Ryan's move to Arlington hailed by new teammates

ATLANTA - Rangers pitcher Jose Guzman had a special request for longtime friend Juan Agosto last summer. He asked Agosto, who pitches for Houston, for an autographed picture and baseball from the Astros' Nolan Ryan.

"He got it, but he never gave it to me," said Guzman.

No problem. Now, Guzman plans to take care of that himself.

On Wednesday, the Texas Rangers signed Ryan, a future Hall-of-Famer, off the free-agent market to a guaranteed one-year contract with an option for 1990.

According to sources close to the negotiations, Ryan received a $200,000 signing bonus, a $1.6 million salary for 1989 and a $1.4 million salary in 1990 with a $200,000 buyout clause. That's a guarantee of $2 million for Ryan, who nine years ago became baseball's first $1 million-a-year pitcher when he left California and signed with the Houston Astros as a free agent.

"Now I can even get a picture of him with me," said Guzman, 17 years younger than Ryan, who turns 42 on Jan. 31. "We signed my idol. I've got all his baseball cards. I'm going home for Christmas, and I'm going to get them. Maybe he will sign them for me."

A little bit of Ryan's longtime loyalties played a part in his decision to sign with the Rangers. He grew up in Alvin, Texas, just outside Houston, where he still lives. And he goes back to the days of the Colt 45s in his following of Houston's major league team.

He called it a dream come true when he originally signed with the Astros. But when negotiations broke down for him to re-sign with the Astros this winter, Ryan said he settled for the next best thing - selecting the offer from the Rangers over proposals from California and Houston.

"I am a diehard Texan, and I want to remain in Texas," said Ryan. "The over-riding factor was what I felt was best for myself and my family. [Wife] Ruth and the kids played a big part in this. I have teen-age kids. We will maintain our home in Alvin. The kids will continue to go to the same school. It is a more workable situation for us as a family unit."

Ryan will find himself quickly accepted in the Rangers family. He has earned the type of respect that goes with his Hall-of-Fame-caliber career. In 22 major league seasons, Ryan has set or tied 38 records. He has led a league in strikeouts nine seasons, including the National League in each of the last two. He has pitched a record five no-hitters, and came within two outs of a sixth last April 27 before Mike Schmidt of Philadelphia singled.

His 273 career victories tie him with Red Ruffing for 25th on the all-time list, and rank behind only Tommy John (286) among active pitchers.

It is that list of credentials, plus Ryan's strong family life and commitment to conditioning, that made him so attractive to the Rangers.

"This is a very fortunate opportunity for Bobby Witt and every other pitcher in our organization to be around a guy I feel is one of the finest people in baseball and outside of baseball," said manager Bobby Valentine, whose relationship with Ryan extends back to 1973, when both men were with the California Angels. "He's the consummate professional."

And he is idolized by his new teammates.

"He's been my idol ever since I started pitching," said Witt. "I think he is going to teach us a lot, especially me, watching the guy, his work habits and how he is able to throw the ball as hard as he still does. Even now, whenever he pitches, if it's on television, I stay up and watch him bring heat. I'm lucky - I finally get to meet him."

With the addition of Ryan, the Rangers have six legitimate candidates for the starting rotation. He joins Charlie Hough, Witt, Guzman, Jeff Russell and Jamie Moyer, who came to the Rangers earlier in the week as part of a nine-player trade with the Chicago Cubs. The depth opens up the possibility that Russell, who has said he would like to try his hand as the short reliever, will return to the bullpen in light of the loss of stopper Mitch Williams in that Cubs package.

"He's my idol," said Russell, "has been since high school. He can mow them down with the best of them . . . How much do I think of him? I almost named my last son Nolan Ryan Russell."

The youngest member of the Russell household is known as Casey Douglas, but that's no slight to the man who has become the oldest Ranger. Not even Ryan's record-setting contract bothers Russell.

"He's been around for quite a while," said Russell. "If I pitch that long, I expect to be paid that, too."

Hough, who turns 41 on Jan. 5, used to be the highest-paid Ranger, as well as the senior citizen. He has no problem giving up either distinction - especially not to Ryan. He may be only a year younger, but the knuckleballer admits that he, like his youthful teammates, flutters at the thought of Ryan.

"He's my idol, too," said Hough. "The guy is great. He's been a brilliant pitcher. Nobody can do what he's done. Nobody can throw the way he does as long as he does. But he's done it. If he goes out and does the job the way he has, that's a good influence on the team. Anything beyond that is gravy."

Everything about Ryan is a bonus for pitching coach Tom House, two years younger than Ryan and a longtime fan of his newest pupil.

"He's been my idol for a long time, too,' said House. "His work ethic, his demeanor on the mound, his Hall of Fame status. What else can you ask for for the young kids to be around?"

While Ryan has never been a part of House's extensive conditioning program, he follows many of the same principles that the Ranger coach preaches. In House's analysis of pitching mechanics, Hough has the best mechanics of any pitcher he has analyzed, followed by Ryan and Roger Clemens.

"For somebody 42 to still be throwing 94 miles per hour, there has to be a reason besides having a good arm," said House. "It's the way the body delivers the arm.

"I'll approach him the same way I do Charlie. I'll be there when he asks for help, but I won't impede with his approach."

Ryan said he will be careful not to interfere with House, but acknowledged that he is willing to serve as a role model if that's what the Rangers want.

"I feel Bobby Witt is experiencing some things I experienced early in my career," said Ryan. "I might be able to help him some. Tom House is the pitching coach, and if I can be of benefit to some of the young pitchers, I certainly will make what contribution I can."

He also knows one thing he'll ask House and Hough for advice on - dealing with the mid-summer Texas heat. While he has pitched the last nine years for the Astros, his conditioning program has been unchanged because of the controlled climate inside the Astrodome.

Now, he's going to be pitching outside again. At first, that was a concern, but the more Ryan thought about it, the less he worried.

"Fergie Jenkins and Gaylord Perry pitched there late in their careers, and they were successful," said Ryan. "Every place you go has some negatives. The heat is something I will deal with. But I'm looking forward to it."