Blue Jays Sign Lefty Closer BJ Ryan

[Travis007]

Meh...I'm too lazy to go find that Blue Jays thread we had around in the summer...if we had one.

TO ALL BLUE JAYS FANS OUT THERE, AMAZING NEWS!!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2236893

Reports: Jays, closer Ryan agree to 5 years, $47M

NEW YORK -- B.J. Ryan and the Toronto Blue Jays have reached a preliminary agreement on a $47 million, five-year contract, a high-ranking baseball official told The Associated Press Friday.

Ryan, a left-hander who turns 30 next month, is getting the largest deal given to a reliever, topping the $39.99 million, four-year contract Mariano Rivera had with the New York Yankees from 2001-04. Rivera just completed the first season of a $21 million, two-year deal with the Yankees.


The baseball official spoke on condition of anonymity because Toronto had not yet announced the agreement.


"We're still talking to him," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "To me, this whole thing is premature."


Ricciardi said he did not anticipate any announcements during the weekend. Pat Rooney, the head of the Chicago office of Ryan's agent group, declined comment. Rooney's partner, John Courtright, is negotiating the deal.


Ryan's agreement with Toronto was first reported by the New York Daily News on its Web site.


Ryan had 36 saves in 41 chances last season for the Baltimore Orioles and went 1-4 with a 2.43 ERA. He had a $2.6 million base salary, earned $200,000 in performance bonuses based on games finished and $25,000 for making the AL All-Star team.


After he became a free agent, the Yankees inquired whether he would want to become Rivera's setup man, but Ryan chose to remain in the closer's role.


Ryan's contract might have repercussions on Billy Wagner's negotiations with Philadelphia and the New York Mets. Wagner earned $33 million over four years in a contract he agreed to with Houston before the 2002 season.


The Mets have offered just over $30 million for three years, a deal that contains a 2009 option that could raise the value to $40 million. The Phillies also are trying to re-sign him. ot make an announcement until next week.

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This is great news for the Jays fans out there. We are finally showing the Yanks, and the Red Sox that we could also be major players now in the free agent market and hopefully we can sign AJ Burnett and another good starter/reliever/hitter in the off season. Ryan will seriously solidify our bullpen and be a solid closer so now Batista can either go back to being a starter or long reliever.

[Skybean]

Not bad. Perhaps slightly overpaid, but I'll take it. Clearly he is better than Miguel Batista in the closer role and the past has proven that the likes of Speier and Frasor are shaky at best when the game is on the line. I'd rather not have a heart attack everytime we are leading by a run or so in the 9th.

The closer position is one that desperately needed filling and Blue Jay Ryan will do fine, I think. Just need another star starter and reliever and it's all good.

[rise_against]

This is sweet...watch for Brian Gilles(sp?) to sign soon and a trade involving both batista and hudson for another arm. thats the beat on the street!

[CrazyCanuck]

Good bye Batista. This is very good news for the Jays.

[11x]

wow. Nice to see them spending again.

Still a few years to go before they become serious contenders. But who knows what else they have planned for the off-season.

[Breakwood]

Originally Posted by rise_against

This is sweet...watch for Brian Gilles(sp?) to sign soon and a trade involving both batista and hudson for another arm. thats the beat on the street!

We better nor deal Hudson, he was arguably our best player this year, He's among the best defensive infielders in the game.

[11x]

plus, he's cool.

Vernon needs to turn it up a notch. Seems uninterested.

[Lucky 24]

Originally Posted by 11x

wow. Nice to see them spending again.

Still a few years to go before they become serious contenders. But who knows what else they have planned for the off-season.

The Jays offseason moves are far from over. Reports have them as the favorites for the Giles race....and getting Giles will be HUGE!!...moreso than getting Burnett in my opinion. But I hope they get him too. If we get both, it will be an amazing off season. Then once the signing ends off, that's when JP goes looking for trades.....probably dumping Batista, where the hot rumour is trading him to Texas for Kevin Mench. If they can really do that well this offseason...screw a few years, they should be considered a contender now. Maybe not world series contenders, but at least playoff contenders....which is really what Jays nation is really craving after not being in a serious pennant race since 1993. We just really want to be in it come September, then next year we can really strive towards the playoffs.

[DrJoe]

If they could also get Burnett and Giles that would really be something, I imagine it will just be one of those two though. I personally would like them to get Burnett, if they can't get Giles then package Batista for a good stick.

[SD]

IMO, this is an idiotic signing. The richest contract ever for a reliever...and this guy has only one good year as a closer. The Jays may have more to spend, but they still have a limited budget. Hopefully he's good, but he simply isn't worth it.

Too bad they didn't try to reaccquire Delgado...with the $7 million in cash Florida threw in, Delgado would be worth every penny of his $13.7 million annual salary.

[Lucky 24]

The truth is that Toronto needed a closer and just can't rely on Batista. Pretty much everyone is in agreement that the jays overpaid, but almost everyone also agrees that the just needed to make this deal. Why is that? Because the Jays had to make their mark and show the league that for the first time in $9 years (since the Clemens signing) that they are serious about winning and are willing to put big money into it. It is a risk no doubt, but it one has a very good possibility to be very beneficial. You must remember that the prime of Ryan is ahead of him and he's already one of the best relievers around. And in terms of annual salary, he isn't the highest paid with this contract, but the length of the contract is what made it the largest. Today, Wagner was signed by the Mets and for 4 years at $43 million...and this guy is winding down his career. The Jays beat the mark. If Ryan was available after the signing of Wagner today, the Jays could've been paying even more. And when you consider that we will be shelling Batista's 4.5 million salary this year, then it doesn't seem quite as bad.

[Taller, Better]

I think it is EXCELLENT news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SD]

Originally Posted by Lucky 24

The truth is that Toronto needed a closer and just can't rely on Batista.

I agree...but they could've just went with someone in-house at a much cheaper cost...kind of like Baltimore did last year with Ryan...

Originally Posted by Lucky 24

Pretty much everyone is in agreement that the jays overpaid, but almost everyone also agrees that the just needed to make this deal. Why is that? Because the Jays had to make their mark and show the league that for the first time in $9 years (since the Clemens signing) that they are serious about winning and are willing to put big money into it.

I've read this argument a number of times, but I don't buy into the logic. It was no secret that the Jays had about $30 million extra to spend this year. Of course, some people argue that having the money to spend and actually spending it are two different things. Fine. They should've just spent it on someone else who was actually worth the money. IMO, Ryan is not worth the contract he was given. People can say the Jays needed to make a splash, etc. but if the player isn't worth it, then it's a waste. They should've just used that money on Konerko...that would've made a splash and made the team better in a real area of weakness that couldn't really be remedied by finding an in-house solution.

Originally Posted by Lucky 24

It is a risk no doubt, but it one has a very good possibility to be very beneficial. You must remember that the prime of Ryan is ahead of him and he's already one of the best relievers around.

I think calling him one of the best around is a stretch. He had one very good season as a closer...but seasons like that come and go all the time in this league. He's not anywhere near a Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman or even a Billy Wagner...they have proven track records.

He is also already 30. Not old by any stretch, but by the end of this contract he certainly won't be in his prime anymore. He should be extremely effective if he doesn't get injured in the next 5 years...a big "if" considering how often closers get injured in this league.

Originally Posted by Lucky 24

And in terms of annual salary, he isn't the highest paid with this contract, but the length of the contract is what made it the largest. Today, Wagner was signed by the Mets and for 4 years at $43 million...and this guy is winding down his career. The Jays beat the mark. If Ryan was available after the signing of Wagner today, the Jays could've been paying even more. And when you consider that we will be shelling Batista's 4.5 million salary this year, then it doesn't seem quite as bad.

Well, he's almost the highest paid...and he just isn't worth it. To me, the only way he'll be worth it is if he becomes the best closer in the game. Possible of course, and considering the contract the Jays gave him, I hope he does become that. But it's a very foolish move on Riccardi's part.

Don't get me wrong, I think he should be a nice addition, just not at this price. Everyone seems to think the Jays are up there with the rest of the big spending teams now...they aren't. They still have a very real budget to deal with, and spending this kind of cash for a pitcher with one good season as closer is totally irresponsible. People seem to think they have money left over for 2 other big name free agents, but do they? What about future flexibility? What happens when the trade deadline comes and they can't add anyone because they've already spent their budget? What happens when it comes time to resign Wells, Hudson, etc. and you have a huge $10 million/year contract taking up a huge chunk of the budget?

Hopefully it all works out and Ryan becomes the game's greatest closer...but as it stands, it's not a very good use of his newfound riches.

[zerokarma]

Toronto just needs some batting power now

[G_DOG]

i would trade for manny ramirez. that guy puts up big numbers.

maybe wells and battista for him?

[rise_against]

i wouldnt trade wells...maybe hillenbrand, he loved boston!

[Travis007]

Originally Posted by gbelan

i would trade for manny ramirez. that guy puts up big numbers.

maybe wells and battista for him?

Are you serious???

Sure he's probably one of the best hitters in the leauge but he has the second biggest contract in the league and he comes with a lot of ego and problems, kind of like the Terrell Owens of MLB. JP Ricciardi is start enough to not trade for him and I'd rather see the money go towards someone else.

[G_DOG]

will see if brian giles or aj burnett become jays .giles is expected to make a decision by friday

[rise_against]

Originally Posted by Travis007

Are you serious???

Sure he's probably one of the best hitters in the leauge but he has the second biggest contract in the league and he comes with a lot of ego and problems, kind of like the Terrell Owens of MLB. JP Ricciardi is start enough to not trade for him and I'd rather see the money go towards someone else.

Thats true if he cant be happy in the boston club (a have team) i cant see him happy with Toronto (a have not team)!

[SD]

Looks like no Giles. Not to disappointed either...he wasn't worth it.