who is better Nolan Ryan or Roger Clemens?

Question

overall who is better. and is either one the best of all time.

erick b thanks but to be fair ryan had a incredible curve ball that wasnt talked about because of his fastball was so fast. i seen guys buckle at the legs thinking it was going to hit them only to curve for a strike

Answer 1

Nolan ryan.

Answer 2

Roger Clemens.
The often cited reason for Nolan's failures (to blame his team) is false. During his career, Nolan had 8 seasons on clubs that finished first or second. We forget how good the Astros were when Nolan signed with them. With Nolan and J.R. Richard they were considered the odds-on favorite to win it all. They did win their division a few times yet Nolan never had a truly great season with them.

Batters facing Nolan didn't hit for a high BA, that's true but the sad fact is they Got On Base Anyway. Nolan is the most generous pitcher of all time in regards to giving away first base. He has over 50% more walks than the 2nd place guy (Steve Carlton).

On the all-time WHIP list Clemens ranks about 82nd, Randy Johnson is 76th, Curt Schilling is 44th, Nolan Ryan is way down the list at 255th.

It wasn't his teammates that lead to all those losses. It was the walks.

Nolan's post season stats are as unimpressive too. 2 W, 2 L, 1 S. At least Clemens has a 12-8 record.

Clemens is better than Ryan. Neither is the All-Time Best. Sandy Koufax is the most dominant i've ever seen.

P.S. I get a kick out of the things Ryan-defenders will say to support their position. Seven no-hitters vs 7 Cy Young awards. Since when is one great outing equal to an entire season of being the best pitcher in the league?

Answer 3

Though they are both arguably the best pitchers of all-time, I would have to say Clemens because of the stats. Clemens and Ryan both pitched in the same 10 year span (Nolan Ryan retired in Clemens 10th year), but the only thing Nolan Ryan beats Clemens in is strikeouts, and that is the category that matters least. Also, Nolan Ryan NEVER won a Cy Young award in his 20+ seasons. Roger Clemens holds the all-time record with seven.

Answer 4

Clemens.

Clemens has 350 wins, Ryan has 324.

Clemens has won 7 Cy Young Ryan has won none.

Clemens has won two pitching triple crowns Ryan has never won one.

Clemens has a 3.11 E.R.A. Ryan has a 3.19 E.R.A.

Clemens has allowed 1,683 Earned Runs to Nolan Ryan's 1,911.

Clemens has walked 1,594 batters, Ryan has walked 2,795 Batters.

Clemens has won 20 games six times Ryan has won twenty games twice.

Clemens ha had a E.R.A. under 2.00 Twice, Ryan has done it once.

Clemens has a career .173 batting average, Nolan Ryan has a career .110 batting average.

Clemens has been selected to be in the All Star game 11 times, Ryan has been selected 8 times.

I think Clemens is the best Right Handed pitcher in our generation and I think he is better then Ryan.

Answer 5

Just going by win-loss record it would be Clemens, but one could still make the argument that Clemens pitched on better teams, and had more run support than Ryan did for most of his career. Both of them are great pitchers and enjoyed an incredibly long careers in MLB.

Answer 6

Nolan Ryan is an good, yes, he threw 7 no hitters, and 12 one hitters, I agree, that's impressive. Yeah, he struck out the most batters in history. He also walked the most. He also had the most wild pitches. Nolan Ryan had a good long career, but he was never as dominant as Roger Clemens.
Nolan Ryan could be outright amazing one day, but then the another day look absolutely awful. You wouldn't even think the two performances could even be from the same person. Clemens has been far more consistent over his career than Ryan.
Clemens has 26 more wins, currently for his career than Ryan, and 118 less losses. 118! And more wins, in 3 less seasons. Roger Clemens has more win shares, which is a stat which is recently coming into consideration. Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young award, not once. Clemens has 7. Clemens has a slightly lower ERA, 3.11 as compared to Ryan's 3.19.
However, their ERA+ tells a different story. Nolan Ryan's is 112, to Clemens' 144. For those of you unfamiliar to ERA+, it's a measurement of ERA in comparison to the rest of the league, considering park factors aswell, the higher the better. 100 being "average."
I'm done with my dork rant, Clemens is better than Nolan Ryan, though Nolan Ryan was very good.

Answer 7

Whew... finally finished with the thumbs-downs....

Clemens, and it's not even worth debating. Rocket did (and continues to do) the pitcher's job -- prevent baserunners, prevent runs -- far better than Ryan did (particularly young Nolan; older Nolan got a lot better, but still not at Clemens' level).

Ryan often pitched great -- when he was on he was amazing -- and is totally worthy of his Hall plaque.

Clemens is a great pitcher, and is one of the three best pitchers in history. When he gets his plaque, it should be gold-plated.

Answer 8

Nolan Ryan.

Clemens just played with better teams with better offenses and better run support while Ryan played with mediocre teams.

Just imagine Ryan playing with the 1970's Yankees like Clemens did it in this decade.

If we talk about stats, Ryan's era is only 0.08 higher and he has more wins thanks to better run support. But Ryan still has 1000 more K's, 80 more starts, 100 more complete games, 15 more shutouts, he even hit less batters than Clemens.

Maybe Clemens had 7 Cy Young awards, but he never struck out 300 or batters in a season. And his 7 no hitters compensate Clemens 7 CYA.

Answer 9

Clemens...I don't like either but Clemens has better control than Ryan and also has a few more rings. Both could throw heat and strike people out, but that's all Ryan could do. Clemens knows he has to rely more on his other stuff like his splitter.
I would not put either of them as the best all time. My top three are Cy Young, Satchel Paige, and Walter Johnson.

Answer 10

Nolan Ryan has thrown 7 no-hitters and has over 1000 more strikeouts than Clemens. And Cy Young is the best of all time with over 500 career wins.

Answer 11

people say Clemens is a greater valuable pitcher because of the fact of his win-loss checklist. nicely, if Ryan had pitched for warm golf equipment, his win-loss might've been extensively greater valuable. He by no ability relatively had a fabulous hitting team at the back of him, till it became too previous due. it relatively is like the three hundred and sixty 5 days he went 8-sixteen w/the Astros. He lead the league in era and ok's, yet could not win because of the fact the Astros could not hit!!! i might take Ryan, customary, and two times on Sundays!!!