B.J. Ryan
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| Toronto Blue Jays — No. 52 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Left |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
|---|---|
| July 28, 1999 for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through September 16, 2006) |
|
| Wins-losses | 18-21 |
| ERA | 3.22 |
| Strikeouts | 545 |
| Saves | 74 |
B.J. Ryan (born Robert Victor Ryan, Jr. 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 18-21 record with 551 strikeouts and a 3.19 ERA in 453 and one-third innings pitched.
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. The baseball world has also recognized his new-found success, and his abilities as a reliever are widely considered to be among the best in baseball.
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.
[edit] 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.
- The initials "B.J." stand for "Bo, Junior".
- Ryan's entrance music is Slipknot's "Duality".
- B.J. is a fan favorite at the Rogers Centre, often eliciting chants of "B.J., B.J.!" when he comes out to close games, and having won a fan vote to be the next Blue Jay bobblehead.
