Sports Then and Now

Nolan Ryan is often celebrated by some as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, largely due to his extraordinary career longevity, record-setting strikeouts, and seven no-hitters. However, other baseball analysts and fans debate his status as an all-time great pitcher, pointing to several key factors that might detract from his worthiness of high praise. Let’s explore these factors to understand why Nolan Ryan might not be universally regarded as an all-time great pitcher.

1. Win-Loss Record

Ryan’s career win-loss record stands at 324-292, which, while impressive in terms of total wins, reflects a relatively high number of losses. The victory total also reflects that he pitched for 27 seasons, meaning his average season record was just 14-13. The .526 winning percentage is not as dominant as other legendary pitchers, and his record suggests that despite his individual brilliance, his teams did not always convert his performances into victories. In comparison, pitchers like Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford, Jim Palmer, and Bob Gibson have much higher winning percentages, indicating more consistent success in leading their teams to wins.

Over the last two decades the importance of individual win-loss records for pitchers has been downgraded, but that was not the case during the era in which Ryan pitched. Like most pitchers from the 1970s, Ryan was expected to both start and finish a large portion of his starts. Ryan registered 222 career complete games, including 156 in an eight year stretch between 1972 and 1979.

2. Control Issues

One of the most significant critiques of Ryan’s career is his control issues. He holds the MLB record for career walks with 2,795, a reflection of his frequent struggles with command. By comparison, Steve Carlton is second all-time with 1,833 career base on balls allowed. This high walk total often put him in difficult situations, leading to increased pitch counts and shorter outings. While his overpowering fastball helped him get out of many jams, the walks limited his efficiency and effectiveness.

3. Lack of Cy Young Awards

Despite his longevity and dominance in certain aspects of pitching, Ryan never won a Cy Young Award, the honor given to the best pitchers in the league. This absence is often cited as a significant gap in his accolades, especially when compared to contemporaries like Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton, and Jim Palmer, who each won multiple Cy Young Awards. Ryan finished in the top three of the Cy Young voting only three times in his career and received votes only eight times in 27 seasons, suggesting that while he was excellent, he was rarely seen as the very best in any single season.

After their miracle season in 1969, the Mets remained a contender for the next five years.

Bob Scheffing was promoted to the Mets General Manager after the untimely death of Johnny Murphy in January 1970. The Mets had just come off their “Miracle” season of 1969 with their first Playoff, World Series and Championship in its brief seven-year history.

The two sided answer to the question, was 1969 a fluke? That would be answered in the next coming months as the Mets prepared for yet another Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida where they shared the training facilities with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bob Scheffing came to the Mets organization after a career as a player with a little over 500 games with the Cubs, Reds, and Cardinals. A rather pedestrian .263 career lifetime average set no fires blazing in that realm. He managed both the Cubs and the Tigers, did a little broadcasting and some scouting before becoming the Mets GM.

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