Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images On Ryans and Revolutions On April 18, 1970 a tall lanky Texan took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies. No one knew that he was about to set a record for the New York Mets, and no one really cared. From the moment that he made his way to the mound, managers for both teams were on high alert. Batters for the Phillies shook their heads and checked their batting helmets. Head Umpire Dick Stello double-checked his gear and face-mask. The Mets’ catcher, Jerry Grote, warned incoming hitters not to crowd the plate in a way that felt like more than just classic gamesmanship, and the crowd around home plate hummed with both fear and anticipation. You see, this pitcher was a thoroughly different sort from those of the past. In the hit-happy and homer-less days of the MLB now known as Deadball, pitchers of the era had developed styles that largely revolved around forcing batters to hit the ball weakly along the ground, or softly into the air. Strikeouts had occurred, of course, but by-and-large success in that arena had been the byproduct of encouraging weak contact. This pitcher, however, had been gifted an arm of the gods. In spite of the lean build, 100+ mile-per-hour fastballs were regularity; an expectation, really. Other, lesser, pitches were in the offing as well, but it was that hellacious fastball that filled players and fans alike with both fascination and horror. And even more so, the lack of control the young man had over the high-velocity offering. You see, Nolan Ryan’s theories for pitching success revolved around denying the batter contact altogether. Why, he reasoned, should someone angle for weak contact when they could simply throw the ball right past the hitter instead? It was the sort of logic that occurs to players who have abilities that place them somewhere beyond the pale. For a pitcher whose average fastball hovered in the mid-100s, it was a sensible conclusion — especially in an era where average fastball velocity sat in the high 80’s. For others, well, it would have seemed a bit mad. It’s the same sort of madness fans and players witness watching Victor Wembanyama pull up well beyond the arc. That a 7’5” player should have the audacity (and skill) to encroach on the territories of Steph Curry, Reggie Miller, and Ray Allen defies standard sensibilities. That he went for 42 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks in his Madison Square Garden (and Christmas Day) debut, as a 20-year-old, boggles the mind. That he took 16(!) threes, even more so. But it’s easy to forget that Wembanyama is still just figuring this all out. Commentaries about his three-point shooting, rebounding, and post-play (or lack thereof) abound. And yet, all of it underscores that this is something we’ve never seen, and far from a finished product. Nolan Ryan would strike out 15 batters that day, a Mets record at the time. He also walked six batters, nearly hitting four others. He threw 107 pitches in the first five innings alone, a full game for most pitchers today. Depending on the account, several of his fastballs went into the crowd. And yet, he still managed to throw a complete game one-hitter. It was only Ryan’s second full season with the Mets. He spent the rest of the season losing and regaining his control. He walked almost as many batters as he struck out, and in 1971, after another season of the same, Mets management—confused by his approach and impatient regarding his control—shipped him out to California in what is still rated as one of the worst trades in franchise (and league) history. In the 30 years since Ryan’s retirement, velocity and the strikeout have come to rule Major League Baseball. Pitching to contact is a dying art. There are still individuals complaining that he walked too many batters. And yet, in many ways, Nolan Ryan changed everything. Yesterday, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs lost a tight contest against the Knicks, and Victor himself missed some crucial rebounds in the closing minutes. He took a ton of threes. He had as many turnovers as assists. He didn’t spend a lot of time banging down low. That being said, something is telling me that big things are coming. Call it a gut feeling. Takeaways If there’s been one dominant critique surrounding Jeremy Sochan, it’s been regarding his lack of outside shot. However, Sochan performed admirably in this one, especially from beyond the arc, hitting all three of his three-pointers, one of which came at a crucial point in the endgame. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come, as Sochan is shooting 18% from downtown on the season. Fond though I am of his versatility and attitude, I worry the Spurs front-court won’t be fully actualized without growth in that area. In an interesting development, neither Collins nor Bassey saw time in the contest, and San Antonio’s lineups did not seem the better for it. Without the ability to play five-out in those smaller lineups, the Spurs lost multiple leads in a manner that suggests that San Antonio’s big men issues are now verging on urgent needs. Here’s hoping the Spurs make a shrewd move for solid back-up big, because the team’s ceiling officially feels limited by this issue in particular. Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell both had rough performances in this one, and while Barnes has always been a little streaky going back to his Golden State days, Vassell is being paid as a 3rd option and will need to start performing accordingly. In his defense, Vassell has been banged up a bit this season, but the Spurs can ill afford for both players to be off at the same time, and Vassell’s shooting is supposed to be his calling card. That Vassell has continued to be fairly inconsistent on the defensive end only makes this all the more critical. Loss aside, man did it feel great to see the Spurs on Christmas Day. Something about that just feels right. It’s the one time of year that I wish the NBA had banner holiday teams the way that the NFL does with Dallas, Green Bay, and Detroit. I recognize that might not make for the most competitive match-ups some years, but that’s just the price you have to pay for the Spurs to assume their rightful place in the Yuletide celebrations. In any case, it was great seeing them give the Knicks a real handful at the Garden. Playing You Out – The Theme Song of the Evening: Thank God It’s Christmas by Queen