The 100 Greatest Angels: # 2 Nolan Ryan

by Rev Halofan on Mar 1, 2006 12:14 AM PST in 100 Top Angels

#2 Nolan Ryan, RH SP

Think about it for a minute or two.

Nolan Ryan was the Angels for the 1970s.

Can you think of another player who, had he not been an Angel, that the franchise itself might have folded or moved?

Nolan Ryan carried the team for almost a decade. Easily the greatest baseball player so far to ever wear the Angels uniform, he sustained the fan base and the media attention in an otherwise empty decade.

He singlehandedly separated the team from the bottom two-thirds of the majors simply by showing up.

He was the first superstar. Only Vlad and Reggie come close to the electric greatness his very presence on the team meant.

Nolan Ryan's Single Season Angel Records:

22 Wins in 1974 (tied with Clyde Wright)

Fewest Hits Per 9IP:
5.26 in 1972

10.57 K/9 in 1973

332.2 IP in 1974

383 Ks in 1973
the all time Major League mark

41 Games Started in 1974

26 complete games in 1973

Of course, among the Single season leader boards, his name is speckled amidst all of these categories for many seasons, as well as being edged out for the leadership in a category by a player who se name only appears that once, while Ryan has as many as 7 of the Top Ten records in said category.

As far as leading the franchise, Ryan still holds some impressive records.
Nolan Ryan's Angel Franchise Records:

156 complete games
next closest, Frank Tanana with 92

40 Shutouts
next closest, Tanana with 24

2,416 strikeouts
Chuck Finley had 2,151 and Mike Witt had the 3rd most with 1,283

And these are just the categories in which Ryan holds the lead - he is all over the leaderboards in counting stats as well as averaged-out numbers.

The only thing bad about the guy that can be said is that he is not wearing an Angels cap in Cooperstown.

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Comments

re: Rankings

The list has been a worthwhile enterprise keeping me involved and thinking about my own rankings. It has been fun reminiesing about some of my favorite Angel moments.

But, I am really looking forward to how the Tim Salmon write up justifies his being ahead of Ryan, Fregosi, or Grich.

"He was the first superstar."

Even more insults. If players like Albie Pearson, Daddy Wags, and Dean Chance didn't have long enough careers to be considered superstars, at least someone should know how to spell Fregosi.

Back in the 70s, a lot of people thought that Fregosi was never adequately replaced. A long time went by, before people starting mentioning Ryan as being up there with him.

by Barca on Mar 1, 2006 6:40 AM PST 0 recs

This one-time 12 year old...

lived and died with every base on ball, strikeout, near no-hitter, bone chip, soap opera appearance (Ryan's Hope), etc. of this great man.

Nolan Ryan for president!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 1, 2006 7:18 AM PST 0 recs

Ryan vs. Fregosi

A long time went by, before people starting mentioning Ryan as being up there with him.

As much as I like Fregosi, I don't think a season went by before most insiders and fans realized the Angels had gotten the best of the Mets. Ryan was on his way to greatness in 1972 while Fregosi was on the downside of his career.

The Fregosi for Ryan trade still ranks as the best deal in the history of the Angels.

by RALederer on Mar 1, 2006 8:23 AM PST 0 recs

Yes, but bittersweet too

As Fregosi was my favorite player until Ryan came along. I am sure that I am not the only one like that.

Nolan Ryan for president!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 1, 2006 8:41 AM PST up 0 recs

Nolie

Nolan Ryan was my first favorite player. He also was the favorite player of everyone of my family members. Thus, my first boy will be named Nolan Ryan. I was all geared up three months ago to name my first child NR, only for that baby to come out a girl. And my wife was not having that.

by WiseAndEck on Mar 1, 2006 10:02 AM PST 0 recs

You still could have named her Lynn!

by Roger on Mar 1, 2006 10:56 AM PST up 0 recs

I didn't name my son Nolan Ryan

because there was already another baby in our circle of friends named Nolan. I haven't seen that family since my boy was one, so I am kicking myself that I let what someone else's kid was called guide my decision. My son's middle name is Ryan instead, but I feel cheated.

Nolan Ryan for president!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 1, 2006 11:21 AM PST up 0 recs

Do I remember correctly?

A few months back in the diaries section, it was mentioned by Rev (I think) that Nolan would not be included in this list?

For the record, I'm glad he is, and looking forward to reading the reasons as to why Salmon is ahead of him.

How bout for the next countdown: Top Over-rated guys/Busts in Halo History?

by Grich4mvp on Mar 1, 2006 10:21 AM PST 0 recs

Favorite Nolan stat

In his career, he had CGs of 4 or fewer hits 96 times. That's about three full seasons' worth of starts where the opposition had little chance to win. (Well, SHOULD have had little chance, anyway.) Since 156 of his 222 career CG (70%) were as an Angel, I think it's fair to assume that most of these games came with an "A" on his cap.

by Roger on Mar 1, 2006 11:18 AM PST 0 recs

If you look at the box scores

for Ryan games, it is amazing how many times he lost when he allowed 2 or less earned runs. The guy should have 350 wins!

Nolan Ryan for president!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 1, 2006 11:22 AM PST up 0 recs

Subject:

100+ games with 10+ Ks. I read that off his 1978 baseball card.

Eat My Angel Dust.

by Angels95 on Mar 1, 2006 12:07 PM PST up 0 recs

I almost saw him break that record

I had tickets (still do) to the game when Ryan broke Koufax's record for most games with 10 or more K's. I think it was in '77 or '78, but I'm not sure. Anyway, the tickets went unused because it was a July 4th game and my parents insisted that I stay home and celebrate with the family.

Nolan Ryan for president!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 1, 2006 4:10 PM PST up 0 recs

The irony...

The last team Ryan ever faced in the big leagues was the Angels. His last strike out was Greg Meyers.

"Driven in to right-center field... Erstad says he has it..."

by mheumann on Mar 1, 2006 12:40 PM PST 0 recs

Mariners were the last team

Nolan Ryan's last game was on 09/22/93 @ Seattle. Ryan gave up 2 hits, 4 walks, and 5 earned runs. The last hit off of Ryan was a grand slam home run by Dann Howitt. That made the score 5-0. Ryan went 2-0 on the next batter, Dave Magadan, before hurting his shoulder and being replaced. Steve Dreyer came in to pitch and walked Magadan. The walk was credited to Ryan but the last pitch was thrown by Dreyer. For that he got an ice cream named after him! The Mariners won the game 7-4.

Many of the walk-up fans in this 40,184 crowd at Seattle's King Dome had not yet entered the stadium when Ryan was forced to exit because of injury. Yes, the last out Ryan recorded was against the Angels. On 09/17/93 Ryan pitched 7 innings and had a no decision against the Halos. The Angels pushed over a run in the 8th inning so that Chuck Finley could get a 2-1 win. An Anaheim Stadium crowd of 60,236 bid Nolan farewell. I would hazard a guess that a few readers here at Halo's Heaven were at that game. Not me. I was in the first year of a 4 1/2 year sojourn in Nepal. I did watch Ryan's last inning at Seattle on videotape.

by Yetijuice on Mar 1, 2006 10:56 PM PST up 0 recs

I was in Europe

and read all about in USA TODAY. Ryan heard something go POP in his arm on the grand slam pitch i recall reading.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 1, 2006 11:02 PM PST up 0 recs

I was there

and doesn't the fact that he lost 2-1 kind of sum up the reason's he didn't win more games?

Nolan Ryan for president!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 2, 2006 11:26 AM PST up 0 recs

Salmon #1

Just seems a little too 'Disneyland' to me. He was on the active roster for one year of playoffs. The highest he ever was in MVP voting was 7th. Consistently above average is a great way to sum up his career, which is awesome, but #1 in our team's history is tough to swallow. (Especially since unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of guys to combat him with.) Throw in all the money he's earned the last few years while providing us nothing and it makes it even tougher. Ironically, with the Angels new philosophy of not holding on to the veterans on their downsides and giving younger guys a shot, they probably internally call this 'the Tim Salmon rule.'

On the other hand...

That one year he was in the playoffs was their only championship. He was pretty solid in the Yankee series hitting 2 HRs and .263, although he had 5 ks. He was basically dreadful in the Twins series. Then came the WS, where he turned back the clock and went .346/.452/.615 on SF's asses! 2 more HRs (we won't even mention the 7 ks with those stats) Plus, he played his entire career (at least up to this point) for the Angels. Although with the new Angel philosophy this will hardly be possible for any new players and it won't be their decision.

To sum it up. We have found the recipe to have unconditional love from the Angel fan base and be ranked #1 overall. Have a consistently above average career and play your entire career for the Angels. Be on the downturn of that career right as the team wins their 1st title, and have a renaissance series in that World Series, mix in one victory lap, and voila, all time team MVP and free pass. (Disclaimer so I'm not the next Grover: I do love Tim Salmon, and he's definitely top 5, probably top 3, just detailing out my opinions on him)

by thewebb on Mar 1, 2006 12:45 PM PST 0 recs

Tell it to the diary

I am going to make a diary for the Ryan/Salmon comparisons.

And you are not a grover for dissenting.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 1, 2006 12:49 PM PST up 0 recs

Damn, Rev

Your rep as a fascist just took a beating...

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

by scareduck on Mar 1, 2006 12:54 PM PST up 0 recs

Fascist?

Caligula was hardly a fascist - didn't he appoint his horse as a senator - talk about democratic!

by Rev Halofan on Mar 1, 2006 12:55 PM PST up 0 recs

Why Salmon is #1, A Preview

I'm sure we'll get the reasons listed on this site but here is a primer on why Salmon is #1:

#1 Career Slugging
#1 Career OPS
#1 Career Runs
#1 Career Home Runs
#1 Career Base on Balls
#1 Career Runs Created

1995 - Best Single Season OPS is Angel History (1.024)

He also led the team in OPS for 6 seasons.

Aside from all the career accolades above he is also #2 in just about every other hitting category (behind Garrett Anderson).

by AngelMark on Mar 1, 2006 1:44 PM PST up 0 recs

Nolan

In 1974, I was 14 and I lived in New Jersey, where my dad was in the Air Force. The base arranged a group trip to Yankee Stadium, where it had already been annonced that it was being closed for renovations (I bet they wish they had foreseen the luxury box craze). My dad, my two brothers and I went.

We totally scored on the tickets: 5th row behind the 3rd base dugout. 1974 was not a vintage Yankee year, to say the least! So, who should be pitching for the Angels that night but Nolan Ryan? Since I had moved around so much as an AF brat, I had no team that I called my own. By the time I walked on the bus to go home that night, I did.

One of the greatest injustices in the history of awards giving in baseball was 1973. Sorry if I get the facts wrong, can't be bothered to look 'em up, but Nolan had 22 wins, pitched two no-hitters, came close many times more and set the single season strikeout record that many people at the time considered one tier below Jolting Joe's 56 game hitting streak in "will never be broken" status.

And he lost the Cy Young Award to the dull but steady Jim Palmer. It was the 16 losses and the walks that did him in.

If you look at the box scores for Ryan games, it is amazing how many times he lost when he allowed 2 or less earned runs. The guy should have 350 wins!

EXACTLY! Another factor: no closer to speak of, so they simply left him in when he wasn't pitching well or was tired and he'd get rocked in the 9th inning.

I was on some baseball board the other day and Nolan Ryan came up. Someone claimed Nolan should not be in the HoF because of his losses and walks. I went postal (well, as much as you can on a message board). I wrote "You're 22, have lived in Queens your entire life and are a Yankee fan. You have no idea how awful those Angels teams were before ca. 1978 that he pitched for. If they'd had even moderate talent, he could have easily won 30 games a year, he was that dominant".

People on the board didn't really have an opinion one way or the other about his stats, but they LOVED the fact that he had pimpsmacked the younger Robin Ventura.

by Jim on Mar 1, 2006 2:22 PM PST 0 recs

Von Ryan's Express

Nolan Ryan was the best pitcher I've seen in my life, and I've seen some good fastballers(Feller, Wynn, Mcdowell, Perry, Carlton, Seaver, Clemens, Johnson, Pedro). If you look at Ryan's career stat sheet it reads like someone from the early years of baseball. 27yrs, 5386IP, 5714K, 22,575BFP, 28.6avg. starts/yr. You could take 90 of his losses and put them in the win column(lack of run support) and he's over 400. I don't blame you for going postal.

by wildchile on Jun 4, 2006 1:25 AM PDT up 0 recs

Ryan Low Hit Games

Here is a list of low-hit (3 hits or less) games I saw Nolan Ryan pitch:

Date Hits Team Opp Result

06/01/75 0 Cal Bal W 1-0 CG ShO
05/13/75 2 Cal NYY W 5-0 CG ShO
08/31/72 3 Cal Det W 4-0 CG ShO
04/20/76 3 Cal Bal W 5-0 CG ShO
09/05/76 3 Cal Oak W 3-2 CG
09/20/76 3 Cal Tex W 1-0 CG ShO
07/06/89 3 Tex Cal W 3-0 CG ShO

Overall at games I went to Ryan sported a 16-8 record with 7 shutouts. When Ryan was on he was dominating!

by Yetijuice on Mar 1, 2006 9:59 PM PST 0 recs