Best of the bunch
09:23 PM CDT on Saturday, April 4, 2009
Just the phrase all-time Rangers pitching staff makes some people cringe.
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All-time Rangers pitchers: Best of the bunch
But should it?
While the team's history is littered with offensive stars, the Rangers have also had their share of solid pitching. Sure there are no Cy Young Award winners, but the Rangers have had 16 pitchers selected to the All-Star team and one (Nolan Ryan) in the Hall of Fame.
A look at the all-time Rangers staff:
Hough was staff ace from 1980 to 1990.
A member of the inaugural Rangers Hall of Fame class, he is the franchise leader in wins (139), innings pitched (2,308) and strikeouts (1,452).
It took the signing of Nolan Ryan to snap Hough's streak of seven straight years leading the team in wins.
Though Ryan pitched for the Rangers for only five years, he led the majors in strikeouts in 1989, pitched two no-hitters, won his 300th game, surpassed the 5,000-strikeout mark and gave the franchise much-needed credibility.
The Hall of Famer gave the staff early star power by winning 25 games in 1974.
In two stints with the Rangers that lasted a total of six seasons, he won 93 games.
He's first all-time with 17 shutouts and trails only Charlie Hough in complete games (90).
From 1988 through 1994, Brown gave the Rangers a potent pitcher to go along with veteran Nolan Ryan.
The former first-round pick is fifth all-time in wins with 78 and tied for the American League lead in wins in 1992 with 21.
He was also a bullpen savior, leading the Rangers in complete games for three seasons.
Rogers couldn't quit Texas, and the Rangers are thankful.
He started his Rangers career as a reliever but switched to starting in 1993.
In his three stints with the Rangers, Rogers won 133 games, struck out 1,201 and made three All-Star trips.
He has the second-best win percentage by a starter (.581).
The Rangers should have known they were on to something when Zimmerman debuted in 1999 by striking out four batters in 1 2/3 inning.
He went on to be an All-Star reliever that year despite saving just three games.
Two years later, he moved to the closer role and had 28 saves. A series of arm injuries after that season ended his career.
During the playoff run in the late 1990s, the game was over when Wetteland came on to close things out.
He saved at least 31 games in each of his four seasons with the Rangers.
The club's all-time save leader with 150, Wetteland was an All-Star twice in his Texas tenure and finished sixth in the 1999 Cy Young voting.