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B.J. Ryan's arrival to the Blue Jays bullpen -- a press conference will be held tomorrow to make it official -- has turned heads across a cross-section of baseball.
Whether it's fans in the 500 level or the guys in suits drinking ice wine in skyboxes.
And news that the Jays and Ryan's agent, Pat Rooney, had agreed on a five-year, $47 million US contract -- the largest contract ever given a closer. -- gained attention in the respective front offices of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
Know this, big picture-wise, the person who likely took the most notice is Darek Braunecker, the agent for free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett.
"That's a good move, a good move for the Jays and good for Ryan," said Braunecker, from Effingham, Ill., where he was finishing up the American Thanksgiving weekend in his hometown.
"The bottom line is they are a better team with him than without him. That's my take on it," Braunecker said. "Certainly having a closer of Ryan's calibre should be more attractive to any free-agent pitcher.
"But I really can't speak for A.J., as I haven't talked to him yet."
The Jays were first into the pool with a five-year, $50-million offer for Burnett, which Braunecker refused to confirm.
Like two farmers trading or buying horses over a back fence, the first offer in free agency is seldom what a player signs a contract for. The bidding almost always continues in the auction.
Braunecker did say he was continuing his dialogue with both the Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles, adding that six or seven clubs are interested in his client. He said "the majority are offering five-year deals," with a couple of other team saying that they would be "checking with owners."
Jays owner Ted Rogers expanded the Jays budget after purchasing the SkyDome in February and gave general manager J.P. Ricciardi an extra $60 million to spend over the next three seasons.
We remember an agent telling us at the all-star break that the Jays had more dollars to spend than the Yankees. But Ricciardi passed on outfielder Magglio Ordonez and didn't do anything at trade deadline.
Now, he apparently has.
To paraphrase St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog, who watched Bruce Sutter take his 45 saves to the Braves in 1985: "I just got a lot stupider.'"
Jays manager John Gibbons is about to get smarter.
Ryan's arrival was also noticed by the members of the Jays clubhouse, who notice everything.
"When my fiance told me (yesterday morning) that we'd signed him I didn't know what to do," said Gold Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson, from Atlanta.
"I now what I'm going to. When he walks into the clubhouse in Dunedin, I'm going to give him a big hug and a kiss.
"Why? Because I no longer have to face someone from the left side, who is 6-foot-6 and throws 93-95 miles per hour. He's tough."
The Yanks offered Ryan a four-year contract, but it was as a setup man to Mariano Rivera. Ryan wanted to close and one Baltimore official predicted the lefty "would flourish in the low keyed atmosphere," rather than pitching at Yankee Stadium.
"It's a good thing," Hudson said. "I'm glad we got him, glad he's a part of the team. We're headed in the right direction. You're not always going to get everyone you want, but this might help us get Burnett too."
Ah yes, Burnett. He'd give Ryan more save chances.
"There is still some uncertainty in the free-agent market for starting pitchers. It's still early," Braunecker said in his best agent-speak.
The only uncertainty is how high the offers will climb.