Tracking the Preaux Career of B.J. Ryan

[Turbine]

UL Athlete (1997-98) B.J. Ryan

Hitters have trouble picking up his release point.

2002 Outlook
Ryan already has established himself against lefthanders. If he can develop an outpitch to use against righthanders, his role will increase with the Orioles. He pitched very well after the All-Star break, and that momentum should carry over into this season.

[Turbine]

[RaginFan2]

BJ Ryan has just come in to pitch for the Baltimore Orioles against the Texas Rangers with 2 outs in the 7th. He faced a lefty & struck him out. The game is on Fox Sports SW right now (5:30pm). The announcers had some good things to say about Ryan.

Geaux BJ! Go O's!

[CDeb]

I don't remember the numbers, but lefty's are hitting under .100 against BJ this year. He's going to command big bucks in the offseason ($4-5 million range) as a lefthanded relief specialist.

[NewsCopy]

O's top Rangers, 3-1, for fifth straight victory

BJ Ryan gave up one hit in 1 1-3 innings

The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

In six major league seasons, B.J. Ryan has averaged exactly one save per season and it took him saving three games last season to reach that mark.

But those three games were the chance Ryan needed to prove to Baltimore Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli that the back end of his bullpen is secure despite an ineffective 2004 season from incumbent closer Jorge Julio.

As spring training winds down and opening day nears, Ryan is ready to build on his stellar 2004 and take over as the Orioles closer -- a position that is of extreme importance given that Baltimore resides in the American League East, home of the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

So is Ryan, who saved six games in 1998 while pitching for Louisiana, ready to take over the closer's role?

"The only difference is that you pitch the ninth inning instead of the eighth inning," Ryan told The Miami Herald. "You throw the same stuff, approach the hitters the same way and still try to get outs. This game is pretty basic."

Ryan's do-it-all approach has served him well as he enters his seventh major league season.

The former Airline High School standout, who first played collegiately at Centenary before transferring, was a two-way standout in college and high school, but was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds as a pitcher in the 17th round of the 1998 draft.

He has pitched in varied roles throughout his career and appeared to carve a niche as a left-handed specialist. During his 2004 season, the 6-foot-6 left-hander limited left-handed hitters to an .094 average en route to a 4-6 record and a 2.28 ERA.

He was fairly effective against right-handed hitters as well, holding them to a .252 average.

Ryan's delivery allows him to hide the ball especially well from left-handers and his 250-pound frame produces his above-average fastball and a darting cutter that helped him ring up 122 strikeouts in only 87 innings.

Not only did his 12.62 strikeouts per nine innings rank among the major league leaders for relievers, it made Ryan the first relief pitcher since Toronto's Duane Ward in 1991 to lead his team in strikeouts.

The rest of the story


By Jason Pugh
jpugh@gannett.com

[CAJUNJUDO]

In his new role as the closer for the Baltimore Orioles, B.J. Ryan got the last four outs for Baltimore, earning his first save after giving up a triple and walk to begin the ninth. (I believe this is his 7th career.....hopefully he will at least triple that total for the season.)


Are there any other active Major Leaguers from the University of Louisiana besides Scott Dohmann and Paul Bako??


What happened to the "Locals in the Majors" column in the sports section of the newspaper?? I was always interested in keeping up with former Cajuns in the Pros.

[CAJUNJUDO]

B.J. Ryan came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth with his team up by 1 run.
He struck out the side like he was cutting through warm butter!!!

Got his 16th save of the year!



I sure hope he gets in the All-Star game. I voted online but it didn't let me select any pitchers. It had a spot for "write-in's" but it didn't have the "pitchers" position.


Does anyone know when his contract is up?
I would love to see him get millions and donate a huge lump back to UL!!

[CAJUNJUDO]

Wow! Just found his salary for this year, but not when it expires.

2005 Salary: $2,600,000

[Turner]

Wow! Just found his salary for this year, but not when it expires.

2005 Salary: $2,600,000

Didn't he sign last year? don't know?

[JMV JustMyView]

B J is the best lefty closer/reliever in the game. Go O's...

[Cajun90]

Didn't he sign last year? don't know?

Yes. B.J. did sign a multi-year deal last year. Don't remember the details. He was considered one of the best closers last year so this year isn't a surprise.