STATISTCAL TRANSCENDENCE #3: Nolan Ryan

[Mr. Friscus]

Nolan Ryan is an odd bird when discussing the greatest pitchers of all time. While he was clearly a top 3 pitcher his entire career, he actually never won a Cy Young. There were arguably 2-3 years where, had there not been clear bias, he should have won... but that was shocking to me.

Let's look at all-time Strikeouts:
1. Nolan Ryan 5,714
2. Randy Johnson 4,875
3. Roger Clemens 4,672
4. Steve Carlton 4,136
5. Bert Blyleven 3,701

Ryan is 15% higher than the next highest pitcher in MLB history in strikeouts.

7 no-hitters, 3 above 2nd place who is Sandy Koufax
Led the league 11 times in strikouts
Struck out 383 in 1973, the most ever since 1900.
Pitched in 4 decades. 1966-1993
Struck out over 200 batters 5 times in his 40's, there are only 4 other 200 K seasons by over 40 players in MLB history

Fun fact: Nolan Ryan pitched to Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds

Nolan Ryan is an anomale in baseball pitching. I think the proper way to view him is that he was absolutely dominant in a generation/era that viewed Win-Loss by a pitcher as the tell-all. By today's metrics, knowing that a pitchers W/L can be decieving, Ryan would have won multiple Cy young awards.

Some people accumulate stats over time and it seems trivial or padding. Ryan was a top 3 pitcher for nearly all of his career which spanned a LONG lifespan... he wasn't a stat padder, his K record will never be touched. Of course, much of this is because current players are held to sub 100 pitch counts and aren't allowed to do what Nolan did. However, Nolan did what he did at a level so high above others who weren't being held back.

Even if today's studs were allowed to finish games when they wanted, none of them.. not MadBum, not Sherzer, not Verlander, not Kershaw... none of them would touch Nolan Ryan. He's on an entirely different planet.

He has achieved... STATISTICAL TRANSCENDENCE

 

[Yarddog]

Yeah, I remember watching that Knuckle ball he threw, and I thought there was a glitch in my TV screen.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Yeah, I remember watching that Knuckle ball he threw, and I thought there was a glitch in my TV screen.

I don't recall Nolan Ryan throwing a knuckle ball... source?

 

[westwall]

Ryan didn't use the knuckleball, he DID have a wicked curve though!

 

[Oddball]

Nolan Ryan is an odd bird when discussing the greatest pitchers of all time. While he was clearly a top 3 pitcher his entire career, he actually never won a Cy Young. There were arguably 2-3 years where, had there not been clear bias, he should have won... but that was shocking to me.

Let's look at all-time Strikeouts:
1. Nolan Ryan 5,714
2. Randy Johnson 4,875
3. Roger Clemens 4,672
4. Steve Carlton 4,136
5. Bert Blyleven 3,701

Ryan is 15% higher than the next highest pitcher in MLB history in strikeouts.

7 no-hitters, 3 above 2nd place who is Sandy Koufax
Led the league 11 times in strikouts
Struck out 383 in 1973, the most ever since 1900.
Pitched in 4 decades. 1966-1993
Struck out over 200 batters 5 times in his 40's, there are only 4 other 200 K seasons by over 40 players in MLB history

Fun fact: Nolan Ryan pitched to Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds

Nolan Ryan is an anomale in baseball pitching. I think the proper way to view him is that he was absolutely dominant in a generation/era that viewed Win-Loss by a pitcher as the tell-all. By today's metrics, knowing that a pitchers W/L can be decieving, Ryan would have won multiple Cy young awards.

Some people accumulate stats over time and it seems trivial or padding. Ryan was a top 3 pitcher for nearly all of his career which spanned a LONG lifespan... he wasn't a stat padder, his K record will never be touched. Of course, much of this is because current players are held to sub 100 pitch counts and aren't allowed to do what Nolan did. However, Nolan did what he did at a level so high above others who weren't being held back.

Even if today's studs were allowed to finish games when they wanted, none of them.. not MadBum, not Sherzer, not Verlander, not Kershaw... none of them would touch Nolan Ryan. He's on an entirely different planet.

He has achieved... STATISTICAL TRANSCENDENCE

Ryan did all that after the mound height was lowered in 1969.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Ryan did all that after the mound height was lowered in 1969.

based on modern measuring techniques, his fastest fastball is estimated at like 107 mph

 

[Winco]

I have over 100 Ryan BB cards, including his Rookie Card.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Nolan Ryan is an odd bird when discussing the greatest pitchers of all time. While he was clearly a top 3 pitcher his entire career, he actually never won a Cy Young. There were arguably 2-3 years where, had there not been clear bias, he should have won... but that was shocking to me.

Let's look at all-time Strikeouts:
1. Nolan Ryan 5,714
2. Randy Johnson 4,875
3. Roger Clemens 4,672
4. Steve Carlton 4,136
5. Bert Blyleven 3,701

Ryan is 15% higher than the next highest pitcher in MLB history in strikeouts.

7 no-hitters, 3 above 2nd place who is Sandy Koufax
Led the league 11 times in strikouts
Struck out 383 in 1973, the most ever since 1900.
Pitched in 4 decades. 1966-1993
Struck out over 200 batters 5 times in his 40's, there are only 4 other 200 K seasons by over 40 players in MLB history

Fun fact: Nolan Ryan pitched to Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds

Nolan Ryan is an anomale in baseball pitching. I think the proper way to view him is that he was absolutely dominant in a generation/era that viewed Win-Loss by a pitcher as the tell-all. By today's metrics, knowing that a pitchers W/L can be decieving, Ryan would have won multiple Cy young awards.

Some people accumulate stats over time and it seems trivial or padding. Ryan was a top 3 pitcher for nearly all of his career which spanned a LONG lifespan... he wasn't a stat padder, his K record will never be touched. Of course, much of this is because current players are held to sub 100 pitch counts and aren't allowed to do what Nolan did. However, Nolan did what he did at a level so high above others who weren't being held back.

Even if today's studs were allowed to finish games when they wanted, none of them.. not MadBum, not Sherzer, not Verlander, not Kershaw... none of them would touch Nolan Ryan. He's on an entirely different planet.

He has achieved... STATISTICAL TRANSCENDENCE

He was my favourite pitcher and many of hjs records won't be broken, I think you can add one hitters too. Also, look how many games he has !ost (3rd most.in histlory!). If only he had played on some better teams.

 

[Harry Dresden]

i seen him pitch in person i dont know how many times....he lost a lot of 1 run games including games were he only allowed 2-3 hits.....he had a no hitter against the White Sox after 8 innings and lost the game in the 9th on an error and an unearned run 2-1....

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Yeah, I remember watching that Knuckle ball he threw, and I thought there was a glitch in my TV screen.

That was his change up

 

[rightwinger]

Ryan wasn’t even the best pitcher of his era

Carlton, Seaver, Maddox and Clemons were better

He didn’t win Cy Youngs because he was never the best pitcher in any year. He was close several times

He was a stat machine. But a strikeout counts the same as a groundout. A no hitter counts the same as a shutout.

 

[Votto]

Yeah, I remember watching that Knuckle ball he threw, and I thought there was a glitch in my TV screen.

Nolan threw 100 mph fast balls till he was 90.

He is not really human ya know.

Must be nice

 

[Votto]

Ryan wasn’t even the best pitcher of his era

Carlton, Seaver and Clemons were better

He didn’t win Cy Youngs because he was never the best pitcher in any year. He was close several times

He was a stat machine. But a strikeout counts the same as a groundout. A no hitter counts the same as a shutout.

There was a window where Ryan was unhittable, although brief like most pitchers.

But in terms of longevity and effectiveness, he stands alone with the most no hitters in MLB history, a record that will never be broken.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Ryan wasn’t even the best pitcher of his era

Carlton, Seaver, Maddox and Clemons were better

He didn’t win Cy Youngs because he was never the best pitcher in any year. He was close several times

He was a stat machine. But a strikeout counts the same as a groundout. A no hitter counts the same as a shutout.

if he was on a better team he would have won a couple of times.....

 

[rightwinger]

if he was on a better team he would have won a couple of times.....

Some of those Angels teams were not that bad
Houston had a great team

 

[Harry Dresden]

Some of those Angels teams were not that bad
Houston had a great team

those not that bad angel teams finished 4,5 and 6th in their division....in 1972 he was 19-16 with a 2.28 ERA ....6x he allowed 2 runs or less and still lost because the not so bad Angels could not score a single run in any of those games....this happened quite a few times with that not so bad Angels teams in the 70's.........

 

[rightwinger]

those not that bad angel teams finished 4,5 and 6th in their division....in 1972 he was 19-16 with a 2.28 ERA ....6x he allowed 2 runs or less and still lost because the not so bad Angels could not score a single run in any of those games....this happened quite a few times with that not so bad Angels teams in the 70's.........

1972 was one of Ryan’s best year

Gaylord Perry won Cy Young
24-16
1.92 ERA
.978 WHIP

Nolan Ryan
19-16
2.28 ERA
1.137 WHIP

 

[Harry Dresden]

1972 was one of Ryan’s best year

Gaylord Perry won Cy Young
24-16
1.92 ERA
.978 WHIP

Nolan Ryan
19-16
2.28 ERA
1.137 WHIP

ok so whats your point?....

 

[rightwinger]

ok so whats your point?....

My point is that Ryan never had a Cy Young season

 

[Harry Dresden]

My point is that Ryan never had a Cy Young season

my point is the man lost many 1 run games while giving up 2-3 hits...and maybe a run.....including the 6 in 1972.....if ryan was on the A's or reds of the 70's he would have won a few....