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Monday, October 13, 2008

Texas Rangers’ president takes aim at pitchers

For the 15 years between retiring as the world’s greatest living pitcher and taking on the task of reforming the world’s worst living pitching staff, Nolan Ryan was – and is – a cattle rancher.

“I wouldn’t ask anybody to do anything I wouldn’t be willing to do,” Ryan says. “I look at the Rangers’ pitching the same way.”

That approach helps explain why Ryan has become perhaps the first sitting president in Rangers history to visit the Instructional League.

Still living when Nolan Ryan retired: Bert Blyleven, Steve Carlton, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Feller, Bob Gibson, Ferguson Jenkins, Hal Newhouser, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Robin Roberts, and Tom Seaver.  Still, it’s a pretty good article.

sptaylor Posted: October 13, 2008 at 01:02 AM | 4 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
  Related News: GeneralTexas

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   1. Ivan Grushenko of Hong Kong Posted: October 13, 2008 at 04:28 AM (#2980344)
Isn't the defense even worse than the pitching? SS, 3B, CF -- I'd fix those first.
   2. Walt Davis Posted: October 13, 2008 at 05:26 AM (#2980353)
Still living when Nolan Ryan retired: Bert Blyleven, Steve Carlton, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Feller, Bob Gibson, Ferguson Jenkins, Hal Newhouser, Phil Niekro, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Robin Roberts, and Tom Seaver.

Also Warren Spahn.

And Sandy Koufax.

Also Hoyt Wilhelm, Whitey Ford, Juan Marichal though those guys are only questionably better than Ryan.

Also Roger Clemens had 2200+ IP and an ERA+ of 145.

Dennis Eckersley?

Man, I can only imagine the kind of numbers Ryan could have put up as a 1-inning reliever.
   3. Fancy Pants Handle is the AntAgonizer Posted: October 13, 2008 at 07:02 AM (#2980357)
Texas Rangers’ president takes aim at pitchers


Pitchers duck and cover.
   4. fra paolo Posted: October 13, 2008 at 12:31 PM (#2980389)
They have to believe they can be successful in Arlington. They have to know they are capable of throwing more pitches and working through trouble.

While he's doing that, maybe he should see about making them believe they can be successful against left-handed batters. The problem looks worse, there.

2008 FIP
home 4.74 (league 4.14)
away 4.76 (league 4.43)
vs LH 5.03 (league 4.39)
vs RH 3.56 (league 4.19)

Consequently, Rangers' pitchers faced a few more left-handers than league average. (1 percent to be exact, not much but still...)
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