Nolan Ryan vs. Grant Thatcher — Career Comparison

Nolan Ryan
Baby BoomersTexasThrows RightBats RightNorth AmericaCalifornia AngelsAmerican LeagueHall of FameStarting PitcherAll-Star
Grant Thatcher
Pre-GenerationalPennsylvaniaThrows RightNorth AmericaBrooklyn DodgersNational LeagueRelief Pitcher

Nolan Ryan built a career as a starting pitcher and Grant Thatcher as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Grant Thatcher posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.16 and WHIP 1.378 compared to 3.19 and 1.262 for Nolan Ryan. By the career numbers, Grant Thatcher had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.

Pitching Stats for Nolan Ryan and Grant Thatcher

Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
27
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
807
1.35
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
1.22
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
773
1.29
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
4
0.97
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
324
0.54
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.97
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
292
0.49
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.24
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
52.6
52.6
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
80
80
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
95.79
95.79
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
80
80
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
222
0.37
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
4
0.97
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
61
0.1
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3
0.01
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
1911
3.19
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
3.16
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.19
3.19
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.16
3.16
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.89
2.89
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.82
3.82
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.3
3.3
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.38
3.38
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.203
0.203
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.29
0.29
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16158
27
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
27
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5386
9
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
37
9
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
3923
6.56
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
42
10.22
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
6.56
6.56
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
10.22
10.22
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
321
0.54
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1
0.24
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.54
0.54
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.24
0.24
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.4
0.4
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.2
0.2
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
2795
4.67
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
2.19
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
78
0.13
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.67
4.67
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.19
2.19
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
5714
9.55
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
13
3.16
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
9.55
9.55
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.16
3.16
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
7.08
7.08
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
2.6
2.6
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.58
1.58
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.595
0.595
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
277
0.46
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
2
0.49
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
158
0.26
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
33
0.06
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
22575
37.72
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
154
37.46
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
13
0.02
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
2178
3.64
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
18
4.38
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
3.64
3.64
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
4.38
4.38
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
191
0.32
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
140
0.23
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
263
0.44
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.247
1.247
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
1.378
1.378
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
19291
32.24
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
145
35.27
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
2.7
2.7
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
3.6
3.6
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
0.272
0.272
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.313
0.313
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
37.72
37.72
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
37.46
37.46

Fielding Stats for Nolan Ryan and Grant Thatcher

Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
27
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
2
2
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
807
1.35
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
5
1.22
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
773
1.29
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
16159
27
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
111
27
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
5386.1
9
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
37
9
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
220
0.37
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
547
0.91
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
2.19
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
90
0.15
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
1
0.24
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
857
1.43
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
10
2.43
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Innings
767
1.28
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Inningsverified
9
2.19
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
89.5
89.5
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
90
90
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0.95
0.95
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
1.8
1.8
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
95.79
95.79
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 9 Inningsverified
27
0.05
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 9 Innings
0
0

Hitting Stats for Nolan Ryan and Grant Thatcher

Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
27
27
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
2
2
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
807
505.96
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
5
187.5
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
957
600
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
16
600
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
852
534.17
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
15
562.5
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.11
0.11
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.2
0.2
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.349
0.349
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.531
0.531
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
94
58.93
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
112.5
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
80
50.16
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
2
75
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
10
6.27
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
37.5
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.25
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.25
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
14
8.78
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
37.5
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.149
0.149
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.333
0.333
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.002
0.002
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.021
0.021
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
16.94
10.62
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1.05
39.5
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
114
71.47
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
150
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
132
82.76
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
150
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.148
0.148
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.134
0.134
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.267
0.267
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.282
0.282
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.517
0.517
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.024
0.024
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.067
0.067
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.1
0.1
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.179
0.179
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.201
0.201
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.417
0.417
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.191
0.191
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.25
0.25
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
40
25.08
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
37.5
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
36
22.57
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
3
112.5
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
74
46.39
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
4
150
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
-11.22
-7.04
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
1.02
38.14
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PA
38
23.82
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PAverified
1
37.5
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
371
232.6
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
112.5
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
2.58
2.58
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
5.33
5.33
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
0.1
0.1
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0.33
0.33
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
65
40.75
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
2
1.25
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Career
Per 600 PA
11
6.9
Grant Thatcher
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
1.88
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
3
1.88
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
6
3.76
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA
0
0
Nolan Ryan
Careerverified
Per 600 PAverified
50
50
Grant Thatcher
Career
Per 600 PA