So today is Babe Ruth's birthday. The Great Bambino. The Sultan of Swat. George Herman.
This day seems a fine time for me to expound on an opinion of mine: that Babe Ruth is the greatest player to ever play the game of baseball (so far).
The argument over the greatest baseball player of all time always reminds me of the argument over the best rock 'n roll guitarist of all time - you can narrow the field to a top five or ten, and talk about the individual merits of each, but Jimi Hendrix will always have an unnatural edge over all competitors. There's just something intangible about how he plays and what he plays that can't be described except by saying that he exudes greatness.
Some say that he was a one-sided player. He hit a ton of home runs and got on base like he couldn't help it, but he didn't run the bases well with any consistency, and he never made any noise with his glove while playing one of the least-demanding positions on the field. These are definitely points against him, but before we condemn Ruth for his beer belly and lack of defensive reflexes, let's remember two things: 1) that Ruth spent the first five seasons of his career as a pitcher (a damn good pitcher, no less), and 2) just how dominant he was at the one aspect of offense at which he excelled.
First, let's look at his pitching. Granted, in the early part of the 20th century, baseball was a very different game for pitchers. He had two seasons as Boston's ace pitcher, 1916 and '17. Over those two seasons he was 1st & 7th in ERA (1.75 and 2.01, respectively), 3rd & 2nd in wins (23 and 24), and 3rd & 2nd in innings pitched (323.2 and 326.1). In '16 he led the league with 9 shutouts and 41 games started (he completed 23 of them). In '17, he allowed a few more runs (6 shutouts, tied for 5th in the league), but he completed a league leading 35 games out of 38 starts.
Remember, it was a very different game for pitchers back then, but think about that: Ruth left the game for a reliever only three times the entire season. Most starting pitchers nowadays don't even complete three games all season. Ruth also came in as a reliever himself six times over those two seasons, finishing five games. Now, it was a very different game for hitters too back then, but check out this incredible feat: over those two ace-caliber seasons, comprising over 1600 batters faced, Babe Ruth allowed exactly two home runs. TWO HOME RUNS! That's three fewer home runs than he hit in those two seasons combined, in less than 300 plate appearances.
1918 and 1919 saw his slow conversion into an outfielder, because Boston wanted his bat in the lineup more frequently. In those two years, Ruth led the league in home runs: the first year with 11, the second year with 29, a then-major league record. He would set another major league record the next year with 54, then again the following year with 59. He would eventually get that record up to 60, then we all know what happened with Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle and Billy Crystal.
For the next ten years after his 59 HR record-setting 1921, Ruth would lead the league in the category all but two years. He led the league in OPS all but one of those years, his injury-shortened 1925. He would routinely draw 130 to 140 walks, topping out at 170 in 1923. Not even Barry Bonds - despite all those seasons when he drew thousands of walks - comes close in the career OPS rankings. (The records on intentional walks from way back then are spotty at best, so we don't know how many times Ruth was given a true free pass to first base, but my guess is that it's probably nowhere close to the 120 IBBs given to Bonds in his historic 2004 season.)
Not only did the Babe completely revolutionize the way hitters approach the game of baseball, he embodied the spirit of the American baseball player, nay, the ideal American in general. He guzzled beer, scarfed down hot dogs, and gave generously to charity. I guess that stuff shouldn't figure in when we're discussing whether he's the greatest baseball player of all time. But then again, if baseball is a microcosm of life, shouldn't one's life choices also reflect on his status as a professional baseball player? Maybe not. But I'll always be in awe of the Babe's tremendous baseball skills and his winning personality.
Happy Birthday, Bambino.
No comments:
Post a Comment