On This Date in Sports December 10, 1971: Nolan Ryan Traded
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
In one of the most infamous trades in baseball history, the New York Mets ship Nolan Ryan and three prospects to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi. Fregosi was a six-time All-Star with the Angels and was viewed as the steady-hitting third baseman the Mets had sought for years. Ryan often struggled with his control while pitching with the Mets, posting a record of 29-38 in five seasons. The raw talent of Nolan Ryan finally harnessed his fastball and went on to a Hall of Fame career, while Fregosi suffered a hand injury and was released by the Mets in 1973.
Lynn Nolan Ryan was born on January 31, 1947, in Refugio, Texas. A star at his High School in Alvin, Texas, Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 draft. Upon making his debut with the Mets in 1966, Nolan Ryan caught everyone’s attention with his fastball, clocked over 100 mph. As good as his arm was, Nolan Ryan had no idea how to harness it and often frustrated the team in his five seasons with the Mets. While Nolan Ryan’s only World Series appearance came in 1969, including a save in Game 3, his time in New York was far from stellar as he posted a record of 29-38 with an ERA of 3.58. With the Mets, Nolan Ryan often displayed flashes of brilliance. He topped 100mph and struck out 493 batters in five seasons. However, he walked 359 batters as the Mets often took him out of the rotation due to his lack of consistency.
Jim Fregosi was born on April 4, 1942 in San Francisco. Raised in San Mateo, Fregosi was signed by the Boston Red Sox before being selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the expansion draft. After making his debut with the Angels in their inaugural season, he became one of the Angels' first home-grown stars, playing in the All-Star Game six times. He was the first member of the Angels to hit for the cycle and a fan favorite before the trade to the Mets.
Much of Nolan Ryan's success with the Angels was due to pitching coach Jimmie Reese. Reese, a baseball lifer who was 72, helped Ryan harness his fastball and control. In addition, Nolan Ryan often struggled with blisters with the Mets. Reese and the Angels helped him overcome the blisters by using pickle juice. Nolan Ryan, who was always a raw talent, finally became the pitcher that was expected to be a star, as he tossed four no-hitters with the Angels. He posted a record of 131-121 in eight seasons in Anaheim, setting a record with 383 strikeouts in 1973.
Jim Fregosi broke his thumb in 1972 and never fully healed. His numbers with the Mets were terrible. Fregosi hit .233 with five home runs and 43 RBI over one and half seasons. The Mets cut their losses on July 11, 1973, selling Jim Fregosi to the Texas Rangers. The other players in the deal were pitcher Don Rose, catcher Francisco Estrada, and outfielder Leroy Stanton. Estrada made one appearance with the Mets in 1971 and never played in the majors again. Rose posted a 1-4 record with the Angels in 18 games in 1972 and 1974. Like Estrada, he had one game with the Mets in 1971. Leroy Stanton spent five seasons with the Angels, having modest success before losing him to the Seattle Mariners in the 1977 expansion draft.
Jim Fregosi spent five seasons in Texas before ending his playing career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1978 he returned to the Angels as their manager, leading them to a division title in 1979. Nolan Ryan would play until 1993, throwing seven no-hitters while recording 5,714 strikeouts.