One of the things a young baseball player dreams of is playing for the hometown team. The following 12 players from Rhode Island, were able to fulfill the dream of playing for the hometown team. These dozen men had that opportunity to do so by donning a Boston Red Sox uniform at some point in their professional baseball career. Here is a look at those players who did so.
Rhode Island-Born Red Sox Players
Jimmy Cooney
Jimmy Cooney was a shortstop who saw action in seven major seasons. Cooney had a nickname known as “Scoops” and played in a total of 448 games. Born in Cranston in 1894, Cooney broke into the big leagues with the Red Sox in 1917. He only played in a total of 11 games for the Sox batting .267, including eight hits and two RBIs. Cooney would go on to play parts of six more seasons with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Braves.
Ray Jarvis
The Providence-born Ray Jarvis pitched parts of the 1969 and 1970 seasons for the Red Sox. Over that span, Jarvis was 5-7, with a 4.64 ERA, while striking out 44 batters. After a trade to the Angels and subsequent demotion to Triple-A, Jarvis walked away from the game.
Trevor Kelley
The youngest player on this list was born in 1993. Trevor Kelley was raised in Barrington. He broke into the Majors with the Red Sox in July of 2019. In 10 appearances with the club, Kelley was 0-3 with an 8.64 ERA and six strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings. The Red Sox eventually waived him and went on to pitch for the Phillies, Brewers, and Rays. He is currently a free agent.
Ed Kelly
Even spending a single game with the “hometown team”, is an achievement in and of itself. Kelly reached that mark and added a couple of games on top of it. In those two and third innings over that three-game span, the Pawtucket-born Kelly allowed a hit, a run (unearned), walked one, and struck out four in what was a very brief MLB career, during the 1914 season.
Rick Lancellotti
Rick Lancellotti was born in Providence in 1956. He made his major league debut for the San Diego Padres in 1982. He would not see any Major League action, again, until the 1986 season when he was promoted to the Giants Major League roster. After spending the 1987 and 1988 seasons in Japan, Lancellotti came back to the States and played in the since-defunct, Senior Professional Baseball Association. In August of 1990, the Red Sox called Lancellotti up from Triple-A Pawtucket. In four games that season, a total of eight plate appearances, Lancellotti did not record a hit, struck out four times, but did record an RBI.
John LaRose
Sometimes the dream of playing for the “hometown team” can become a nightmare. That was the case for John LaRose. In his one and only Major League game, the Pawtucket-born, LaRose allowed five runs, on three hits, while also walking five and not striking out anyone. His career ERA from that one game against the Tigers during the 1978 season was 22.0.
Bill LeFebvre
The West Warwick-raised Bill LeFebvre played parts of four seasons in the Major Leagues. During the 1938 season, Lefebvre made his major league debut for the Red Sox. In that single appearance, Lefebvre allowed six runs (all earned), on eight hits, while not recording a strikeout or a walk. He did hit a batter and finished his four-inning appearance with a 13.50 ERA. Lefebvre would appear in five games the following season, in what would be his final season in Beantown. Lefebvre was 1-1, with a 5.81 ERA. In those 26 and a third innings, Lefebvre allowed 35 hits, and 17 earned runs, while striking out eight and walking 14.
Chet Nichols Jr.
The son of a former relief pitcher, the younger Nichols spent four of his nine Major League seasons with the Red Sox. The Pawtucket product had its best season with the Sox in 1961. During that season, Nichols was 3-2, with a 2.09 ERA. Nichols was 5-8, with a 3.53 ERA, in a combined 82 appearances in his four years spent with the Sox.
Ken Ryan
Much like Nichols, Ken Ryan also spent four seasons with the Red Sox. Also, like Nichols, Ryan was born in Pawtucket. In his four seasons (1992-1995) in Boston, Ryan made 124 appearances, and had a combined record of 9-9, with a 4.35 ERA. His best season in a Sox uniform, in terms of wins and losses was in 1993, when he was 7-2. His best was a 2.44 ERA in 1994.
Joe Trimble
Trimble appeared in two major league games for the Red Sox in 1955. Those two games only lasted for two innings, however, Trimble did not allow a hit or a run. He did walk three batters while striking out one. Trimble would see a handful more of major leagues, but not until 1957 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dan Wheeler
The Red Sox signed Warwick-raised Wheeler on December 10. Wheeler, who was paid $3 million on a year deal spent parts of 13 seasons in the majors. Eventually, his lone season in Boston happened in 2011. During that season, Wheeler was 2-2, with a 4.38 ERA in 47 appearances through 49 1/3 innings.
Rocco Baldelli
Arguably, the best Rhode Island-born player to ever don a Red Sox uniform, Rocco Baldelli spent one season with the team he idolized, growing up (2009). The current Minnesota Twins manager, and Woonsocket-born product, had a promising start to his career with the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In that 2003 season, Baldelli finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Ultimately, injuries and health issues derailed what could have been an outstanding MLB career. Before ending his Major League playing career in 2010, Baldelli spent the 2009 season with the Red Sox. During that 2009 season, spent mainly as an outfielder or as the designated hitter. He appeared in 62 games (150 at-bats) Baldelli slashed .253 with seven home runs and 23 RBI.
Takeaway
Twelve players from the “Ocean State” have had the honor to say they played for their “hometown team”. In some instances, the experience was short and disastrous. In others, the experience may have lasted hundreds of games over multiple seasons, which could arguably be deemed as respectable caliber. Regardless of the experience, to make it to the majors, if only for a brief moment in time, is still an achievement and something to be proud of. For the aforementioned players, both those living and those who have passed on, it is a memory, they likely will never forget.
Photo Credit: © Glenn Osmundson/The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
