Making sense of Nolan Ryan's stats and a belated hello

[moogpowell]

Thanks for the kind and well considered responses. A few more thoughts on Ryan. What I find most admirable about Ryan as a player is his longevity, playing 27 years, his fearsome disposition and competitive spirit. Also, someone tweeted that Nolan Ryan’s ERA was 3.09 the year the Beatle's White Album came out in 1968. It was 2.91 the year Nirvana released Nevermind in 1991.

His popularity straddles vast geographic and chronological swaths. From the ‘60s to the ‘90s and playing in Texas, California and New York he has fans from all over so his collecting appeal makes sense. I just maintain that as a player he is likely overrated and if not objectively then definitely relative to others mentioned here.

I will be the first to say though that his cards are the best looking in the aggregate of any player I can think of. Not just because he is a handsome fellow but his action shots are consistently great to look at. A few come to mind instantly like 1974 and 1980 among others mentioned below.

The seven no-hitters are incredible but does that record really mean much? A no-hitter, as remarkable as it is, adds up to a single win. As for all-time leader in strikeouts, again, amazing, but what IS the importance of a strikeout? How is a strikeout say better than a pop out to an infielder? The strikeout suggests dominance yet is ultimately a glamor stat that gets the blood pumping more than a pop out yet is it (materially) better if at all? And look at the dizzying amount of walks. I would much rather have Maddux, Carlton or Palmer in my rotation.

Anyway, I hardly mean to bash Ryan. I fully appreciate his appeal but for a pitcher who never won a Cy Young and was wilder than a bucking bronco on amphetamines I would rather invest in players who by my estimation offer better bang for the buck given current card prices.