Why was Nolan Ryan both dominant and durable?

Far more so than modern pitchers?

Because he was a freak, right?

Wrong.

Nolan Ryan was more dominant and durable than modern pitchers because he moved better than them.

More naturally.

Tragically, modern pitchers don't move like Nolan Ryan did, in large part, because the secrets to Nolan Ryan's pitching mechanics are being coached out of them.

Nolan Ryan's
Pitching Mechanics

While Nolan Ryan is often written off as a freak, you can see — in my opinion significant — differences in how he moved...

Nolan Ryan

 ...and how far less durable pitchers moved.

Timing

Understanding why Nolan Ryan was so much more durable than modern pitchers starts with his Timing; with the position of his pitching arm at the moment it starts to come under load.

Nolan Ryan

In the picture above, notice how, as his front foot is planting, Nolan Ryan's pitching arm is almost UP.

Nolan Ryan

That meant that, when Nolan Ryan's front foot planted, and his shoulders started to turn, his pitching arm was in the proper position to handle the resulting loads.

Flat Arm Syndrome

In contrast, most modern pitchers' arms are FLAT going into, or worse at, Foot Plant, a problem I call Flat Arm Syndrome.

Alex Reyes

Alex Reyes' pitching mechanics are a great example of Flat Arm Syndrome, and that is why Alex Reyes has not — and will not — stay healthy.

Flat Arm Syndrome VERY reliably predicts injuries in pitchers and my understanding of it explains my ability to predict injuries in baseball pitchers.