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« O's Could Offer Sano A Deal Soon | Main | Odds And Ends: Atkins, Ryan, Halladay »
The Blue Jays have released B.J. Ryan, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. The 33-year-old lefty signed a five year $47MM deal with the Jays before the 2006 season that was, at the time, the largest deal ever for a reliever. The contract expires after 2010, but the Jays still owe Ryan about $15MM.
Ryan dominated in 2006, striking out more than four times as many as he walked and allowing 30 fewer hits than innings pitched. However, he's been a major disappointment since missing 2007 with Tommy John surgery. He was effective last year, but has struggled in 2009, walking 7.4 batters per nine with a career-low strikeout rate and more hits allowed than innings pitched.
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Woah, who saw that coming at the begining of the year?
Posted by: bbxxj | July 08, 2009 at 02:48 PM
Wow. Can't imagine he won't get a job somewhere.
Posted by: ChiSoxKilla23 | July 08, 2009 at 02:48 PM
"Yikes.
Posted by: Ted Williams | July 08, 2009 at 02:46 PM"
Indeed.
Posted by: 661dodgerblue | July 08, 2009 at 02:48 PM
Cubs?
Posted by: lexmarklover | July 08, 2009 at 02:49 PM
@ChiSoxKilla23: Have you seen him pitch this year?
Posted by: Torgen | July 08, 2009 at 02:50 PM
@Torgen: If Kip Wells keeps getting a job, BJ Ryan will get one too
Posted by: MorneauVP | July 08, 2009 at 02:50 PM
wow, now THIS is news
Posted by: 04Forever | July 08, 2009 at 02:51 PM
@ChiSoxKilla23: Have you seen him pitch this year?
Yea, your point. If Mark Prior and Bartolo Colon can get jobs than so can this guy.
Posted by: ChiSoxKilla23 | July 08, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Cubs certainly need a lefty. Seems like a chance worth taking. If he can just get lefties out, it makes Guzamn, Ryan, Marmol and Gregg look very very good. And Gregg has been outstanding the past two months, which is hard for me to admit because I cant stand him.
Posted by: chicubs25 | July 08, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Wow.
Posted by: Cardsfan387 | July 08, 2009 at 02:52 PM
Ryan was an absolute train wreck this year. He couldn't throw strikes to save his life. Watching him was actually really sad cuz you could see how much he was going crazy trying to find himself.
Posted by: deeselig | July 08, 2009 at 02:54 PM
Someone will sign him purely on his potential/past performance.
Heck, if I'm the Nats I might even give him a MLB contract with incentives because he coudn't be much worse than their worst relievers and could become by far their best.
Posted by: bbxxj | July 08, 2009 at 02:54 PM
Wow is right.
Now let's see the Cubs do this with Bradley before his option vests! (has fingers crossed)
Posted by: SuzysMan | July 08, 2009 at 02:55 PM
Cardinals and Dave Duncan could make him a stud again
Posted by: jps3k5 | July 08, 2009 at 02:56 PM
Suzysman I thought his option involved DL time for the current season, not games played. Did you hear something different?
Posted by: chicubs25 | July 08, 2009 at 02:57 PM
Tigers need to sign him to minor league contract and let him work out his problems.
Posted by: LiveFastCyYoung | July 08, 2009 at 03:00 PM
chicubs --
I believe Bradley's option vests simply by playing 75 games this season. Really, it was insurance against him suffering a horrendous injury, or a constant series of nagging injuries that prevents him from playing in the field, which has been the story of his career.
Posted by: The Big Cat | July 08, 2009 at 03:01 PM
Wow, i thought they'd stick it out with him and see if he'd be better next year.
Though, that said, for a fastball/slider guy who throws both pitches in the low to mid 80's, he really hasn't showed that he has the stuff to get major leaguers out. Especially since it's his slider which he can't locate to save his life.
I wish him the best of luck, he was simply awesome to watch in 07
Posted by: BaseBallz | July 08, 2009 at 03:02 PM
"Suzysman I thought his option involved DL time for the current season, not games played. Did you hear something different?"
It vest with 75 games played in 09. He sits at 67 now.
Posted by: SuzysMan | July 08, 2009 at 03:03 PM
If I'm Ryan I go to the team where I have the least amount of pressure and most opportunity. You don't sign with a contender when you need to "re-invent yourself". The Nationals would be a great fit, but haven't we said that about every single pitcher that has been realeased this year? Anyway I think he should look at the Nats, Padres, or Diamondbacks where there is no pressure on me essentially.
Posted by: bravoboy10 | July 08, 2009 at 03:06 PM
I think the best he will get is a minor league deal, you are pretty much looking at a dead arm.
Posted by: The_Bunk | July 08, 2009 at 03:07 PM
man I never saw this coming. also lots of teams will want him he'll only cost league min or more likely a minor league contract.
Posted by: Devmac | July 08, 2009 at 03:08 PM
Do you think Bradley having a .370 OBP, second on the team only to Aramis Ramirez might make the cubs not cut him?
Posted by: chicubs25 | July 08, 2009 at 03:08 PM
I agree that Detroit should give him a shot. If they can wait forever on willis they can certainly give this guy a year.
Posted by: Calriver | July 08, 2009 at 03:09 PM
And I think the Padres signing him would make it a bit easier to trade Bell. Obivously Ryan isn't a closer at this point unless he turns it around, but at least hes a name the fan base knows. Theres really no reason for a team that isn't going to the playoffs to hold on to players just to please the fans. The fans probably want to see guys like him traded if it will help in the future.
Posted by: chicubs25 | July 08, 2009 at 03:10 PM
Reds should bring back the man we traded. We could use more stability in the bullpen, even though Ryan has shown that he is not as good as Paul Janish, but maybe he can turn it around later on.
Posted by: 11 | July 08, 2009 at 03:10 PM
My last comment was a bit sarcastic for those who didn't catch on. Bradley has been awful, but he isn't the problem with the cubs.
As far as Ryan goes, any team should sign him. He will sign for the minimum, if it doesnt work cut him. Seems like a low risk move.
Posted by: chicubs25 | July 08, 2009 at 03:12 PM
"Yea, your point. If Mark Prior and Bartolo Colon can get jobs than so can this guy."
Colon went MIA or 'on the lamb'. Not sure if they know where he is these days. But yeah, Ryan will play again.
"If I'm Ryan I go to the team where I have the least amount of pressure and most opportunity. You don't sign with a contender when you need to "re-invent yourself".
I see your point and agree it might be best. But it depends on the person. Me, I go to a contender if offered a job. Show them you can get the job done. Ofcourse, you have to actually get the job done.
Posted by: studio179 | July 08, 2009 at 03:13 PM
"Do you think Bradley having a .370 OBP, second on the team only to Aramis Ramirez might make the cubs not cut him?"
I think his being a headcase, having fights/sit-down conversations regarding attitude with Lou, Hendry and a couple players is enough to release him, regardless of production. His bat can be replaced. The peace felt from him being gone is priceless.
But it is a topic for a different thread.
Posted by: SuzysMan | July 08, 2009 at 03:15 PM
"Now let's see the Cubs do this with Bradley before his option vests! (has fingers crossed)"
Cross your toes as well because it will not happen. Hendry won't do it.
Posted by: studio179 | July 08, 2009 at 03:15 PM
Ever since the Tommy John surgery, I haven't seen BJ throw a good solid inning without looking shaking or trying to find himself. IMO, hes done...his arm has fallen off
Posted by: s17 | July 08, 2009 at 03:15 PM
I agree the padres might sign him. It's appealing to any pitcher in need of a rebound to play in PETCO. I don't think they will trade Bell though. They have been grooming Mujica to be a closer, but I don't think it's going to happen as he still hasn't settled in as a dependable set up man. Not yet anyway. This is probably the first step in a move of Halladay.
Posted by: TradMike | July 08, 2009 at 03:16 PM
Marlins should check in on him.
Posted by: CT | July 08, 2009 at 03:18 PM
B.J. Ryan has lost nearly 3 MPH on his fastball and is throwing it about 16% less frequently than he has in his career. He’s throwing the slider nearly 40% of the time (he’s lost 2 MPH on that pitch), up from a career average of 22.1%. He’s both physically and mentally shot.
Posted by: PWHjort | July 08, 2009 at 03:21 PM
I wonder how much the people in this thread have seen Bj Ryan this year? Just because he used to be good doesn't mean his arm isn't completely dead.
Posted by: The_Bunk | July 08, 2009 at 03:23 PM
Eh. I phrased that wrong. He's throwing his fastball only 60% of the time and he has thrown it 76% of the time in his career.
Posted by: PWHjort | July 08, 2009 at 03:23 PM
And I'm assuming someone could pick him up for the league minimum?
Posted by: drphonic7 | July 08, 2009 at 03:24 PM
Ryan is awful this year. It's not one of those things where he's still got his stuff but it's a mystery. He's lost velocity on his fastball (which wasn't high to begin with) and his slider has lost some late bite. All of a sudden his fastball is pretty close to his slider. Both are mid to high 80s. There was a game where he came in to face the Orioles, and he was struggling to get it over 85 mph. It was like he was a totally different pitcher.
Posted by: basemonkey | July 08, 2009 at 03:26 PM
I'd sign him for the league minimum if I were the Dodgers.. they are looking for a lefty, have depth in the pen and I see no reason not to because if one of their relievers gets off the DL they can just send him down to the minors until his arm strengthens up.
Posted by: Lawya | July 08, 2009 at 03:27 PM
B.J. Ryan has lost nearly 3 MPH on his fastball and is throwing it about 16% less frequently than he has in his career. He’s throwing the slider nearly 40% of the time (he’s lost 2 MPH on that pitch), up from a career average of 22.1%. He’s both physically and mentally shot.
Posted by: PWHjort | July 08, 2009 at 03:21 PM
Nailed it PWHjort...
87.1 MPH fastball and 81.2 MPH slider this year, down almost 4 mph from his best years in Baltimore.
It's one thing if you're a two-pitch pitcher and your velo drops from 97 to 93 on your fastball, but 87 with no control isn't going to fool anyone.
Ryan is done.
Posted by: carini26 | July 08, 2009 at 03:40 PM
One would want to rebuild their value in a pitchers park such as Petco.
Posted by: goofball | July 08, 2009 at 03:40 PM
I don't know if you can say that BJ would do better on a small stage because Toronto
isn't exactly N.Y. Can't wait to see which team picks him up and dust's him off.
Posted by: The Atomic Punk | July 08, 2009 at 03:40 PM
i think a lot of commentators here really haven't seen BJ throw this year, it's just brutal. he can't get anyone out, at all. he wouldn't take a minor league assignment in toronto, so i doubt he'll take a minor league contract. you know money is tight around the league when the yankees won't even pay all 800k owed to hinske. i really don't see anyone wasting a roster space on this guy.
Posted by: pastlives | July 08, 2009 at 03:55 PM
Anyone who thinks there team will sign him and he will magically turn into a guy who can get you through 1 inning is dreaming. This guy sucked when he came back last year and he has been even worse this year.
Before anyone runs out to pull his stats from last year let me just say, they don't reflect how terrible he truly was. He was a heart attack to watch every time they ran him out. His velocity is down, his control is shot and his attitude sucks.
Just another in a long list of terrible contracts handed out by 'the nose'.
Posted by: K-Red | July 08, 2009 at 03:58 PM
wish the marlins would get him... but we all know theres no chance of that happening
Posted by: xquiles21x | July 08, 2009 at 04:05 PM
""Now let's see the Cubs do this with Bradley before his option vests! (has fingers crossed)"
Cross your toes as well because it will not happen. Hendry won't do it."
Yeah, because for some reason, Hendry is allergic to smart baseball moves.
"Do you think Bradley having a .370 OBP, second on the team only to Aramis Ramirez might make the cubs not cut him?"
He's still a sub replacement level player, which by definition means "needs to be released", and the Cubs already have a major bad payroll situation in 2011.
Posted by: melonis rex | July 08, 2009 at 04:51 PM
lol That's what happens when you give relievers terrible contracts.
Posted by: rewsde | July 08, 2009 at 05:11 PM
The Yankees need to jump on this guy. Lefty, closing ability, still young, just about at the time he'll finally really be healthy from TJ. Go get him Ca$hman.
Posted by: gianthinker | July 08, 2009 at 05:41 PM
"wish the marlins would get him... but we all know theres no chance of that happening"
Careful what you wish for. Trust me, the Fish want no part of this guy, he is toast.
Posted by: johns | July 08, 2009 at 05:56 PM
Anyone who wants him gets him for league mininum. He still gets paid everything except 400K prorated that was left on his contract from toronto.
Posted by: bravoboy10 | July 08, 2009 at 06:00 PM
yankees?
Posted by: Phil | July 08, 2009 at 06:32 PM
Ryan will end up signing close to leagues minimum. The Blue Jay fans will all be upset that they let him go because he will redeem himself with a team that has a possibility of still running for a playoff spot.
He has no pressure anywhere he goes. They know what he can do when he is on top of his game. but they also keep in mind he has lost himself.
He might land somewhere like Milwaukee, or like Texas. Teams like these have great fans and will support him build his way back up.
Posted by: sabathgod | July 08, 2009 at 06:39 PM
I bet Ryan signs on with another club somehow. If not now then next Spring at a low risk rate like Spring invitee or even accept a minor league assignment. Either way, the biggest part of Ryan is his deception with the complete back turn thing. When he is right, his fastball is 91 mph with some life and the slider is 80s and bites late. The problem this year is that: 1. his command has vanished. 2. If both the fastball is similar speed and the slider has less bit, then what exactly is the hitter supposed to be deceived by?
Posted by: basemonkey | July 08, 2009 at 06:53 PM
NA NA NANANANA HEEEEEEEEEEY GOOD BYE!
Posted by: xethicx | July 08, 2009 at 09:07 PM
Hmmm... Seems like the asking price for Halladay just went down...
If they are going to eat Ryan's contract, than they are going to have to dump a bunch of salary elsewhere. The Jays signing Wells AND Rios to 7 years deals was just plain stupid. For them to give twice as much money to Wells as Rios is just stupid and for you that don't realize how badly they laid out the contract.
It's not just that they signed wells to 126MM/7 year deal, but they backloaded the whole thing as he goes from 1.5MM this year to like 12.5MM next year and then the last 4 years are at 20MM+. Look for the Jays to trade Halladay, Rios, Rolen and Overbay if they can't find a taker for Wells. I wouldn't even trade Silva from the Mariners for half of what's left on Wells contract, so good look doing anything with him.
Releasing Ryan just shows how desperate this team is to move players because you know if they released him, they already called every MLB team to get a trade where the other team would take on even $1MM of the deal.
Posted by: Iknowalilsomethingaboutsomething | July 08, 2009 at 09:21 PM
ok, I can only ask, what the heck are you talking about?
What would eating Ryans contract have to do with the other contracts they are owed? They were paying Ryan if they kept him or not, and he has nothing to do with Halladay or Rios or Wells or anyone else other then the BP arm in the minors that now gets a roster spot. And they released him because he has nothing left. He went from throwing 91 MPH with a 85 MPH slider that was resulting in a 74%-77% contact rate (73%-79% in the strike zone) down to a 87 MPH fastball and 81 MPH slider which he has a 83.8% contact rate (88.7% in the zone). When someone has only two pitches, and neither are worth a crud, why wouldn’t you release him? And how would their releasing someone who is done have anything to do with them being desperate to move players? The RedSox released Van Every today as well, does that point to them being in fire-sale mode?
Really, your post just didnt make any sense at all.
Posted by: SuzysMan | July 08, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Not that I'm a pitching coach or scout- but isn't Ryan the posterboy for horrendously terrible pitching mechanics and the "inverted L"
I'd pass on anything bigger than a minor-league deal.
Posted by: jp | July 09, 2009 at 07:51 AM
As long as its just a minor league deal I wouldn't mind the Mets picking him up to have another lefty in the pen.
Posted by: OhPityMe | July 09, 2009 at 08:24 AM
Mets?They have J.J Putz on the DL and can use a guy like B.J Ryan to replace him.
Posted by: Okaypoppi | July 10, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Dodgers? Leach is currently the only lefty reliever until Kuo gets back. Only for the right price though.
Posted by: bleedblue | July 10, 2009 at 05:32 PM
Did they even try to trade him? Seems like they could have gotten something for him...
Posted by: drphonic7 | July 11, 2009 at 01:16 PM
I know there out of it. But I really wish my D-Backs would sign him. They don't have any reason to play for. Sign him and let him get right. Its not like they have anyone who can get through the 8th inning anyway. Rauch is inconsistent and they just traded Pena. Davis won't be back next year and I doubt Garland is coming back. They'll have some free money. I'll take a chance on a guy who was a successful closer in the AL East.
7th inning Rauch
8th Ryan
9th Qualls
Posted by: Serg Rush | July 13, 2009 at 01:45 PM
Though if they keep Lopez. I wouldn't argue about picking up a veteran everyday 1B next season.
Posted by: Serg Rush | July 13, 2009 at 01:49 PM
Cubs suck Brewers or Cards will take the Central title
Posted by: brewersfan09 | July 14, 2009 at 08:00 AM
this is a really stupid move from toronto. OUCH!
Bj Ryan could go to anybody now.
Not a bad setup guy for the Yanks if they keep Joba in their rotation!
But that wont even happen!
Posted by: Yanks09champs! | July 15, 2009 at 05:11 PM
Who are the Blue dummies kidding. YOu should have traded him. They are a so dumb this would be a guy that can setup and close. Blue Jays= suck
Posted by: metsfan4 life | July 16, 2009 at 02:28 PM