Boston Red Sox
As the trade deadline approached, the 2004 Boston Red Sox found themselves 8.5 games back of the New York Yankees in the American League East, and one game back of the Texas Rangers in the wild card race. With infield defense proving to be their achilles heel, they made a four-team trade deadline deal on July 31 that landed Mientkiewicz and Montreal Expos shortstop Orlando Cabrera with the Boston Red Sox, and sent Justin Jones to the Twins. The Red Sox also sent Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton to the Chicago Cubs, and the Cubs sent Francis Beltrán, Alex Gonzalez and Brendan Harris to the Expos as part of this trade.
Mientkiewicz and Cabrera proved valuable additions to their new franchise as the Red Sox surged to within three games of the Yankees by the end of the season, and took the A.L. wild card by seven games over the Oakland A's. On August 16, Mientkiewicz made an emergency start at second base, a position he had only ever played four times in the minor leagues, and never in the majors.
Mientkiewicz went 4-for-10 in the post season, and recorded the out that ended the Curse of the Bambino in the 2004 World Series. He did not appear in any of the first three games of the 2004 American League Championship Series that they lost to the New York Yankees; however, he appeared in all of the final four that the Red Sox won in their come-from-behind series win.
Read more about this topic: Doug Mientkiewicz
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