Ricky Romero #24

Ricardo Romero Jr... Single... After spending three years at Garfield High School Romero graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles... In his senior year he was named L.A. City Section Co-Player of the Year and Eastern League co-MVP for baseball, going (12-1) with a 0.53 ERA and 162 strikeouts for the Rough Riders... Upon graduation, attended Cal State Fullerton from 2001 to 2005... The lefty starter helped the Titans capture a National Title in the 2004 College World Series, pitching the team into the semifinals past Miami (FL) and winning game one of the World Series against Texas... Selected to the All-Tournament team for that season and played for the U.S. National Team pitching to a 3-1 record with a 1.57 ERA... In 2005 he led Fullerton in wins (13) and the Titans returned back to the World Series... Particpated in the Toronto Blue Jays Winter Tour - 2011 and 2012.

2012

Posted 14 losses and a 5.97 ERA which represented career worst totals... Led the team with his 32 starts for the third consecutive season...Produced 22 GDP's ranking 11th in the AL...Has posted 105 since the 2009 season, which is the most in the Major Leagues, 12 more than Felix Hernendez...Had a 13 game losing streak which represented the longest streak in the Majors... Also tied a Blue Jays record for consecutive losses along with Tom Underwood (1978-79)... During the streak recorded a 7.42 ERA, with a .324 opponent's average and 6.1 walks per nine...Issued 105 walks in 181 innings for a 5.2 per nine total... Had walked just 3.5 per nine in his career through 2011...Once again this season fared better against right-handed hitters than left-handed hitters... Posted a .268 average vs. righties and a .310 average vs. lefties...Has now posted a career mark of .240 against righties and .288 vs. lefties...Was the Opening Day starter in Cleveland on April 5th for his second consecutive Opening Day assignment...Won four consecutive decisions from April 11-May 2 and from May 18-June 22, after that lost 13 straight before winning his final decision on Sept. 24 at BAL...Allowed four or more runs in eight consecutive starts and a career high eight runs in back-to-back starts on June 27 and July 2... Club suffered its biggest shutout loss in his July 25 start (16-0), lasting only 1.1 innings and allowing eight earned runs... On Sept. 2 had his shortest start of his career, lasting only 1.0 IP vs. TB, giving up seven earned runs.

2011

Made 32 starts for the second consecutive season... THE ACE: Led the team in starts, wins (15), quality starts (25), innings pitched (225.0) and ERA (2.92), also the second consecutive season he has led the club in starts and innings pitched... His 225.0 innings pitched was a career high and he was one of seven AL pitchers to throw 210.0 or more innings in the last two seasons... POST ALL-STAR STAR: Recorded an 8-3 record with a 2.72 ERA in the second half... Held opponents to a .193 average in the second half, the lowest figure among AL starters... Had 10 quality starts post all-star break, including seven consecutive... SOME RECOGNITION: Was named Pitcher of the Month for August, going 5-0 with a 2.05 ERA and a Major League low .160 opponents average... Is the first Blue Jay to win the award since Halladay in April of 2007... Also named AL Player of the Week ending Aug. 7, becoming the 1st Toronto hurler to win AL Player of the Week since Roy Halladay on May 18, 2009... ALL-STAR: Made his first All-Star squad, however did not pitch in the contest... MR. EFFICIENT: In the AL ranked 4th in GB/FB ratio (1.85), T-4th in Complete Games (4) and Quality Starts (25), 5th in fewest pitches per inning (15.0) and 6th in opponents average (.216)... In fact over the past three seasons leads all Major League hurlers with 83 opponents GDP, five more than the next closest pitcher... MAKING HISTORY: Is the first Toronto hurler to record two road shutouts in the same season since David Cone had two in 1995, recording shutouts on June 26 at St.L and August 18 at OAK... Became the first American League pitcher to drive in two or more runs (1-4, 2RBI) while tossing a shutout on June 26 at STL, since California's Clyde Wright vs. TEX in ANA on Sept. 14, 1972... REVERSE LEFTY: Continued to fare better vs. RH hitters than LH hitters, posting a .194 opponents avg. against the righties as opposed to .269 against lefties... In his career has now limited RH hitters to a .231 mark, while LH hitters have batted .280... TOUGH LUCK: Despite tossing a quality start in 24 of his 32 starts, the Blue Jays only posted an 18-14 record in his games... In the 14 losses the offense produced a total of 30 runs... START ME UP: Became just the fourth Blue Jays left-hander to start on Opening Day and first since David Wells in 2000 (Tom Underwood-1979, Jimmy Key 1987-1989, David Wells-2000)... Became the first Blue Jays left-handed pitcher since Jimmy Key in 1989 to win on Opening Day... NOTABLE PERFORMANCES: Aug. 2 at TB, held the Rays to one hit in eight innings... Lost 0-2 to ATL on June 20, allowing only two runs in seven innings... The two runs came on a 2-run home run by pitcher Tim Hudson in the bottom of the 7th... Allowed a career high 11 hits (3rd time) June 4 at BAL... Struck out a career high 12 (3rd time) on June 15 vs. BAL... Tossed eight or more innings on 11 occasions and seven or more 21 times.

2010

Made 32 starts in his sophomore season, leading the club in starts, innings pitched (210), T-1st in quality starts (20) and 2nd in ERA (3.73)... Was one of only 21 AL pitchers to record 200+ innings, finishing 13th... OFF AND RUNNING: Began the campaign with five consecutive quality starts in April, going 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA and a .168 opponents average... Recorded nine quality starts in his first 12 outings... MR. EFFICIENT: Needed only 15.4 pitches per inning, which was 8th fewest in the AL... Ranked T-4th in the AL in Opp. GDP with 25 and over the last two seasons ranks 1st in the Majors with 52 Opp. GDP... His GB/FB rate of 2.30 ranked 2nd in the AL... NO-HIT STUFF: Earned his first victory of the season on Apr. 13 vs. CWS (4-2 win)...Had a no-hitter into the 8th, before an Alex Rios home run ended the bid...(8.0IP, H, 2ER, HR, 2BB, 12K)... Set a career high with 12 strikeouts... GOOSE EGG: Recorded his 1st career shutout, May 15 vs. TEX (6-0)...Became the first Blue Jays hurler to toss a shutout, other than Roy Halladay, since Jesse Litsch in 2008... Was also 1st in the AL with 18 wild pitches (had only 3 WP in his last 21 starts)... REVERSE SPLITS: Held right-handed hitters to a .231 average and a .332 SLG, while left-handed hitters batted .276 with a .418 SLG... Over his career LH hitters hit .286 with a .477 SLG, while RH hitters have been held to a .252/.352 mark... WILD EARLY: Finished the season with 18 wild pitches to lead the AL, however had 13 through his first eight starts, and only five in his final 24... NL DOMINANCE: Made three interleague starts, going 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA (COL, SD, STL)... Picked up four wins vs. the AL West with a 2.41 ERA and is now 8-3, with a 2.57 ERA in 14 career starts... OWNED THE O's: A year after struggling vs. BAL, turned things around, posting a 3-0 record and a 1.88 ERA in four starts vs. the Orioles... LONG-TERM PLAN: On Aug. 14 signed a five-year contract extention with the Blue Jays.

2009

Made 29 starts as a rookie, recording 178 innings and 141 strikeouts to rank 2nd on the club to only Roy Halladay... TOP ROOKIE: Posted 13 wins to rank 2nd in the AL for rookies... His 16 quality starts were the most from any AL rookie... Also finished 3rd in innings pitched (178), 2nd in strikeouts (141), 4th in ERA (4.30) & 1st with a 2.24 ground/ fly ball ratio among rookies... MAKING HIS MARK: His seven wins prior to the All-Star break ranked T-1st on the all-time Blue Jays list for rookies (Chacin-2005, Timlin-1991, Musselman-1987, Garvin-1977)... Became one of 16 pitchers to earn a victory in their debut as a Blue Jays starter, April 9 vs. DET... His 13 wins ranks him T-2nd on the Blue Jays list for wins by a rookie, one behind Mark Eichhorn in 1986... In fact he is tied with Gustavo Chacin for wins by a rookie starter as Eichhorn recorded his wins as a reliever... A DAY OF HISTORY: Apr. 9 vs. DET was the first time in Major League history that both starting pitchers, Romero & Rick Porcello of the Tigers were making their Major League debut and were both first round picks in the draft (Since MLB draft began in 1965)... Picked up the win over the Tigers by a 6-2 score earning his first victory (6.0 IP, 7H, 2ER, 2BB, 5K)... IMPRESSIVE RUN: Posted a 1.71 ERA over his first three career starts. (21.0IP, 4ER), all quality starts... Had a string of eight consecutive quality starts from June 5-July 11, going 5-1 with 2.38 ERA... From June 24-July 6, covering four starts, posted 24 consecutive scoreless innings... It represented the highest streak by any AL starter this season, tied with Zack Greinke & teammate Roy Halladay... In fact his streak matches the 24 Mark Eichhorn recorded as a rookie in 1986... CALL IT TWO: Led the major leagues, having opponents ground into 30 double plays, aided by leading the AL with a 2.24 GB/FB ratio... KEEP HIM REGULAR: 21 of his 29 starts came on a regular four days rest... In those starts posted an 11-4 record with a 3.96 ERA... Was 2-5 with a 5.32 ERA in the remaining eight starts... LONG YEAR: Recorded a 7-3 record with a 3.00 ERA prior to the All-Star break and 6-6 with a 5.54 ERA after... TROUBLE WITH LEFTIES: Left-handed hitters batted .297 with 29 of the 62 hits allowed going for extra-bases... The .531 slugging from lefties was .154 higher than was allowed to right-handed hitters... DISABLED: Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Apr. 20 with a right oblique strain... Made three rehab starts at Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League (AAA)... Returned for the balance of the season on May 25.

2008

Began the season with New Hampshire, making 21 starts for the FisherCats...Struggled in the first two months of the season, posting a 2-3 record with a 6.48 ERA...Turned the corner in June and recorded a 3-1 mark with an excellent 2.79 ERA over his final eight starts...Earned a promotion to Syracuse (AAA) of the International League for his final seven starts and finished a solid 3-3 with a 3.38 ERA...Tossed a complete game in his final outing with seven innings of three-hit, two-run ball...Fanned 38 in 42.2 innings...Overall was 8-8 with a 4.55 ERA in 28 starts.

2007

Struggled with shoulder an elbow problems to make 18 starts with New Hampshire and one with Dunedin... Suffered control issues, walking 52 in 93 innings, while allowing 102 hits... Tossed his second complete game of his career on July 28... Was 3-2, with a 2.83 ERA on the road, as opposed to 0-4, 8.13 at home.

2006

Began the season with Dunedin, making 10 starts... Recorded his first complete game June 13, with seven shutout innings... Was promoted to New Hampshire (AA) of the Eastern League in time for a July 6 start... Took the loss in his debut and was 0-2 with a 9.60 ERA in his first three starts... In his final seven starts at AA, went 2-3 with a 2.79 ERA, and did not allow more than three runs in any of those starts.

2005

Drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round (6th selection overall) of the 2005 First Year Player Draft... Was the highest Blue Jays pick since Vernon Wells was drafted 5th overall in 1997... Agreed to terms with the Club on June 16... Made his professional debut with Auburn of the New York-Penn League (R) on July 22 at Tri-City... Started and went 2.0IP, 2H, BB, 2K... After that start, was promoted to Dunedin of the Florida State League (A) on July 26... With Dunedin went 1-0 with a 3.82 ERA in eight starts... In 30.2IP, he struck out 22 batters while walking just seven... Opponents batted .283 while hitting just two home runs... LH hitters batted .250 (8-32) while RH hitters batted .295 (28-95) with two home runs... September 3 vs. Clearwater, collected his first win as a professional (5.0IP, 7H, 2ER, BB, 5K)... Has not recorded a loss as a professional (span of nine starts)... Was selected by Baseball America as the 2nd best prospect in the organization.