Ryan out of World Baseball Classic

"I encourage those guys to go," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "But I'm happy he's staying around. It'll give him a chance to get to where he wants to be, and it'll certainly give us a chance to get him to where he wants to be."

Ryan said it was a difficult decision to pull out of the tournament, which he skipped in 2006 after having just signed a long-term contract with the Blue Jays. The closer was looking forward to joining the United States in its quest to redeem itself from the early exit the group experienced during the inaugural event three years ago.

Heading into Spring Training, Ryan stepped up his throwing program in preparation for the Classic, but the aggressive pace didn't work as well as the left-hander hoped. Ryan said he's still working through some delivery flaws that he developed last season, and he feels Toronto pitching coach Brad Arnsberg can help him get back on track.

Last season, Ryan returned to the Blue Jays in April after missing nearly a year following Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. Ryan finished the season with 32 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 60 appearances, but the stopper struggled with his location throughout the year and had issues with his slider.

Ryan said his health is no longer a concern, but he's still working on consistently repeating a sound delivery.

"Physically, you feel good," Ryan said. "But out there pitching, I'm just not right yet. I don't know what else to say. You battle with the decision and you want to go both ways, but I owe it to this organization -- after missing a year and coming back and battling through a majority of last year -- to spend some time with some guys here in camp that can help me get right."

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi maintained that the club played no role in Ryan's decision.

"It was his decision to go to the World Baseball Classic," Ricciardi said, "and it's his decision to not go to the Baseball Classic. All we know is he's 100 percent healthy and he decided not to go. We had no say in if he was going and we have no say if he's not going."

Ricciardi did say that the timing of the tournament may have played a role in Ryan's preparedness.

"It's so early," Ricciardi said. "It's the first time in his career he's had to get ready this early -- this quick. Most closers, they don't really get teed up until the last 10 days of Spring Training, and I think he's probably just in a foreign spot, as far as having to get ready this early."

That being the case, Ryan announced on Monday that he has pulled himself out of the World Baseball Classic, opting to remain with the Blue Jays in order to sort through some mechanical issues. Toronto had no issues with Ryan joining Team USA, but the club isn't going to complain about his decision to stay in camp.

"I encourage those guys to go," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "But I'm happy he's staying around. It'll give him a chance to get to where he wants to be, and it'll certainly give us a chance to get him to where he wants to be."

Ryan said it was a difficult decision to pull out of the tournament, which he skipped in 2006 after having just signed a long-term contract with the Blue Jays. The closer was looking forward to joining the United States in its quest to redeem itself from the early exit the group experienced during the inaugural event three years ago.

Heading into Spring Training, Ryan stepped up his throwing program in preparation for the Classic, but the aggressive pace didn't work as well as the left-hander hoped. Ryan said he's still working through some delivery flaws that he developed last season, and he feels Toronto pitching coach Brad Arnsberg can help him get back on track.

Last season, Ryan returned to the Blue Jays in April after missing nearly a year following Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. Ryan finished the season with 32 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 60 appearances, but the stopper struggled with his location throughout the year and had issues with his slider.

Ryan said his health is no longer a concern, but he's still working on consistently repeating a sound delivery.

"Physically, you feel good," Ryan said. "But out there pitching, I'm just not right yet. I don't know what else to say. You battle with the decision and you want to go both ways, but I owe it to this organization -- after missing a year and coming back and battling through a majority of last year -- to spend some time with some guys here in camp that can help me get right."

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi maintained that the club played no role in Ryan's decision.

"It was his decision to go to the World Baseball Classic," Ricciardi said, "and it's his decision to not go to the Baseball Classic. All we know is he's 100 percent healthy and he decided not to go. We had no say in if he was going and we have no say if he's not going."

Ricciardi did say that the timing of the tournament may have played a role in Ryan's preparedness.

"It's so early," Ricciardi said. "It's the first time in his career he's had to get ready this early -- this quick. Most closers, they don't really get teed up until the last 10 days of Spring Training, and I think he's probably just in a foreign spot, as far as having to get ready this early."

Ryan hasn't looked sharp from the get-go this spring.

The closer made his Grapefruit League debut against the Yankees on Wednesday, entering the game in the fourth inning with two outs and two runners on base. Ryan promptly gave up two hits, allowing two runs to score before escaping the inning. On Saturday, Ryan yielded two hits, walked three and allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning against Atlanta.

"We didn't see the B.J. we wanted to see out there," Gaston said.

Ryan said he's had discussions with Arnsberg, comparing the state of his delivery now to how it looked in 2006 -- the closer's first season with Toronto. That year, Ryan made the American League All-Star team and finished with 38 saves and a 1.37 ERA in 65 outings.

Ryan is trying to regain the form he displayed that season.

"It's just getting out there and kind of breaking some bad habits that I created last year," Ryan said. "The only way you can do that is with repetition. ... The timing was terrible, and you feel terrible about that. It's a tough decision, but I need to be in camp right now."

Ryan hasn't pitched in a game since Saturday and was originally scheduled to take the mound for Team USA against the Blue Jays in an exhibition Wednesday. Ryan said he plans on backing off some and is now slated to make his next game appearance later in the week after working through a couple bullpen sessions with Arnsberg.

Ryan is just happy that he's only working on mechanics, as opposed to worrying about his health. That was the main concern last spring, considering Ryan was less than a year removed from the Tommy John procedure at that point. Ryan knows that pitching with poor mechanics could lead to health issues, if the problem isn't properly addressed.

"Last year, it was a completely different subject," said Ryan, who has been replaced on the Team USA roster by Washington reliever Joel Hanrahan. "Last year, you worried about health. That plays into the choice, too, because if you go out there and you're not mechanically right, you're always at risk."

Ryan is the second player to drop out of the Classic for Team USA.

Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells was planning on taking part, but a left hamstring injury, coupled with insurance woes, forced him out of the Classic. Ryan and Wells were both looking forward to representing the States.

"It was tough," Ryan said. "You look forward to something so much, to be a part of a group of guys that they put together, guys that you kind of envy them, watching them play. You want to be on a team with those guys and to have to pass up the opportunity like that is tough. It's kind of a swallow-your-pride kind of thing.

"I owe it to the club here, and I owe it to [Team USA] to tell them that I shouldn't have to go out there and be working on something when I go out there and pitch for my country. That's something you take a lot of pride in and you want to be 100 percent."