Nolan Ryan’s Running Rangers Just Like He Pitched For Them

Added on Oct 07, 2010 by Ted Sillanpaa in

MLB

President and part-time owner Nolan Ryan might be making a bigger impact in the front office than he did on it for the Texas Rangers
Ryan finished his Hall of Fame career with the Rangers, retiring in 1993, but not until he became the face of a traditionally woeful franchise.
“The Rangers gained legitimacy as a major league franchise the day they signed Nolan Ryan,” Texas radio announcer Eric Naedel told the Associated Press. “That was crucial in the history of the franchise.”
After more than a decade of mediocrity, and sinking financial, the Rangers were up for sale in 2008. Ryan headed a group that purchased the franchise and went about the business of building a winner.
It appears that Ryan, the team executive, is as effective as he was on the mound in Texas.
The American League West champion Rangers opened the American League Division Series on Wednesday by surprising the Tampa Bay Rays, on the road, 5-1.
Cliff Lee, acquired in a summer deal with the Seattle Mariners, pitched seven masterful innings for the Rangers. He struck out 10 and retired 16 of 17 batters at one point.
It was a Ryan-like performance by the left-hander.
Meanwhile, the Rangers took advantage of Rays’ ace David Price’s struggle. Price won 19 games in the regular season, but gave up five runs and nine hits in just 6 2/3 innings.
Suddenly, Ryan’s Rangers are in position to split in Tampa Bay and then send the favored Rays packing with a sweep of two games in Texas.
Ryan has restored a Rangers club that had suffered five straight losing seasons before his ownership group took control.
“When I reflect back to how it was in 2008, when I was here and how painful and embarrassing at times it was to sit down there, it’s been so much improvement,” said Ryan. “It doesn’t seem like the same situation.”
The Rangers appreciate Ryan, too.
“When you have a front office guy or now a team owner that has the experience and knows what it’s really like to be on the field, it gives a whole different level of credibility,” Game 2 starter C.J. Wilson said.
Game 2 is Thursday. The series shifts to Texas on Saturday and Sunday.

** Lee, who will be a free agent this winter, is 5-0 in six career post-season starts. He went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts for the Phillies in 2009.
“I like pitching on a big stage,” Lee said. “That’s what you play all year for. I enjoy it, and I try to have fun with it.”
He had gone 0-3 against the Rays in 2010, however.

** The Rays drew only their sixth capacity crowd of the season for Game 1. The capacity crowd the Phillies attracted Wednesday for Game 1 at home against the Reds, however, provided the type response that Rays’ crowds never seem to manage. While, the Rays crowd cheered politely — Philly fans rocked the stadium from the moment the lineups were introduced.

** The Twins let one get away on Wednesday night in a loss to the Yankees — in Minnesota. Minnesota led 2-0 behind ace Nelson Liriano through five innings. They might’ve let the series get away, too. The Twins extended their playoff losing streak to nine straight and fell to 2-10 in the postseason versus the Yankees over the last decade. It’s hard to imagine the Twins winning three of four from the Yankees with two set for New York.

** Barry Zito will not be on the roster when the Giants play the Braves, starting Thursday, in the NLDS. Zito is still pitching off a $126 million contract in San Francisco, but his second-half collapse cost him a spot on the club’s 25-man roster.

“I only blame myself for not pitching well enough to crack the rotation,” said Zito.

The lefty pitched terribly in Saturday’s loss to the Padres in San Francisco that left the Giants just one game ahead of San Diego with one game remaining in the regular season.

Manager Bruce Bochy confirmed on Wednesday at veteran centerfielder Aaron Rowand will be on the roster when Tim Linecum takes the mound today against Atlanta’s Derek Lowe.