OAKLAND, Calif. -- It turns out there really is a "Curse of Nolan Ryan."
It just doesn't actually have anything to do with Ryan, general manager Jon Daniels and the separation between the Rangers and the pitching legend. Rather, it is about the club's minor league award named for Ryan and the bad luck that has befallen the prospects who have ended up with the, um, honor.
"It's an award we want to build off," assistant player development director Paul Kruger said Friday.
Now would be a good time to start. And this weekend offers as good an opportunity as any, with the only two healthy and still-in-the-organization Ryan winners pitching on back-to-back days.