Editor's note: NESN.com is teaming up with WhatIfSports.com to crown the greatest Red Sox team of all time with the "Red Sox Showdown for the Ages." Click here for more information on the 16-team simulation tournament.
Starting on Monday, we'll start to preview the tournament, looking at four teams each day. This preview is for the the 1912 team, the No. 3 seed in the Red Sox Showdown for the Ages.
1912 Boston Red Sox
Record: 105-47
Finish: 1st in American League, Won World Series over New York Giants
Manager: Jake Stahl
Best Player: Tris Speaker (.383, 10 home runs, 83 RBIs, 10 triples)
Best Pitcher: Smokey Joe Wood (34-5, 1.91 ERA, 344 IP)
Breakdown: It doesn't get much better than the 1912 season in terms of domination for the Red Sox. At the plate, Tris Speaker hit everything he saw on his way to a .383 batting average. On the mound, Smokey Joe Wood won 34 of his 43 starts on the way to a 34-5 record. And the Sox rolled to 105 regular-season wins. They then finished the job in the World Series, knocking off the New York Giants to christen the new ballpark, Fenway Park, with a world title.
