Babe Ruth Question

[Spy Dog]

Why did the Red Sox use him as a pitcher early in his career? Wasn't it obvious he had insane power potential?

[Flip_Dog]

Because he was the dominant pitcher of that time.

[Jack of Arcades]

Babe Ruth was used as a pitcher nearly exclusively until WWI forced some pitchers into the field. It wasn't really until 1918 that his power potential was very obvious, and it was 1919 that really showed how special he was.

Flip: To call him "dominant" is a stretch, especially to call him "the dominant pitcher." Ruth was the best pitcher in 1916, but talent-wise he wasn't better than Walter Johnson, Eddie Cicotte, Grover Cleveland Alexander, or Eppa Rixey.

[IggyWH]

Ruth still holds the AL record for most shutouts in a season by a leftie.

[Jack of Arcades]

The league ERA of the 1916 American League was 2.82.

[wisehandpoker]

Why did the Red Sox use him as a pitcher early in his career? Wasn't it obvious he had insane power potential?

Different game. There were no home runs, so a power hitter was the guy legging out doubles and triples (re: Hans Wagner, Sam Crawford). Home Run Baker's career high was 11 dingers.

Power just wasn't as valuable a commodity, and when Ruth did start hitting homers in 1919-20, he was constantly dismissed as a sideshow freak instead of being taken seriously as a player.

[Jack of Arcades]

Power just wasn't as valuable a commodity, and when Ruth did start hitting homers in 1919-20, he was constantly dismissed as a sideshow freak instead of being taken seriously as a player.

People knew Babe Ruth was a valuable commodity. He commanded a $20,000 salary after 1919, which lead to his sale. Ruth was sold for $125,000 and a $300,000 loan, the largest sum paid for a player ever.

[wisehandpoker]

sorry, poorly worded. I meant that the power potential he might have showed mid-decade wouldn't make him the hitting prospect to end all prospects because it was potential towards a skill that wasn't deemed as important as contact or speed.

[Uglyowl]

First 4 years he had only 9 HR's in about 350 at bats

http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/ruthba01.shtml

[gusmahler]

9 HR in 350 AB is great for that time period. He actually led his team in HR in both 1915 and 1916. In 1917, his 2 HR was second to a guy who hit 3 HRs. In 1918, Ruth hit 11 HRs to lead the league. The rest of the Red Sox combined hit 4 HRs.

The guy who led the league in 1915 had 7 HR in 381 AB.

In 1916, the leader (Wally Pipp, who would later become a famous answer to a trivia question) had 12 HR in 545 AB.

In 1917, Pipp again led the AL, with 9 HR in 587 AB.