Before there was a RemDawg, there was the Hit Dog—Maurice Samuel Vaughn. With all that's happened to the Red Sox over the last decade, it's easy to forget what a terrific player Mo Vaughn was for the Red Sox. In his eight years in Boston, Mo compiled a .304 average and an on-base percentage of .394. He clouted 230 home runs while in Carmine Hose, and drove in 752. He won the MVP Award in 1995—when the Sox won the East. He was a menacing presence, hanging out over the plate and striking fear into pitchers with a vicious upper-cut swing. He was Papi before there was a Papi. His ill-conceived departure to the Angels at age 31 marked the downturn of a career that was tracking for Cooperstown. On one of his first defensive plays at first base for Anaheim, he fell into the dugout and suffered an injury he never truly recovered from. He did go on to hit 328 career home runs and knock in over a thousand, but he just didn't have the same duende. We should remember him as one of the greatest left-handed sluggers ever to wear a Red Sox uniform. Happy Birthday, Mo!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
'Hit Dog' Mo Vaughn Turns 44 Today
Before there was a RemDawg, there was the Hit Dog—Maurice Samuel Vaughn. With all that's happened to the Red Sox over the last decade, it's easy to forget what a terrific player Mo Vaughn was for the Red Sox. In his eight years in Boston, Mo compiled a .304 average and an on-base percentage of .394. He clouted 230 home runs while in Carmine Hose, and drove in 752. He won the MVP Award in 1995—when the Sox won the East. He was a menacing presence, hanging out over the plate and striking fear into pitchers with a vicious upper-cut swing. He was Papi before there was a Papi. His ill-conceived departure to the Angels at age 31 marked the downturn of a career that was tracking for Cooperstown. On one of his first defensive plays at first base for Anaheim, he fell into the dugout and suffered an injury he never truly recovered from. He did go on to hit 328 career home runs and knock in over a thousand, but he just didn't have the same duende. We should remember him as one of the greatest left-handed sluggers ever to wear a Red Sox uniform. Happy Birthday, Mo!