Babe Ruth spent the first six years of his career as a pitcher. SIX YEARS! And you think YOU made a big mid career change? Of course Babe Ruth changed the landscape around 1920, so you are trying to compare Pablo Picasso to Rembrandt.
When the Babe moved from the mound to RF, Tris Speaker said, “Moving the best left-handed pitcher in baseball to right field is the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.”