BJ Ryan to Blue Jays for.....

[RME JICO]

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

 

That is the biggest contract ever given to a reliever (5 years @ $47 Million). Mariano Rivera had a 4 yr, $39.99 Million deal in 2001 which was the previous high.

 

I know teams have to do what they need to do, but this guy had one decent year and now he receives the biggest contract ever for a reliever. This is a perfect example of what not to do.

 

This guy pitched 70 innings last year, so if he averages around the same amount of innings for the entire contract, that would be $134,000 per inning pitched! Ouch!

 

Thank you Bobby Jenks!

Edited November 26, 2005 by WinninUgly

[KevHead0881]

I think I just vomitted in my mouth. Oh no, here it comes...

 

:puke

[AnthraxFan93]

I don't understand why they are going after him Batista(sp) did a very good job for his first time as a closer. IMO the Jays need another SP, not a closer.

[RME JICO]

Even if he has a better year than last year and does it for several years, it is hard to justify a 5 year contract for a 30 yr old reliever who has one year as a closer under his belt for $47 Million no less.

 

Me likey KW!

[daa84]

Even if he has a better year than last year and does it for several years, it is hard to justify a 5 year contract for a 30 yr old reliever who has one year as a closer under his belt for $47 Million no less.

 

Me likey KW!

yeah spending that much on any reliever is flat dumb. i can see if it was same money per year for shorter years, but damn 10 mil for a closer? its the most overrated position in baseball....all sorts of guys can pop up outa nowhere and do it

[bmags]

when i first saw "jays sign bj ryan" i was thinking, good signing for them, not only do they add it to their team but take it away from the yankees...then i saw the price and i was really pissed. This completely drives the market up for all relievers...it was a pathetic amount...

[timotime]

BJ Ryan is good, but this contract is rediculous. what the hell is wrong with the front offices of some teams??

[CWSGuy406]

I know teams have to do what they need to do, but this guy had one decent year and now he receives the biggest contract ever for a reliever.  This is a perfect example of what not to do.

 

The last three years, he's averaging over 11 K's/9 IP, and has put up ERA's of 3.40, 2.28, and 2.43. This is one of the top five-ten relievers in all of baseball.

 

Of course, I do agree with you that this is way too much money, but Ryan is one helluva pitcher.

[Fotop]

A couple of things I find interesting about this deal in relationship to the white sox:

 

1) This has just made Marte that much more valuable. I understand he's not the most reliable but he'd be pulling in mad cash in this market. Eyre and Howry for a combined $23 million? Ryan for $47 million? Marte would probably get a Hawkins like contract in this market. Not saying he'd be worth it, but his trade value must be higher because teams needed relievers aren't going to want to pay the current market price of FA relievers.

 

2) In a way, this makes the Thome deal look better to me. Odd I know, but really the type of contract Thome could command on the FA market would probably be pretty absurd and we've just got him for 7.5 million per year. Granted, we had to give up talent to acquire Thome, but I'd personally rather do that then potentially getting stuck with an albatross contract that is unmovable.

 

Either way, I like the philosophy of our front office. We don't overpay for FAs, we don't get locked into huge long-term deals (granted, we may be doing this for Konerko but that's a necessary evil) and we have plenty of talent still to either trade or develop along with the room to add salary. For as much heat as KW is taking for dealing touted prospects, it seems to make a lot of sense.

[timotime]

A couple of things I find interesting about this deal in relationship to the white sox:

 

1) This has just made Marte that much more valuable. I understand he's not the most reliable but he'd be pulling in mad cash in this market. Eyre and Howry for a combined $23 million? Ryan for $47 million? Marte would probably get a Hawkins like contract in this market. Not saying he'd be worth it, but his trade value must be higher because teams needed relievers aren't going to want to pay the current market price of FA relievers.

 

2) In a way, this makes the Thome deal look better to me. Odd I know, but really the type of contract Thome could command on the FA market would probably be pretty absurd and we've just got him for 7.5 million per year. Granted, we had to give up talent to acquire Thome, but I'd personally rather do that then potentially getting stuck with an albatross contract that is unmovable.

 

Either way, I like the philosophy of our front office. We don't overpay for FAs, we don't get locked into huge long-term deals (granted, we may be doing this for Konerko but that's a necessary evil) and we have plenty of talent still to either trade or develop along with the room to add salary. For as much heat as KW is taking for dealing touted prospects, it seems to make a lot of sense.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

right on. if we trade marte, we should get some good stuff.

[iWiN4PreP]

what idiots.

isnt the jays system already screwed with money? and now they do this? what are they doing?

[SoxFan562004]

what idiots.

isnt the jays system already screwed with money? and now they do this? what are they doing?

I can't remember the exact reason, but I know I heard all of last year that the Blue Jays were going to make a major jump in payroll this offseason, but like I said, for the life of me I can't remember the reason they're able to do it now.

 

They were also the hot team involved with A.J. Burnett at 4/50... I wonder if this changes this or not...

[Antonio Osuna]

2005/2006 is a very good offseason to be a second-tier relief pitcher.

[SSH2005]

2005/2006 is a very good offseason to be a second-tier relief pitcher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just ask Scott Eyre.

[RME JICO]

The last three years, he's averaging over 11 K's/9 IP, and has put up ERA's of 3.40, 2.28, and 2.43.  This is one of the top five-ten relievers in all of baseball.

 

Of course, I do agree with you that this is way too much money, but Ryan is one helluva pitcher.

 

He definitely gets a lot of K's, but I would not characterize a 3.40 ERA and 1.37 WHIP (both in 2003) as a top five-ten reliever. Like I said, he had one decent year, but the others were nothing spectacular. His 2004 was similar to the same numbers that Politte had this year with a few more innings pitched and K's, but again nothing to warrant this type of deal.

 

I definitely agree that this is going to inflate the other contracts, especially for pitchers, and this may open up some opportunities for the Sox to unload Marte, or even El Duque for some great bargain deals.

[timotime]

2005/2006 is a very good offseason to be a second-tier relief pitcher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

a 2nd tier relief pitcher...like antonio osuna?

[spiderman]

The Blue Jays are not a big market team, they finally open up their wallet, and this is what they do ?

 

I'm not going to rip B.J. Ryan - yeah, he's a good pitcher, and has been for about 3 seasons, but didn't they let their franchise player, Carlos Delgado, walk away last season ?? Have they signed Vernon Wells to a long-term deal yet ?

[RME JICO]

Ok, I knew they were coming, so here is one of many more articles still to come on this deal that believe it was crazy:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5110978

 

Some great quotes:

 

On the list of bad contracts, this one would rank among the worst. Five years, $47 million for left-hander B.J. Ryan, a free-agent reliever who has been a closer for exactly one season and never pitched in a late-season pennant race.

 

Several major-league executives were in disbelief when they heard the reported terms. Their shock will turn to anger if the deal is completed and they are forced to bid for free agents in a grossly inflated market. Major League Baseball officials would be equally outraged, knowing their pleas for fiscal responsibility are again being ignored.

 

I like this one:

"It's so shocking, it's almost laughable," one executive said of the Ryan deal.

 

Finally, it would influence future arbitration numbers for fifth-year closers, who are permitted to compare their accomplishments to past free agents.

 

Five years, $47 million for B.J. Ryan.

Nuts.

Edited November 27, 2005 by WinninUgly

[KipWellsFan]

If the figures turn out to be correct Ricciardi has to be labeled the dumbest GM in baseball. Billy Beane disciple? Puhlease the Jays have been in the doldrums for years now and Ricciardi hasn't done s*** to turn that around.

[RME JICO]

I just can't wait to see the details on how much the Las Vegas Blue Jays will be eating in the 5th year of the Ryan deal when he is playing for the Pirates.

 

I just thought of something that made me laugh. What if Ricciardi thought there was some type of Canadian conversion in dollars? He really thought it was a 5yr, 35 Million deal in US dollars. DOH!

 

Edited November 27, 2005 by WinninUgly

[Balta1701]

I can't remember the exact reason, but I know I heard all of last year that the Blue Jays were going to make a major jump in payroll this offseason, but like I said, for the life of me I can't remember the reason they're able to do it now.

 

They were also the hot team involved with A.J. Burnett at 4/50... I wonder if this changes this or not...

The Toronto Area was getting really mad about the team not spending money, so they basically guaranteed to spend a total of $200 million in 2005-2007 on players.

[Soxpranos]

Ok, I knew they were coming, so here is one of many more articles still to come on this deal that believe it was crazy:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5110978

 

Some great quotes:

I like this one:

 

Put me down for Thome Fan club please.. than you

[witesoxfan]

The last three years, he's averaging over 11 K's/9 IP, and has put up ERA's of 3.40, 2.28, and 2.43.  This is one of the top five-ten relievers in all of baseball.

 

Of course, I do agree with you that this is way too much money, but Ryan is one helluva pitcher.

 

Not so sure about top 5-10...his 1.14 WHIP the past 2 years, while good, hardly justifies $5 mill a year, let alone $9+.

 

I figure, at the very most, he's worth $25, maybe $30 mill to a team with money. I think the Magglio Ordonez deal has been outdone...for now anyways. Time will tell which contract is worse, obviously.