Toronto jumped into their off-season activities quickly this year, re-signing two players in the first week after the conclusion of the World Series. C-L Greg Myers agreed to a 900,000 one-year contract on Monday. Then on Tuesday, the Blue Jays announced they'd reached an agreement on a $2.3M one-year deal with the arbitration-eligible UT-L Frank Catalanotto.

Myers was coming off a career year in which he hit .307 with a .374 OBP and .502 SLG on 101 H, 19 2B, and 15 HR with a 37:57 BB:K and 0/3 SB% in 329 AB, so Toronto received a very nice bargain on his contract. I'm not certain Myers would have found a team willing to pay him expecting a repeat of that performance, as everyone seems to believe the 37-year-old will regress to his former levels next season. However, I'm quite surprised that he signed for under a million when he was among the top five catchers in the American League even while playing only part-time. I suspect he could have found at least double this salary had he chosen to explore free agency.

Despite the discount, this signing isn't necessarily wonderful for Toronto. Back-up C-R Tom Wilson shouldn't even be arbitration-eligible this off-season, and 2004 should have been C-R Kevin Cash's year to prove himself. Had Myers departed, the two could have shared the catching duties. Now, Cash reportedly needs to win the job from Wilson in Spring Training to avoid returning to AAA, where C-R Guillermo Quiroz will have the opportunity to steal his job a year early. Meanwhile most of Myers production took place in the first half of the season, and I anticipate his 2004 season will tail back towards his career averages. Nevertheless, I believe the Blue Jays did well to get Myers back at this salary. He provides Toronto with a sensibly priced left-handed alternative, and on the off chance he replicates last year, they'll again have one of the steals of the year.

I'm not quite as comfortable with the Catalanotto signing. Catalanotto fell one day short of the required major league service time needed to declare free agency, and he was eager to sign in order to avoid the possibility that the Blue Jays might non-tender him. I expect several players of at least his caliber to be available in the $1M range when non-tenders go through.

Catalanotto's return also creates playing time questions. OF-R Vernon Wells has a lock on a full-time job, and DH-R Josh Phelps has laid claim to the DH at-bats. OF-R Reed Johnson didn't demonstrate great plate discipline last year, but he was effective at the plate and appears to deserve a chance to play this year before the Blue Jay's first round picks graduate from AAA. OF-S Bobby Kielty displayed a substantial platoon split last year, hitting .300 with a .417 OBP and .550 SLG in 140 AB against left-handers while he hit .216 with a .328 OBP and .328 SLG in 287 AB against righties. However, the split wasn't there in 2002, and Toronto shouldn't allow the gap to solidify by shunting Kielty into a platoon with Catalanotto, who favors right-handed pitching.

On the other hand, the signing should allow Toronto to give their prospects the time they want them to have at AAA without bouncing them to the majors to fill holes. If someone proves ready for the big leagues before the end of the year, the Blue Jays can always trade Catalanotto to a playoff contender and add stock to their lower minors. Provided Toronto doesn't let Catalanotto's salary push them into giving him playing time other players deserve, he should be a valuable tool for their bench, especially with his ability to cover the three bases as well as the corner outfield slots.

The Blue Jays declined their $800,000 option on LHP Doug Creek. Creek went on the DL with an elbow problem in late May and underwent Tommy John surgery in early June, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. Considering the 34-year-old's rehab will probably stretch a couple months into the season, he'll likely have to accept a minor league contract this year.

Milwaukee is the only other team to sign a player to a major league contract so early in the off-season. RHP Travis Phelps signed a one-year major league deal with the Brewers for an unspecified amount. Atlanta didn't call Phelps to the majors in 2003 after signing him to a minor league deal. During his time at AAA Richmond, he compiled a 91:38 K:BB with 77 H and 11 HR allowed in 93.1 IP for a 3.47 ERA over 47 appearances, including 8 starts. The 26-year-old will have to compete for a relief job in Spring Training. He's capable of providing the Brewers with some solid innings at the bottom of their pen, and if he fails to break camp with the club, they can stash him at AAA as injury insurance.