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2. Nolan Ryan

2. Nolan Ryan
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: January 31, 1947 in Refugio, TX USA
  • Weight: 170 lbs.
  • Height: 6'2"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: September 11, 1966
  • Final Game: September 22, 1993
  • TSN All-Star - 1977
  • TSN Pitcher of the Year - 1977
  • Cy Young - 1972
  • Cy Young - 1973
  • Cy Young - 1974
  • Cy Young - 1977
  • Cy Young - 1981
  • Cy Young - 1983
  • Cy Young - 1987
  • Cy Young - 1989
  • MVP - 1972
  • MVP - 1973
  • MVP - 1974
  • MVP - 1977
  • MVP - 1981
  • MVP - 1989
  • MVP - 1990
 
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Nolan Ryan was one of three players who the New York Mets traded to get Jim Fregosi.  With all due respect to Fregosi, his best years were behind him, and Ryan, however, was about to break out.

The Ryan Express came to California in 1972, where he went to his first All-Star Game and had first in leading the league in Strikeouts (32) and H/9 (5.3).  Eager to prove that it was no fluke, Ryan fanned 383 batters in 1973, one more than Sandy Koufax did in 1965, and breaking the modern mark.  Finishing second for the Cy Young that year, Ryan was third in Cy Young voting with 367 Ks, and his second straight 20 Win season.

After slipping in 1975, Ryan was back to being the most dominant flamethrower in baseball, leading the American League in Strikeouts annually from 1976 and 1979.  He was a five-time All-Star with the Angels, with a 138-121 record and 2,416 Strikeouts.

Ryan signed with the Houston Astros in 1979, and the native Texan stayed there until 1989, when he played for Texas for five years.  Ryan will always be most associated with those two teams, but it was what he did in California that he first showed that he was an elite Pitcher, and he had some of his best seasons there.

In 1992, the Angels inducted him into their Hall of Fame and retired his number 30.  Ryan entered the Angels Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Pitcher
  • Acquired: Traded from the New York Mets with Frank Estrada, Don Rose, and Leroy Stanton for Jim Fregosi 12/10/71.
  • Departed:

    Signed as a Free Agent with the Houston Astros 11/19/79.

  • Games Played: 291
  • Notable Statistics:

    138 Wins
    121 Losses
    3.07 ERA
    288 Games Started
    156 Complete Games
    40 Shutouts
    3 Games Finished
    2,181.1 Innings Pitched
    2,416 Strikeouts
    2.94 FIP
    1.294 WHIP
    1.86 SO/BB
    40.2 bWAR

    1 Playoff Game
    0 WIns
    0 Losses
    1.29 ERA
    1 Game Started
    7 Innings Pitched
    8 Strikeouts
    1.00 WHIP
    2.67 SO/BB

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    The Sproting News Pitcher of the Year (1977)
    All-Star (1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 & 1979)
    Lowest H/9 (1972, 1974, 1976, 1977 & 1979)
    Highest SO/9 (1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978 & 1979)
    Most Innings Pitched (1974)
    Most Strikeouts (1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978 & 1979)
    Most Complete Games (1977)
    Most Shutouts (1973, 1976 & 1979)

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