Red

As most of you are aware, the Yankees have not simply been kicking ass and taking names for the past decade; there is a long, rich history of domination. Just to remind everyone: “WE” HAVE TWENTY-SIX (26) WORLD SERIES VICTORIES!!!

With that in mind, let us take you along with us on our first foray into the Yankee archives many moons (and even a few scores) past.

Charles Herbert Ruffing was nicknamed “Red” most likely because of his red hair. Or, maybe he was a Commie before that was frowned upon with extreme prejudice. Yet another possibility is that, like Ellis Boyd Redding quipped in The Shawshank Redemption, “maybe it’s because [he was] Irish.”

Away we go: first, the numbers.


TRUE YANKEE QUALITIES

Member of 6 World Series Championship Teams!!! : +300 TYP

I do not think it is necessary to emphasize how vital this is for Red’s candidacy. The Bombers qualified for 7 Fall Classics during his tenure with the club, losing only the 1942 Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, who were anchored by Enos “Country” Slaughter and a 21 year-old Stan Musial.

In the Yankees' 7 Series appearances in which he participated, Mr. Ruffing was a stellar 7-2 with an ERA of 2.63 and 8 complete games in 10 outings. Well done, Red.

Would Have Been Seven, But…: +100 TYP

True Yankees of old are known for their patriotism and service to others. Back when this actually meant something, Red served in WWII during the period encompassing the 1943 & 1944 seasons, as well as the first half of 1945. Did I mention he was aged 38 at the time? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Sadly, he missed the Yankees avenging the previous year’s loss, as the holdovers thumped the evil Cardinals 4-1 in the 1943 Series. Can someone please tell me what Joe Gordon was doing that prevented him from fighting in the war?

Didn’t Need No Stinking Relievers: +50 TYP


Long before pitches, swings, batted balls and the such were charted, men pitched like men. Their pride did not allow them to leave a game, ahead or behind. Before computers were invented and realized their sole purpose: to irritate Joe Morgan to no end by writing books, there was no lefty specialist who would come in to face one batter. To that end, Red went the distance in 335 of his 536 career starts, a whopping 62.5% rate.

DEFINITELY Didn’t Need No Stinking Designated Hitter: +75 TYP

True Yankees can do it all, just like Mr. Ruffing certainly could. These nice guys have an interesting little Hall of Fame of their own, apparently dedicated to HOF players who hailed from Central Illinois. Relevant here is this nugget:

“Red Ruffing led the 1935 Yankees in both wins (16) and
batting average (.330), outpacing future Hall of Fame hitting
greats Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Bill Dickey and Earle Combs?”

Sure, calling Lazzeri a “hitting great” is a bit of a stretch, but he was pretty damn good.

In addition, we get this from Baseball Library:

“Ruffing was also one of the best-hitting pitchers of all time, with lifetime marks of .269 (10th among pitchers with 500 at-bats), 36 HR (3rd), 273 RBI, and 58 hits in 228 pinch-hitting appearances. He batted over .300 eight times, his .364 (40-for-110) in 1930 standing as the second-best single-season average for a pitcher (Walter Johnson hit .433 in 1925).”

“Stolen” from the Red Sox during the 1930 Season: +100 TYP

Alright, he wasn’t actually stolen, but he was had for a song. OK, OK, it wasn’t a song either. It was less than a song. Who the hell is Cedric Durst? You don’t know either? Stupid Red Sox. Let "us" collectively laugh at them.

The best part? That Ruffing really, really sucked for Boston, putting up a record of 39-96. That right there is sandbagging at its best.

NON-TRUE YANKEE QUALITIES

Played for the Hated Red Sox: -75 TYP

As mentioned above, the Bombers traded the equivalent of an empty roster spot to acquire the rights to Red. However, the thought that “we” were in the presence of one of “them” remains a tough pill to swallow. Fortunately, the six rings made it easier to wash down. And, again, he totally blew for them.

Was a Pitching Coach for the Mets in 1962: -50 TYP


Ewwwwww. Not only did he stay in town to coach a team that was not the Yankees, he had to take credit for (and tarnish the Yankee image in the process) coaching a staff that went 40-120. Since the team’s Pythagorean was 50-110 for the season, I blame poor staff management for those extra 10 losses. However, I would also like to hold out hope that this is another example of top-notch sandbagging.

Was a Mangled, Deformed Freak: -100 TYP


Well, it wasn’t quite that bad, but check this out, again courtesy of our buddies from Nokomis:

“Red Ruffing overcame adversity to achieve pitching stardom. As a youngster he lost four toes on his left foot in a mine accident, which hastened a transition from the outfield to the mound.”

True Yankee fans like to act all sympathetic and compassionate, but “we” actually are not. Deviations from the norm freak “us” out; sure, we’ll cheer for you and your 1.5 feet or your 1.5 arms (I’m looking at you, Jim Abbott), but you’ll never truly be one of “us”.

FINAL TOTAL: +400 TYP


And we have our first Veterans’ Committee True Yankee inductee! 231 wins while donning the pinstripes is good for 2nd place in Yankees history, behind fellow Hall of Fame member Whitey Ford who, like Red, had a Yankees cap atop his dome piece on his HOF bust. A True Yankee, through and through!