BJ Ryan comes back in lost

[#1 Jays Fan]

BJ Ryan throw one scoreless inning on Thrusday as the Jays lost 8 to 4 to the Rays. BJ started to game from what I hear. Will post the report of the game some time tommorow. Lets hope that the jays dont use Ryan so much and keep him for the season.

[#1 Jays Fan]

ST. PETERSURG, Fla. -- B.J. Ryan is approaching his comeback from an elbow injury one day and, at least for now, one inning at a time.

Pitching in a game for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery 10 months ago, the Toronto Blue Jays closer struck out two of the three batters he faced during Friday's 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

"It was good," Ryan said after making a rare spring training start because rain delayed the first pitch and manager John Gibbons wanted to ensure the left-hander made his long-awaited debut.

The appearance was Ryan's first since last April 14 against Detroit. The Blue Jays initially thought he might be sidelined six weeks. But when pain persisted, the reliever had Tommy John surgery in May.

Before Friday, Ryan had only pitched simulated games and faced minor leaguers in batting practice.

"I kind of went out there anxious and nervous, not really knowing what to expect because it's the first time being back out there, and I didn't want to feel my way around the way like I did in those simulated games," he said.

Ryan fielded Elliot Johnson's bunt and threw the leadoff batter out at first base, then struck out Carl Crawford and Willy Aybar to finish his afternoon.

Evan Longoria's two-run homer off Jeremy Accardo was the highlight of a five-run eight inning that broke the game open for Tampa Bay. Toronto's Alex Rios hit a two-run home off Rays starter Edwin Jackson in the third.

Ryan, who signed a US$47-million, five-year contract before the 2006 season, was 0-2 with three saves and a 12.46 ERA in five games in 2007. Two years ago, he was 2-2 with a 1.37 ERA and 38 saves after joining the Blue Jays as a free agent.

The 32-year-old initially felt soreness in his elbow during spring training a year ago. He was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on April 15, one day after blowing a save opportunity against the Tigers.

It's hard to imagine his spring debut going any better.

"We didn't hold anything back. We moved it around both sides of the plate, threw a couple of good breaking balls and a couple of crummy ones," Ryan said. "But I figured that's what was going to happen."

The next step is to see how he feels on Saturday.

"We're just going to kind of keep going at the pace we're going right now. Just kind of take it one day at a time and not get too far ahead of myself and try to do too much, too fast," Ryan said..

Jackson, competing for one of two openings in Tampa Bay's rotation, allowed two hits, four runs and four walks in five innings.

Toronto's scheduled starter, Jesse Litsch, gave up three runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.



Notes: Tampa Bay RF Jonny Gomes was suspended two games and fined $2,000 for his part in Wednesday's bench-clearing fight with the New York Yankees. ... Blue Jays RHP Casey Janssen is optimistic about the prospect of recovering from a season-ending shoulder injury. Dr. Lewis Yocum will perform surgery next week in California, where Janssen will rehab near his home in Huntington Beach.