Mike Boddicker

Today is Mike Boddicker's 52nd birthday making today as good a time as any to ask whether the trade that sent Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling to the Orioles in exchange for Boddicker in July of 1988 was worth it.

Boddicker spent 2.5 seasons with Boston. He helped the Red Sox win the AL East in 1988 by going 7-3 down the stretch. In 1989 went 15-11 and was a solid number 2 behind Roger Clemens. In 1990 he again helped the Red Sox win the AL East by going 17-8 with a 3.36 ERA while also winning a Gold Glove. Unfortunately the Red Sox were knocked out of the playoffs in both 1988 and 1990 by the A's with Boddicker going a combined 0-2 in those series.

The Red Sox had the superior Ellis Burks playing center - so Brady Anderson was expendable. But what about Curt Schilling the prospect for the veteran Boddicker part of the deal? During the time Boddicker was in Boston - Schilling went an undistinguished 1-6 for the Orioles. It seems Baltimore saw little in Schilling and they traded him away in 1991 to Houston who also didn't see him as a future ace as they traded him in 1992. Who is to say that without this being tossed about that Schilling never would have developed into the player he became?

All-in-all I say that the Boddicker trade was a good one for the Red Sox and it worked for the Orioles too as Brady Anderson became a fan favorite for 13 seasons. Only in hindsight does the aspect of Curt Schilling being involved in the deal become the focus. A focus which is incorrect even knowing what we know today.