Editing Red Ruffing (section)

====Boston Red Sox (1924–1930)====
[[File:Ruffing, Boston, 1924 LOC npcc.11180 (cropped).jpg|thumb|220px|Ruffing warming up before a game in 1924]]
Ruffing made his major league debut with the Red Sox on May 31, 1924. He pitched without earning a [[Decision (baseball)|decision]] in over 23&nbsp;[[innings pitched]], and had a 6.65 [[earned run average]] (ERA).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1924.shtml |title=1924 Boston Red Sox Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408204728/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1924.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> He saw regular playing time with the Red Sox over the next few years but had limited success. He had a 9–18 win–loss record with a 5.01 ERA in the 1925 season, as the Red Sox finished in last place in the eight team [[American League]] (AL).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1925.shtml |title=1925 Boston Red Sox Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408214535/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1925.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Ruffing had a 6–15 win–loss record and a 4.39 ERA in the 1926 season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1926.shtml |title=1926 Boston Red Sox Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408203230/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1926.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> and a 5–13 win–loss record with a 4.66 ERA in the 1927 season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1927.shtml |title=1927 Boston Red Sox Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408203242/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1927.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> with the Red Sox finishing in last place both years. His best season to date, in terms of earned run performance, came in 1928, when he posted a 3.89 ERA. However, he led the AL in [[earned run]]s allowed, with 125, and had a 10–25 win–loss record, which led the AL in losses.<ref name=sabr/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1928-standard-pitching.shtml |title=1928 American League Standard Pitching |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308122339/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1928-standard-pitching.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> On a positive note, he also led the AL with 25 [[complete game]]s.<ref name=reminisces/> As Ruffing had a .314 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] during the 1928 season, the Red Sox and Ruffing considered having him shift to the outfield. The team decided against a position change due to the limitations of Ruffing's left foot.<ref name=sabr/><ref name=beer/>

The Red Sox chose Ruffing to be their [[Opening Day]] starting pitcher for the 1929 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/teams/byyear.php?team=Boston_Red_Sox&year=1929|title=1929 Boston Red Sox|publisher=Baseball Library|access-date=September 14, 2008|archive-date=June 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604153348/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/teams/byyear.php?team=Boston_Red_Sox&year=1929|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the 1929 season, he again led the AL in losses, with 22, and earned runs, with 135.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1929-standard-pitching.shtml |title=1929 American League Standard Pitching |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308142949/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1929-standard-pitching.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> He won only nine games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1929.shtml |title=1929 Boston Red Sox Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=September 7, 2013 |archive-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408204806/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1929.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Ruffing often had difficulty pitching more than five innings in a game.<ref name=shawkey/> Someone in the Red Sox organization suggested to Ruffing that he should try to gain weight by drinking [[beer]], which saw him grow from 185&nbsp;pounds (84&nbsp;kg) to 240 pounds (110&nbsp;kg).<ref name=beer/>

During the 1930 season, [[Bob Quinn (baseball, born 1870)|Bob Quinn]], the owner of the Red Sox, was in debt and afraid he would lose the team due to [[foreclosure]]. To raise [[Financial capital|capital]], he traded Ruffing to the [[New York Yankees]] for reserve outfielder [[Cedric Durst]], $50,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|50000|1930}}}} in current dollar terms), and a $50,000 loan from [[Jacob Ruppert]], the Yankees' [[List of New York Yankees owners and executives|owner]].<ref name=sabr/> Ruffing ended his {{frac|5|1|2}}-year tenure with the Red Sox with a 39–96 win–loss record;<ref name=beer/><ref name=reminisces/> his [[winning percentage]] (.289) was lower than that of the Red Sox during his tenure (.344).<ref name=sabr/>