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2003 Boston Red Sox season

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2003 Boston Red Sox
American League Runner-Up
DivisionEast Division
BallparkFenway Park
CityBoston
OwnersJohn W. Henry (New England Sports Ventures)
ManagersGrady Little
TelevisionWSBK-TV
(Sean McDonough, Jerry Remy)
NESN
(Don Orsillo, Jerry Remy)
RadioWEEI
(Jerry Trupiano, Joe Castiglione)
WROL
(Luis Tiant, Uri Berenguer, Juan Pedro Villamán)
← 2002 Seasons 2004 →

The Boston Red Sox' 2003 season included the Red Sox attempting to win the American League East division, the ALDS, and the American League pennant. The Sox settled for the AL Wild Card and entered the first round against the Oakland Athletics. Despite losing the first two games in Oakland, Boston rebounded with two dramatic wins in the late innings at Fenway Park to even the series. When the series returned to Oakland, the Red Sox held off a late Oakland charge to win the series in five games. In doing so, they joined the 1995 Mariners and 1999 Boston Red Sox as the only teams to come back to win a best-of-five ALDS since the playoff expansion in 1994.

The stage was set for a classic showdown with their longtime division rival New York Yankees. The teams split the first two games in the Bronx before the real drama unfolded in Game 3 at Fenway Park. A highly anticipated matchup between Sox ace Pedro Martínez and former Sox' pitcher Roger Clemens turned ugly early on. Karim García was hit in the back by a Martinez fastball. Words were exchanged and Martínez threateningly gestured towards Yankee catcher Jorge Posada. When Garcia was forced out at second, he slid hard into Todd Walker. The following inning, Manny Ramírez took exception to a high Clemens pitch and charged the mound. Both benches cleared, but the resulting brawl turned surreal when 72-year-old Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer charged Martínez. Pedro sidestepped and threw Zimmer to the ground. After the thirteen-minute delay, Clemens struck out Ramírez and proceeded to pitch effectively as the Yankees took a 2-1 series lead. The Red Sox won Game 4, but the Yankees won Game 5 to takes the series' lead back to New York. But Boston proved resilient, and their offense came alive for the first time in the series to the tune of nine runs on sixteen hits to force a seventh game. With a 4-0 lead early on and Martínez, Boston appeared to be on the brink of winning the pennant. But more late-inning drama unfolded when the Yankees tied the game with three eighth-inning runs off Martínez, sending the game on into the October night. Yankee closer Mariano Rivera pitched three scoreless innings, and in the bottom of the eleventh, Aaron Boone turned on the first offering from Tim Wakefield and sent it into the frenzied bleachers of Yankee Stadium, sending the Yankees on to the World Series for the fifth time in six years. This game further cemented the legend many believed was The Curse of the Bambino.

Despite the crushing loss, all was not lost on the Red Sox' season. They led the Major leagues in nearly all offensive categories, including runs scored (961), batting average (.289), on-base percentage (.360), and perhaps most impressively, a .491 team slugging percentage, which set a new record previously held by the 1927 Yankees.[1]

Offseason

  • On November 25, 2002, Theo Epstein, 28, was hired as General Manager of the Boston Red Sox.[2] The vacancy occurred because Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane accepted the Red Sox job and then resigned shortly afterward. Epstein's hiring made him the youngest general manager in major league history.[2] Larry Lucchino, Red Sox' President and CEO, wanted Epstein to be hired. Prior to the appointment, Epstein was Boston's assistant general manager.
  • October 9, 2002: Brandon Lyon was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Toronto Blue Jays.[3]
  • November 6, 2002: Chris Coste signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.[4]
  • December 6, 2002: Wayne Gomes was released by the Boston Red Sox.[5]
  • December 31, 2002: Ramiro Mendoza signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.[6]
  • January 10, 2003: Bill Mueller was signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.[7]
  • January 22, 2003: David Ortiz was signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.[8]
  • February 15, 2003: Kevin Millar was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Florida Marlins.[9]

Regular season

The Red Sox celebrate their clinching of the 2003 AL Wild Card with a victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Season standings

AL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 101 61 .623 — 50‍–‍32 51‍–‍29
Boston Red Sox 95 67 .586 6 53‍–‍28 42‍–‍39
Toronto Blue Jays 86 76 .531 15 41‍–‍40 45‍–‍36
Baltimore Orioles 71 91 .438 30 40‍–‍40 31‍–‍51
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 63 99 .389 38 36‍–‍45 27‍–‍54


Record vs. opponents

2003 American League record

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Team ANA BAL BOS CWS CLE DET KC MIN NYY OAK SEA TB TEX TOR NL 
Anaheim — 1–8 3–6 3–4 6–3 6–1 6–3 5–4 3–6 8–12 8–11 6–3 9–10 2–7 11–7
Baltimore 8–1 — 9–10 2–4 3–3 3–3 3–4 3–4 6–13–1 2–7 4–5 8–11 7–2 8–11 5–13
Boston 6–3 10–9 — 5–4 4–2 8–1 5–1 2–4 9–10 3–4 5–2 12–7 5–4 10–9 11–7
Chicago 4–3 4–2 4–5 — 11–8 11–8 11–8 9–10 4–2 4–5 2–7 3–3 3–4 6–3 10–8
Cleveland 3–6 3–3 2–4 8–11 — 12–7 6–13 9–10 2–5 3–6 3–6 5–2 4–5 2–4 6–12
Detroit 1–6 3–3 1–8 8–11 7–12 — 5–14 4–15 1–5 3–6 1–8 2–4 1–6 2–7 4–14
Kansas City 3–6 4–3 1–5 8–11 13–6 14–5 — 11–8 2–4 2–7 4–5 4–3 7–2 1–5 9–9
Minnesota 4–5 4–3 4–2 10–9 10–9 15–4 8–11 — 0–7 8–1 3–6 6–0 5–4 3–3 10–8
New York 6–3 13–6–1 10–9 2–4 5–2 5–1 4–2 7–0 — 3–6 5–4 14–5 4–5 10–9 13–5
Oakland 12–8 7–2 4–3 5–4 6–3 6–3 7–2 1–8 6–3 — 7–12 6–3 15–4 5–2 9–9
Seattle 11–8 5–4 2–5 7–2 6–3 8–1 5–4 6–3 4–5 12–7 — 4–5 10–10 3–4 10–8
Tampa Bay 3–6 11–8 7–12 3–3 2–5 4–2 3–4 0–6 5–14 3–6 5–4 — 3–6 11–8 3–15
Texas 10–9 2–7 4–5 4–3 5–4 6–1 2–7 4–5 5–4 4–15 10–10 6–3 — 5–4 4–14
Toronto 7–2 11–8 9–10 3–6 4–2 7–2 5–1 3–3 9–10 2–5 4–3 8–11 4–5 — 10–8


Notable transactions

Gabe Kapler

Opening Day Lineup

18 Johnny Damon CF
12 Todd Walker 2B
  5 Nomar Garciaparra     SS
24 Manny Ramírez LF
15 Kevin Millar 1B
29 Shea Hillenbrand 3B
25 Jeremy Giambi DH
  7 Trot Nixon RF
33 Jason Varitek C
45 Pedro Martínez P

Roster

2003 Boston Red Sox cc
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Designated hitters

Manager

Coaches

Game log

Template:2003 Boston Red Sox season game log

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Player G IP W L ERA SO

Other pitchers

Player G IP W L ERA SO

Relief pitchers

Player G W L SV ERA SO

ALDS vs Oakland

Main article: 2003 American League Division Series

Game 1: Oakland 5 – Boston 4

Game 2: Oakland 5 – Boston 1

Game 3: Boston 3 – Oakland 1

Game 4: Boston 5 – Oakland 4

Game 5: Boston 4 – Oakland 3

ALCS: Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

Main article: 2003 American League Championship Series

New York wins the series, 4–3

Game Score Date Location Attendance
1 Boston Red Sox – 5, New York Yankees – 2 October 8 Yankee Stadium 56,281[13]
2 Boston Red Sox – 2, New York Yankees – 6 October 9 Yankee Stadium 56,295[14]
3 New York Yankees – 4, Boston Red Sox – 3 October 11 Fenway Park 34,209[15]
4 New York Yankees – 2, Boston Red Sox – 3 October 13 Fenway Park 34,599[16]
5 New York Yankees – 4, Boston Red Sox – 2 October 14 Fenway Park 34,619[17]
6 Boston Red Sox – 9, New York Yankees – 6 October 15 Yankee Stadium 56,277[18]
7 Boston Red Sox – 5, New York Yankees – 6 (11 innings) October 16 Yankee Stadium 56,279[19]

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Pawtucket Red Sox International League Buddy Bailey
AA Portland Sea Dogs Eastern League Ron Johnson
A Sarasota Red Sox Florida State League Tim Leiper
A Augusta GreenJackets South Atlantic League Russ Morman
A-Short Season Lowell Spinners New York–Penn League Jon Deeble and Lynn Jones
Rookie GCL Red Sox Gulf Coast League Ralph Treuel

[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b "2003 MLB Summary". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Shpigel, Ben (November 1, 2005). "Red Sox General Manager Ends a Memorable Run". The New York Times. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  3. ^ Brandon Lyon Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  4. ^ Chris Coste Statistics – Baseball-Reference.com
  5. ^ Wayne Gomes Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  6. ^ Ramiro Mendoza Statistics – Baseball-Reference.com
  7. ^ Bill Mueller Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  8. ^ David Ortiz Statistics – Baseball-Reference.com
  9. ^ Kevin Millar Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  10. ^ Bill Haselman Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  11. ^ Gabe Kapler Statistics – Baseball-Reference.com
  12. ^ Freddy Sanchez Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  13. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 1 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  14. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 2 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  15. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 3 – New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  16. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 4 – New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  17. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 5 – New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  18. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 6 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  19. ^ "2003 ALCS Game 7 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  20. ^ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
  21. ^ Baseball America 2004 Annual Directory
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