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DAN SHAUGHNESSY

Making a lineup out of the Red Sox’ retired-number players

john tlumacki/globe staff file

Take a look at the right-field facade at Fenway Park. With the unnecessary rush to take care of David Ortiz (after making all their other greats wait an average of more than 20 years), the Red Sox now have a perfect 10-man starting lineup of retired numbers.

There are three outfielders, 9, 8, and 14 (Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice), one pitcher, 45 (Pedro Martinez), one catcher, 27 (Carlton Fisk), a third baseman, 26 (Wade Boggs), a second baseman, 1 (Bobby Doerr), and a designated hitter, 34 (Big Papi). The Sox also have two shortstops, 4 and 6 (Joe Cronin, Johnny Pesky).

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To position our ultimate Sox team of retired numbers, we have to make a couple of defensive adjustments. It seems to make the most sense to put Pesky at short and Cronin at first. Cronin was a shortstop for most of his career, but he played 57 career games at first base.

We could make him the designated hitter (.301, 170 career homers) and put Papi at first, but Cronin certainly never served as a DH and Ortiz is inarguably the greatest DH of all time. So Johnny stays at short, Cronin goes to first, and Ortiz stays loose in our imaginary clubhouse, getting ready for his four or five at-bats per game.

The outfield alignment is tricky. Ted, Yaz, and Rice were all left fielders. With seven Gold Gloves, Yaz is clearly the best defensive outfielder, but that’s why we have to move him out of left. Everybody knows that right field at Fenway is tougher than center field, but we simply can’t be putting Rice or Williams in center. So Yaz will patrol center, and that’s that.

I’m going with Ted in right because he played his whole rookie season there and 169 games over the course of his 19-year career. Rice is the left fielder on this all-time team.

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Carl Yastrzemski (left) and Ted Williams make up two-thirds of a Hall of Fame outfield. But who plays where?Globe Staff/File 1983

Eight of the 10 retired-number players are in Cooperstown. The only exceptions are Pesky, who was never elected by any of the voting committees, and Ortiz, who is five years away from appearing on his first ballot.

Would our team from Boston regularly beat the team of retired numbers in the Bronx? Hmmmm. The Yankees could feature an outfield of Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle. Reggie Jackson could DH. They’d have Lou Gehrig at first, Yogi Berra behind the dish, Derek Jeter at short, and Chairman of the Board Whitey Ford on the mound.

But what are the Yankees going to do about second base (Billy Martin?) and third base? And do they really think their legends could hit Pedro?

Pedro Martinez is on the hill for the all-timers.Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff/File 1999

The biggest issue with this Sox team is the batting order.

Here’s mine:

1. Pesky

2. Boggs

3. Williams

4. Rice

5. Ortiz

6. Cronin

7. Yastrzemski

8. Fisk

9. Doerr

I know, I know. I can hear you all complaining now. How can you have a lineup with Rice — who did not even hit 400 homers — batting between a pair of guys who hit more than 500? How can you have Yaz hitting as low as seventh? How can you have a power duo of Fisk and Doerr hitting eighth and ninth?

I have multiple explanations. I want Rice between Ted and Papi to break things up after three lefties at the top of the order. That’s another reason Yaz drops down. He’s wedged between a couple of righty power bats (Cronin and Fisk). And as much as we love Captain Carl, his career average is a mere .285.

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I love, love, love the top of this order. Pesky and Boggs were both 200-hit on-base machines. Ted was the greatest hitter who ever lived. My lineup will score a ton of runs in the first inning.

Bobby Doerr (left) and Johnny Pesky are half of the infield.Jim Davis/Globe Staff/File 2004

I spoke with former Red Sox manager Joe Morgan, who saw all of these players and managed Boggs and Rice in the big leagues.

Here is Morgan’s lineup:

1. Pesky

2. Boggs

3. Williams

4. Rice

5. Ortiz

6. Yastrzemski

7. Doerr

8. Cronin

9. Fisk

Former Globe baseball guru Peter Gammons wants Rice in right field and Ted in left. Peter’s lineup goes like this:

1. Boggs

2. Yastrzemski

3. Williams

4. Ortiz

5. Rice

6. Cronin

7. Fisk

8. Doerr

9. Pesky

There you have it. Fenway’s All-Star band. What’s your alignment? Who’s in right field? Who’s at cleanup? And do you think you stand a chance against Ruth, Gehrig, and Friends?


Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dan_Shaughnessy.