Post by #1 Jays Fan on Mar 7, 2008 12:57:44 GMT -5
BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Toronto Blue Jays have been told to back off their plans to pitch B.J. Ryan in a spring game Saturday and will have him throw in a simulated contest instead.
Manager John Gibbons said Thursday that Dr. Timothy Kremchek, who performed Tommy John surgery on Ryan's elbow last May, called the team Wednesday and told them to be a little more patient with the imposing closer.
Kremchek wants Ryan to pitch in two more simulated games, every third day, before he gets into a spring contest.
"It's not a setback," said Gibbons. "The doctor just feels better about doing it like that because when (Ryan) gets into a real game, the adrenaline is going to start flowing, he's going to push himself that little bit harder.
"He's really had just one game type situation and that was yesterday, this way he'd get two more."
The decision comes after Ryan said "now is not really the time to be holding back a lot," following an 18-pitch simulated game Wednesday. By all accounts he looked good in that contest and plans to pitch him Saturday followed.
Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said Ryan should still be able to get five or six spring outings under his belt and have enough time to be ready for opening day. Ryan is now at the 10-month, post-operation point.
"Dr. Kremchek thought maybe getting another couple of sim games under his belt would be advantageous for him," said Arnsberg. "We've come this far and we don't need to push."
Ryan will not be allowed to pitch on consecutive days in April, Arnsberg added, and he also won't be used in multi-inning outings.
Ryan wasn't with the team here Thursday.
Manager John Gibbons said Thursday that Dr. Timothy Kremchek, who performed Tommy John surgery on Ryan's elbow last May, called the team Wednesday and told them to be a little more patient with the imposing closer.
Kremchek wants Ryan to pitch in two more simulated games, every third day, before he gets into a spring contest.
"It's not a setback," said Gibbons. "The doctor just feels better about doing it like that because when (Ryan) gets into a real game, the adrenaline is going to start flowing, he's going to push himself that little bit harder.
"He's really had just one game type situation and that was yesterday, this way he'd get two more."
The decision comes after Ryan said "now is not really the time to be holding back a lot," following an 18-pitch simulated game Wednesday. By all accounts he looked good in that contest and plans to pitch him Saturday followed.
Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said Ryan should still be able to get five or six spring outings under his belt and have enough time to be ready for opening day. Ryan is now at the 10-month, post-operation point.
"Dr. Kremchek thought maybe getting another couple of sim games under his belt would be advantageous for him," said Arnsberg. "We've come this far and we don't need to push."
Ryan will not be allowed to pitch on consecutive days in April, Arnsberg added, and he also won't be used in multi-inning outings.
Ryan wasn't with the team here Thursday.
