![\"Will](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Will-clark.jpg\")
<\/a>On this date (April 8) in, 1986, Will Clark<\/strong><\/span>, a 22-year-old rookie, stepped into the batter\u2019s box for his first-ever major league at bat.\u00a0 He was the second batter in the top of the first inning, as his Giants took on the Houston Astros.\u00a0 On the mound was the imposing presence of the Astros\u2019 right-handed flamethrower 38-year-old future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan<\/strong> <\/span>\u2013 who already had 241 MLB wins and more than 4,000 strikeouts to his credit. Clark took the first two pitches and then \u2013 with a one-and-one count \u2013 took his first MLB regular-season swing.\u00a0 The result was a home run \u2013 and it set the tone for future Ryan-Clark confrontations.<\/p>\nOver his career, Clark would face Ryan 39 times and collect 12 hits in 36 at bats \u2013 for a .333 average. More impressive, eight of those 12 hits would go for extra bases, six leaving the park.\u00a0 Clark\u2019s six home runs are those most any batter hit off Ryan \u2013 despite the fact that 163 hitters had more plate appearances versus Ryan than Clark.<\/p>\n
That story, and those statistics, led Baseball Roundtable to look into which batters had found the most success against Ryan \u2013 and come up with a \u201cWorld Against Nolan Ryan” All Star lineup. The nine-man, Nolan-centric squad I uncovered went 136-for-390 against Ryan (.349 average), with 22 home runs and 80 RBI.\u00a0 They range from Hall of Famer (and career .328 hitter) Rod Carew at second base to career .158 hitter Ron Reed on the mound. It\u2019s an experienced squad \u2013 each of them played more than a dozen seasons\u00a0 in the major leagues (averaging better than 17 MLB seasons); all but one made at least one All Star squad; three were league MVPs; two were Rookies of the Year and two are in the Hall of Fame.\u00a0 (Only one \u2013 Rod Carew \u2013 checks all four of those boxes<\/em>.)<\/p>\n A Brief Semi-Commercial Message<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n This look at batters who “handled” Nolan Ryan’s outstanding stuff was the first step toward Baseball Roundtable’s ongoing “Who’s Your Daddy?” Series of blog post – looking at some of the best pitchers of all time and presenting position-by-position lineups of hitter who fared the best against these elite arms.\u00a0 The links below will take you to other “edition” of the series.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sandy Koufax, click\u00a0here<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Pedro Martinez, click\u00a0her<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bob Gibson, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Randy Johnson, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Greg Maddux, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Justin Verlander, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bob Feller, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Roger Clemens, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Max Scherzer, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Tom Seaver, click\u00a0here<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mariano Rivera, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Warren Spahn, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Lefty Grove, click here.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n DISCLAIMER<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo by Mike Overall<\/a> I must note that the fact that I chose to pursue this topic is actually a compliment to Nolan Ryan.\u00a0 It is Ryan\u2019s excellence that supports this lineup\u2019s exceptionalism against him.\u00a0 Let\u2019s consider just how difficult it was to put up \u201cgood numbers\u201d against Ryan.\u00a0 Among qualifying pitchers, Ryan has the lowest career batting average against – a mere .204.\u00a0 He also led his league in fewest hits per nine innings a dozen times \u2013 and has the career record for the lowest H\/9 at 6.56.\u00a0 Only five times in MLB history has a qualifying pitcher given up less than 5.5 hits per nine frames in a season. Two of those five campaigns belong to Ryan \u2013 and they came 19 years apart (at ages 25 and 44).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Ryan also amassed 324 MLB victories, threw a record seven no-hitters and holds the all-time record for strikeouts (5,715). In his 27 MLB seasons, he led his league in strikeouts 11 times, set the post-1900 record for whiffs in a season at 383 and six times fanned 300+ batters in a season.\u00a0 Over his career, Ryan fanned just over one of every four batters he faced. \u00a0The eight-time All Star also led the league in shutouts three times, earned run average twice and WHIP twice. It is Ryan\u2019s consistent excellence that makes the success of the batter noted here worth noting.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Longevity \u2013 Good News\/Bad News<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n When\u00a0 you pitch for 27 seasons, you sometimes end up on the wrong side of a record.\u00a0 Nolan Ryan, for example, not only holds the MLB record for strikeout (5,714), but also for walks (2,795) . In addition, he is the recognized record holder for MLB Grand Slams allowed (10) and the post-1900 record holder for wild pitches at 277 (leading his league in WP six times).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n We’ll soon move on to the \u201cWorld Versus Nolan Ryan\u201d All Star squad, based solely on success against Ryan \u2013 but first a look at some of the “record holders” when it comes to matching up against the Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n THE BIG HURT – OUCH!\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Frank Thomas faced Nolan Ryan 15 times in his career and put the ball in play just once.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo by rchdj10<\/a> On August 17, 1990, 22-year-old White Sox Rookie Frank Thomas (in the early days of a Hall of Fame career that would earn him the nickname “The Big Hurt<\/em>“) stepped into the batters’ box against another (much more experienced) future Hall of Famer\u00a0 – 43-year old Nolan Ryan.\u00a0 Thomas was in his 14th MLB game – and was hitting .357.\u00a0 Ryan was in his 24th MLB season, pitching in his 732nd game.\u00a0 On the 1990 season, he was 11-6, 4.10 with 150 strikeouts in 134 innings. At that point in his career, Ryan was 300-269, 3.17 with 5,226 whiffs in 4,919 1\/3 innings.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Thomas faced Ryan four times that day, saw 18 pitches and struck out swinging in all four plate appearances. (<\/strong>Ryan, by the way, went ten shutout innings, giving up just three hits and fanning 15, as his Rangers topped the White Sox 1-0 in 13 frames.) Notably, that four-whiff day was a sign of things to come.\u00a0 Thomas faced Ryan 15 times in his\u00a0 career (<\/strong>Ryan retired after the 1993 season.)\u00a0In those fifteen plate appearances he went zero-for-twelve.\u00a0 His results included two walks, one hit by pitch, 11 strikeouts (nine swinging) and an infield pop out.\u00a0 In fairness to Thomas, he did go on to hit .301, with 521 home runs and 1,704 RBI over 19 MLB seasons. He was a five-time All Star, a two-time AL MVP and the 1997 AL batting champ. (In the three seasons in which he went 0-12 with 11 whiffs against Ryan, Thomas hit .322-63-255 overall.)<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Now that World Versus Nolan Ryan squad.<\/p>\n —–The World Versus Nolan Ryan All Star Team—–<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Catcher \u2013 Rick Cerone, RHH, 5\u201911\u201d\/192 pounds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In his 18-season MLB career (1975-92), Rick Cerone faced Ryan 33 times (29 at bats).\u00a0 He collected 11 hits, for a .379 average \u2013 including one double, one triple and two home runs, producing seven RBI.\u00a0 He also did okay in the walks-to-strikeouts ratio, with four of each.<\/p>\n Cerone\u2019s success against Ryan comes as somewhat of a surprise.\u00a0 Over his 18 seasons, he played in 100 or more games only four times and hit .245, with 59 home runs and 436 RBI. \u00a0He played in the major leagues from 1975 to 1992 –\u00a0 (Indians\u2026 1975-76; Blue Jays \u2026 1977-79; Yankees\u20261980-84, 1987 & 1990; Braves \u2026 1985; Brewers \u20261986; Red Sox 1988-89; Mets 1991; Expos 1992). His best season was 1988, when he hit .277, with 14 home runs and 85 RBI for the Yankees.<\/p>\n Rick Cerone\u2019s two home runs and seven RBI against Nolan Ryan are the second-most he accumulated against any pitcher in his career.<\/strong> (He had three homers and ten RBI against Larry \u00a0Gura, whom he faced 55 times.)\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ______________________________________________<\/p>\n First Base \u2013 Will Clark, LHH, 6\u20192\u201d\/190 pounds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As noted earlier, six-time All Star Will Clark got his MLB career off to a good start, homering off Nolan Ryan in his first-ever MLB at bat. He went on to prove the first round tripper was no fluke, hitting six home runs off Ryan between 1986 and 1988. Overall, Clark went 12-for-36 versus Ryan (.333), with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBI. \u00a0In 1988, Clark reached Ryan for a .600 average (six-for-ten), with two doubles, three home runs and five RBI. (That season, the 41-year-old Ryan went 12-11, 3.52, with NL leading 228 strikeouts in 220 innings.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Over his MLB career (1986-2000), Clark collected 2,176 hits (.303 average), with 284 home runs and 1,205 RBI. He averaged .300 or better in ten of 15 campaigns, topped 20 home\u00a0 runs six times and 100 RBI three times. Clark played for the Giants (1986-93); Rangers 1994-99), Orioles (1999-2000); and Cardinals (2000).<\/p>\n Will Clark\u2019s six home runs versus Nolan Ryan are not only the most home runs any batter hit against Ryan, but also the most home runs Clark hit against any MLB pitcher.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ___________________________________________<\/p>\n .300 – .400 – .400 …<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Most at bats versus Nolan Ryan while maintaining a .300 or better average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Rod Carew –\u00a0 93 at bats, .301 average<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Most at bats versus Nolan Ryan while maintaining a .400 or better average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Gary Sutherland \u2013 24 at bats, .417 average<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Most at bats versus Nolan Ryan while maintaining a .500 or better average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Lonnie Smith \u2013 24 at bats, .500 average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Most at bats versus Nolan Ryan while maintaining a .600 or better average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Carlos Baerga \u2013 10 at bats, .600 average<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n __________________________________________<\/p>\n Second Base \u2013 Rod Carew, LHH, 6\u2019\/170 pounds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Okay, no surprise to see Rod Carew here.\u00a0 He is, after all, a seven-time batting champ, who retired with 3,053 hits and a .328 career average. Carew has more at bats versus Ryan (93) than any other player who hit at least .300 against him. He also had the second-most career hits against Ryan with 28 \u2013 trailing only George Brett, who had 29 hits\u00a0 in 101 at bats against Ryan (.287 average). Of course, getting touched for a .300 average versus Carew (.328 career average) is nothing to be ashamed of. The Hall of Famers\u00a0 Carew hit at least .300 against (regular season) include Fergie Jenkins (.362 in 58 at bats); Jim Palmer (.358 in 95 AB); Catfish Hunter (.347 in 101 AB); Dennis Eckersley (.321 in 56 AB); Gaylord Perry (.316 in 76 AB); and, of course, Ryan.<\/p>\n Slow Starter?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In his first MLB game, Rod Carew struck out three times and grounded out pitcher-to-first.\u00a0 Not a sign of things to come.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Carew was an 18-time All Star (in 19 MLB seasons \u2026 1967-85). He hit .300 or better in 15 seasons (a high of .388 in 1977) and reached 200 or more hits in four campaigns. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1987, and league MVP in 1977. Carew played for the Twins (1967-78) and Angels (1979-86)<\/p>\n In 1974, when he won his fourth batting crown with a .364 average, Rod Carew hit .538 (seven-for-thirteen) versus Nolan Ryan \u2013 with a home run, four walks and four whiffs.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ______________________________________________<\/p>\n Whiff – le Ball<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Nobody struck out more times against Nolan Ryan than Claudell Washington, who faced Ryan 102 times and fanned 39. In those appearances (90 at bats), Washington hit .144. Nobody faced Ryan more times without striking out than Julian Javier, who stepped in the batter’s box 18 times against Ryan\u00a0 and never fanned, but hit only .124 (two-for-sixteen).\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Here’s list of those who stepped in against Ryan at least a dozen times and never fanned.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Name\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 PA\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0AB\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0H\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Avg.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Julian Javier\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a018\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 16\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 2\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 .125<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Tommy Helms\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 13\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a013\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a02\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 .154<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Carlos Baerga\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 12\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 10\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a06\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 .600<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n ________________________________________________<\/p>\n Third Base \u2013 Dick Allen, RHH, 5\u201911\u201d\/187 pounds<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Thank goodness for Dick Allen\u2019s 652 games at the hot corner, which enable me to keep both Allen and Will Clark in this lineup. Allen hit a robust .364 versus Ryan (16 hits in 44 at bats). He also hit three home runs versus The Ryan Express and drove in 16 tallies.\u00a0 Only Darrell Porter and Rusty Staub had more career RBI (17 each) versus Ryan.\u00a0 In 1968, Allen was perfect in eight plate appearances versus Ryan (then a 21-year-old rookie) collecting three hits (two home runs) and five walks.\u00a0 Allen’s competition for this spot in the lineup came primarily from George Brett, who had the most career hits versus Ryan (29), but trailed Allen in HR (Brett had zero) and RBI (Brett had 8). In addition, Brett hit .287 against Ryan, well below his career .305 mark.<\/p>\n Allen was a seven-time All Star in 15 MLB seasons (1963-77). He collected 1,848 hits (.292 average, reaching .300+ in seven seasons), 351 home runs (topping 30 six times, a high of 40 in 1966) and reaching 100+ RBI three times.\u00a0 He led his league in home runs twice, RBI once, runs scored once and triples once. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1964 and AL MVP in 1972. He played for the Phillies (1963-69 & 1975-76); Cardinals (1970); Dodgers (1971); White Sox (1972-74); and A’s (1977).<\/p>\n Despite striking out nearly twice as many times as he walked in his career (1,556 strikeouts to 894 walks), Dick Allen drew 22 walks versus just 11 strikeouts versus Nolan Ryan.\u00a0 Those\u00a0were the most walks Allen drew from any MLB pitcher \u2013 only one of the free passes was intentional.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ________________________________________________<\/p>\n Shortstop Rafael Ramirez, RH, 6\u2019\/170-pounds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Rafael Ramirez, a .261 hitter in 13 MLB seasons (1980-92), is a bit of a surprise on this list – but put up a .333 average (18-for 54) versus Ryan, with two home runs and seven RBI.<\/p>\n During his career,\u00a0 Ramirez was an All Star just once (1984, Braves). He reached double digits in home runs just once (10 in 1982) and hit over.270 in three campaigns.\u00a0 He played for the Braves (1980-87) and Astros (1988-92). His best season was with the Braves in 1983, when he hit .297, with seven home runs, 58 RBI, 82 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 152 games.<\/p>\n Rafael Ramirez hit two or more home runs against only four pitchers in his career. Don Robinson (3); Nolan Ryan (2); Bob Forsch (2); Dave Dravecky (2).<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n ________________________________________________<\/p>\n Outfield \u2013 Carl Yastrzemski, LHH,\u00a0 5\u201911\u2019\/175-pounds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Carl Yastrzemski is no surprise on this list. In 23 MLB seasons (1961-83, all with the Red Sox), he collected 3,419 hits (.285 average), 452 home runs and 1,844 RBI. He touched Nolan Ryan for a .340 average (17-for-50), four home runs and 14 RBI.<\/p>\n Yaz was the AL MVP in 1967 (when he won the AL Triple Crown) and an All Star in 18 seasons. He won three batting titles (and hit .300 or better six times), twice led the AL in hits and three times topped the league in runs scored.<\/p>\n Carl Yastrzemski was awarded a basketball scholarship by Notre Dame University.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n _____________________________________________<\/p>\n Outfield \u2013 Lonnie Smith, RHH, 5\u20199\u201d\/170-pounds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Lonnie Smith was a bit of a journeyman over his 18-season MLB career (Phillies \u20261978-81; Cardinals \u2026 1982-85; Royals \u2026 1985-87; Braves \u2026 1988-92; Pirates \u2026 1993; Orioles \u2026 1993-94). He was a steady performer throughout, putting up a .288 career average (1,488 hits) with 98 home runs, 909 runs, 553 RBI and 370 stolen bases. He hit over .300 in six seasons. As an All Star in 1982, he led the NL in runs (120) and hit .307 with eight home runs and 68 stolen bases.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/small><\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/small><\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n