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Ricky Romero News & Rumors

Blue Jays need Ricky Romero to find his groove
May 24
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"You never want your starting ace to be a grinder. You want him to be a surgeon, rather than a butcher. You want to see an artist on the hill, not a house painter. Same tools, but different results. However, for the Blue Jays' acknowledged No. 1 starter, Ricky Romero, the 27-year-old is going through a stretch of self-doubt he has not experienced before. On Wednesday afternoon, in a 5-4 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field, Romero set a career high with seven walks. In addition, he hit two batters, with almost half of his 104 pitches over six innings being balls. He only allowed two hits. Two of the walks came around to score in the first inning and a hit batter leading off the third became"
Romero left fuming
April 18
Toronto Sun
 
"When informed of Joe Maddon's diss, Ricky Romero looked pissed. Prior to the game Maddon, the colourful manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, told the media that if he had nine left-handers he could bat against Romero, he's use them. It's no secret that Romero, even though he's left-handed, has more trouble against lefties than righties. Last season, right-handers batted .194 against him while lefties hit him at a .269 clip. Romero knows he has problems as well and worked hard through spring training at developing secondary pitches to use against left-handers."
Blue Jays notebook: Ricky Romero gets ball rolling in opener
April 5
Toronto Star
 
"The Jays open their 36th season of AL play on Thursday at Progressive Field in Cleveland, with left-hander Ricky Romero facing my fellow Jamaican-born right-hander, Justin Masterson. It will be the second straight opening day start for Romero. Jack Morris and Dave Stieb also started two in a row for the Jays. Jimmy Key worked three straight openers, while Roy Halladay started seven from 2003-09. Romero was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 11 innings this spring, while the Tribe's giant right-hander was 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in five starts covering 18 innings."
Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero aggressive right off the bat
March 3
Toronto Star
 
"Even though it was simply an intrasquad game played Friday afternoon at Dunedin Stadium, it feels like baseball is back. The mere sight of a pitcher throwing to a hitter with eight other players in the field, every pitch counting, was enough to get the pulse racing. Reflecting that impatient player attitude of "Let's get it on" was Ricky Romero, one of two starters on the day along with Brandon Morrow. With the first two men on base, the Jays' ace spun to pick off Rajai Davis at second. The errant throw sailed into centre field, at which point Colby Rasmus then airmailed a throw over third for the first run. It was at that point Romero showed his competitive nature, what he can do in"
Romero longs for October baseball
September 28
Toronto Sun
 
"There is a hint of October in the cool, damp air. As usual, that's a signal that the Blue Jays' season is over. This is a team tradition Ricky Romero wants no part of. "It's always a bitter feeling when you're sitting at home watching on TV," said Romero, who tossed his last game of the season on Saturday. "People ask me: 'Who do you have in the World Series?' Well, I don't want anyone to win. I want it to be us. "I don't want my season to end. As excited as I am to see my family and spend time with them, I wish we were playing October baseball." Wednesday's season finale will be as close to October as the Jays will get and they'll need that win to finish at level .500. Tuesday"
Romero let down by Jay defence in final start
September 25
Toronto Star
 
"With a chance to make up a game on the Red Sox, Saturday's contest was a game the Rays desperately needed to win. Conversely — at least for the first inning — it looked like a game the Jays desperately wanted to give away. The end result was a 6-2 victory for the Rays, closing to a game and a half of collapsing Boston for the wild card. The Jays contributed much to the Rays cause."
Romero gem gives Jays chance to earn walk-off win
September 20
Toronto Star
 
"If there is one truth to the soon-to-be-completed Blue Jays season, it is that Ricky Romero nearly always gives them a chance to win. The ace of the pitching staff is developing a reputation as an inning-eating bulldog who goes about his business purposefully and gives as much as he can every time he takes to the mound. The lefty was at it again Monday night in his final Rogers Centre start of the season, mowing down the Los Angeles Angels and keeping his team within striking distance."
Romero expels Red Sox demons
September 9
Toronto Sun
 
"The numbers are fascinating. Or horrifying. Take your pick. Either way, the Boston Red Sox have been hell on earth for Toronto Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero. Understand that Romero, through almost four full seasons in the big leagues, has established himself as one of the better young lefthanders in the game. He went into Thursday's start with a career 40-28 record, 3.76 ERA and WHIP of 1.322. Very acceptable numbers. But against the Red Sox? Oh-my-goodness. In 11 career starts against Boston, he was 2-6 with an 8.08 ERA and a WHIP of 2.178. He had managed to stay on the mound for just 52 innings in those games and allowed 47 earned runs. And it's not just a few games that skew the stats. He"
Ricky Romero filling the void left by Halladay
August 31
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"For the better part of a decade, Roy Halladay anchored the Jays' starting rotation with an icy demeanour and a stoic stare. Two years after his departure for the perennially playoff-bound Phillies, Doc has been replaced at the top of the Jays' starting staff by the fiery, inclusive personality of left-hander Ricky Romero. Which style has a stronger influence? "I think they can both be leaders," former Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It comes down to talent level. The thing about Doc is, you didn't see it all, but he had that inner fire that you would never know it out there. Ricky's probably a little bit more emotional. He's younger and he's inexperienced. Doc refined everything he had"
Griffin: Blue Jays clobber Rays to avoid sweep
August 30
Toronto Star
 
"The last time Don Wakamatsu could claim victory as a major-league manager, the next day he was fired by the Mariners, Aug. 9, 2010. That was then. The Jays' current bench coach is happily removed from that unpleasantness, clearly able to savour the 7-3 win over the Rays on Monday, his first victory as interim manager replacing pneumonia-stricken bench boss John Farrell. Wakamatsu had lost three straight to the Rays, searching for a stopper in his rotation. "I hope it helps John sleep at night," Wakamatsu said. "That was our biggest thing. We talked about it as a club a little bit. Getting one for him. Getting back on the horse a little bit and having a good flight into Baltimore." The Jays"
Straight A's for Romero as Jays win 7-0
August 19
Toronto Star
 
"Jays ace Ricky Romero won his fifth-straight game Thursday night, and that should spark more serious conversation around baseball about his place among the elite pitchers in the game this season. Romero, even though he didn't have his best stuff, managed himself and his pitches extremely well in a 7-0 Jays win over Oakland before 12,220 at the Coliseum. This wasn't Brandon Morrow's smoke show in Seattle the night before. Romero is capable of piling up strikeouts, but it was apparent Thursday night that he would need a display of pitching smarts and game management. He did just that — staying away from walks, using his defence, and managing the trouble spots he got into by limiting the"
Romero just keeps on rollin'
August 19
Toronto Sun
 
"Ricky Romero has been on hot streaks but he's never been on this kind of roll before. Thursday night at O.co Coliseum, he handcuffed the Oakland A's with a three-hit, complete-game 7-0 shutout. The Tour de Force has become business as usual for the Toronto Blue Jays ace. In his last five starts Romero is 5-0. He's thrown 40 1/3 innings, allowed 14 hits, four runs and held opponents to a batting average of .110. He has an ERA of 0.89. Overall, Romero is now 12-9 on the season with a 2.73 ERA. He's done just about everything for the club but drive the team bus, and you can bet he'd have that covered if need be. It's how his mom used to make a living. But seriously, the only thing Romero will"
Blue Jays, Ricky Romero shut down Oakland A's 7-0
August 19
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Six weeks into the season, Trevor Cahill was tied for the major-league lead in wins. Since then, the A's starter is the major-league leader in losses. On Thursday, Cahill had yet another rickety outing, falling for the seventh time in his past eight decisions. His opposing number, Ricky Ro- mero, recorded his third career shutout as Toronto breezed to a 7-0 win at the Coliseum. Oakland has been shut out a league-high 12 times. The Blue Jays have won five of their past six and have scored 46 runs in those six games. Romero is on roll with a 0.89 ERA in his past five starts, all victories. He also is on a career-long roll against Oakland, with a 4-0 record and a 1.49 ERA in five starts."
Simon struggles, Romero stars in O's loss to Blue Jays
August 8
Baltimore Sun
 
"The list of pitchers who have dominated the Orioles is long and mostly distinguished. It includes top-of-the-rotation studs like Jon Lester and CC Sabathia, who give everybody fits, but are a combined 30-2 in 39 career starts against the Orioles, and less heralded pitchers like Matt Garza (9-1) and Dallas Braden (5-1, 1.41 ERA) Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero's numbers against the Orioles aren't as dominant, but he's quickly working his way on that list. Romero allowed just two Mark Reynolds homers, including one of the longest in Camden Yards history, over eight dominant innings as the Orioles went down 7-2 in front of an announced 13,824 on a steamy afternoon in Baltimore."
Jays bats, Romero dominate Orioles
August 8
Toronto Sun
 
"If there's a secret formula Toronto Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero is using to deal with the Baltimore Orioles, he's not giving it away. After pitching eight brilliant innings to beat the Orioles 7-2 in sweltering heat Sunday afternoon, Romero has run his record to 6-1 with a 2.08 ERA in his last eight starts versus Baltimore. "I enjoy pitching, period. No matter who the opponent is," said Romero, who gave up a couple of tape-measure solo home runs to Orioles' slugger Mark Reynolds. "I know what I'm capable of. Today was just a lot of groundballs. It was just a matter of keeping it simple. I wasn't trying to do too much. Just told myself I was going to hit spots down in the zone. We did it"
Romero, Jays top Rays, 3-1
August 3
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Rays keep talking about getting hot and possibly catching the New York Yankees. The team believes once the bats come alive, it could catch Boston or Los Angeles in this year's wild-card race. After Tampa Bay's 3-1 loss to Toronto on Tuesday in front of 13,333 fans at Tropicana Field, the Rays might need to set more a realistic goal — fighting off Toronto for third place in the AL East. Tampa Bay (56-52) leads Toronto (56-53) by a half-game in the division. With two more games remaining in this series, Tampa Bay could fall to fourth place. Considering Tampa Bay has lost 11 of its past 17 games, avoiding that slide could be easier said than done. "You have to keep pounding on the door"
Romero tops Rays with one-hit gem
August 3
Toronto Sun
 
"Okay, so it's not exactly heart-stopping drama. You really have to doubt whether Toronto Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero spent a sleepless night Monday in anticipation of this, ah, third-place weekday showdown against the Tampa Bay Rays. But it's the best carrot the Jays can find these days and this has been a Toronto team that can find motivation in just about any situation. It's a trait that will no doubt one day pay them big dividends. This weekend, they'll settle for a modest payoff if they can slip past Tampa into third place in the American League East. They took a step in that direction Tuesday at Tropicana Field with a 3-1 victory behind a one-hit, eight-inning pitching performance"
Romero outduels Price as Jays sting Rays, 3-1
August 3
Toronto Star
 
"It didn't look good on paper for the Jays in the opener of the three-game series against the Rays on Tuesday night. The visitors, fresh off the emotional retirement of Robbie Alomar's number, were up against their pitching nemesis, lefthander David Price, who entered with an undefeated eight-win record in nine starts against Toronto. But the Jays rode solo home runs by Jose Bautista and Yunel Escobar and the strong pitching of their own lefty ace Ricky Romero to a 3-1 win. Romero (9-9) tossed a gritty one-hitter through eight innings. He threw 45 pitches through the first two innings but stepped up and regrouped for 109 total. This was the second straight game he pitched at least eight"
Romero comes through for Jays in 3-0 win
July 28
Toronto Star
 
"It was moving day in the Blue Jays clubhouse prior to Wednesday's 3-0 win against the O's. For four current Jays, moving meant packing their bags for the last time and bidding an emotional adieu to teammates. For the organization, moving meant moving ahead waiting for the arrival of Colby Rasmus, the newest core player for a franchise that claims it is committed to using minor-league inventory to build a winner instead of hoarding draft choices and always building for the future. "We're always going to value the draft," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said of the fact he traded away a couple of Type B free agents that might have returned picks next June. "It's always going to be"
Romero's all-star moments a family affair
July 12
Toronto Sun
 columnist Bob Elliott
"Jose Bautista knew all along. When Bautista was introduced as the Blue Jays sole representative to the all-star game at the Rogers Centre on July 3, he quickly added "I'm the only one ... for now." "Hopefully, Ricky Romero will be added too, he belongs," Bautista said. Romero was on the field for the State Farm Home Run Derby Monday and hoping to get an inning from American League manager Ron Washington Tuesday in the 82nd all-star game. "I'm excited," Romero said. No, really how excited are you? "I mean I'm really excited," said Romero, 26, eyes lighting up like the kid from Home Alone. "This is what you dream of as a kid. My first all-star memory was Fenway Park in 1999," Romero said."
Romero receives stars call
July 11
Toronto Sun
 
"Ricky Romero is all-star game bound. The Jays left-handed starter received the news just prior to the end of Sunday's victory over Cleveland. Romero made it to Phoenix through the back door after Seattle's Felix Hernandez, already selected for the game, started Sunday against the Angels and won't be available for duty in the game."
Jays' Romero named to American League all-star team
July 11
Toronto Star
 
"Late in Sunday's 7-1 Blue Jays victory, left-handed starter Ricky Romero threw a session in the bullpen to get ready for his next start, which is scheduled after the all-star break. After coming into the clubhouse to shower and get ready for a flight back to Toronto, Romero was told he'd have to change his plans. He's off to Phoenix for his first all-star game appearance. "I'm at a loss for words right now," Romero said in the Jays clubhouse after the game. "My family's excited, especially where I came from."
Up close and personal: Life's good for Blue Jay Ricky Romero
July 9
Toronto Star
 
"The seamed leather ball is thrown so fast, the air hisses in its wake. From the lightly gnawed fingertips on Ricky Romero's left hand to home plate, it travels 60 feet, 6 inches. Feet and inches. No metric conversion in this game. Baseball is as American as apple pie and imperial measures. Or in Romero's case, as American as carne asada and chain migration. For the 26-year-old Blue Jays pitcher, that distance isn't simply the path to a ball or strike."
Ricky Romero rising
June 25
The Globe and Mail
 columnist Robert MacLeoad
"Ricky Romero grew up fast in the uncompromising East Los Angeles neighbourhood, where gang warfare was a fact of life and gunplay an almost everyday occurrence. While the land mines swallowed up many of his peers, Romero was able to persevere, relying heavily on the tough-love channelled by his Mexican-American family and his single-minded purpose to excel at baseball. Today, Romero is a supremely confident and respectful 26-year-old, who is on the brink of stardom as a pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays. He is even dating Rima Fakih, who has just ended her one-year reign as Miss USA. Romero said he was introduced to Fakih by a mutual acquaintance in New York last August, a couple of days"
Frustrated Ricky Romero speaks out on Jays' lack of offence
June 21
Toronto Star
 
"The frustration of having to virtually pitch shutout ball every time he toes the rubber flooded over the levees of restraint within Jays left-hander Ricky Romero Monday night. The third year veteran called out the offence following his 2-0 loss to Tim Hudson and the Braves at Turner Field. For the first time this season he separated the pitching staff, of which he is the acknowledged leader, from the hitters, a group that has been letting the team down lately and him all season. In nine Jays losses started by Romero, the club has scored just 13 runs. Frustration spoke. "All I can do is just pitch," Romero said. "I can't worry about the offence and what they do. I've always said this at one"
Romero, Arencibia play game in boy's memory
May 20
The Globe and Mail
 
"They play the sport for the fun, the fame and the money. Thursday night at Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays also played it for Ryley James Martin. Ryley was just 21/2 when he died of leukemia on Wednesday. His family lives in Oshawa, Ont. Last month at Rogers Centre, Ryley and his parents were invited onto the field before a game where the critically ill young boy won the hearts of both Ricky Romero and J.P. Arencibia with his huge spirit and irrepressible smile. The two players played with the boy for about 20 minutes, tossed a baseball back and forth and helped him swing a bat. It was a simple deed with ever-lasting affects. On Thursday, when he arrived at Rogers Centre to prepare"
Leukemia victim inspires Jays
May 20
Toronto Sun
 
"Ricky Romero got the win and J.P. Arencibia belted a two-run home run but in the aftermath of the Blue Jays 3-2 victory over Tampa there was sadness, too. Ryley James Martin of Oshawa, an energetic 2 1/2 years old who entertained both Romero and Arencibia with his smile and enthusiasm prior to the Jays April 2 game against the Minnesota Twins, died of leukemia on Wednesday. The two players received the tragic news about young Ryley, the lone boy of the Martin triplets, prior to last night's contest against the Rays. Both dedicated Thursday's game to his memory. With added inspiration, Romero came up with his second consecutive powerful performance as he held the Rays to three hits — one a"
Jays' Romero emerges with win on emotional evening
May 20
Toronto Star
 
"As Rays leadoff man Ben Zobrist stepped into the batter's box, Jays ace Ricky Romero stepped purposefully off the back of the mound, bent and traced in the dirt with his finger the letters RJM. Pausing to gather his thoughts, the emotional left-hander then stood and walked slowly to the top of the hill to begin the game. For Romero and catcher J.P. Arencibia, it was a personal tribute to a young Toronto friend, Ryley Martin, who had passed away earlier on Thursday. Romero channelled that heartfelt human emotion over seven solid innings in a 3-2 victory over the Rays, earning a series split heading into interleague play. In fact, with the help of a double-play, Romero needed just 13 batters"
Romero's start delayed due to oblique strain
May 5
MLB.com
 
"Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero was scratched from his upcoming start on Thursday afternoon against Tampa Bay because of a mild left oblique strain. Romero suffered the injury during his last start against the Yankees when he fielded a line drive off the bat of Mark Teixeira. "There has been some improvement since the game that night," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said following his club's 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Wednesday night. "He threw on the mound today just to test it out before tomorrow. He was able to throw but yet, at the same time, he felt like it was tolerable."
Romero needs to finish stronger
March 28
Toronto Sun
 
"It was the final tuneup for Ricky Romero. The next start for the Blue Jays 26-year-old left-hander will come on April 1, when he's on the mound facing the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day. It has been a rough spring for Romero, who closed out his Florida on Sunday by pitching five quality innings, before getting hammered in the sixth. It was far from the Orioles opening day lineup - in fact not one player in the lineup was a starter - and Romero mostly breezed through five, holding the O's to four hits and one run. In the sixth, though, it went single, strikeout, RBI single, RBI double, two-run home run. After Nick Green hit the bomb, Romero was lifted. In four of his five starts against 'A'"
Romero feels 'great' despite results
March 23
Toronto Sun
 
"Ricky Romero felt a lot better than the results. Having missed his last start due to inflammation in the middle finger of his left hand, Romero gave up a three-run home run to Raul Ibanez in the first inning and four runs on six hits over four innings Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. "My arm felt great, probably the best it's felt all spring," said a puzzled Romero. "The arm felt great and the finger felt great. I just made that one bad pitch (to Ibanez). Part of his problem was that he felt too strong."
Romero a gem in Jays' 5-4 loss to Phillies
March 23
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"The Jays saw much to like in the outing of opening day starter Ricky Romero as he took the loss in a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Cliff Lee and the Phillies on Tuesday. The left-hander had not been in a game for nine days after being sidelined by light inflammation in the middle finger of his left hand. After allowing a first inning three-run homer to Raul Ibanez, he settled down and pitched four innings, allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. "First and foremost, it felt great," Romero said. "Probably the best I've felt all spring. Arm felt great and finger felt great. I just made that one bad pitch where I stayed up 3-1 and Ibanez made me pay. I've really been getting after"
Romero set to go
March 22
Toronto Sun
 
"Ricky Romero is ready to roll. The Jays left-hander, who has been selected to start in the season opener April 1, will be back on the mound Tuesday against the Phillies after missing his previous start due to inflammation of the middle finger of his left hand. "The finger is good, all the stuff that happened was precautionary and looking back on it, it was worth it, not making that start," Romero said. "There's a little inflammation in there but I should be ready to go on Tuesday." Romero hasn't stopped throwing completely since his last start March 12 against Pittsburgh."
Blister forces Romero to miss next start
March 16
Toronto Sun
 
"The fickle finger of fate has knocked Ricky Romero out of his next scheduled start, which would have been Thursday against the Phillies. In his previous start, a ratty outing against the Pirates, Romero was bothered slightly by what was thought to be the start of a blister on the middle finger of his left hand. Romero, who was tabbed to be the Jays opening day starter for April 1 against the Twins in Toronto, continued to throw in that game but Tuesday it was decided that he would be held back from his start on St. Patrick's Day strictly as a precautionary measure. His next scheduled start will be March 22 against the Phillies with his final spring outing set for March 27 against"
Jays' Ricky Romero goes from draft 'bust' to staff ace
March 12
Toronto Star
 columnist Rosie DiManno
"He was "The Bust of 2005" and for the longest time Ricky Romero kept a Sports Illustrated magazine cover tucked in his minor-league locker as a reminder of that belittling tag. The March 31, 2008 headline read: "How great was the '05 draft?" and the accompanying story quoted then-Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi conceding he'd made a mistake by selecting Romero as Toronto's first pick, sixth overall, in the amateur cattle call. "I cut out that headline and I put it in my locker," Romero recalls. "I would read it every day. Even when I was struggling, I remember reading it and saying, 'You know what? I'm going to prove everyone wrong.' It was motivation for me.""
Romero uses full repertoire to dominate Pirates
March 7
Toronto Sun
 
"It was a different Ricky Romero on the mound here Sunday and that suited his manager just fine. When Romero made his spring debut last week in Lakeland against the Tigers, he went into that game intent on refining his sinker, to the exclusion of some of his other pitches. John Farrell understood, but this time around he wanted to see all of Romero, not just one pitch. For a rookie manager, one with pitching in his background, Farrell found Romero outing on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates to be a very comforting thing. Romero worked four scoreless, dominant innings against the Pirates, allowing just one hit and two walks, while striking out six. In the process, he lengthened himself"
Romero knows he has work to do
March 2
Toronto Sun
 
"It was not one of Ricky Romero's most memorable days, but still one that might pay off down the line. Romero's early work this spring has been in trying to further develop his sinking fastball and the Detroit Tigers saw a steady diet of them Tuesday. The good news is that every ball the Tigers hit was on the ground. The bad news was that five of them found their way through the infield, leading to a four-run, 2 1/3 inning outing. "There were a lot of groundballs and a lot of them just found the holes," said Romero. "I'm a competitor and I want to come straight out of the chute, sharp as a knife. I wasn't able to do that today. I've got to get back to work." Romero also walked two men to"
Jays fans putting their faith in the future
January 29
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"If the Jays were ever seeking direction for their State of the Franchise event on Thursday, in which they hosted 500 ticket holders at the Rogers Centre, they needed look no further than two days earlier when President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union to a skeptical American audience. Obama's message included the advice to stay positive, remain financially responsible and take control of the future — sounding the same basic message as the Jays' three-man panel of president Paul Beeston, GM Alex Anthopoulos and manager John Farrell, alongside Hall-of-Famer Roberto Alomar. Seated comfortably in lounge chairs atop the third-base dugout facing their inquisitors, it was Beeston and"
Rays beat up on Romero
September 12
Toronto Star
 
"Ricky Romero feels fine. Thanks for asking. Now please quit asking. Yes, the sophomore starting pitcher disintegrated quickly after cruising through the first three innings of Saturday's 13-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting two batters, walking two and surrendering six runs in an ugly fourth frame. And yes, with three starts remaining in 2010 he has already pitched more innings than he did his entire rookie campaign. But Romero says that if you're looking for factors that explain his poor fourth inning, you'll have to search farther than mere fatigue."
Blue Jays look to the future in locking up Ricky Romero for 5 years
August 15
Toronto Star
 
"Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero was at his Los Angeles home Saturday morning visiting his parents, but this wasn't just a chance to catch up on baseball stories and home cooking. Romero, who credits parents Sandra and Ricardo with setting him on the path to a major-league career, shared a proud moment by gathering the family around the home phone when the Jays called to announce his rich new contract extension. "It's tough to put into words how you feel," Romero said as the magnitude of his five-year, $30.1 million extension (all figures U.S.) began to sink in. "I just bought a house for them, 25 minutes from here (Anaheim). My mom and dad, my two sisters and my brother were there when"
Jays turn the tables
August 4
Toronto Sun
 
"Ricky Romero said it was probably the best game he has pitched this season. He's right, of course, but why stop there. It may have been the best game the Jays have played this season as, in the Bronx this night, they completely outplayed and outclassed the New York Yankees in every facet of the game - pitching, hitting and defence. It led to an 8-2 whipping and isn't it a delightful change of pace that in the new Yankee Stadium, the House That George Built, it is the boys wearing the pinstripes that are being given a lesson in how the game is played in the dog days of August. Two games into a three-game series, the Jays have gone 2-0 and in winning both have displayed a resilience and"
Ricky Romero pitches complete game in win over Yankees
August 4
Toronto Star
 
"Each time Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero delivered to New York slugger Alex Rodriguez, flashbulbs would light up Yankee Stadium as fans with cameras tried to capture the swing that would produce home run No. 600. Romero says he didn't even notice. All he saw was the glove. When first baseman Mark Teixeira jacked a massive first-inning homer to give the Yanks a quick 2-0 lead, Romero remained unfazed. All he saw was the glove."
Romero performs, Blue Jay bats don't
June 29
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"The Blue Jays thought they'd caught a break in the schedule on Monday. No such luck. Playing their first sub-.500 team in 25 games — a stretch over which they had gone 10-14 and dropped four games in the division standings — the Jays lost 2-1 to the Cleveland Indians in the first game of a seven-day road trip. Moving to New York to play the Yankees after three more here, they need to step up and beat a team they should beat. "That's just the way baseball is sometimes," Jays starter and loser Ricky Romero (6-4) said. "All I'm worried about is pitching and that's about it and giving your team a chance to win.""
Ricky, Tulo shares special bond
June 13
Toronto Sun
 columnist Bob Elliott
"The connection between Ricky Romero and Troy Tulowitzki began long before June 7, 2005. Long before then Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi selected Romero with the sixth overall pick and Colorado Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt chose shortstop Tulowitzki with the seventh overall choice in the draft. They were intertwined like the ivy on Wrigley Field wall before Russ Adams bombed out as a shortstop and Romero scuffled in the minors, before Tulowitzki played in the post-season. Romero pitched college ball for the Cal-State Fullerton Titans in 2003. The same year Tulowitzki began playing for the Long Beach State '49ers. "We'd see each other all the time when we played each"
Red-hot Blue Jays sweep Orioles
May 31
Toronto Star
 
"Another complete game from Ricky Romero and another fireworks display from Blue Jays batters led to another win for a team that has quietly assembled the fourth-best record in the American League. Sunday's 6-1 smackdown of the Baltimore Orioles gave the Jays 18 wins in May, the most in the major leagues, and pushed them to 30 wins with record-tying rapidity. The 2009 Jays didn't reach 30 wins this quickly, even after opening the season 27-14, and three of the four title-winning teams from manager Cito Gaston's glory years didn't reach the mark this quickly either. In fact, the only Jays squad to reach 30 wins in such short order was the 1993 team, which also accomplished the feat in 52"
Jays' Romero roughed up
May 26
Toronto Sun
 
"This wasn't quite the homecoming Ricky Romero had in mind. Born and raised 30 miles away in East Los Angeles, the Blue Jay lefthander had some 200 family and friends on hand for his first start in this area as a big-leaguer. All of them, including Romero himself, went home disappointed. The Los Angeles Angels jumped on Romero early and often on their way to an 8-3 victory to level this three game series at a win apiece. In the runup to the game, Romero said it was going to be an occasion "I'll never forget." He probably won't but for all the wrong reasons. "You get to come home and pitch in front of your home crowd and that's something I've worked for my whole life," said Romero. "It kind"
A special night turns sour for Jays' Romero
May 26
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"Ricky Romero found out the hard way on Tuesday, it's a whole different ballgame when you're playing for the first time as a major-leaguer in front of family and friends. The Jays' left-hander experienced that adrenaline-fuelled mixture of pride and pressure at Angels Stadium with his parents, siblings and 200 friends and relatives from East L.A. on hand to see him face Ervin Santana and the Angels. This was a special moment for the tightly knit Romero family. "Last year he missed it here," pitching coach Bruce Walton said. "The key is having your family close and having fun with them but not trying to pitch for your family. When you get caught up wanting to have a good outing for your"
Angels spoil homecoming for Blue Jays' Romero
May 26
Toronto Star
 
"By the time Ricky Romero could catch his breath in the cool evening air at Angels Stadium, he was already trailing 5-0 after just two innings. In front of 200 friends and family, pitching as a major-leaguer at home for the first time, his dream of a victorious homecoming turned into an 8-3 nightmare of inglorious defeat at the hands of Ervin Santana and the Angels. "I didn't put any extra pressure," Romero said. "That's the beauty of it. You get to come and pitch in front of your home crowd. That's what I've been working for my whole life. It kind of stinks that I didn't put on a good performance, not only for them, but for my team. To not be able to come up with a W and to not put up a"
Romero in control as Jays win
May 16
Toronto Sun
 
"The day after a slugfest such as Friday's 16-10 shootout that featured five Blue Jays' home runs, you can almost take it to the bank - or your favourite bookie - that the following game will be a low scoring, tightly pitched affair. In other words, it's a game where you should always bet the under in total runs scored. Making certain that sure thing came true was Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero, who rebounded in a big way from mediocre efforts in his previous two starts. Romero was superb against a Texas Rangers team that boast dangerous hitters up and down their lineup and in the end he was rewarded with not only the win but the first complete game shutout of his brief major-league career as"