100 Greatest Red Sox >> #90 Brian Daubach

Brian Daubach, 1B, #23 (1999-2002, 2004)

541 G, 477 H, 86 HR, 306 RBI, 4 SB, .265 AVG, .341 OBP, .488 SLG

Brian Michael Daubach, born February 11, 1972 in Belleville, Illinois, was drafted in 1990 by the New York Mets in the 17th Round, and got a reputation as a player that always was the sort of guy who you had an idea could contribute but not start everyday. He toiled for seven years in the Mets’ minor league system without breaking through to the majors before being granted free agency. In 1997, he signed with the Florida Marlins organization and made his major league debut in 1998 getting 15 ABs. In 1995, he crossed picket lines to be a replacement player (scab) during the MLBPA players’ strike, but the strike ended before any of the replacements saw game action. (Daubach is one of a select few Major League Baseball players who is not a member of the MLB Players Union because he was a strike breaker during the 1994 strike shortened season.)

A left-handed first baseman with above-average power, Daubach was shunned as a “scab” when he joined the Boston Red Sox in 1999. Due to his hard nosed style of play and penchant for clutch hitting this resentment didn’t last long, and he quickly became both a player and fan favorite. From 1999-2002 he averaged 432 ABs. His best year with the Sox was his first, 1999, when he batted .294 with 21 HR and 73 RBI. He became the first among AL rookies in home runs. He is only the third left-handed rookie in Red Sox history to hit at least 20 home runs, joining Ted Williams (20 in 1939) and Fred Lynn (21 in 1975). Those power numbers stayed somewhat consistant throughout his time with the Sox, but his average took a bit of a hit as the years went on. A notable moment for Red Sox Nation occurred on August 16, 1999 when he helped the Red Sox pull away from the Oakland Athletics en route to the American League wild card with his three-run double in the bottom of the ninth off Tim Worrell.

During his tenure with the Red Sox, he also became a special friend to the Jimmy Fund. In addition to making frequent visits to the Jimmy Fund Clinic, Daubach made appearances at Jimmy Fund events, including the Scooper Bowl®, and served as a spokesman for the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk. In 2003, Daubach contributed $500 to the Jimmy Fund for every home run he hit throughout the season. The Brian Daubach Home Run Challenge raised $34,000.

Sadly, he had no place on the team at the beginning of the 2003. He signed with the Chicago White Sox, but saw limited action and underperformed to a great extent. He made a triumphant return to Fenway in 2004, but he did not play well after coming back and was soon gone again. He is considered a founding member of the “Boston Dirt Dogs” and later received a World Series Championship ring as a member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox.

On June 16, 2005, Daubach finally made his debut with the club that drafted him fifteen years earlier. He started 2005 with the Norfolk Tides, a Triple-A affiliate of the Mets in the International League. That year Brian led the way for the Tides, as he led the International League in all three triple-crown categories, hitting .371 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Currently, Brian is a minor league first baseman for the Memphis Redbirds, the AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In his seven-season major league career, he has compiled a .261 batting average with 92 home runs and 330 RBI in 646 games.

Player Biography by Karen