AL Player of the Week - Red Ruffing

AL Player of the Week

Red Ruffing

"I always figured World Series games the easiest to pitch. The other team didn't know you... and on the Yankees, we always used to figure the National League champion only good enough to finish third or fourth in the American League."

-Red Ruffing

Taking the mound in today's game against Detroit was Charles "Red" Ruffing. Ruffing (HA51) broke in the big leagues as a Red Sox in 1924, but went to New York in 1930 where he was a mainstay of the Yankees' pitching staff until he left for one final season with the White Sox in 1947.

Interestingly, Ruffing peaked in the period from 1935 through 1941, although 1932 was also a fine season for him, which were the peak years of the second Yankee dynasty that won four straight World Series from 1936-1939 and then again in 1941. Although Ruffing was rarely the top pitcher, he spend many years as a "top 5 selection" and his repeated near top performances earned him a place in the Hall of Fame.

Ruffing had particularly fine post season record as his quip above suggests. He was 7-2 with a 4.08 ERA. He won 2 games in 1938 with a 1.50 ERA. Given that the Yankees World Series tended to be short affairs at this time period, this was particularly impressive performance. An interesting thing about Ruffing, notes Bill James, is that his W-L record was worse than that of his team's when he pitched for Boston and Chicago, but much better when he hurled for New York. James notes that Ruffing was in his prime in New York, but also notes that New York didn't overuse him the way the other clubs did. This was evidence, James says, that Ruffing was considered the best pitcher on their team by Boston and Chicago, despite his record with them.

Ruffing was a superb all around athlete. He hit .269 lifetime, and belted 98 doubles, 13 triples and 36 homers in 1937 at bats. In both 1930 and 1935 he was far superior to the average position player in hitting.

Ruffing was inducted into the Hall of Fame 1967.