Man, what a throwback! I was just kicking back the other day, and my mind drifted to that unbelievable 2013 Red Sox season. You know how some teams and some years just stick with you? That was one of ’em. So, I thought, why not try and jot down what I remember about that World Series roster? It’s like a fun little brain exercise, trying to pull those names and moments out of the memory bank.
So, where do you even start with a team like that? For me, the first name that always, and I mean always, pops up is Big Papi. David Ortiz. What a legend. He absolutely demolished it in the World Series that year, rightfully snagging the MVP award. It felt like every single time he stepped into the batter’s box, magic was about to happen. Seriously, the guy was on fire.
Then my thoughts drift to the pitching. Oh man, Koji Uehara closing games out? Pure electricity. That final strikeout, the jump into Salty’s arms – iconic stuff. But it wasn’t just Koji. The whole pitching staff had its moments. I remember trying to list them out in my head:
- Jon Lester, an absolute bulldog on the mound.
- John Lackey, tough as nails.
- Clay Buchholz had some great stretches.
- Felix Doubront was in that mix too.
- And then you had guys like Junichi Tazawa and Andrew Miller from the bullpen who were super important.
It’s a whole bunch of guys, really, that made that staff click. They weren’t messing around.
More Than Just a Few Stars
And it wasn’t just the headline guys, you know? That whole team just felt… gritty. They found ways to win. I was trying to recall some of the team stats, and I’m pretty sure they led pretty much everyone in scoring that year. Something crazy like 853 runs. They also had a ton of extra-base hits, I think it was around 570, and their on-base percentage was way up there, like .349. That just tells you they weren’t relying on one or two guys; the whole lineup could hurt you.
Thinking about that World Series itself, winning it in six games against the Cardinals was just incredible. That was their third World Series trophy since way back in 1918, which is just wild if you think about the long wait fans had before 2004. And here’s a little tidbit I stumbled upon or remembered: it was the first World Series since like 1958 where both teams actually had the exact same regular season record. How often does that happen?
So yeah, that was my little dive back into the 2013 Red Sox World Series roster. It’s fun to go back and remember the players and the feeling of that championship. Definitely a special team and a special year. Just wanted to share what I pieced together from that trip down memory lane.
