Is BJ Ryan Done?

[topherkris]

I'm not talking 4.25 ERA done, I'm talking UNUSABLE done.

Everyone knew he was falling apart when JP signed him, and you can attribute his awful-ness to injury BUT

Ryan's regression screams Steroids -- at least to me.

In his prime, he AVERAGED 91 on the FB and 85.5 on the Slider and he could dial both up a couple mph.

This year, he's averaging 87 mph on the Fast Ball and 81.5 on the slider.

So.. Steroids? or Injuries?

Obviously, steroids cause injuries but that's not the point..

[The Commissioner]

I don't think he's ever going to save 30 games in a season again, but he still may be useful. He hasn't given in an earned run in his last four appearances for the Jays. Now, given, he's only picking up junk innings. However, if that keeps the Jays from having to use another arm, then he is still useful in some capacity.

[topherkris]

So you're taking the Under for 2009 Season ERA of 5.00?

[The Commissioner]

So you're taking the Under for 2009 Season ERA of 5.00?

Whoa, let's go crazy here.

Just kidding. Yeah, I can see under 5 definitely happening. Now if we were to say under 4, I wouldn't bet that.

[Big_Mac]

I just don't know if he is useful anymore altogher I'm cheering for him. Not too many lifelong closers can go from closing games to eating up innings in the middle of the game. I hope he can get it together but right now, it appears the odds are against him.

I wouldn't say steriods cause he was fine until he had arm surgery. As soon as he came back, he lost velocity and movement on his pitches. That's what I'm worried about, sometimes you just don't regain those things. Maybe if he can reinvent himself from a power guy to a finesse guy, he will be ok. His slider is still a plus pitch and if he can locate his fastball as a secondary, he might be fine.

[topherkris]

It's somewhat funny that Ryan's lost a mph off the fastball every year since becoming a blue jay:

'06- 91mph
'07 - 90mph
'08 - 89mph
'09 - 87.5mph

[History Of Baseball Fan]

I'm not talking 4.25 ERA done, I'm talking UNUSABLE done.

Everyone knew he was falling apart when JP signed him, and you can attribute his awful-ness to injury BUT

Ryan's regression screams Steroids -- at least to me.

In his prime, he AVERAGED 91 on the FB and 85.5 on the Slider and he could dial both up a couple mph.

This year, he's averaging 87 mph on the Fast Ball and 81.5 on the slider.

So.. Steroids? or Injuries?

Obviously, steroids cause injuries but that's not the point..

I think his Tommy John surgery has a lot to do with it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he used steroids in the past. He isn't the only "star" player who basically fallen off the charts since the Mitchell Report. Look at Vernon Wells, David Ortiz and Magglio Ordonez all of a sudden not being able to hit HRs and hit over .250 out of nowhere... it does make you wonder though.

[conky149er]

yea, hes done as a closer, now he will fade into the background a middle reliver for the rest of his carrer

[jcbackrake]

any more questions? lol bye bj

[topherkris]

JP was supposed to be a money ball guy, but instead he turned out to just be a bloody idiot. I'd seriously like to see his economics degree, because he's a flippin' idiot.

Ciao, Mr. Ryan. Even when you were good, you sucked.