Texas Rangers: The Curse of Nolan Ryan. Real or Myth?

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Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Nolan Ryan is an icon, especially in Texas. Nowadays, it seems like some people know him as the “Beef” guy or the “Olshan Home Repair Guy” rather than the All-Star, Hall of Fame pitcher he really is. After a career littered with no-hitters and strikeouts, Ryan joined the Rangers in 2008 to serve as the President of Baseball Operations. During his tenure, Texas enjoyed the most success in franchise history.

Unfortunately, a rift in management cut his career in Arlington short. Jon Daniels is known for being a bit power hungry, and there became an obvious division. You were either a “Nolan” guy or a “JD guy.” As we all know now, the “JD” guys won, and before the 2013 season, Ryan stepped down and went to join his son in Houston as an executive advisor. And ever since he has left, baseball time in Arlington has never felt quite the same.

Last season, it was Prince Fielder. And Derek Holland. And Shin-Soo Choo. And Mitch Moreland. And Jurickson Profar. And Geovany Soto. And Neftali Feliz. All of those players and many more were injured at some point last year and many were ultimately forced to miss the entire 2013-2014 campaign. In fact, the Rangers used the Disabled List more than any other team in baseball last year. The results on the field showed. The team was awful, using convoluted lineups night in and night out. What used to be a club coming off three consecutive 90 win seasons turned into a team that finished dead last in the American League West.

Things even got so bad last year that they hit the manager’s office. Ron Washington, the skipper that took the Rangers to back-to-back World Series, resigned in the middle of the season for an undisclosed reason. Later, we would learn he was “unfaithful” to his wife, but still, why would THAT cause someone to resign? Was he too getting fed up with the Rangers front office?

However, with everything in life, a new year brings a new beginning. Or so the Rangers thought. Prospects and star players were coming off injuries and everyone looked to be healthy for the start of this season. Until they weren’t.

First, Jurickson Profar reinjured the labrum in his right shoulder; a major setback that might cost what used to be the number one prospect in baseball his career. Then, the hammer. The news no one in the DFW area was ready for. Yu Darvish would be forced to undergo Tommy John surgery and would miss 16 months of action.

The doom and gloom that many sought to avoid from last year was slowly creeping its way back into the clubhouse, and there could only be one explanation—The Curse of Nolan Ryan.

Next: Nolan Ryan the New Bambino?

Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Remember Robert Redford’s bat, Wonderboy, in The Natural? How about 12-year-old Henry Rowengartner’s rise to fame as the Chicago Cubs ace pitcher in Rookie of the Year? Heck, you don’t even have to look at baseball movies to see how laced with superstition baseball is (no pun intended).

Detroit Tiger’s star Justin Verlander eats Taco Bell before every start. No, seriously.

Atlanta Braves closer Jason Grilli used to put baseball cards in his shoes so he could “absorb their power.” Some players avoid the freshly chalked foul line as they take the field, while others intentionally step on it.

And, of course, there was the 86 year “Curse of the Bambino,” in which the Boston Red Sox failed to win a title after selling Hall of Famer Babe Ruth to the Yankees. So, should the Texas Rangers and their fans fear the so-called “Curse of Nolan Ryan?” History says yes.

Let’s look at this from a historical perspective first. If we’re even going to talk about a “curse”, much less the “Curse of Nolan Ryan”, we need something to compare it to. So, even though the Rangers haven’t experienced an 86 year title drought, they are one of only seven teams in Major League Baseball to never win a World Series. For the sake of time, and my argument, let’s compare this to the Curse of the Bambino.

Next: Rangers Take the Place of Red Sox

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

A lot of things went wrong for the Boston Red Sox during their prolonged absence from glory. In their first World Series appearance since the sale of Babe Ruth in 1946, Boston lost to St. Louis in 7 games after shortstop Johnny Pesky (yes, Pesky’s pole is named after him) hesitated on a relay throw that would ultimately allow Enos Slaughter to score after running through a stop sign at third base.

Fast forward 30 years to the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. In what many to believe to be the greatest World Series ever, Boston would lose a heartbreaker after blowing a 3-0 lead and allowing Joe Morgan to drive in the winning run on a walk-off single.

Now, the play, or inning I really want to get to. The game that so perfectly mirrors Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. It’s 1986, and Boston leads the New York Mets three games to two. The Red Sox took the lead in the top of the 10^th and took a 5-3 lead into the bottom half of the inning. Cue the collapse.

After reliever Calvin Schiraldi retired the first two Mets batters, putting the team with one out and one strike away of winning the World Series (sound familiar?), Boston came unraveled. The Mets would get three straight hits, a walk, wild pitch and the ever infamous Bill Buckner error “behind the bag” to win the game 6-5 and force Game 7, a game the Red Sox would lose 8-5. Red Sox fans, you may want to avert your eyes.

I know that Nolan Ryan was with the team during their two World Series appearances. But now, after Ryan has left the organization, many Texas Rangers fans think the only thing that can explain the unexplainable, the missed fly ball by Nelson Cruz that cost the Rangers their first elusive title is the curse. Not to fill Ranger’s fans with heartache, but how similar is Game 6 of the 1986 World Series to Game 6 of the 2011 World Series? The answer is very.

Leading 7-5 in the Top of the 9^th, Ron Washington brings in Neftali Feliz to shut the door. After getting the first out, Feliz gave up a single to Albert Pujols and walked Lance Berkman. With two on and one out, Feliz struck out Allen Craig, which brought up Rangers killer David Freese. We all know what happened after that. I’ll save everyone the agony of describing it. Here’s the Nelson Cruz debacle that is every bit as painful as Bill Bucker’s “behind the bag”

Next: History Repeats Itself

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

So why do I give a history lesson of the last 60-70 years? One, to show just how similar these franchises are or were in terms of fate in the World Series. But also, to prove that nothing is given in baseball, or any sport for that matter. Texas went to back-to-back World Series and lost both of them. Granted, the second was closer than the first, but nevertheless, they had an opportunity.

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