BJ Ryan

American League All-Star B.J. Ryan Is a Big Ticket Item

If Bossier City's B.J. Ryan kept a diary, he probably used bold letters for entries in 2005 and 2006, a special time for the powerful pitcher.

In 2005, the 1994 graduate of Airline High School was selected to his first Major League All Star Game as a relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. In the off-season that lapsed into 2006, Ryan signed the richest professional baseball contract ever given a relief pitcher when he joined the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent. The Blue Jays wanted to upgrade their championship chances in the American League, so they agreed to pay him $47 million over five years to help them. The figure topped the previous best for a relief pitcher, $39.99 million the New York Yankees paid Mariano Rivera

Ryan backed the faith Toronto had in him. He had a career-high 38 saves in 42 opportunities. His total was third best among American League closers for 2006. He earned his second All Star Game appearance and he was the winning pitcher in the game.

It was a case of steady improvement for the 6-foot-6 hurler. In 2005, his first full season as a closer, Ryan had 100 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings and earned 36 saves. He was nominated for the American League Closer of the Year award.

Ryan's history gives a whole new meaning to that baseball term "closer," the relief pitcher called on in the final innings to close a victory. In his eight seasons in the Major Leagues, Ryan seems to get stronger as the season reaches its latter stages and the stakes are highest. He posted a terrific 1.08 ERA and allowed opposing batters to hit just. 191 against him after the All-Star break of the 2003 season when he was called on in 67 games by the Orioles. In that span, he allowed only one earned run in 13 appearances during the month of September. In the 2002 season, his third in the majors, he posted a 2.48 ERA in 34 appearances after June 30. In his final 30 appearances after July 21 in the 2001 season, he allowed only three earned runs.

As a high school athlete, Ryan earned 10 letters in baseball, basketball and football at Airline High. He was district Most Valuable Player in baseball his senior year and later led Centenary College with a .469 slugging percentage as a freshman, before transferring to USL in Lafayette.

He reached the majors with Cincinnati on July 28, 1999. Since that time he has recorded 80 saves in 101 opportunities.

Photo Courtesy of: Toronto Blue Jays