Jeff Heath is one of the great underrated Cleveland Indians.
Jeff Heath was Cleveland’s starting left fielder from 1936-1945, hitting .298/.366/.506 with 122 HR during that period, good for a 137 OPS+. While in Cleveland, Heath was selected to two All-Star teams and had Top-25 MVP votes four times. He was also the first player in American League history to record a 20-20-20 season when, in 1941, he had 32 doubles, 20 triples, and 24 home runs. No player would accomplish that again until George Brett in 1979.
Heath was traded to the Washington Senators in 1945 for outfielder George Case, but his history with Cleveland was not quite done. In 1948, Heath was the best hitter on the Boston Braves squad that won the National League pennant and would face off against the Indians in the World Series. But the Braves would be forced to play the entire series without Heath, who had broken his ankle in late September. There is a very real chance that with a healthy Heath the Indian’s last Championship would be 1920, and not 1948.