Career Statistics
In a 19-year career, Ruel played in 1468 games, accumulating 1242 hits in 4514 at bats for a .275 career batting average along with 4 home runs, 534 runs batted in and a .365 on base percentage. He possessed strong defensive skills, leading American League catchers in fielding percentage three consecutive years (1926–1928), finishing with a .982 career fielding percentage. Ruel also led American League catchers three times in putouts and assists and twice in range factor and in baserunners caught stealing. He made 23 double plays in 1924, the seventh highest season total for catchers in major league history. His reputation as a defensive stand out is enhanced because of the era in which he played. In the Deadball Era, catchers played a huge defensive role, given the large number of bunts and stolen base attempts, as well as the difficulty of handling the spitball pitchers who dominated pitching staffs. Richard Kendall of the Society for American Baseball Research devised an unscientific study that ranked Ruel as the fifth most dominating fielding catcher in major league history.
Read more about this topic: Muddy Ruel
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