Because he’s Nolan Freakin’ Ryan, the most iconic baseball player in the history of Texas. Plus he’s been involved with the team in some way or another for what feels like forever. There are probably more deserving people if you want to look at Houston stats specifically, but Ryan is legendary in a way that very few others ever are. If you were ever going to carve someone into the side of a mountain, he’s a pretty good choice. Plus, I just found this dope ass picture of him with Sandy Koufax.
I felt the same way until the last few years. Why are there so many burned bridges around Nolan Ryan? What's the common denominator in all these burned bridges? Could it be that dude is a prick?
You know, I gotta have a little mea culpa here. Somehow I got Rader and Staub mixed up earlier. Post-Astros WAR (including late career): Staub: 32.2 Morgan: 73.5 (3.7 in '80) Lofton: 68.4 Schilling: 80.4 Cammy: 19.6 (2.7 in '99/00) Cuellar: 16.8 Finley: 27.4 Gonzo: 38.5 (2 in '97) JD Martinez: 24.6 Hampton: 7.3 (-0.6 in '09) Nolan: 15.2 Cole: 2.2
Similar to JR Richard, he was really robbed of a great career. Thon's was getting hit in the face by a fastball and having vision issues that followed. He was 25 coming off back-to-back all-star level seasons at SS.
Correct. Ozzie Smith and, if I remember correctly, the zombified remains of Dave Concepcion were reasons that Thon didn't get a lot of run nationally (although he made it as a reserve in '83).
I know all of that I was watching him and that team but back to back allstar seasons still would not put him in an Astros Mount Rushmore. JR Richard had multiple dominant seasons before the stroke.
How about Mt. Whatifmore? Thon, Richard, Carlos Hernandez (sliding into second base? really??), and Richard Hidalgo's knees.
Wasn’t it universally known that he would eventually hurt himself with those mechanics? his two initial full years were just about his ceiling.
