Hall of Stats

Bob Caruthers

Position

Pitcher

Years

1884-1893

Hall Rating

101

Hall of Stats

Inductee

Peak

70%

Longevity

30%

Only three players in the history of the game compiled fifteen or more Wins Above Replacement both as a pitcher and a position player. One, obviously, was Babe Ruth. Another was Hall of Famer and pioneer Monte Ward. The third was Bob Caruthers. Ruth and Ward both started as pitchers, but moved to other positions (Ruth to get his bat in the lineup everyday and Ward because of injury). Caruthers, on the other hand, was one of the best in the league at both—simultaneously.

Caruthers was the American Association’s best pitcher. From 1884 to 1889, he went 175–64 (a .732 winning percentage) with a 2.62 ERA (133 ERA+). He led the league in victories twice and ERA once and was worth 34.7 WAR. In those same years, he hit .287 with a .391 on base percentage (translating to an OPS+ of 144). He was worth 13.2 WAR at the plate, playing as many games in the field as he did on the mound. He had a pair of successful seasons in the National League before he switched to hitting due to a dead arm. Despite a .456 OBP in 14 games at the plate in 1893, he was released and played several seasons in the minors as a hitter.

Articles Mentioning Bob Caruthers

• Personal Hall of Fame, Part 2: Spending Time on the Borderline • Feb 16, 2013
• 19th Century Overlooked Legend: My Preliminary Ballot • Feb 5, 2013
• The Hall of Fame Case for Jack Glasscock • Jan 18, 2013
• First Stab at Adjusting 19th Century Pitchers • Dec 26, 2012
• Vote: 50 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame • Dec 2, 2012
• 19th Century Pitchers and wWAR • Nov 9, 2012

Rankings by Hall Rating

• 233rd All Time (Top 1.3%)
• 78th among Pitchers
• 199th among Hall of Stats

Franchise Contributions by Hall Rating

• STL 64 (19th)
• LAD 36 (60th)
• CIN 1 (622nd)
• CHC 0 (1,038th)

Career Statistics