This Week in Red Sox 1986

Roger Clemens, wearing sunglasses and a tee-shirt covered with K’s, rode a horse around Fenway. The animal was part of the tactics of the Boston Police, who-unlike 1967-kept all but a few of the spectators off the field. Wade Boggs, who wrapped up another batting championship, summed it up: “The smell of victory. It’s awesome.”

The game itself was anticlimactic-the Bosox jumped to a 10-2 lead after 4 and coasted in. Boyd moved his record to 16-10 while fanning 9. Marty Barrett, a rather unsung contributor to the Sox title-led a 13-hit attack with 3 hits and 4 rbi’s.

The most memorable incident in the locker room was expressed in a short piece by TV sports guru Jack Craig: “Channel 5  was flooded with complaints during the 6 o’clock news program….when the nude form of a Red Sox player lingered in the background during Mike Dowling’s interview with Don Baylor and Jim Rice.” Since the player was supposedly very embarrassed by the incident, I will not give his name here, but older fans know who he was.
Interestingly, Dan Shaughnessy later wrote that not all the phone calls were negative-a woman called to ask if the shot could be repeated on the 11:00 news.

The week continued, full of meaningless games. A 6-3 extra-inning loss to the Orioles, as Bob Stanley ominously allowed 3 runs in the tenth to take the loss. A rather scary 11-7 victory over Baltimore featuring the early departure of Clemens with a line drive off the elbow. X-rays proved negative, but Roger was denied his 25th.

However, the status of Tom Seaver hung over the team. He was scheduled to throw on Thursday, but even GM Lou Gorman was hedging his hopes, saying that even if Seaver is not ready for the playoffs, he could be activated for the World Series. After Seaver’s session, Dr Pappas, as usual, was optimistic, though the hurler was still experiencing soreness. But pitching coach Bill Fischer was not as hopeful: “If he’s hurt,” said Fischer, “he can’t pitch. His knees are so important to the way he pitches. I’m sure the last thing he wants to do is go out and do something that would affect him permanently.”

Fischer was right. On October 3, as the Sox were swept in a twinbill by the Yankees (losing pitchers: Steve Crawford and Al Nipper), the story came from Dan S:”Tom Seaver announced he will not be available for the playoffs (replaced on the roster by Crawford)…it ‘s more likely that he’s thrown his last pitch in the big leagues.”
That turned out to be true, and it was a huge blow to the Sox’ pitching staff. Incidentally, Dave Righetti recorded saves 45 and 46 in the doubleheader to set a major league record. Three years earlier, Righetti had hurled a no-hitter against the Sox at the Stadium on July 4.

Capturing the AL East was a huge surprise. Near the end of spring training, Mike Barnicle, never one to mince words, had written: “This collection of misfits, crybabies, and overpaid no-talents has displayed more leaks than greater Johnstown, Pa.  did moments before the flood. The only team more mediocre than the Red Sox is the command staff of the Boston Police Department. Stick a fork in them, sports fans, they are dead. They are to professional baseball what Daffy Khadafy is to mental stability.” The only Globe reporter to pick them higher than fourth was Leigh Montville, who thought (possibly) third. But all this, of course, was before the Rocket exploded onto the scene.

Some of Clemens’ MVP-Cy Young numbers: a 24-4 record (.857 percentage), 238 strikeouts against 67 walks, 8.43 K’s per game (including a 20-K performance), a 2.48 ERA, a .252 opponent average, an 8.86 baserunners allowed per 9 innings, all at or close to tops in the majors. Thinking of Roger’s present issues, I feel more sadness than anger at him. In 86, he really seemed on top of the world.

The ALCS was scheduled to start at Fenway versus the Angels on October 7-Clemens against Mike Witt.