Blue Jays release Ricky Romero

Not a surprise, I figured it was coming sometime this season, but the Blue Jays released Ricky Romero today.

Ricky was on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats DL, Last I heard he was throwing, working his way back to where he could pitch for the Fisher Cats, but the Jays have decided to give up on the idea. He is owed $7.5 million this year. The Jays have a $13.1 million option on him for next year, but they will be paying him the $600,000 buy out instead.

It is a sad ending to such a promising career. As a rookie, back in 2009, he went 13-9 with a 4.30 ERA in 29 starts. In 2010 he improved to 14-9 with a 3.73 ERA and then in 2011 he was named to the AL All Star team, and finished 15-11 with a 2.92 ERA. Each of his first three seasons he improved in most ways. He went from 9.7 hits per 9 innings to 8.1 then to 7.0. He walk numbers went down from 4.0 per 9 to 3.5 to 3.2.

But is all went off the tracks in 2012, where he went 9-14 with a 5.77 ERA in 32 starts. His walk rate jumped to 5.2 walks per 9. In 2013, he spend most of the year in the minors, putting up a 5.52 ERA in 23 starts, but when he was called to the majors, he had nothing but troubles, allowing an 11.05 ERA  in 7.1 innings over 2 starts and 2 relief appearances, handing out 8 walks, 1 hit batter and a wild pitch. Last year he started the year in Buffalo, put up a 5.50 ERA in 9 starts, and then went on the DL and had knee surgery, which ended his season.

The knee troubles likely added to his control troubles, how much of his troubles are directly related to the knee troubles is anyone's guess.

He was so good, when he was good, that we held on to a little hope that he would find his way back to the majors at some point, but, by this year, we knew it wasn't to be. I feel sorry for him, he worked very hard and wanted to succeed, it just wasn't happening for him.

He leaves the Jays with a 51-45 record and a 4.16 ERA. He is tied for 10th in franchise history for wins and is 17th, among pitchers, in bWAR.

It's unfortunate that the Jays signed him to that 5-year, $31.1 million contract. At the time it seemed like a good idea, which is the saying stamped on all really bad moves.

Sorry it didn't work out the way we hoped Ricky. I can only wish you the best.