A (Long) Thought On Nolan Ryan
This perhaps constitutes a strange way of kicking off the post-ASB discussion, and I'm not sure this is really anything more than a rephrased-and-cleaned up version of yesterday morning's Clubhouse post on the subject, but ... let's take a shot at it anyway.
There's been a recent spate of Nolan Ryan-centric columns emanating from the local sports media, virtually all of which have emphasized the importance of his continued association with the organization beyond 2010 -- be it in the role of part-owner or team president. What strikes me as interesting, however, is the vagueness with which his actual value to the organization is frequently described; the most oft-invoked buzz word is "credibility," after which it seems as though hyperbole has a tendency to seize control. Case in point: one local columnist recently referred to Ryan as a "straight-shootin', story-tellin', beef-sellin', team-buildin' man." Uhm, okay then?
This isn't an attempt to disparage Ryan's contributions to the Rangers organization over the last two years, but between this influx of columns foretelling doom and gloom if/when Ryan departs the organization, and the recent setbacks his ownership group has incurred in bankruptcy court, I've been thinking about something: Is Ryan truly that integral to the success of the Rangers going forward? In other words, are his future contributions to the organization so important that any scenario in which he leaves is not only bad, but bordering on disastrous?
Frankly, I don't know the answer to this question, and -- make no mistake -- it's a question that deserves more consideration than the casual fan is going to bother devoting to it, because Nolan Ryan, in the eyes of a sizable portion of Rangers fans, can do no wrong. In their eyes, he is faultless. That sentiment, in a nutshell, represents one of the three prongs of Ryan's trident of power: his ability to captivate a certain faction of the fan base with his baseball accolades and supposed "Texas-tough" persona and other miscellaneous virtuous qualities and so forth. It helps sell tickets and it helps enhance the Rangers brand. What it's worth is not clear, but it's worth something.
I suppose we can distill all of that down into the aforementioned "credibility," which leads into his player-side impact. Obviously, Ryan's greatest impact in this area has been his reconstruction of the Rangers' pitching philosophy and the role he played in the implementation of more stringent conditioning programs for pitchers (it's still too early to accurately gauge the impact of these changes), but there's also a line of thought which holds that having Ryan affiliated with the organization makes it easier to attract free-agent pitching talent. This may be the case in a situation where everything else is equal, but from the standpoint of signing pitchers, money -- and, to a lesser degree, contract duration -- are a great deal more influential over a player's decision to sign than anything else. Ryan's presence certainly doesn't hurt in this regard, but I question the degree to which it would facilitate the signing of, say, a top-of-the-market starting pitcher.
As I said yesterday, however, Ryan's greatest value seems to derive from his acting as a shock-absorbing buffer of sorts in the Rangers' organization chart, insulating the front office from the potentially meddlesome actions of ownership and the business side and helping keep these disparate parts synchronized. Two years ago, Mike Hindman -- and presumably others -- predicted that Ryan's single most important function would be him preventing Tom Hicks' latest whims from screwing up the front office's plan for sustainable, long-range success; if that's truly the case, then Ryan has been nothing short of an unmitigated success during his team presidency.
As far as the question I posed about 350 words ago is concerned, I'm still not sure what the right answer is, but then I'm not sure anybody can definitively know what the right answer is. Again rephrasing what I wrote yesterday, I think the single greatest consequence of Ryan leaving the organization -- even above and beyond that of the corresponding P.R. hit, which would, of course, be huge -- would probably be any ensuing disruptive effects on the front office and its ability to continue doing its job to the best of its ability without ownership-imposed interference. From a purely on-the-field standpoint, the current owner-president-GM dynamic is paying nice dividends right now; knock out the first two links, however, and the third may not stick around indefinitely.
[To expand upon this a bit, recall that Jon Daniels wields an out clause in his contract that permits him to walk away if/when ownership changes hands. He has tried to defuse any talk of him leaving the organization, but if he's made aware that new ownership is going to impose sweeping changes throughout baseball operations (and let's face it, new sports franchise owners have a tendency to engage in this sort of behavior), and his protective shield (Ryan) is gone, and there are other teams ready and willing to throw money at him, then wouldn't there be some inclination on Daniels' part to control his own fate and walk away rather than simply waiting to get axed? Think about it.]
It's certainly not a given that Ryan's ouster would precipitate the total break-up of the Rangers' front office; this concern may be totally unfounded, and I may be guilty of helping stir up panic where it's not even merited. Having witnessed this front office finally construct a legitimate World Series-contending ballclub, however, and having seen Daniels quell my lingering concern that he couldn't "finish" building such a team, it's now fairly safe to say that keeping the front office intact and Ryan -- or one of his appointees -- in place as its protectorate is the one big thing that's going to maximize the Rangers' chances of success going forward. Lose Ryan, and the threat level rises.
That, in my mind, is what most needs to be singled out and focused upon in the context of the "Will Ryan stay or go?" discussion. Filter out all of the other hackneyed clichés and metaphors. They're just not worth your time.
64 Comments | in Analysis, The Season
Reader Comments (64)
To me, Nolan Ryan personifies what many of us Ranger would like to see in the club overall - quiet confidence, with a "touch of humility", grit and drive to succeed, professionalism and class ...
If the yet-to-be-settled sale process ends up costing us the services of Nolan Ryan, the Rangers will, in my opinion, have lost the "personality" that many of us fans have wanted, and waited, to be associated with this team ... and that would be the greatest loss of all.
In sports, it's not just about the talent on the field ... it's about "image" as well ...
Just sayin' ...
I think you need to look at everything that has happened over the last 2 years and think about how the media would have reacted to those events without Nolan. Your owner defaulted on 525 million dollar loan. You have to have borrow money from MLB to meet payrolls. You can't sign your first round pick because he wants an above slot deal and MLB will not approve it. Your manager does cocaine and you cover it up and stick with him when it becomes public. You have to trade your so called ace in order to sign another who pitcher who has not worked out. You reduce payroll. You declare bankruptcy and Tom Hicks still opens his mouth occasionally. If Nolan had not been here the media coverage would not have been as kind to the Rangers as it has been, probably canceling out any of the on field improvements that were made. Nolan brought stability to the team, the media, and the fans that no one else could have provided.
Shawn makes a great point. On the other hand, for the past year, while many have been grousing about whether JD is even any good, my greatest fear has been that some other team will offer JD a bucket of money and lure him away. My hunch is that JD will be out of here in the next year -- off to a more lucrative gig. That would be a massive loss. When you look at what this guy has done for this organization -- and at such a young age -- it's really remarkable.
If Nolan had not been here the media coverage would not have been as kind to the Rangers as it has been, probably canceling out any of the on field improvements that were made.
I don't think I'm following this jump in logic.
Let's look at this from the reverse side. Not what Nolan brings, but what it would look like if he were gone.
If he were gone that would imply a change in the direction of the club. JD is recognized (outside the the DMN blog) as on eof the top GM's in baseball. He can get another job. So if the directionchnages in such a manner as to drive off Nolan there is a better then fair chance that JD could be gone as well.
The new owner would be under intense pressure to produce if even just Nolan left.
My guess is the club returns to it's previous (failed) management style of short-term maximazation without regard for the future. specifically, trade away the prospects for "proven" FAs. You know, guys like A-Fraud and Chan Ho.
Depressed enough already?
I probably should have said drowning out any of the on field improvements. I know the team would be good, but I don't think the coverage of the teams improvements would have been able to overcome the media coverage of the negative events.
I think everybody would agree that the best possible scenario is to lock down Wash and JD for the next 3-5 years,and have Nolan not only be team prez but also part owner. It seems to me that Greenberg is interested in 1 thing; winning! If true, he should leave this winning combo in place. Sure, he could certainly be used as a sounding board simply because he provides yet another skill set that Nolan, JD, and certainly Wash do not have. My point; he adds value. And instead of Nolan being the buffer, I see Greenberg in that role.
I've said this on here many, many times; if JD is allowed to walk this team will take a HUGE step backward. If Nolan walks, well, it would be a bad day but it just depends on who's going to fill his shoes. For example, for the sake of argument let's say Mark Cuban bought the team, leaving Greenberg out of the picture and maybe Nolan too. I think an owner like Cuban would see the value in stability by leaving JD in charge and Wash as manager. In this scenario, I think everything would be ok.
If an ego maniacal owner comes in and cleans house, regardless of who he brings in, this team may very well fall apart.
So, to answer your question; Nolan/JD and Co/Wash are CRITICAL to this teams success this season as well as 5-10 seasons down the road. Could Nolan be replaced... yes... and though the PR hit would be huge, I don't think it would be catastrophic to the team and its philosophy moving forward.
JD is the key to all of this... and again, as I've said several times, he is a top 5 GM right now and he's found a groove.
I think that the team's W-L record is the bottom line. Media and fan negativity would be a huge problem if they weren't winning. Conversely, since they are winning, all this other sideshow nonsense naturally fades to the background.
I don't know what the team would look like without Nolan at the helm, but I do think it's fair to say that in his tenure here we have seen some things that we've never seen before (well maybe not "never" - but at least since the Oates days) - most importantly a major hike in pitching talent and effectiveness. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I imagine that Nolan has something to do with it.
I think everybody would agree that the best possible scenario is to lock down Wash and JD for the next 3-5 years...
JD - yes - but speak for yourself on RW.
Filter out all of the other hackneyed clichés and metaphors.
Ha! When discussing Nolan Ryan? Yeah, right. Take out those and there's just an overweight, slow talking, elderly, small town high school graduate who once threw a baseball for a living.
But he's country and white and Texan and has an accent so his frequent grammatical errors and limited vocabulary and big mistakes (Purke) are strongly dismissed in favor of cliches and myth telling.
Good example of how white privilege go I guess.
Nolan Ryan is an expense, not an asset. He was brought to the Rangers as a player to sell the public on building a new ballpark. Hicks brought him to the front office to serve as a media-friendly face during the unraveling of HSG's machinations.
Ryan's most significant contributions to the team are two-fold: First, his direct involvement with the pitching, setting an expectation that starters should condition to finish their games; removing the Texas heat as the perennial excuse for pitching failure during the second half of the season; and bringing Mike Maddux on board to develop talent at the ML level with immediate results. Neither Hicks nor JD were able to provide this direction and support previous to Ryan's tenure.
Second, Ryan has attempted to bring a fan-friendly and media-friendly transition plan regarding the ownership issue. He is intentionally understated, calm, rational, and commands the respect of the team, fanbase and media. That Simpson and Davis want him to be the "face of the franchise" does quiet potential anxieties of an ego-driven owner and/or highly leveraged, short-term ownership group.
Ryan's presence cannot be directly linked to the current success of the club. His value is based on social capital and political leverage and, quite honestly, is needed during a time of great upheaval. When the ownership situation is resolved, Ryan's role may not be so critical.
Rangers100
You must be the anti-Christ. You are Wash's strongest supporter and bag on Nolan.
Or perhaps are you just the type who likes to argue?
I think everybody would agree that the best possible scenario is to lock down Wash and JD for the next 3-5 years...
JD - yes - but speak for yourself on RW.
JD YES..... end of story.
I dont see Wash as "important" to leadership... and I am trying to be nice.
a vote for JM
General thoughts about the Rangers Management team: JD made some earlier mistakes, but now we are beginning to enjoy the fruits of the wisdom that he gained by making those mistakes. He's a keeper. To me, baseball managers have three main skill sets that apply which are listed as follows with some examples: strategy (Earl Weaver, LaRussa), people-skills (LaSorda), and motivation (Billy Martin). Rarely is one guy strong in all three areas. Ron W is obviously strong with people skills, especially with players. That's good & it makes him a keeper. Nolan is loved by our fans and that is difficult to measure. But I think it plays out in a better public perception of the franchise, attendance, and even attracting better players. We should hope he can remain with the club. But I am so glad Hicks is on the way out 9isn't he?) The guy doesn't pay his bills. That's not good on a small scale and it certainly isn't good on a large scale (federal government take note, but that is a different subject). Whatever new ownership comes into being, let us pray that Mr. Hicks is not part of it.
Rangers 100 is trying to get a rise out of us... just ignore his mindless, racist rant... and yes Rangers 100, I'm calling YOU racist because of your dislike and distrust of whites.
You are unfairly judging Nolan because of his accent, weight, fastball, education level, and the fact that he's white. Couldn't the same critism apply to Wash? He doesn't articulate well, he probably (like most MLB managers) doesn't have a 4 yr degree, he's borderline skinny, and he is the definition of a journeyman player, (vs. a HoFmer). All of these qualities compare equally to what you're saying about Nolan, correct?
Nobody is allowed to say anything negative about Wash without you flipping out and playing the old, tired, overly used and worn out, racist card. Amazing! You represent a great deal of what's wrong with our society and no one is judged on their accomplishments/character/integrity/skill/grit, etc.. anymore. Instead, they are judged by skin color and what they feel they are ENTITLED to.
I'd be willing to bet a HUGE chunk of change that if you ask Wash if he feels slighted, or disrespected, or not afforded opportunity, because of his skin color, he'd tell you "hell no"... and even if he did feel this way, he would NEVER use at as an excuse (for losing). Why? Because he's a stand up guy that's working his ass off to make this team better. He's taken responsibility for his actions and would NEVER say "I was treated unfairly because I'm black"... no sir, I doubt that he'd even allow himself to THINK it, let alone say it.
It's guys like YOU that create problems by associating race with skill or respect, etc... and even though you may THINK you're providing a voice for a particular race, you're only hurting the cause.
Congrats... you drew me into the argument you were so desperate to begin... and instead of blowing you off, like I suggested, I fanned the flames. Shame on me!
Regarding Wash; I don't think anyone outside of Rangers 100, would lobby for Wash as the greatest manager of all time... BUT Wash does deserve a large amount of credit for the team's accomplishments.
In fact, I cannot think of another manager that would do a better job (right now). Maybe Gardenhire... ? He's a hard ass that certain players may tune out. How about Torre or La Russa? Again, they'd want to do things THEIR way and I'm sure they'd prefer playing verterans over younger guys, regardless of talent.
If available, I'd hire Scosia in a heartbeat... maybe Fancona too... but apart from a couple of names, Wash is the right guy for the job.
Nolan Ryan is the status quo, and a great status quo. The pitching has been improving steadily for the two years he's been here. How much have that is attributed to JD aquiring the right players, and how much is due to Ryan, his program and his aquisition of Maddux? We don't know. But we know its working, and we don't want it to change
Joey makes several good points. Ryan is an interesting character. There are so many Gen-Y folks like myself, who grew up idolizing him in the 80's, mimicking the high leg kick in our Little League deliveries to the plate. We continue to be admire him now and I think more than anything just enjoy having him around. So far, he has done a great job.
The Ranger faithful HAVE to be hopeful/confident/etc. that it is more than his presence that is driving the Rangers playoff push. We have to be certain that the team's rise would continue if he left.
We would miss him if he was gone, but I would still root for my Rangers the same as I did in '96, '98, and '99 when he had not yet returned to the scene. If he leaves, we will still have a great seat to watch him in action. No doubt he would just make the short move down I-45 to replace Tal Smith.
GO RANGERS!
"but I do think it's fair to say that in his tenure here we have seen some things that we've never seen before ... most importantly a major hike in pitching talent and effectiveness" - Andy Kaufman Lives
He may have changed a philosophy, but it is ridiculous to think that he somehow effected the talent of players that were scouted/acquired/tutored by Daniels and his staff. Is it Nolan who is responsible for Colby Lewis' transformation in Japan? No. Was it Nolan who taught Neftali Feliz how to be a flamethrower? No. Was Neftali already on the cusp of reaching the Majors before Nolan even got here (and elvis..and cruz...and hamilton...) YES!
Coincidence? Absolutely.
I'm not saying he doesn't deserve SOME credit, but it's unbased comments like this that are thrown about by fans that make NO sense and perpetuate the image of Nolan as the saviour of the Rangers organization. He is a good team President and will continue to have a positive effect on the team if he stays I think, but let's not get ridiculous and make him into something that he's not.
He will get credit when they win, which is not completely undeserved. What is undeserved is that he will get ALL the credit... and that is very wrong.
You are unfairly judging Nolan because of his accent, weight, fastball, education level, and the fact that he's white. Couldn't the same critism apply to Wash?
The intended irony there clearly flew right over your head.
Nolan Ryan is the status quo, and a great status quo. The pitching has been improving steadily for the two years he's been here.
It has? How so? The Rangers are 11th in the AL in xFIP this year just as they were last year. That's not really what I'd characterize as "improving steadily."
You know what has been steadily improving though? Defense. The Rangers were 13th (UZR/150) in 2008, 5th in 2009, and are now 2nd in 2010.
Hmmm... which Rangers leader's specialty is defense?
JD YES..... end of story.
billydpowell,
You realize Daniels is Jewish right? And a yankee as well.
Just making sure. Don't want you getting yourself into trouble at the next meeting.
Nolan Himself
Ryan wouldn't take all the credit, or any of it. Everytime he's asked, he always responds with the collective "we" when it comes to making trades, signing prospects, and the development of those prospects.
He may not be the one who scouts, the one who coaches all the talent we have, or the one who is responsible for the play on the field, but he is certainly the impetus behind much of what happened within the organization over the last two years. The whole organization needed leadership, and that's what he has provided. Tom Hicks couldn't. And I don't think JD could have really shown his abilities had Ryan not allowed him the opportunity.
The one thing that worries me in all of this bankruptcy business is we'll have owners coming in (besides RBE) who will summarily release Ryan, JD, and Wash because they have their own ideas on how to make a successful franchise, and ignore what has gone on over the last two years.
he is certainly the impetus behind much of what happened within the organization over the last two years
Really? How so? Specifics, please.
He may have changed a philosophy, but it is ridiculous to think that he somehow effected the talent of players that were scouted/acquired/tutored by Daniels and his staff.
Yep.
Only I'd also question the philosophy change aspect.
Ryan was a PR move for Hicks. And a smart one at that. But he's nothing more. The plan was entirely in place via Hicks, Daniels, Levine, AJ Preller, Jake Krug, Ron Washington, and others who were here before Ryan showed up. To his credit, Ryan changed nothing about the plan that was already in place before he was hired for PR.
No, the implied irony is understood... regardless, I still feel you need to be slapped upside the head.
@BigJosh
I too would like specifics on this "impetus". It seems many of the arguments made upon Nolan's behalf have the same vagueness and cliche-esque-ness that this post was alluding to.
My argument was not that Nolan would TAKE creidt, it's that he would RECEIVE credit.... my argument is not that he's cocky, it's that he's receiving undue credit...see?
In any business model the leadershiop of an organization has to be the impetus, otherwise nothing gets done. You can't tell me that we had solid front office leadership prior to his arrival, can you? Floundering around for the past decade as Hick's played fantasy baseball until he ran out of money was how we got into this mess in the first place.
Certainly JD & Wash were here before Ryan, but they also could easily have been dismissed once he took control of the ballclub. Credit Ryan for giving them a chance to succeed. That's leadership! Also, credit Ryan for allowing them to do their jobs without meddling - that's leadership as well. He came in with a vision of a winning ball club, surrounded himself with people who share that vision, and has allowed those people to do what they know how to do - build a winning ball club.
Do I have "specifics"? No. But I see the results to this point. And I like what I see.
Do I have a soft spot in my heart for the Express? Absolutely, and I don't apologize for it. But, I can also separate my hero worship for him as a ball player from him as the president of this organization. If this thing wasn't working, I would be calling for change just as fast as anyone else. But something good is happening, and I credit Ryan for recognizing that when he came in, and allowing it to continue over the last two years. That's because he know how baseball go!
@Rangers100
I agree it was a great PR move by Hicks, but do you actually think Ryan is such an idiot that he would come in here and be Hicks' proxy?
Folks, the name-calling and baiting stops immediately. Mike, this includes you.
Rangers100
yes, I know he is Jewish, that is a plus in my book,
being a yankee, well you have no control over where you are born, or your skin color, but you can select where you live, and what your attitude is...
so be happy...
I think Nolan Ryan's name alone gives you some ability to compete for free agent pitchers.
Can anyone give one example of a pitcher who has taken less money than he would have gotten elsewhere, simply to play for Nolan Ryan?
This was Ranger100s response to part of my comment in the Clubhouse thread, and I wanted to clarify my statement a little bit. The point I was trying to make was more that if an equal contract is being offered, having Nolan in the fold does a lot to fight the negative stigma attached to pitching in Texas. There's a reason I used the phrasing "ability to compete" instead of saying that Nolan gives you a true competitive advantage.
Why are we talking about the great religion of Judaism?
@Joel: We're not.
@Josh Thanks for the clarification. Hope we do game chat tonight it's been a long time for me.
It's a shame that people on here are reprimanded for saying certain things about Wash and are called racist because of it, yet there doesn't seem to be any of the same "discipline" when someone like Rangers100 comes on here and is allowed to support Wash and bash Nolan and whoever else they want seemingly because they're white. It's a joke. This is my favorite website but if stuff like this is allowed to continue I may have to start going other places for Rangers talk/news.
I don't understand how Wash's, Nolan's, or JD's race or religion is important in how well they do their job. No one brought it up and frankly it doesn't matter. I think people should consider leaving their religious and racial beliefs out of the posts because they are not needed, or wanted. This article has nothing to do with that so the inclusion of these items is really ridiculous. If you want to talk about that stuff, go to a site that actually cares about what you have to say.
I agree it was a great PR move by Hicks, but do you actually think Ryan is such an idiot that he would come in here and be Hicks' proxy?
Taking $2M to be the President of the Rangers? I don't see how that is idiotic.
It's a shame that people on here are reprimanded for saying certain things about Wash and are called racist because of it, yet there doesn't seem to be any of the same "discipline" when someone like Rangers100 comes on here and is allowed to support Wash and bash Nolan and whoever else they want seemingly because they're white. It's a joke. This is my favorite website but if stuff like this is allowed to continue I may have to start going other places for Rangers talk/news.
Oh, the drama. Grow up.
"Oh, the drama. Grow up."
Rangers100, what is the purpose of your last statement?
Rangers100, what is the purpose of your last statement?
The bigoted comments about Washington here from some are constant and go unaddressed (and I'm not the only one who has noticed this; Yung did a good job of summarizing how it's done by the same few posters as well). Yet when those people get called out on it (and, even worse apparently, blasphemously suggest Nolan Ryan's contribution to the team has been very overrated), Drew can't handle it and threatens to leave.
Drama. Grow up.
Getting back to baseball, Washington was voted AL Manager of the Year so far by MLB players:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100714&content_id=12246760&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Great news. A well deserved honor.
Rangers 100 - I never said that. I was simply asking if you thought that Ryan would take that kind of money to be a proxy for Tom Hicks.
Ryan does not, nor has he ever, struck me as the type to be a figurehead alone. I certainly agree that pieces were in place prior to his arrival (sans Maddox), but what proof do you have that he is nothing more than a talking head for the Rangers? All I have heard from you today is D-baggery and circle speak. Don't you have anything of substance to add to conversation other than "Wash good! Ryan baaaaaad!"
Rangers 100 - I never said that. I was simply asking if you thought that Ryan would take that kind of money to be a proxy for Tom Hicks.
You asked me if I thought he was an "idiot" for doing what he did. I told you no, because I don't think taking $2 million to be the Rangers president is idiotic. (Not sure what this "proxy" stuff is. He was taking over as Rangers president. That it was good PR for Hicks as well is a meaningless side note as far as the advisability of his decision goes.)
what proof do you have that he is nothing more than a talking head for the Rangers? All I have heard from you today is D-baggery and circle speak. Don't you have anything of substance to add to conversation other than "Wash good! Ryan baaaaaad!"
Cute, but you've got that exactly backwards. I am the one who specifically showed the pitching hasn't changed much under Ryan (11th in AL xFIP in both 2009 and 2010) and gave specific examples of how others have played a bigger role in the Rangers' turnaround and were doing so before Ryan showed up well into the process. Joey asked for specifics (and a removal of cliches) concerning what Ryan has contributed. I haven't seen anyone give any yet, including you.
Can everyone just listen to the great Josh Garoon and chill out? Stop implying that anyone is racist or bigoted, and let's all just talk some baseball. Please?
On the importance of Nolan Ryan: I do think that he provides a bit of security for JD sticking around, and I like that. I also agree with Jobert that Nolan does help with potential free agent signings. I still believe that no one will take a lesser contract just to play with the man. However, if the money were equal, I think he lessens the negative impact of Texas's generally poor reputation for pitching. Do I think he deserves much credit for the franchise improving on the field over the last three years? No. I think JD, Wash, and Maddux have a far bigger day-to-day impact on the actual quality of play.
Here's another question for everyone: If you were good/lucky enough to be a player for the Rangers, would the fact that Nolan Ryan has a vested interest in your performance and has shown confidence in you affect your performance at all (+/-)? There's probably some players who aren't phased, some who are more confident, and others who a scared of screwing up.
From an SI article:
Ryan's biggest impact on the Rangers has been, according to Daniels, "changing the mind-set here. People talk about pitch counts, but I think the main thing with Nolan, more than anything else, was raising expectations. From Day One, Nolan's message was, We expect more from you as a Rangers starting pitcher."
Holland recalls a game last year in which he pitched well but failed to cover first base on a ground ball to the right side. "After I was out of the game, I went down to the clubhouse, and there was Nolan waiting for me," he says. "He wanted to make it clear that not covering first was unacceptable."
Ryan's door is open to all his pitchers. Last spring Wilson, coming off a disappointing 2008 season as a closer, went to Ryan with the idea of starting. "It can be really intimidating to go up to a living legend and ask him what he thinks about what you're doing," says Wilson, who read and reread a number of Ryan's books on pitching and fitness while growing up in Southern California. "I went into his office, and it turned into a 1½-hour conversation about my strengths and weaknesses and ultimately my future." Ryan told him while it wasn't going to happen that year, Wilson would be given a chance in spring training 2010 to win a job—which is exactly what he did. Says the 29-year-old lefthander, "Nolan was absolutely the first guy that was in my corner with me being a starting pitcher."
That's enough for me. If all Nolan does is bring a different attitude and approach and even if all that entails is sitting in the front row and talking to the media, he gives the guys in that locker room a certain level of confidence that JD, Wash, Maddux, and anybody else in the entire organization can't give simply because they never sniffed the success of Nolan. In a game that is almost entirely mental, that can't be measured in xFIP or dollar signs.
What are the precise roles played by Nolan, JD and Ron W in the increasing success of The Rangers in recent seasons? An outsider cannot possibly know, and we who post here are way outside. We can form opinions based on what we see on the field and what we read, but we cannot possibly know. My personal perception is that Nolan provides organisational leadership, Ron W provides that indefinable something that makes the team produce, and that JD is a strategic genius who one day will be hailed as one of the greatest GMs of all time. That's my perception. But maybe some guy in the FO that I've never heard of should take all the credit......
Do I think he deserves much credit for the franchise improving on the field over the last three years? No. I think JD, Wash, and Maddux have a far bigger day-to-day impact on the actual quality of play.
Agreed.
I do think that he provides a bit of security for JD sticking around
How so? Why would Daniels not stick around to work for Crane? (Crane is by all accounts I've heard a very nice guy which is why even Drayton McLane speaks very positively of him and his bid to own an MLB franchise.)
That's enough for me. If all Nolan does is bring a different attitude and approach and even if all that entails is sitting in the front row and talking to the media, he gives the guys in that locker room a certain level of confidence that JD, Wash, Maddux, and anybody else in the entire organization can't give simply because they never sniffed the success of Nolan. In a game that is almost entirely mental, that can't be measured in xFIP or dollar signs.
I'm fine with that summary. And if that's what he's done, good for him. (Though I wouldn't expect Jon Daniels to say or SI to report anything less.) I do think Ryan provided some gravitas around the clubhouse and organization that Daniels couldn't command as a very young and unproven GM who didn't play baseball and which Hicks didn't have as an owner whose moves had mostly failed up till then. But Daniels is taken a lot more seriously now inside and outside of the organization, and Hicks is on his way out, diminishing Ryan's value going forward.
I saw your post, and I don't disagree with you on that. But all of your arguments seem to suggest that Ryan has no decision making power and is only here as a sounding board and to be a face. And by proxy, I mean Hicks hired him solely to be the person who would take the heat for any problems without having any say in the day-to -day operations.
I give both JD and Wash full credit for the players on the field and the improvements made in all of those areas. But I also give credit to Ryan for allowing them to keep their jobs when he was brought in, and for not firing Wash after the cocaine incident. In other words, he kept this thing together when he could have flushed the whole thing down the crapper, especially with the money problems he was handed.
I've always admired Nolan's work ethic, humility, confidence and expectation to win. I think the Rangers see this, especially the young players, and try to mimic it. It's always nice to play for someone you can emulate. Whether or not Nolan has an effect on the performance of the team no one can know for sure. I think it's all positive and sure don't want to find out what life without him is like.