with a 4-2 win against the Angels in Anaheim on August 25th. A two-run double by Jim Rice broke a 2-2 tie in the 11th inning. The next night on August 26th, John Tudor, who was 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA in his last six starts, teamed up with Bob Stanley to limit the Angels to four hits and a 5 to 1 victory.

Then the Sox returned home and swept the A's in four games. In their first matchup, on August 28th, Fred Lynn fouled a 2-2 pitch off his big right toe, fracturing the bone. He was finished for the season. His replacement Jim Dwyer, however doubled to lead off the eighth and later scored, to break a tie and give the Sox a 3 to 2 win.

The next night on August 29th, Yaz, Carlton Fisk and Dave Stapleton all homered to win 6 to 3. But on August 30th, Yaz cracked a rib making a running catch of a line drive off the left field wall. He would only get into three more games for the rest of the season. The Sox beat the A's in the game, 7 to 6 in 10 innings. Jim Rice tied the game in the ninth inning, then won it in the 10th inning with another homer.

The Sox finished the month, beating the A's 5-1. behind the brilliant work of John Tudor. Glenn Hoffman launched a two-run homer to break open a one-run game. 

The Sox (70-56) had won 20 of 27 games for the month, completing the sweep of Oakland, with four of their opening day regulars on the DL. Bob Stanley had not allowed a run all month, and rookie Dave Stapleton and Glenn Hoffman, filling in for Hobson and Remy, became critical players.

On September 1st, the Sox tucked away a 4-3 win over the visiting California Angels, giving Don Zimmer his 400th victory as a manager.

Their winning streak ended on September 2nd, when the Sox drilled the Angels 10-2. With the bases loaded, Glenn Hoffman (.301 BA) bounced a drive into the right field stand for a double and the Sox never looked back. Outfielder Sam Bowen and pitcher Steve Crawford were both September call-ups. Crawford made his major-league debut in the eighth inning. He pitched a perfect eighth and got out of a two-on, one-out jam in the ninth without surrendering a run, preserving the victory. Dave Stapleton (.313 BA) had a triple, a double and three RBIs.

BOB STANLEY

Bob Stanley won the American League "Pitcher of the Month". He had 12 saves in 15 appearances and did not allow a run.  He held the opponents to a .162 batting average against him. The Sox won 14 of their last 16 games. The Sox started the streak 10 1/2 games behind the Yankees and picked up four games, but that would be it. They lost the next three games.

They won on September 6th, 5 to 1. Dick Drago worked the first seven innings, and Tom Burgmeier finished it off for his 21st save, a record for a Sox left-hander.

Against Seattle on September 7th, in a lopsided game in the other direction, with the Mariners leading, 11-1, after four innings. September call-up, Chico Walker took over for Dave Stapleton at second base. After walking and grounding out, leading off the bottom of the eighth, he hit his first major league home run over the bullpen into the right-center bleachers at Fenway.

Rich Gedman also made his major-league debut when he pinch-hit for Yaz in the third inning and replaced him as the designated hitter. In the fifth Gedman singled to right field for his first major-league hit. He singled again in the seventh and scored his first major-league run on Garry Hancock’s three-run homer. He finished going 2-for-4 in his major-league debut.

In Cleveland on September 8th, Sox batters pounded Indians pitching for a 10-4 victory. They got two homers and a single off the bat of Jim Dwyer, three hits and four RBIs from Carlton Fisk and three hits from both Rick Burleson and Dwight Evans. Dennis Eckersley scuffled his way to a 4-3 win the next day, on September 9th.

Next was a four game set with the Yankees at Fenway Park and the results were not good ... four straight losses.

On September 13th, Steve Crawford relieved Mike Torrez after Torrez gave up four runs to the Yankees in the fourth inning. Crawford pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings in the 4-3 loss. The next day Don Zimmer announced that Crawford would replace Torrez in the starting rotation.

Rookie Julio Valdez got his first start at shortstop against Cleveland on September 16th. He went 2-for-4 in the 9-5 win. Crawford pitched a complete-game 8-3 victory against the Indians on September 18th, winning Zimmer’s praises again.

At Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox jumped on Gaylord Perry for two runs in the first inning and two more in the second on September 20th. Dennis Eckersley threw a seven hitter and won 4 to 1.

Meanwhile, George Brett was batting .396 in his chase to become the first .400 hitter since Ted Williams batted .406 in 1941.

Back-to-back homers by Tony Perez and Dwight Evans downed the Orioles in Baltimore, 5 to 3 on September 22nd.

Bruce Hurst had a confidence-destroying encounter with Zimmer on September 23rd. He told him to “Go home and grow up” when he grabbed the ball from Hurst in a first-inning meltdown after a relief outing against Baltimore on September 23rd.

Gedman's first start as a catcher, on the September 26th, was auspicious. He was behind the plate for a one-hitter pitched by Dennis Eckersley, a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, and drove in a run with a single. Eckersley struck out nine Blue Jays, giving up a solo home run to John Mayberry for their only hit.

Rick Burleson's seventh inning homer broke a 3-3 tie and Bob Stanley threw 6 1/3 innings of two-hit relief to spark the Sox to a 4-3 victory in Toronto. Steve Crawford earned a complete-game victory over the Blue Jays the next day, on September 28th, to go 2-0 with a 3.62 ERA.

On October 2nd, Haywood Sullivan fired Don Zimmer prior to the start of the final four games with Toronto and Johnny Pesky managed out the string.  On the field, John Tudor picked up a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays at Fenway. Julio ValdezKeith hit his only major-league home run in the second game of a doubleheader the next day, on October 4th, the lone Red Sox run in a 3-1 loss to Toronto.

On the very last day of the season, October 5th, Keith MacWhorter got his second start. With the Blue Jays ahead, 2-1, MacWhorter began the ninth inning, by loading the bases. Then a single to center, drove in a pair and chasing MacWhorter, who ended up saddled with the 4-1 defeat. Although he could not have known it at the time, Keith MacWhorter’s tenure as a major-leaguer was now over.

The Red Sox concluded the season at 83-77, fifth in the seven-team AL East. It was a complete disaster and to make things worse, attendance went down by almost four hundred thousand. Injuries had decimated the team as players missed significant playing time.

Jim Rice had another hand injury and batted .294 with 24 homers and drove in 86 runs, playing in 124 games.

Shoulder problems hurt Butch Hobson throughout the season. His batting average dropped to .228 (with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs) in 93 games.

Hobson’s nagging shoulder helped Glenn Hoffman break into the starting lineup. He played well, posting a .285 batting average with four home runs, 42 RBIs, and 37 runs scored. Hoffman’s production at the plate helped him keep the starting job at third base for the remainder of the season. He was named to the Topps and Baseball America 1980 "All-Rookie" teams.

DAVE STAPLETON

After Jerry Remy went down re-injuring his knee, Dave Stapleton took over at second base. He was the poster child of the Red Sox, batting .321 and slugged .463. But he managed to draw only 13 walks all season, and his .338 on-base percentage was only above average as a result. He finished second in the American League "Rookie of the Year" voting.

The offense, long the strength of the team, was still good, finishing sixth in the American League in runs scored, but it was no longer great. An inability to draw walks was the big reasons. The Sox ranked in the top three in the AL for batting average, doubles and home runs, but they were 10th in walks.

Carlton Fisk was the Sox mainstay and won the "Comeback Player of the Year" award from the Boston Baseball Writers. He had a solid year with a .289 BA and 18 HRs. The Red Sox were 68-44 when he was behind the plate and 15-33 when he was not.

After years of struggling at the plate, Dave Rader had his best offensive year ever. In 137 at-bats, he hit .328 with three home runs and 17 RBIs. He caught in only 34 games, starting in 27.

Before fracturing his toe, Fred Lynn posted a .301 batting average, with a .383 on-base percentage and .480 slugging percentage.

After seeing Garry Hancock bat only .200 in his first 20 games, Zimmer did not play him much. But in September and early October he played in 23 games, starting 16 times, 12 of them in centerfield replacing Lynn. He raised his batting average to .287. and hit four home runs, all of them at Fenway.

After another fairly typical season, batting .266, with 18 HRs and 60 RBIs, Dwight Evans reached his 29th birthday with eight seasons under his belt. He was part of a great outfield, but clearly the third wheel amongst two of the better players in the game.

Jim Dwyer made the bulk of the right-field starts when Evans suffered through a deep slump. He improved his batting eye by hitting in the cage under the bleachers, moving closer to the pitching machine to increase the velocity that he would be facing. By season’s end, Dwyer had played in 93 games, made a career-high 292 plate appearances, and batted .285 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs.

Carl Yastrzemski was in the twilight of his career and now a DH, but he still produced, at .275 BA, 15 HRs.

Now 38-years-old, Tony Perez could still produce, hitting .275 with 25 home runs and 105 RBIs, but he struck out 93 times and grounded into a league-leading 25 double plays. This year he received the "Lou Gehrig Memorial Award" from the Phi Delta Theta fraternity (Gehrig’s fraternity at Columbia University) for integrity on and off the field. This season was the last in which Perez appeared in more than 100 games.

Rick Burleson's frustrations with the team in his contract negotiations, became apparent. At the end of May, Burleson had a torrid batting streak, raising his average from .203 to .277 in a six-week period, batting in both the leadoff and second spots in the lineup. He had also played in every one of the Sox games through August 26th and led the team in putouts, assists, chances and double plays. He was quoted as saying that he would test the free agent market if the club did not sign him by the winter meetings.

Haywood Sullivan said that if he did not know that he could sign Burleson by World Series time, then he would trade him. The Sox were offering about $2.1 million over six years, while Burleson was asking for about twice that amount.

Chico Walker appeared in 19 games during September, accumulating 66 plate appearances with five runs batted in and a .211 average. These included all of his career outings as a DH. In 48 fielding chances, he committed two errors. Sam Bowen played in seven games, collecting base hits (both singles) in the first and last games. He was 2-for-13 (.154) with two walks. They were his last two hits in the majors.

So while the offense was not as good as its batting average and home run numbers might have suggested, it was still not the problem. That honor belonged to a pitching staff that ranked 12^th in the American League in ERA.

Home runs continued to plague Dennis Eckersley. He gave up 25 round-trippers, and was 12-14 with a 4.28 ERA, striking out 121 batters.

Mike Torrez's ERA climbed to as high as 6.49, and finished at 5.08. His record cratered to 9-16. By season’s end, Zimmer had relegated him to the bullpen.

For the third straight year, Steve Renko pitched better ball in the first half of the season. He went 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 82 innings through July 10th, but ended up 9-9 with a 4.19 ERA in 165 1/3 innings.

Steve Crawford was one of the few bright spots the Red Sox had in September. In six games, he was 2-0 with a 3.62 ERA in 32 1/3 innings pitched.

John Tudor was a nice young left-hander who had a 3.02 ERA, but he didn’t get enough starts to make an impact. When the Sox called him up in June, except for a couple of injury rehab assignments, he never pitched another game in the minors.

Chuck Rainey was the Sox best pitcher when he tore his muscle in July. He was 8-3 with a 4.86 ERA in 87 innings he had pitched. Rookie Bruce Hurst had a difficult first year. In 12 games, he gave up 31 earned runs, to finish with a 9.10 ERA.

Skip Lockwood was coming off a serious injury. He  stuck with the Sox all season long, with a sore arm off and on, and a cracked rib. He made 24 appearances in 45 2/3 innings, with a 5.32 earned-run average and  finished with a 3-1 record and two saves.

Closer Tom Burgmeier, who had a 2.00 ERA, and the all-purpose machine. He got 24 saves, breaking the club record for a left-handed reliever. He was given the "Pitcher of the Year" award by the Boston Baseball Writers.

Bob Stanley started 17 games, made 35 relief appearances, won 10, saved 14 and had an ERA of 3.39. On a staff with few bright spots, Stanley could do everything.

Bill Campbell began season on the disabled list and began long-term physical therapy on his throwing arm at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. He did not return to the Red Sox until late June and when he returned, he was no longer a closer. He was a diminished pitcher with a 4.79 ERA, though he won four games without picking up a save.

In 14 major league appearances, Keith MacWhorter posted a career 0-3 record with a 5.53 ERA. He struck out 21 and walked 18, while surrendering 46 hits, including three home runs, in 42 1/3 innings.