18. Tris Speaker
While the trades of Babe Ruth and Jeff Bagwell resonate to this day with Red Sox fans, their trade of Tris Speaker was equally lamented during his career.
Playing during an era where triples were the true power hit and stolen bases were king, Speaker was one of the greatest stars of his day. He led the American League in doubles eight times, and had four 200 hit seasons. The 1912 MVP, Speaker produced a .383/.464/.567 batting line, collecting 222 hits while leading the league with 53 doubles and ten home runs.
In his incredible career, Speaker produced a .345/.428/.500 batting line, with his name showing up throughout the record books. His 792 career doubles are the most in MLB history, and Speaker ranks sixth in batting average and eleventh in on base percentage. His 3,514 hits are the fifth most in the history of the game, and he is sixth in triples and 13th in runs scored.
Speaker was also a tremendous outfielder with a great arm, leading center fielders in assists five times and double plays six times. His 322 assists and 107 double plays are the most in MLB history for a center fielder, and he ranks third all time with 5,409 putouts. His performance in the corner outfield spots was equally impressive, as he has the most assists and double plays of any outfielder in the history of the game.
A star when he was traded from the Red Sox for Sad Sam Jones and Fred Thomas, along with cash considerations, due to a contract dispute, Speaker is considered to be one of the “inner circle” members of the Hall of Fame. With his impressive numbers and all around game, it is easy to see why that is the case.
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