Babe Ruth

[Elysian Fields]

I've not gotten this far ahead, but what is the best way to insure Babe Ruth comes out playing in the field and not pitching from the get go of his career? What setup is required or do you just commish him into being a fielder from the start?

[captaincarl]

I'm guessing that you would have to go into commish mode and make him a fielder plus you would have to have recalc off because I think that he would revert back to being a pitcher in the next season.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by captaincarl

I'm guessing that you would have to go into commish mode and make him a fielder plus you would have to have recalc off because I think that he would revert back to being a pitcher in the next season.

Cool. I was assuming recalc had to be turned off.

[captaincarl]

His ratings aren't going to be too good as an outfielder because he didn't play the outfield in his first year in the majors and I don't know how good a hitter he would be.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by captaincarl

His ratings aren't going to be too good as an outfielder because he didn't play the outfield in his first year in the majors and I don't know how good a hitter he would be.

In theory, and at least in practice in my opinion, he would have been good. He hit very well as a pitcher and one season was, I think, in the top 10 at least in home runs, while being a full time pitcher.

[plannine]

Originally Posted by Elysian Fields

In theory, and at least in practice in my opinion, he would have been good. He hit very well as a pitcher and one season was, I think, in the top 10 at least in home runs, while being a full time pitcher.

He didn't hit double digits (in home runs) until 1918 (first year as a part time position player/part time pitcher). The A/I may not even keep him in the majors as a outfielder before then (too many better full time players). As a bench warmer for four years he might call it quits before his time.

[David Ball]

He was a very good hitter from the first. I know he was used at least once in an exhibition game at first base as a professional rookie in 1914 with Baltimore. He had a .438 slugging percentage in the International League, a very high mark for a 19-year-old in tough minor league competition. His stats for his 1914 rookie season with the Red Sox are unimpressive, but that's merely 10 PA. From 1915 on, his numbers are excellent.

One thing to watch out for is that if he stays in Boston his home runs are going to remain relatively low -- very low for RL Ruth, but still ahead of everybody else's -- because of ball park factors.

[plannine]

Originally Posted by David Ball

He was a very good hitter from the first. I know he was used at least once in an exhibition game at first base as a professional rookie in 1914 with Baltimore. He had a .438 slugging percentage in the International League, a very high mark for a 19-year-old in tough minor league competition. His stats for his 1914 rookie season with the Red Sox are unimpressive, but that's merely 10 PA. From 1915 on, his numbers are excellent.

One thing to watch out for is that if he stays in Boston his home runs are going to remain relatively low -- very low for RL Ruth, but still ahead of everybody else's -- because of ball park factors.

His stats with Baltimore/Providence were less then impressive (.231/.285/.438). The high slugging was beacuse of triples, not home runs. He only hit one.

I will agree that if he had stayed in Boston, he may not have had the numbers he had playing in the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium. He couldn't hit them out in Fenway.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by plannine

He didn't hit double digits (in home runs) until 1918 (first year as a part time position player/part time pitcher). The A/I may not even keep him in the majors as a outfielder before then (too many better full time players). As a bench warmer for four years he might call it quits before his time.

True, but few others did which made his output favorable to his contemporaries during the teens. The ball they played with wasn't dead and Ruth hit ball all over the place.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by plannine

His stats with Baltimore/Providence were less then impressive (.231/.285/.438). The high slugging was beacuse of triples, not home runs. He only hit one.

I will agree that if he had stayed in Boston, he may not have had the numbers he had playing in the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium. He couldn't hit them out in Fenway.

He did hit homeruns out of Fenway as a pitcher though. At least a couple, if I'm not mistaken. He was the lone Red Sox to hit a homerun out on a ladies group "Home Run" day.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by David Ball

He was a very good hitter from the first. I know he was used at least once in an exhibition game at first base as a professional rookie in 1914 with Baltimore. He had a .438 slugging percentage in the International League, a very high mark for a 19-year-old in tough minor league competition. His stats for his 1914 rookie season with the Red Sox are unimpressive, but that's merely 10 PA. From 1915 on, his numbers are excellent.

One thing to watch out for is that if he stays in Boston his home runs are going to remain relatively low -- very low for RL Ruth, but still ahead of everybody else's -- because of ball park factors.

Yep, this is the truth.

[mparks19732]

Try having player ratings calculated by career stats then change Ruth to outfielder. He should have good hitting numbers though he shouldn't breakout with big hr numbers until nearly 1920 since you are still in the Deadball Era until then.