B. J. Ryan

Infobox MLB player


width = 200
name = B. J. Ryan
position = Relief pitcher
team = Toronto Blue Jays
number = 52
bats = Left
throws = Left
birthdate = birth date and age|1975|12|27
debutdate = July 29
debutyear = 1999
debutteam = Cincinnati Reds
statyear = September 8, 2008
stat1label = Wins–losses
stat1value = 20–27
stat2label = ERA
stat2value = 3.26
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 605
stat4label = Saves
stat4value = 110
teams =
*Cincinnati Reds (by|1999)
*Baltimore Orioles (by|1999–by|2005)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|2006–present)

Robert Victor Ryan, Jr., more commonly known as B. J. Ryan, (born on December 28, 1975 in Bossier City, Louisiana) is a closer in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League. Previously, Ryan played with the Cincinnati Reds (1999) and Baltimore Orioles (1999–2005). He bats and throws left-handed.

In a career that has spanned eight years, Ryan has compiled an 18–23 record with 554 strikeouts and a 3.28 ERA in 458 innings pitched.

Career

Ryan started his career as a left-handed specialist. His inability to command his pitches, combined with a history of difficulty facing right-handed batters, prevented him from acquiring a larger role in the bullpen. However, his eccentric, three-quarter, slingshot-like delivery has made him a dominant force against left-handed batters.

More recently, Ryan has been able to not only control his pitches better, but also add tailing movement to his low-90s fastball. This movement, combined with his already-devastating slider, has helped his success rate against right-handed batters. During his years with Baltimore, he translated this success into a larger role in the Orioles' bullpen. By the middle of 2004, he secured the primary setup role. By the end of the year, he took Jorge Julio's job as the closer.

In 2005, Ryan had a spectacular season as closer for Baltimore, converting 36 of 41 save opportunities and compiling a 2.43 ERA and appearing in the All-Star Game.

Ryan became one of the most coveted free agents in Major League Baseball during the 2005 off-season. After considering an offer to rejoin the Orioles, as well as visiting with other potential suitors such as the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees, Ryan signed a 5-year, $47-million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on November 28, 2005. At the time, that was the largest contract for a reliever in Major League Baseball history, surpassing Mariano Rivera's 4-year, $40-million deal with the Yankees from 2001–2004.

On July 3, 2006 it was announced that Ryan would make his second All-Star Game appearance when he was one of five Toronto Blue Jays players selected for the American League All-Star Team. During the 2006 All-Star Game held on July 10 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ryan pitched the scoreless eighth inning and earned the win for the American League. He finished the year with a career-high 38 saves, ranking third in the league behind Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox.

On May 10, 2007, The Toronto Blue Jays announced that B.J. Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery in his left elbow and would be out for the remainder of the 2007 season.Cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070510&content_id=1956858&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor|title=Ryan has successful surgery | bluejays.com: Official Info|accessdate=2008-05-10|publisher=BlueJays.com|year=2007|author=Press Release]

On the morning of April 13, 2008, less than one year removed from Tommy John surgery, B.J. Ryan was activated from the disabled list. Later that afternoon, he entered the game in the 10th inning, and picked up his first save in over one year.

Notable Blown Saves

*On June 2, 2005 at Boston, with the Baltimore Orioles leading the game 4–3, Ryan gave up a bunt single to Edgar Renteria with 2 outs when he faced David Ortiz. Ortiz promptly hit a walk-off home run over the green monster to win the game 6–4 for the Red Sox. [ [http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20050602&content_id=1072853&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos Ortiz blasts one to lift Sox over O's | redsox.com: News] ] It was Ortiz's fifth walk-off home run as a Red Sox player.
*On July 19, 2005 at Minnesota, with the help of a wild pitch and two walks, Jacque Jones hit a single to win the game for the Twins, after once again Ryan recorded 2 outs in the inning. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20050719&content_id=1137244&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=min Twins edge Orioles, even series | twinsbaseball.com: News] ]
*On July 30, 2006 at Oakland, Ryan arguably blew the most important game of the season for the Blue Jays. Trailing 3–2, in the top of the ninth the Blue Jays rallied for 3 runs against closer Huston Street. Now with the lead and hoping to win a series against Oakland to keep their playoff hopes alive, Ryan was called on to shut down the Athletics. Ryan got Bobby Crosby and Jason Kendall out but gave up a single to Mark Ellis and walked Mark Kotsay. With 2 outs and 2 men on base, Milton Bradley took a 3–2 fastball down the middle from Ryan and drove it out of the park, giving the A's a 6–5 victory. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060731/ai_n16649030 Bradley sends A's to walk-off heaven | Oakland Tribune | Find Articles at BNET] ] The loss was a crucial one for the Jays because they fell 6 games back of first place in the American League. The loss unofficialy put the Jays out of playoff contention.
*On April 6, 2007 at Tampa Bay in only the third game of the season, Ryan gave up a walk-off single to B.J. Upton after giving up a 2-run home run to Delmon Young 3 batters earlier. Tampa won 6–5. It was later revealed after another blown save by Ryan at home on April 14 against the Tigers that Ryan was playing hurt and that general manager J.P. Ricciardi knew about it, but kept it a secret. Ryan then underwent Tommy John surgery and was gone for the rest of the year.
*On June 5, 2008 at New York against the Yankees, the Jays hoped to secure a victory in the third and final game of the set to win a series at Yankee Stadium and to move closer to playoff contention. With 2 outs, Ryan gave up a 3-run walk-off home run to Jason Giambi off the foul pole in right field. The Jays lost the game 9–8 after leading it 7–2.

Trivia

*On 2003-05-01, Ryan logged an unusual accomplishment: he won a game without throwing a pitch. Ryan's first throw was to first base where he picked off Detroit Tigers' Omar Infante to end the inning. The Orioles took the lead in the next half-inning and Ryan was relieved to begin the half-inning after that.
*Ryan's entrance music is "Duality" by Slipknot.
*Ryan is a fan favorite at the Rogers Centre, having won a fan vote to be the next Blue Jay bobblehead.

References

External links