*Babe Ruth Thread*

[Sultan_1895-1948]

If we exclude all of Ruth's stats from 1914-1924, he probably still would have made the Hall of Fame. I.e, we are excluding 6 HR titles, 6 OPS+ titles, 4 World Series Titles, and 90+ wins on the mound.

From 1925-1935(ages 30-40), Ruth went: .336/.468/.673, 198 OPS+ with 430 HRs and 1331 RBI.

Actually, Ruth from 1914-1924 might have had the stats to get him into the Hall:
1914-1924(ages 19-29), he went: .351/.482/.712, 218 OPS+, 284 HRs, 889 RBI, AND 92-46 record, 2.25 ERA

If we handicap Ruth by including his Dead Ball years, yet exclude his best 5 year run(1920-1924, went .370/.511/.778, 229 OPS), Ruth still slugs .654 and outdistances everybody.

If we simply exclude Ruth's best 6 slugging years from his career(1920,1921,1923,1924, 1926, and 1927), Ruth still slugs .635 for his career(now edges WIlliams by 1 point) despite the fact that his decline and his dead ball years(1914-1918, 1932-1935) would now represent nearly half of his at-bats.

Simply incredible :bowdown:

[GiambiJuice]

Check out the Babe's swing at 1:20 into the video. It looks like he didn't even get all of it and he may have hit it to the opposite field, yet the narrator says it's the longest home run ever hit in St. Louis!

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Some info on Babe and bat selection.

[Dude Paskert]

Some info on Babe and bat selection.

BMH mentioned this about Babe in the wood bat thread, he said the pin knots can be good to prevent delamination in the barrel but are very bad in the handle.

[pheasant]

Ruth vs Top 2 ERA+ pitchers, 1920
Stan Coveleski, 24-14, 2.49 ERA, 154 ERA+
Urban Shocker, 20-10, 2.71 ERA, 144 ERA+

vs Coveleski

5/15, 0/1 BB, HBP, SO
6/14, 0/1, 3 BB
7/22 unsure..Coveski knocked out after 1 IP, Ruth 2/3 for game
8/12, 0/1, 2 BB
8/16, 1/4, 1 K
9/09, 1/2, 3 BB, 1 HR
total: 2/9, 1 HR, 10 BB, 1 HBP, 1 HR

Shocker
6/20, 1/2, 2 BB
6/23, 2/3, HR, 1 BB worst case......Ruth was 3/4 for game with 1 BB
7/13, 1/4, 3 K
7/28, 0/1, 3 BB
7/31, 1/3, HR, BB
Total: 5/13, 2 HR, 7 BB , this is worst case

total vs Coveleski and Shocker: 7/22, 3 HR, 17 BB, 1 HBP,318/.625/.727

Ruth vs Coveleski, 1921, Coveleski that year was 23-13 with a 3.37 ERA and 127 ERA+

5/15, 0/1, BB
6/07, 0/1, BB, worst case scenario, for game, Ruth was 0/1, 2 BB
7/20, 1/2, BB, HBP
7/30, 2/3, BB, HR...note.Coveleski gave up 1 run in CG victory
8/24, 1/3, 2 BB
9/23, 3/3 BB, 3 2B
9/26, worst case, 1/1, BB, HR. For the day, Ruth was 3/3, 2 HR, a double, and a walk
Total: 8/14, 2 HR, 8 BB, .571/.727/1.000

From 1920-1921 vs Coveleski, Ruth went
10/23, 3 HRs, 18 BB, 1 HBP, .435/.690/.826 as a worst case scenario

[pheasant]

I've always wanted to look at how much Ruth's pitching affected his hitting. I figured he probably hit better in months in which he pitched less than once a week.

Listed below are Ruth's hitting stats, 1918-1919 in which he started fewer than 4 games in a month:

1918 May-July, 61 games, 224 ab, 40 runs, 67 hits, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 37 BB, 0 HBP,141 TB .299/.398/.629
1919 Aug-Sep, 49 games,158 AB, 44 runs, 51 hits, 13 HR, 47 rbi, 45 BB, 4 HBP, 111 TB, .323/.483/.703

Total, 1918-1919: 110 games, 382 AB, 84 runs, 24 HR, 96 RBI, 82 BB, .306/.436/.660

[pheasant]

This has to be on of the best 80+ game stints ever.

From 5/11/20 to 8/6/20, Ruth played 83 games and hit 39 HR with 98 RBI and went .437/.589/1.019 with 108 runs scored and 94 BB. His slugging percentage up to that point was .895. Ruth cooled off tremendously the remainder of the way. He slugged only .733 the rest of the way to end up at .847.

[Badge714]

Bert Randolph Sugar on baseball - interesting video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF_sMrd_kWE

[westsidegrounds]

re: the candy bar

"Ruth is sometimes called 'Baby' Ruth."

Damon Runyon, reporting on a Yankees-Red Sox game June 3, 1915.

[strato]

Bill James argues that if the Federal League in 1914 had not incepted, its Baltimore entry crippling Jack Dunn's minor league entry , forcing him to break up his dynastic team and temporarily move, he may well have kept Ruth for like another five tears like he held on to Lefty Grove, and run a mega-profitable minor league Oriole team into the 20's.

What you guys think-would it have been inevitable a major league team would have made Dunn an offer he couldn't refuse

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Bill James argues that if the Federal League in 1914 had not incepted, its Baltimore entry crippling Jack Dunn's minor league entry , forcing him to break up his dynastic team and temporarily move, he may well have kept Ruth for like another five tears like he held on to Lefty Grove, and run a mega-profitable minor league Oriole team into the 20's.

What you guys think-would it have been inevitable a major league team would have made Dunn an offer he couldn't refuse

Harry Turtledove wrote a short story with exactly this premise. Minor league legend Louis "Buzz" Arlett and Babe Ruth exchanged historical roles with Arlett becaming the "Babe Ruth of the 1920's". Arlett was an absolute beast in the PCL but the Oakland Oaks owner wanted no less than $100,000 for Arlett. No major league team wanted to pay that much.

http://www.tor.com/stories/2009/06/the-house-that-george-built

[bluesky5]

Bill James argues that if the Federal League in 1914 had not incepted, its Baltimore entry crippling Jack Dunn's minor league entry , forcing him to break up his dynastic team and temporarily move, he may well have kept Ruth for like another five tears like he held on to Lefty Grove, and run a mega-profitable minor league Oriole team into the 20's.

What you guys think-would it have been inevitable a major league team would have made Dunn an offer he couldn't refuse

I would say this is very likely. Mack eventually made Dunn an offer on Grove he couldn't refuse. So someone probably would do the same for Ruth.
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Probably the Phillies. Who would convert the pitcher to first base after he hits 30 HR at Baker Bowl in just 20 starts there.
Ruth would average 83 HR a year at the Baker Bowl and hit 115 [H and A] total in 1928 alone. :gt

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Bill James argues that if the Federal League in 1914 had not incepted, its Baltimore entry crippling Jack Dunn's minor league entry , forcing him to break up his dynastic team and temporarily move, he may well have kept Ruth for like another five tears like he held on to Lefty Grove, and run a mega-profitable minor league Oriole team into the 20's.

What you guys think-would it have been inevitable a major league team would have made Dunn an offer he couldn't refuse

I think so, an offer he could not turn down, especially after a season or two of seeing Ruth's slugging, all around hitting....name your price.

[bluesky5]

I think so, an offer he could not turn down, especially after a season or two of seeing Ruth's slugging, all around hitting....name your price.

Joe, have you ever thought of the Babe in the Baker Bowl? My previous post was the first time it ever crossed my mind.
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How's he look?

Babe.png

[TomBodet]

Ruth in Baker Bowl=Mike Schmidt in Coors