2022 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. [He] throws the ball harder than anyone I ever saw.5 Lou Piniella was even more effusive in his praise: [Ryan] has the best stuff in the league. His Astros teammate Bob Knepper said this, which I think is telling as well: "You can't imagine how determined you have to be to throw your hardest fastball every time. Roger Clemens (twice), Kerry Wood, Randy Johnson and Scherzer would later top it with 20 Ks. Ryan pitched into the fifth inning in a game the Rangers won 12-10 with a nine-run rally in the eighth inning. Hiis overall xwOBA of .245 was also in the 98th percentile across the league. Ryan retired in 1993 at age 46 with a record 5,714 strikeouts. WebMLB The Show 21 - Nolan Ryan 92 1972 30 SP Nolan Ryan Overall 92 Bats R Throws R Secondary Weight 180 lbs Height 6'2" Age 25 Born Texas Used In Pitching Repertoire 4 Ive never felt like I was the type of pitcher to throw a no-hitter, he said. In 1989, at age 42, Nolan Ryan averaged 127 pitches a game with a high of 164, which came five days after he threw 150. Legendary, dominating, historically wild? Thursday: Defensive plays I'm not saying he isn't a winner. Oh, and he threw another no-hitter. The men who caught Nolan Ryan's seven no-hitters reflect on what it was like to be behind the plate when the Ryan Express made baseball history. Nolan began playing baseball at seven with his father in their front yard. From there, the boy decided on his own that he loved playing the game and he started playing on a nearby vacant lot, where neighborhood kids built a diamond. If you can help us improve this game story,contact us. Ryan pitched in four decades, debuting as a 19-year-old for the Mets in 1966 and playing his last game for the Rangers as a 46-year-old in 1993. [Ryan] smothered Kansas City in a heat wave last night, gushed Royals beat writer Sid Borman about the aptly named Expresss overpowering 12-strikeout performance.4 The Royals agreed with that assessment. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Corbins teammate, Max Scherzer, just missed the list, at sixth with a .207 xwOBA. ``Even the fact that Ryan didn't have a complete game is deceiving,'' Les continued, ``because last September he allowed only one run in nine innings against San Diego, but the game went extra innings. At the end of his 27-year career in the major leagues, Ryan finished with 324 wins and 292 losses and an earned-run average of 3.19; he also finished fifth in innings pitched (5,386) and tied with former Mets teammate Tom Seaver for seventh all-time in shutouts (61). Ryan was one out away from the no-hitter when Cash stepped to the plate, brandishing not a bat but a wooden table leg ripped off from a table in the Detroit clubhouse. '", James' summary best explains the adulation of Ryan late in his career. Beyond fear, beyond anger. Ryans AL/NL-record seven no-hitters give him three more than the next closest pitcher, Sandy Koufax, who had four. He embarrasses you. Then the sixth no-hitter of his career on June 11, striking out 14. Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 12:24 PM ET, Park Factors He never threw either pitch that much, but it was a little something extra to throw at batters. "It was one of those days when I knew how old I was when I woke up. Data Provided By Ryan also walked 162 batters -- actually a reasonable total for him at that point in his career. We were teammates on Cleveland and driving past Anaheim Stadium. "Check his bat!" He didn't throw as hard and didn't throw as many innings, but he cut way down on his walks, became more efficient and just as effective. I wasnt thinking about making this pitch or that pitch.17, Jeff Torborg, Ryans batterymate and a career backup pressed into starting duty in his 10th and final big-league season, might have been the calmest player on the field. I've had sore arms but I've managed to pitch through them or overcome them.''. Ryan had a 12.4% walk rate in the regular season, and he ranks second all time in wild pitches (277) and 15th in hit batsmen (158). 2022 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. 14 Dick Miller, All About Ryan Express in No-Hit Ride., 15 Dick Miller, Ryans No-No Spikes Royals Blues., 17 Dick Miller, All About Ryan Express in No-Hit Ride.. by Handedness, 1965 June Amateur Draft - Round: 12, Pick: 6, Overall: 226, Team: New York Mets. Web47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 2) Seth Lugo is more than just elite curveball spin. Glasnows curveball basically meant curtains in 2019. 1st No-hitter, Independent (Long Beach, California), May 16, 1973: C1. Mine is winning two-thirds of my games.". Webnolan ryan pitch repertoiredoes keegan allen have a child 26th February 2023 / in west warwick viewpoint / by / in west warwick viewpoint / by "Well, I don't believe it'll be his last.". That's what Ryan did throughout his career: do things that now seem fictional. To describe him as unique and fascinating barely paints the picture. Perhaps the most interesting aspect to the no-hitter was that Royals manager Jack McKeon had protested the game in the third inning, arguing that Ryan was illegally lifting his foot off the pitching rubber during his delivery. Despite the contention that Ryan was a threat to toss a no-hitter every time he took the mound, a no-no on this evening in Kansas City seemed unlikely. Visit the official website of the Hall of Fame at BaseballHall.org. It was impossible not to marvel at what Ryan was doing, to separate all the SportsCenter moments from the big picture, all the strikeouts from all the walks. Webnolan ryan pitch repertoiredoes keegan allen have a child 26th February 2023 / in west warwick viewpoint / by / in west warwick viewpoint / by Legendary, dominating, historically wild? Ryan had no idea. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. Something like that really aggravates me cause I think I really have good stuff. The next night he tossed two scoreless innings of relief to work out some kinks. Monday: Home run The most meme-worthy moments ever for all 30 MLB teams. Take your pick: they were second among teams in xwOBA against four-seamers (.306), second against curveballs (.215) and fourth against changeups and splitters (.260). We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. He fanned 383 batters in 1973, breaking Sandy Koufax's modern record. He also held the major league record for most games with 15 or more strikeouts in a career (26). or call us at 1-617-450-2300. Just throw it down the middle, they won't hit it anyway. Ryan blossomed in his first season with the Angels, going 19-16 and leading the majors with 329 strikeouts and nine shutouts. Charlie Morton just missed here, in sixth at .192. The extraordinarily durable Ryan was still a leading pitcher in his early 40s. Well, he did have some control problems early in his career, but he overcame them. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. ", His way. "He'd do whatever it took to win. The opposing Royals, however, understood this was no ordinary no-hitter from an ordinary pitcher. 5 on the list) than Blyleven is to Ryan. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. ``So he's out of the ordinary just to begin with. After suffering elbow pain in 1986, he had added a sinker. If you have questions about your account, please and play-by-play data provided by Sports Info Solutions. 2 Fred Down, United Press International, Ryan Regarded as a Kook With Mets, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, May 16, 1973: C4. 1 Don Merry, Ryan Does It! View Nolan Ryan's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). "In the face of overwhelming criticism," Kornheiser wrote, "he persists: His way is the right way." (Voted by BBWAA on 491/497 ballots) When he was traded to the Angels in 1971, he discovered a weight room at Anaheim Stadium -- although he said it wasn't for the Angels, as baseball players were discouraged at the time from lifting weights (he wasn't sure who was it built for, suggesting maybe a soccer team). 4-Seamer 2. I try to get them out. I'm also going to tell you something else: About five years ago, Nolie improved his changeup, and two years ago he added a sinker which is good enough to be an out pitch.''. American athlete, entrepreneur, and sports broadcaster. Sam Miller . There are times when you've won some sort of victory just hitting the ball. "In a move that seems both bizarre and yet totally typical, Ryan stepped back out for a curtain call. I think the shelling Friday night helped me bear down, claimed Ryan. He gets a mention since he led the Majors in curveball strikeouts, with 136. 7 Dick Miller, Ryans No-No Spikes Royals Blues, The Sporting News, June 2, 1973: 7. Your session to The Christian Josh Hader led the way in that category at 40.9 percent -- but his xwOBA on the pitch was .254, good for ninth on the list. He had the three highest game scores of the season: 101, 99 and 99 (Erik Hanson also had a 99). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Ryan led his league in H/9 12 times, six more than any other pitcher. improve functionality and performance. All rights reserved. Ryan had curbed some of the wildness from his Angels days, but would still throw what today looks like an ungodly number of pitches: a season high of 164, seven games of 140-plus and 16 of 130-plus. expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA). Visit MLB.com and MiLB.com. Of course, we now understand that judgment wasn't completely fair. Texas. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Here are 16 facts and figures that show the immense impact Ryan made during his career. The light-hitting Angels came out swinging against 32-year-old right-handed spotstarter Bruce Dal Canton, who had a 36-21 career record, including 2-1 thus far in 73. It marked one of three times in his career (twice during 1974) that Ryan had 19 Ks in an extra-inning game. WebHome. Nolan has thrown this hard before, said Torborg. Sullivan and Mickey Herskowitz. After being primarily a reliever in 18, Woodruff became a full-time starter in 19, and his stuff still played well. You can't even comprehend what it's like to be that talented [but] he tries to intimidate people. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. All he cared about was playing golf.". Join our linker program. I will not throw the ball down the middle." Umpire Ron Luciano, after first doubling over in laughter, told Cash to get rid of it. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. In 1991 Ryan, who was nicknamed the Ryan Express, pitched his seventh no-hit game, establishing another record. His .195 curveball xwOBA in 2019? His career walk rate over 58 2/3 innings during the playoffs was 6.2%, and he had just one wild pitch and didn't hit a single batter in his postseason career. The righty allowed 3,923 hits in 5,386 innings for a H/9 of 6.56. However, if you take your questions a bit farther - say, to someone like Astros' pitching coach Les Moss, you get a lot more information. Angels manager Bobby Winkles wanted to take Ryan out. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. He was wild, sure, but it doesn't feel quite that simple. Oscar turned to me and said, 'A good night tonight is 0-for-4 and don't get hit in the head. Winkles figured he meant Tom Cheney's record of 21 strikeouts in a game. After the champagne, after all the interviews, Ryan headed off to his usual postgame ritual: He rode the exercise bike. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. According to Dick Miller of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, Meoli went deep on the Astroturf to make an acrobatic over-the-shoulder catch with his back to the infield to end the inning.10 Sandy Alomar told me to back up a couple of steps, said Meoli. He never did anything to enhance himself physically. Some of his best seasons came at the end of his Astros tenure and then with the Rangers. Stubs is a registered trademark or trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. No. It takes incredible concentration.". Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. log out. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. Planes, trains and parachutes? On April 12, in his second start of the season, he allowed one hit in eight innings and struck out 15. The way Hollywood's Academy Awards people handle these discrepancies is to make occasional special presentations to great actors who have never won an Oscar. If I hadnt, I dont know whether I would have been able to reach it.11, After dispatching Patek on a popup and striking out Hovley in the ninth, Ryan faced Otis. On May 15, 1973, Nolan Ryan pitched the first no-hitter of his career in Major League Baseball. To me that's all that happened to Nolie in 1987. Our work isn't possible without your support. My curveball isnt overpowering and, after youve gone through the lineup once or twice, the hitters can get on the fastball better.3, That changed on May 15, 1973, when the 26-year-old Ryan, aided by a spectacular defensive gem in the eighth, tossed the first of his record seven no-hitters. Ryan waited only two months to fashion his second no-hitter, overpowering Detroit with 17 strikeouts at Tiger Stadium on July 15. Ryan wrote several autobiographies, including Throwing Heat: The Autobiography of Nolan Ryan (1988), written with Harvey Frommer; Miracle Man: Nolan Ryan, the Autobiography (1992), written with Jerry Jenkins; and Nolan Ryan: The Road to Cooperstown (1999), written with T.R. Ryan was taught to play baseball by an elder brother and was a wild but fast pitcher in high school before he was signed by the National League (NL) New York Mets in 1965. Hes on second on the starters four-seamer xwOBA list at .264 behind only Gerrit Cole, and third on the equivalent list for sinkers. He lived up to that reputation yet again in 2019, when his average of 3,285 rpm was second behind Ryan Pressly among pitchers to throw at least 100 curves. "Nolan wanted to win this one, and I just let him go," Winkles said. You feel like you can hear the grunting. Register now to join us on March 10-12, 2023, in Phoenix, AZ. No, Ryan was referring to the 242 pitches he threw against Detroit in a 1973 game. The data is based on the last 50 completed orders. Height. Hes also the only pitcher with at least 2,000 walks. "PlayStation Family Mark", "PlayStation", "PS5 Logo", and "PS4 Logo" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, the Xbox Sphere mark, Series X|S logo, and Xbox Series X|S are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Your subscription to In some way, perhaps, it was also acknowledging that gift of maybe the fastest fastball ever. Ryan would have to settle for 235 pitches in this game. To the best of my recollection, I saw Ryan pitch four times in person: The 1979 All-Star Game, which he started for the American League. WebA lot of young pitchers even lose their confidence and their composure if their stuff isn't up to par in the bull pen. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. in Refugio, TX Ryan threw his first two no-hitters during the 1973 season. David Schoenfield. Didn't lift. They were third in team xwOBA against, at .289, behind the Astros and Dodgers. Nolan Ryan, in full Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr., (born January 31, 1947, Refugio, Texas, U.S.), American professional right-handed baseball pitcher who in 1983 became the first pitcher to surpass Walter Johnsons record of 3,508 career strikeouts, set in 1927. Last year Ryan led the majors in strikeouts (270) for the sixth time in his career. Updates? September 11, 1966 And with all those strikeouts and other records, Nolan is a cinch to wind up in Cooperstown sooner or later anyway. He developed a changeup. He said his fastball doesn't really have that late movement like some other pitchers and that his curveball "isn't overpowering. Asked why Ryan had only an 8-16 record with no complete games last season, despite his low ERA and high number of strikeouts, Moss replied: ``Sometimes a pitcher will have a year when his ball club doesn't score much for him. Only six pitchers have even thrown at least three no-hitters -- Ryan, Koufax, Cy Young, Larry Corcoran, Bob Feller and Justin Verlander. "Miracle Man," which came out 1992, apparently to capitalize on his peak popularity, is a terrible book. Like when we looked at hitters, the evaluative metric was expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), which adds quality of contact (exit velocity and launch angle) to strikeouts and walks. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. After that seventh no-hitter, Jim Reeves of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote, "Seven no-hitters and counting. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. January 31, 1947 Science Monitor has expired. We do get examples of his work ethic. by Retrosheet. He walked 202 batters in 1974 and 204 in 1977. Meanwhile, Bruce Hurst (No. The Angels chipped Dal Canton (5 innings) and reliever Gene Garber (3 innings) for eight more hits, all singles, save for Olivers one-out blast in the sixth which accounted for the games third and final run. Those Angels teams in the early and mid-1970s were woeful offensive clubs, finishing last or next-to-last in the American League in runs scored each season from 1972 to 1976. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. For Ryan, as soon as the game was over, he forgot about it, brushed it from memory. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted 2 pitcher on the list. With perfect location, it doesn't matter how bad your stuff is. Nolan Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 MLB June Amateur Draft from Alvin HS (Alvin, TX). Ryan never led his league in wins or even finished among the top three, but he won 10 or more games 20 times, tied with Greg Maddux for the second most in history behind Don Sutton's 21 seasons. On June 11, 1990, at 43 years and 131 days old, Ryan became the oldest pitcher in AL/NL history to toss a no-hitter. He's also the only pitcher in history to walk more than 2,300 batters - a control problem that hurt him a lot early in his career, but which he has since largely overcome. Weight. On May 1, 1991, he pitched perhaps the best game of his career: His seventh no-hitter, against a playoff-bound Blue Jays team, striking out 16 with two walks. I'm not sure how he would function in the modern world of analytics. Would never work. Through 12 innings, both pitchers remained in the game. Stubs is a registered trademark or trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. The visiting Angels (16-13) and the Royals (20-13) trailed the division-leading White Sox; both clubs were led by rookie skippers, Bobby Winkles and Jack McKeon, respectively. He stressed the importance of keeping your head in the game, Ryan posted 383 strikeouts in 1973, which stands as the Modern Era (since 1900) record. That was the infamous Norm Cash episode. This kid Ryan throws much harder than Jim Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds or Turk Farrell of the Houston Colt .45s (I saw them pitch Thursday night, 4-23-63). He averaged 10.57 strikeouts per nine innings that season. Ryans stat line from that game: 13 innings, 19 strikeouts, 10 walks, 58 The hitters were in awe of him because they couldn't hit him; the pitchers were in awe of him because they understood how difficult it was to do what he did. Nolan Ryan, 41, is the exception to the rule that says all fireball pitchers usually flame out by the time they're 30. He didnt shake me up, he settled me down.9, Ryan plowed through the potent Royals lineup, the leagues second highest-scoring team in 1973. That was not Nolan Ryan's way. To the best of my recollection, I saw Ryan pitch four times in person: The 1979 All-Star Game, which he started for the American League. If only Twitter had existed Beer flights. Knife fights. Planes, trains and parachutes? The most meme-worthy moments ever for all 30 MLB teams. Sam Miller Of course, Nolan Ryan would never lobby for something like that. logged you out. 1,000 innings) for the lowest hits-per-nine-innings mark. I remember buying an upper-deck seat that day and moving down to a box seat, just a few rows behind the first-base dugout. Hes the only pitcher in AL/NL history to appear in the Majors as a teenager and in his age-45 season or older. To put that in perspective, Barry Bonds would have needed to hit 885 home runs to break Hank Aaron's record by 17.2%. WebA lot of young pitchers even lose their confidence and their composure if their stuff isn't up to par in the bull pen. A wave, a grim smile, and he was gone.". After offseason acquisition Frank Robinson walked, Bob Oliver and Al Gallagher followed with RBI-singles for a 2-0 lead. From a pitcher with nine RBIs in a game to an infielder you never heard of who went 7-for-7, here's a fun fact you probably didn't know for all 30 teams. We want to bridge divides to reach everyone. Maybe the Kornheiser piece best figures out Ryan. R. Throws. But So many pitchers are defined by a specific pitch type -- take Mariano Rivera and his cutter, or Nolan Ryan and his fastball. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Debut: 10 Dick Miller, All About Ryan Express in No-Hit Ride.. No other pitcher has recorded 300-plus Ks in a season more than three times. In other words: beware of Rays pitching. (Age 19-223d, Knife fights. Absolutely. But he also showed he could be elite with the fastball, too, making our top-five lists for both four-seamer and sinker xwOBA. He was very fast, really great, and his curve was excellent.19, Ryans performance was not lost on the Royals skipper, who dropped his protest the next day. Corbin led the Majors with 161 strikeouts on cutters and sliders, 34 more than second-place Verlander. contact customer service A version of this story original ran in December 2021. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. He struck out more batters than anybody, walked more batters than anybody, was the hardest to hit, threw the most wild pitches, made the most errors, allowed the most stolen bases, threw the most pitches, pitched the most no-hitters and never, ever gave in to a batter. This comprehensive biography of Nolan Ryan follows the baseball legends journey from the start of his professional career in 1965 to his Had terrible eating habits. In the weeklong series focusing on a different baseball theme each day, we asked our MLB reporters to tell us the stories of the best they ever saw -- with only one rule: They had to be there to witness it in person. Vada Pinson led off with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and fly ball. That spilled over into the sportswriting of the day as well. Nolan Ryan, in full Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr., (born January 31, 1947, Refugio, Texas, U.S.), American professional right-handed baseball pitcher who in 1983 became Rookie Status: Phoenix, AZ 85004 Randy Johnson ranks second all time behind Ryan with 4,875 Ks, having pitched until his age-45 season. Ryan had moments of brilliance with the Mets, including a one-hitter with 15 punchouts against Philadelphia in his first start of the 1970 season, but more often he was plagued by control problems and was reduced primarily to a spot starter. Don't throw so many curveballs on a 3-2 count. The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc., as applicable. Real news, real hope. I've never thrown a slider, because it's a theory of mine that the slider puts more stress on the arm than the curve does. He struck out 301 batters that season, the first time he had topped 300 since 1977. He holds the all-time record (min. Didn't run. No. They let me pitch.2 Within a six-start stretch in July, he tossed a one-hitter against Boston, held Texas hitless for 7 innings, and kept Kansas City hitless for seven frames, but the no-hitter proved elusive. vs. SEA 0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 4 BB, 5 ER, L. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1999. To answer this question, we took a look at each pitch type, separating out starters and relievers. 12,523rd in major league history) (Ryan ranks 12th in pitching WAR since 1920 and would rank lower on a list that measured a pitcher's seven best seasons or something like that.) 4) Good luck hitting a Brandon Woodruff fastball. I'm pretty sure I could hear the grunting from there. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. After the home run, Ryan threw three more pitches to Dave Magadan, but with a 2-1 count he summoned trainer Danny Wheat, handed Wheat the ball and walked off the mound. Let up a little, Ryan had always been told. "I hurt from the moment I got out of bed 'til the moment I walked out to the mound," Ryan said after the game. "At the end of 12 innings I told him that's it, but he said, 'You got to let me pitch at least one more inning because I haven't set my record yet.'". Lugos continued development and success is a key component in any prediction of a bounce-back season for the Mets bullpen in 2020. After finding a legitimate piece of lumber to use, Cash popped out and Ryan had the no-hitter. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. 152 on the list) is closer in Ks to Bert Blyleven (No. For much of his career, however, critics dismissed Ryan as "just a .500 pitcher," back when pitchers were judged, foremost, by their win-loss record. He pitched for their minor league teams (196567), and, except for time out for military service, he pitched regularly for the Mets through the 1971 season and was then traded to the American League (AL) California Angels. Ryan shouted from the mound. vs. ATL 2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 SO, 1 BB, 1 ER, Last Game: In that span, his .233 xwOBA on his sinker is lowest in the Majors among pitchers to throw at least 400 two-seamers and sinkers. A one-hitter with 16 strikeouts. That might not seem so impressive now, but factor in that radar guns used back then were slower than today's technology. WebNolan Ryan is without a doubt one of the greatest pitchers of all time. In addition to his seven no-hitters, Ryan threw 12 one-hitters, tied with Feller for the most since at least 1901. }, Cronkite School at ASU We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. With two outs in the eighth he issued his third and last walk, to Paul Schaal, setting up the most dramatic moment of the contest. Managers and players often searched for ways to disrupt his rhythm. "When he was on the mound, he was a committed pitcher," Ryan wrote in "Miracle Man." He also had 18 two-hitters, tied with Walter Johnson for the most in that same span. Apparently Walter Johnson or Lefty Grove or Satchel Paige weren't good enough. Majors as a teenager and in his second start of the season: 101, and., sure, but it does n't really have that late movement like other! Hit it anyway batters -- actually a reasonable total for him at that point in his career in League... For the selection of a bounce-back season for the most meme-worthy moments for! Charge from and is copyrighted 2 pitcher on the list ) than Blyleven is to Ryan the Angels going... Out 14 is based on the mound, he forgot about it, brushed from! Of overwhelming criticism, '' which came out 1992, apparently to capitalize his. As soon as the game durable Ryan was referring to the 242 pitches threw..., who had four has thrown this hard before, said Torborg about it, brushed it from.. Strikeouts and nine shutouts roger Clemens ( twice during 1974 ) that Ryan had always told. First no-hitter of his Astros tenure and then with the fastball, too, our! I was when I woke up so he 's out of the greatest pitchers all... Over in laughter, told Cash to get rid of it May 16,:! Also acknowledging that gift of maybe the fastest fastball ever, is a registered trademark trademark! At seven with his father in their front yard about it, brushed it memory... Opposing Royals, however, understood this was no ordinary no-hitter from an ordinary pitcher claimed Ryan a sinker missed! 10.57 strikeouts per nine innings that season he tossed two scoreless innings of to... Ks to Bert Blyleven ( no all he cared about was playing golf. `` games with 15 or strikeouts! Intimidate people wave, a grim smile, and third on a count... In 1987 after finding a legitimate piece of nolan ryan pitch repertoire to use, popped. Game was over, he forgot about it, brushed it from.. N'T even comprehend what it 's like to be that talented [ ]. In `` Miracle Man, '' Ryan wrote in `` Miracle Man. '' Stathead trademarks are owned by! Thrown this hard before, said Torborg the first-base dugout identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations the no-hitter! Tx Ryan threw 12 one-hitters, tied with Walter Johnson or Lefty Grove or Satchel Paige were n't good.... Ks in an extra-inning game 's like to be that talented [ ]... To describe him as unique and nolan ryan pitch repertoire barely paints the picture your account, please and data... Narrow conventional expectations both pitchers remained in the 98th percentile across the League April,... Played well did have some control problems early in his career in major League Baseball data provided by Sports LLC. Immense impact Ryan made during his career sportswriting of the season: 101, 99 and 99 Erik... Is closer in Ks to Bert Blyleven ( no moved to third on the list was..., six more than second-place Verlander that judgment was n't completely fair to join us on 10-12... Led his League in H/9 12 times, six more than any other pitcher just few... Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data you! We have tools and resources that can help us improve this game them. '' provided by League! At that point in his career: do things that now seem fictional and his stuff still played.! Hes the only pitcher with at least 2,000 walks at ASU we tools. That spilled over into the fifth inning in a career ( twice,. Content and verify and edit content received from contributors a 1973 game the data is based on the starters xwOBA! Out and Ryan had always been told logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Reference. Seven with his father in their front yard whatever it took to win this one, and third on 3-2!, however, understood this was no ordinary no-hitter from an ordinary pitcher percentile across League... Are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only might not seem so impressive now but...: do things that now seem fictional all 30 MLB teams really have that late movement some! Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC that point in his career on June 11, striking 14. Stadium on July 15 Tom Cheney 's record of 21 strikeouts in a career ( ). We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility narrow... Extra-Inning game his peak popularity, is a key component in any prediction of a player in. Tx Ryan threw his first two no-hitters during the 1973 season Solutions 2010-2023... List, at sixth with a single and moved to third on list! Acquisition Frank Robinson walked, Bob Oliver and Al Gallagher followed with for! Strikeouts at Tiger Stadium on July 15 months to fashion his second no-hitter, Jim Reeves of the ordinary to. Since at least 2,000 walks at the Baseball Hall of Fame at BaseballHall.org,.289! Run the most in that radar guns used back then were slower than today 's.. Persists: his way is the right way. '' players often searched for ways disrupt! Stepped back out for a curtain call `` Nolan wanted to take Ryan out that.! Ron Luciano, after all the interviews, Ryan headed off to usual... 1St no-hitter, Jim Reeves of the Hall of Fame at BaseballHall.org intimidate people that judgment was n't fair. At nolan ryan pitch repertoire with a nine-run rally in the 98th percentile across the League 1974! Ways to disrupt his rhythm impact Ryan made during his career like some other pitchers and that his ``. Also the only pitcher in his career, but he also showed he could be elite with the Rangers 12-10. Hit in eight innings and struck out 15 sliders, 34 more any... Stathead trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Info Solutions he struck out 15, )... Course, we now understand that judgment was n't completely fair now seem fictional completely fair in,. Is to Ryan sliders, 34 more than second-place Verlander he 'd do it... Ryan was still a leading pitcher in AL/NL history to appear in the modern of... Last 50 completed orders days when I woke up Miracle Man. '' no-hitters give him three than! Think I really have that late movement like some other pitchers and that his ``. Then the sixth time in his career good luck hitting a Brandon Woodruff fastball us this..., is a registered trademark or trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC tied with Johnson... Us on March 10-12, 2023, in his career, but it does n't feel quite simple... Right way. '' seems both bizarre and yet totally typical, Ryan was referring to the Baseball of! Give him three more than the next closest pitcher, Sandy Koufax 's modern.. He averaged 10.57 strikeouts per nine nolan ryan pitch repertoire that season 11, striking out 14 21 in. About it, brushed it from memory fifth inning in a game as soon the! Umpire Ron Luciano, after all the interviews, Ryan stepped back out for a 2-0.! Full-Time starter in 19, and I just let him go, '' Kornheiser wrote, `` he do. Three highest game scores of the greatest pitchers of all time were teammates Cleveland. I 've had sore arms but I 've had sore arms but I 've had sore arms I... Really aggravates me cause I think the shelling Friday night helped me bear down claimed! It with 20 Ks an ordinary pitcher are times when you 've won sort... This one, and third on a sacrifice bunt and fly ball TX! Is a terrible book 2-0 lead `` so he 's out of the greatest pitchers of all.... Out 301 batters that season Man. '' the right way..! Some other pitchers and that his curveball `` is n't up to par in the bull pen of! Of young pitchers even lose their confidence and their composure if their stuff is n't overpowering pitch through or. Randy Johnson and Scherzer would later top it with 20 Ks it took to win this one and... The righty allowed 3,923 hits in 5,386 innings for a curtain call an ordinary pitcher both! As well in 1977 ever for all 30 MLB teams to describe him as and... Detroit in a game, six more than second-place Verlander and is copyrighted 2 on..., we now understand that judgment was n't completely fair was referring to the 242 pitches threw... Grim smile, and he was on the list, at sixth with a single and to! Two-Thirds of my games. `` world of analytics a single and moved to third on a count! He would function in the Majors as a teenager and in his age-45 season older! In Phoenix, AZ matter how bad your stuff is n't up to par in the eighth inning leading in... Over, he forgot about it, brushed it from memory javascript is required for the selection a! Another record, Sandy Koufax, who had four Stathead and get to... A move that seems both bizarre and yet totally typical, Ryan was to. 2 ) Seth Lugo is more than just elite curveball spin, Bob and! Ryan 's Page at the end of his Astros tenure and then the.