Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling Jr. (born August 19, 1960) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 1995, primarily with the New York Mets, and is currently a prominent television sports analyst.[1][2] Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a Hawaiian-Chinese mother and French-Canadian father, Darling grew up in Millbury, Massachusetts, and became fluent in Chinese, French, and English during his youth.[2] He attended Yale University from 1979 to 1981, where he majored in French and Southeast Asian history while excelling as a pitcher, notably throwing an 11-inning no-hitter in a 1981 NCAA tournament game that his team lost 1-0 in the 12th.[2] Drafted ninth overall in the first round of the 1981 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers, Darling was traded to the Mets in 1982 before making his big-league debut on September 6, 1983.[1][2] Over his MLB career, Darling compiled a 136-116 record with a 3.87 earned run average (ERA) in 364 starts across 2,360.1 innings pitched, striking out 1,590 batters while earning one Gold Glove Award in 1989 for his fielding prowess. He was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 2021 and the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023.[1][3][4] He was selected to the National League All-Star Game in 1985 and played a pivotal role in the Mets' 1986 World Series championship, posting a 15-6 record and 2.81 ERA that season en route to a Game 4 victory in the Fall Classic.[2] After stints with the Montreal Expos and Oakland Athletics (1991–1995), Darling retired following the 1995 season.[1] Transitioning to broadcasting, Darling joined SportsNet New York (SNY) in 2006 as a game and studio analyst for Mets broadcasts, also serving as the lead analyst for TBS's MLB postseason coverage and contributing to MLB Network and WPIX-11.[5][2] He has won multiple Emmy Awards for his analytical work and authored books such as The Complete Game (2009), reflecting on his career and the sport's nuances.[2] Additionally, Darling founded the Ron Darling Foundation in 2009 to support diabetes research and youth philanthropy initiatives.[2]Early Life and Education
Early Life
Ronald Maurice Darling Jr. was born on August 19, 1960, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Ronald Maurice Darling Sr., of French-Canadian descent, and a mother of Hawaiian-Chinese ancestry; the family was multilingual, with Darling becoming fluent in Chinese, French, and English during his early years.[2] The family relocated from Hawaii to Millbury, Massachusetts, a Red Sox stronghold, where Darling spent his childhood and described the period from ages 10 to 20 as idyllic, supported by attentive parents and three younger brothers who looked up to him.[2][6] Darling attended St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, where he honed his athletic talents, particularly in baseball, contributing to local successes such as pitching West Boylston's American Legion team to the 1979 Massachusetts state championship.[7][8] His early experiences in team sports fostered a strong competitive drive, ultimately leading him to pursue baseball at Yale University after high school.[2]College Career
Ron Darling attended Yale University from 1979 to 1981, majoring in French and Southeast Asian history before leaving after his junior year to pursue professional baseball.[2][9] As a starting pitcher for the Yale Bulldogs, Darling excelled over three seasons, compiling a 23-8 record with a 2.18 ERA, 236 strikeouts, and 25 consecutive complete games.[4] His performance included a standout sophomore year in 1980 with an 11-2 record and a 1.31 ERA, ranking fifth nationally, followed by a 9-4 mark and 2.14 ERA in 1981.[10] Darling also contributed offensively, batting .384 with a .589 slugging percentage as a sophomore.[4] One of his most memorable outings came on May 21, 1981, during an NCAA Northeast Regional game against St. John's, where Darling pitched 11 no-hit innings, striking out 16 batters before yielding a bloop single in the 12th; Yale lost 1-0 in a duel widely regarded as one of the greatest in college baseball history.[11][12] This effort marked the longest no-hitter in NCAA history at the time and showcased his command and endurance.[2] Darling's collegiate prowess drew significant scouting attention, leading to his selection by the Texas Rangers in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1981 MLB Draft, making him Yale's highest draft pick ever.[7][4] In recognition of his impact, Darling was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024, announced on December 7, 2023, and inducted on February 15, 2024, in Overland Park, Kansas; he became the second Yale player to receive this honor.[4]Professional Baseball Career
Minor Leagues
Following his selection by the Texas Rangers in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Yale University, Darling signed a professional contract worth $100,000 and was immediately assigned to the Rangers' Double-A affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League, bypassing Single-A ball due to his college experience.[13][2] In 13 starts for Tulsa that season, he posted a 4-2 record with a 4.44 ERA over 71 innings, striking out 53 batters while walking 33, demonstrating early promise as a starter despite some command issues.[13] On April 1, 1982, the Rangers traded Darling, along with fellow pitching prospect Walt Terrell, to the New York Mets in exchange for outfielder Lee Mazzilli.[14] Assigned to the Mets' Triple-A affiliate, the Tidewater Tides of the International League, Darling adapted quickly to the higher level, making 26 starts in 1982 and compiling a 7-9 record with a 3.73 ERA in 152 innings, including six complete games and 114 strikeouts.[13] His performance highlighted improving stamina and pitch efficiency, though he still worked on refining his secondary offerings. Darling's development accelerated in 1983 with Tidewater, where he made 27 starts and went 10-9 with a 4.02 ERA over 159 innings, logging five complete games and 107 strikeouts while issuing 102 walks.[13] During this time, he focused on enhancing his curveball for better deception and honing his control to limit free passes, skills that became hallmarks of his major-league arsenal and contributed to his reputation for mound intelligence.[2] These strides in Triple-A earned him a late-season promotion to the Mets on September 1, 1983, marking the end of his minor-league career after just two full professional seasons.[7]New York Mets Tenure
Ron Darling made his Major League Baseball debut with the New York Mets on September 6, 1983, pitching five starts that season and finishing with a 1-3 record and 2.80 ERA.[7] In 1984, he established himself as a key member of the Mets' starting rotation, logging 33 starts and achieving a 12-9 record with a 3.81 ERA over 205.2 innings.[7] Darling's performance improved markedly in 1985, when he was selected for the National League All-Star Game and posted a 16-6 record with a 2.90 ERA in 35 starts, helping anchor the Mets' pitching staff during a 98-win season.[7][1] The 1986 season marked the pinnacle of Darling's Mets tenure, as he contributed to the team's 108-win campaign with a 15-6 record and 2.81 ERA across 34 starts.[7] In the National League Championship Series against the Houston Astros, the Mets trailed 3-2 entering Game 6, an epic 16-inning marathon that the Mets won 7-6 to clinch the pennant; Darling was scheduled to start a potential Game 7 but was spared due to the victory.[15] Darling then excelled in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox, making three starts with a 1-1 record, 1.53 ERA, and 12 strikeouts over 17.2 innings.[7] He earned the win in Game 4 by pitching seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out four in a 6-2 Mets victory that evened the series at 2-2; in Game 7, he started but surrendered three runs in four innings before exiting with no decision, as the Mets rallied for an 8-5 triumph to claim the championship.[16] Following the 1986 title, Darling's performance with the Mets declined amid injuries and inconsistencies, as he compiled a 55-46 record with a 3.79 ERA from 1987 to 1991, including a career-high 17 wins in 1988 but reduced starts in his final two seasons due to health issues.[7] His last appearance for the Mets came in 1991, after which he finished his tenure with the club holding an overall record of 99-70, a 3.38 ERA, and 241 starts in 1,617.2 innings pitched.[7]Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos
On July 15, 1991, the New York Mets traded Darling and minor leaguer Mike Thomas to the Montreal Expos in exchange for reliever Tim Burke.[17] In his brief tenure with Montreal, Darling made three starts, posting a 0-2 record with a 7.41 ERA over 17 innings, struggling amid the team's push for a National League East title.[7] Just two weeks later, on July 31, 1991, the Expos traded him to the Oakland Athletics for minor league pitchers Matt Grott and Russell Cormier, as Oakland sought pitching depth for a postseason run.[14] Darling joined the Athletics late in the 1991 season and made 12 starts, finishing with a 3-7 record and a 4.08 ERA over 75 innings, contributing to Oakland's wild-card contention despite the team's fourth-place finish in the AL West. An elbow issue sidelined him briefly that year, limiting his effectiveness as he adjusted to the American League. In 1992, Darling returned as a full-time starter, anchoring the rotation with a career-reviving 15-10 record, 3.66 ERA, and 206.1 innings pitched across 33 starts, helping Oakland capture the AL West title before their loss in the ALCS to the Toronto Blue Jays.[7] Over his first two seasons with the Athletics (1991-1992), he compiled an 18-17 record with a 3.82 ERA in 44 starts.[7] Darling remained with Oakland through the 1995 season, serving as a veteran presence in the rotation during a period of transition for the franchise. In 1993, he went 5-9 with a 5.16 ERA in 29 starts, impacted by defensive inconsistencies and a high walk rate.[7] The 1994 season, shortened by a players' strike, saw him post a 10-11 record and 4.50 ERA in 25 starts before the work stoppage.[7] By 1995, at age 35, Darling struggled with diminished velocity and command, recording a 4-7 mark with a 6.23 ERA in 21 starts over 104 innings.[7] His final major league appearance came on August 15, 1995, against the Kansas City Royals, where he pitched 5.1 innings, allowing three runs.[7] The Athletics released Darling on August 21, 1995, amid a youth movement and the team's last-place standing.[18] Persistent arm issues, including multiple offseason elbow surgeries to remove bone chips dating back to 1990, had eroded his durability and effectiveness by the mid-1990s.[19] Darling retired following the 1995 season to transition into broadcasting.[2] Reflecting on his career's close, Darling later noted the cumulative toll of arm wear from over a decade of high-volume pitching, which prevented a prolonged farewell in the majors.[2]Career Statistics and Achievements
Playing Statistics
Ron Darling pitched for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1995, compiling a record of 136 wins against 116 losses, a 3.87 earned run average (ERA), and 1,590 strikeouts over 2,360 1/3 innings.[7] His career advanced metrics included a 4.03 fielding independent pitching (FIP) and a 1.33 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).[20] Darling's performance peaked during his time with the New York Mets in the mid-1980s, notably in 1986 when he went 15-6 with a 2.81 ERA in 237 innings, contributing significantly to the team's World Series run.[7] In 1991, he split the season among the Mets, Montreal Expos, and Oakland Athletics, finishing 8-15 with a 4.26 ERA across 194 1/3 innings.[7] The following table summarizes his regular-season statistics by year and team:| Year | Team | W | L | ERA | IP | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | NYM | 1 | 3 | 2.80 | 35.1 | 23 |
| 1984 | NYM | 12 | 9 | 3.81 | 205.2 | 136 |
| 1985 | NYM | 16 | 6 | 2.90 | 248.0 | 167 |
| 1986 | NYM | 15 | 6 | 2.81 | 237.0 | 184 |
| 1987 | NYM | 12 | 8 | 4.29 | 207.2 | 167 |
| 1988 | NYM | 17 | 9 | 3.25 | 240.2 | 161 |
| 1989 | NYM | 14 | 14 | 3.52 | 217.1 | 153 |
| 1990 | NYM | 7 | 9 | 4.50 | 126.0 | 99 |
| 1991 | NYM/MON/OAK | 8 | 15 | 4.26 | 194.1 | 129 |
| 1992 | OAK | 15 | 10 | 3.66 | 206.1 | 99 |
| 1993 | OAK | 5 | 9 | 5.16 | 178.0 | 95 |
| 1994 | OAK | 10 | 11 | 4.50 | 160.0 | 108 |
| 1995 | OAK | 4 | 7 | 6.23 | 104.0 | 69 |
| Rank | Pitcher | Wins | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Morris | 162 | 3.66 |
| 2 | Dave Stieb | 140 | 3.32 |
| 3 | Bob Welch | 137 | 3.21 |
| 4 | Fernando Valenzuela | 128 | 3.19 |
| 5 | Nolan Ryan | 122 | 3.14 |
| Rank | Pitcher | ERA | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dwight Gooden | 2.64 | 100 |
| 2 | Orel Hershiser | 2.69 | 98 |
| 3 | Roger Clemens | 3.06 | 95 |
| 4 | Nolan Ryan | 3.14 | 122 |
| 5 | Fernando Valenzuela | 3.19 | 128 |