Breaking News: Ryan Signs with Toronto

[ksushi]

I don't think this takes them out of the Burnett running at all. I think they were looking to make a splash and I think they have and will continue to. They're expanding payroll, and I think that they would expand further for Burnett, even in a bidding war. I'm really not to shocked either, this move makes perfect sense for them, and although he has the ugliest delivery in baseball, he will help them with some of those one run ball games they lost last year.

 

and chacin is in no way their arroyo. Arroyo is 29 and his upside is starting to run out. Chacin is 25 with still a lot of upside. He's a really good pitcher, he had a great first half and I think one of these years hes really going to put it together.

[stocker323]

Hahah I'm still too shocked that BJ Ryan went to the BLUE JAYS. I mean what the hell?

 

Some guys are about the money and some guys are about winning. I guess we know what B.J. is about.

[26 to 6]

With this move you can expect that AJ burnett will not be in toronto next year.

i dont think this move means that the Jays wont get Burnett. I think they will still persue him as aggressively as they had planned on.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I can't believe the Blue Jays would invest 100 million in the likes of BJ Ryan and AJ Burnett. That sounds like a horrible mistake. Already I think 5 years 47 million for a reliever is too much. Is BJ Ryan really that amazing?? Relief pitchers are a dime a dozen and so many come and go within a blink of an eye. Just look at Keith Foulke, Danny Kolb, Billy Koch, etc.

[ksushi]

I wouldn't say their a dime a dozen, but a good relief pitcher often tends to fade quickly, that just adds to the league wide scramble for dependable bullpen pitchers.

[MANNYHOF24]

The Jays have tons of money to spend and i think they will get Burnett along with a couple other lower-class free agents

[26 to 6]

I think Ryan is/is goint to be great. Bu right now if you're the Blue Jays, you have to take expensive risks in the AL East. They are tired of losing year after year due to the Sox and Yanks. Everyone else in the division is improving,so the Jays are doing what they have to do to improve as well. Like I said, I dont expect them to make any less of an effort on Burnett just because Ryan is signed up.

[Soxfan1]

The Jays are not the yankees. They can't manage 2 5+ year contracts.

[26 to 6]

The Jays are not the yankees. They can't manage 2 5+ year contracts.

A lot of teams make a lot of stupid deciscions. Maybe Mr. Rogers is getting tired of 4th place and is willing to do what needs to be done to try to win. That includes taking some risks. They have plenty of cash to work with and are hungry for a winner. '92 and '93 were a long time ago, they want another one.

[ksushi]

Even small market teams will lock guys up for long term deals from time to time. The devil rays just locked up baldelli for six years like two weeks ago. You don't need to be the yankees to do that. This contract is big money, but its not big money every year. Its not like he got 12 million a year for 5 years, hes getting something like 7 or 8 I forget what the contract is exactly. This is an ok move, if he does very well, they have a good farm system they could back load the contract and trade him to a contender in the 3rd year of this deal and have someone from within take over the job. Its not a terrible baseball decision.

[Ray10]

I was pretty suprised to see him go to Toronto. Apparently Toronto was the first team to offer him a 5 year deal as well. Either way this is going to make the Toronto bullpen alot better.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Maybe the Blue Jays have money and need to take risks but this is kinda stupid. The highest paid reliever ever?? BJ Ryan?? not a good idea....

 

If they want to match the Red Sox and Yankees they need to do it in the rotation. In my opinion they have the best pitcher in the AL East with Halliday. If they spent the money to add AJ Burnett and traded for one more guy they would have been real dangerous. What if they came up with a way to get Zito or taken Beckett from us?? Perhaps Javier Vazquez?? Could you imagine there rotation of Halliday, Zito, and Burnett. The #4 starter would be Ted Lilly......I would not enjoy that much. Instead they think they can get to the 9th inning with a lead again these teams and shut them out. Just don't let Ortiz up to bat with the game on the line is all I have to say. I don't think they are creative.....this is a stupid move by the Blue Jays.

[MC Hammer]

Maybe the Blue Jays have money and need to take risks but this is kinda stupid. The highest paid reliever ever?? BJ Ryan?? not a good idea....

You have to understand that "high paid reliever ever" is a relative statement. Every year that theres a FA big name reliever he's going to be the highest paid reliever every because of the inflation of the contracts each year. Take the phrase "highest paid ... ever" with a grain of salt.