Was just looking at some old posts on BJ Ryan...I remembered some people wondered how he would do beginning the season as a closer since his #'s last yr were somewhat skewed due to facing lefties. I wasn't sure myself, but at least I got lucky and took a "gamble" on him in one of four leagues. Needless to say, Ryan has been amazing to date.
Nice call Q, even if it's only been 2 mos, spot on so far
Most knowledgable owners have known that he will be the closer for a while and have knowed to draft him right after the top tier. The guy had 1.4 k/ip last year and dropped his walk rate. Expect him to perform close to the Lidge Krod Gagne level.
Lets look at Ryan vs Krod in the only three skill statistics that matter...
BJ Ryan: 122K 35BB 4HR in 87IP KRod: 123K 32BB 2HR in 84IP
Those numbers are incredibly similar, I would say so close that the difference is insignificant. Lidge and Gagne were only slightly better in those categories and I believe I said "close to" that level. The only thing keeping me from taking him right after those three is his lack of experience.
pibb55 wrote:Ya everyone him, but nobody else had the balls to say hed be a Top Tier closer alongs the likes of Krod, Gagne, Lidge level.
That's true, Q was right on the money about that. I was a little apprehensive based on my experiences with Dotel last year. I must say, it took some major 's to come out and say something like that.
Good analysis!
[size=10]"Men are apt to mistake the strength of their feeling for the strength of their argument." [/size]
Ryan was the first of the closers I drafted in my main league, round nine. Needless to say, I'm very pleased, but definitely not surprised. He got rid of the lefty specialist tag last season when it became obvious he had the stuff to get all types of hitters out.
Yep I paid attention last season. People doubted Ryan due to his lefty/right split but didn't take into account the improvement he made over the last few seasons. As I mentioned in one of Ryan's posts, correctly identifying players like him will win your league.
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that." ~George Carlin
pibb55 wrote:Ya everyone him, but nobody else had the balls to say hed be a Top Tier closer alongs the likes of Krod, Gagne, Lidge level.
GotowarMissAgnes wrote:Ryan is a HUGE sleeper this year. If the Orioles do let him close, he's almost a guaranteed 35 saves, with 40+ easily within reach. Look at his numbers. The only reliever who came close to him last year was K-Rod. And that wasn't a fluke.
And in my league (admittedly full of Oriole fans who knew what Ryan could do), he was a keeper last year.
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by mrmarley » Sat Jun 11, 2005 12:10 am 
's to come out and say something like that.
