Controversial, flamboyant, excitable, volatile, hot-headed, crazy, wild, and emotional are among the many adjectives used to describe Julián Tavárez during his major-league career spent with 11 teams.

A free agent following the 2005 season, Tavárez agreed to a two-year deal with the Red Sox for 2006.

In March he was suspended for the first ten games of his Red Sox career as a result of a fistfight that broke out between him and Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Joey Gathright during a spring training game. Gathright spiked Tavárez when he slid into home and Julian stepped on the outfielder’s right arm while he was still on the ground.

On July 29th, against the Angels at Fenway, he hit Mike Napoli with a 3-2 pitch in the 11th inning of a tie game. But with a runner on second, he threw a sinking fastball that struck out Orlando Cabrera, ending the inning. He walked off the field to a standing ovation instead of the hoots he heard when he plunked Napoli.

Although Tavarez had a poor year as a relief pitcher, injuries forced the Sox to use him as a starter for the last few weeks of the season. He shut out the Royals for five innings on September 10th, (just as he had shut out the White Sox for six in his previous start), setting down the first 10 Kansas City batters in order. His performance was enough to earn him his first win as a starter since 2002, when he was with the Marlins.

Two days later, he scattered seven hits in a 7-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the second complete game of his career. In six starts, he went 3-0 with a 4.01 ERA.

In spring training, 2007, it had been assumed that Tavárez was simply holding the fifth spot in the rotation for the Red Sox top pitching prospect Jon Lester while he recovered from cancer. However, with Lester struggling in Triple-A and Tavárez pitching well, Julian kept his spot in the rotation through the All-Star break.

Among his few highlights that season was a play in May when he retired the Rangers’ Frank Catalanotto on a comebacker to the mound by rolling the ball to first base. During another game, he wore shoes emblazoned with the likeness of his teammate David Ortiz. While he was not on the postseason roster, he received a World Series ring following the 2007 World Series.

In 2008, Tavárez was designated for assignment, but later accepted an assignment to the PawSox even though he could have opted for free agency. Later that month, he was released.