Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Can You Name Eight Players to Play for the 2004 Red Sox That Went on to Play for the Yankees?


Kevin Youkilis became the latest in a surprisingly long list of former Red Sox players to also lace 'em up for the New York Yankees.  A list that includes players like Wade Boggs, Luis Tiant and the immortal Eric Hinske from the 2007 World Series team.

But I came across an interesting fact on Wednesday: eight players from the 2004 Red Sox World Championship team have since gone on to play for the Bronx Bombers.  Can you name them all?

Kevin Youkilis - Youkilis signed a one year, $12 million deal with the Yankees on Tuesday, becoming the eighth former Red Sox champion to join the Evil Empire.

Derek Lowe - Lowe was an absolutely dominant pitcher for the Sox in the 2004 postseason.  For the Yankees in this past postseason?  A 13.50 ERA with just two innings pitched.

Johnny Damon - After having the game of his life in Game 7 of the ALCS in 2004 against the Yankees, ensuring the Sox trip to the World Series for the first time since 1986, Damon waited just a year until he fell to the dark side in 2006.  His stint lasted until 2009 as he averaged a .285 batting average with 19 homers a year.

Alan Embree - Embree was one of three relief pitchers to appear in the four games of the 2004 World Series, proving once again the dominance of the pitching performances that year.  In 2005, he played just 24 games with a 7.53 ERA in New York.  Should've stayed in Beantown...

Mark Bellhorn - Bellhorn got the 2004 Series off to a bang when he rattled a home run off of Pesky's Pole in right field, but his career quickly plummeted afterwards.  He played in just nine games for the Yankees in 2005, collecting a home run and a single as his only hits.

Ramiro Mendoza - Mendoza played for seven seasons in New York before coming to Boston to get his World Series ring in 2004.  So to show his thanks, he went right back to New York in 2005 to kick around in the minor leagues before his retirement in 2006.

Mike Myers - Myers managed to stay around for another go in 2005 in Boston, but packed his bags in 2006 for the Bronx.  He pitched just 30 innings that season, with another 40 more in 2007 -- the same season the Sox won another title.

Doug Mientkiewicz - It seemed like Mienkiewicz was just picking teams out of a hat after his defense helped the Sox secure their 2004 championship, and drew the Yankees in 2007 after two years with the Mets then Royals respectively.

So with the addition of Hinske, nine former Red Sox World Champions have gone on to play for the Yankees.  Scary thought, but with the exception of Damon, none of those players have come back to haunt the Red Sox, and I think Youkilis will fit right in with that trend.

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