DUNEDIN, Fla. -- There is one conversation that B.J. Ryan does not want to have with Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston, and that's discussing the possibility of handing some save situations to reliever Scott Downs.

For the past few days, Gaston has been open about potentially turning to Downs in the ninth inning this season in the event that Ryan's struggles persist through the end of Spring Training. On Monday, following another shaky performance on the mound, Ryan sounded miffed at the suggestion that someone else might be asked to close out a ballgame.

"I know where I stand," Ryan said. "But then again, my say-so doesn't mean a lot. We'll cross that bridge -- hopefully, we never come to it. It's an uncomfortable question with a lot of uncomfortable answers. It'll happen behind closed doors."

In an eighth-inning appearance against the Yankees at Dunedin Stadium on Monday, Ryan surrendered one run on two hits -- both of the extra-base variety -- and added one strikeout before escaping the frame. Through eight Grapefruit League outings, the Jays' stopper has posted a 9.00 ERA, allowing seven runs on eight hits with seven walks and six strikeouts.

Gaston revealed on Thursday that the club has had some concerns this spring about Ryan's diminished pitch velocity. Against New York, Ryan topped out at 87 mph, which is in the 86-89-mph range he routinely registered within last season with Toronto. Even so, Gaston said the team still has some worries about Ryan's status.

Asked if the club's concerns were to the point that Ryan might not be with the team on Opening Day, Gaston hesitated. Considering Ryan is not suffering from an apparent injury, the disabled list does not seem like a realistic option at this point.

"We haven't made that decision yet," Gaston said. "His arm doesn't hurt him. So if you move him out of that spot, maybe you put him somewhere else for a while and go from there, see if it improves for him."

"I know where I stand. But then again, my say-so doesn't mean a lot. We'll cross that bridge -- hopefully, we never come to it. It's an uncomfortable question with a lot of uncomfortable answers. It'll happen behind closed doors."

-- B.J. Ryan, on Jays' closing situation

Ryan said his latest outing was a "step forward" in that he was able to carry some of the mechanical adjustments he's been working on out to the mound. As for the velocity concerns, Ryan downplayed the issue, pointing out that he has never featured an overpowering fastball.

"I'm not a huge velocity guy," Ryan said. "I was earlier in my career -- I was a guy that threw hard. But once I kind of toned down my mechanics, I was never a guy that went out there and threw 95 [mph]. I was a guy that pitched from deception and location, and that's what I've got to get back to doing and not worrying so much about creating velocity.

"You hear it, 'Velocity. Velocity.' If you get out there and you put the pieces in the right place and you stay on top of the ball and you drive the ball down, it doesn't matter what the gun says. You can look at swings and the reactions of hitters. You can tell if they see it good or if it's getting on them. If it's not, if I'm recoiling and I'm flying out and I'm showing them the ball a long time, that's what I'm more concerned about.

"It's that part of it that really bugged me. The velocity thing, it's going to come."

The Jays have at least taken some comfort in the fact that Ryan -- scheduled to earn $10 million in each of the next two seasons -- has been healthy this spring. Ryan underwent season-ending Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his left elbow in May 2007 and returned to the closer's role late last April. In 2008, Ryan finished with 32 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 60 appearances.

Ryan labored with his command during stretches last season and struggled to feature a consistently sound delivery along the way. For him, it's been the mechanical issues that have been the greater concern this spring, and he's worked extensively with pitching coach Brad Arnsberg in an attempt to correct his approach.

"I'm just trying to get a little more out front, not to recoil so much," Ryan said. "It's kind of just slowing everything down. It's just kind of a counterproductive move that I picked up. I picked up some bad habits last year, and that's something I have to spend some time and break.

"I'm putting a lot of time in here and you want to see instant results -- you're selfish that way and you want it to be perfect."