What Now? : Winless Streak and Injuries Weigh on Ryan, but He Isn’t in Retiring Frame of Mind

A two-year winless streak of 12 starts, compounded by a series of leg injuries, has fueled speculation that his retirement finally may be imminent, but Nolan Ryan said he isn’t thinking that way--yet.

“If things continue on their current course I’ll have to seriously analyze it when the season is over, but I’m not looking at retirement or thinking about it right now,” the Texas Rangers’ 45-year-old right-hander said.

“I’d be the first to admit that I haven’t pitched like I should have, but it’s not like I’ve lost the ability to win. It’s not like I’ve lost five miles off my fastball.

“They’ve had me 97 (m.p.h.) on the gun, and I threw 136 pitches (in his start before last), so it’s not a physical problem with my arm. I still have confidence--that’s not a problem either. My walks-to-strikeout ratio and my hits per inning aren’t what they should be, but I think it comes down to circumstances more than anything. Our bullpen has struggled, and I’ve had minor injuries and one thing always seems to lead to another.”

Ryan’s longest winless streak was 13 games with the Houston Astros in 1985. He could equal it Wednesday night when he faces the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. First, though, he will be inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame tonight and the No. 30 that he wore in his eight years with the Angels will be retired.

Pitching is the same Achilles’ heel for the Rangers that an Achilles’ heel was for Ryan in April. He experienced tendinitis, was put on the disabled list for 22 days and has been encumbered by calf and hamstring strains in his recent starts.

The Rangers have already used 21 pitchers and are relying on Ryan to find a groove. He is 0-2 with a 4.93 earned-run average and eight no-decisions, the bullpen having blown four of his leads.

Ryan has given up 45 hits in 45 2/3 innings, with 25 walks and 51 strikeouts. He had leads of 2-0 and 5-2 against the Oakland A’s in his last start but left with a 5-4 lead after only five innings, having thrown 109 pitches. The Rangers lost, 6-5.

“He’s kept us in every game except for the first couple when he came off the disabled list,” General Manager Tom Grieve said. “Ideally, he could have four or five wins.”

Grieve said that Ryan is more susceptible to injuries and requires more time to recover, but that the risk is outweighed by his ability, which remains superior to that of younger pitchers.

“He works hard, pitches with injuries and has stuff that other teams still find hard to hit,” Grieve said. “He’s not a No. 5 or spot starter. He’s still capable of being a No. 1 or 2.”