By SportsDirect

TORONTO The Toronto Blue Jays inked four draft picks Friday, but top selection Tyler Beede remains unsigned.

The club agreed to terms with outfielder Jacob Anderson, the 35th overall pick at June’s amateur draft.

Toronto also signed right-handed pitcher and fourth-round pick Thomas Robson of Delta, B.C.

Also agreeing were right-hander Brady Dragmire (17th round) and outfielder Derrick Loveless (27th round).

The Blue Jays took a chance by selecting Beede with the 21st pick at the draft. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander out of Lawrence Academy in Massachusetts had already committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

The deadline for draft picks to sign with Major League Baseball clubs is Monday.

With Friday’s signings, the Jays have agreed to terms with 27 players from this year’s draft.

The Canadian Press

The magazine alleges the Blue Jays were having signs relayed to them by a man in centre field.

BY SPORTSNET STAFF
sportsnet.ca

The Toronto Blue Jays have been stealing signs and relaying pitches to their batters during home games by using a man in centre field, an unnamed teams alleges in an ESPN the Magazine report.

The article cites four anonymous bullpen sources from an unnamed team claiming they noticed a man dressed in white among the blue center-field seats seemingly signalling the pitches the visiting pitcher was throwing against the Jays.

Earlier this season, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi suggested the Blue Jays were stealing signs.

“Could be. Obviously, if you feel like it’s coming from somewhere else besides a player on the field, yeah, I do have issues with that.” Girardi told the media.

In response to the allegations, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos will address the Toronto media at 3:45 p.m. ET and sportsnet.ca will have video of his comments immediately afterwards.

Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos denies that his team has relayed signs from beyond the field.

“That never happened, will never happen, not even a possibility,” he told ESPN. “If it did happen, we’d be winning a lot more games at home … I think it’s a nonstory because no one ever has picked up the phone and called me about it. It’s never been an issue, and I would expect them to do so if it was.”

Meanwhile, an MLB spokesman is quoted in the article as saying: “Major League Baseball has never received a complaint from any club about sign stealing in Toronto, and this is first [we've been] made aware of it.”

Jo-Jo Reyes has given up 15 runs and 18 hits in his last two starts. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Toronto Blue Jays have designated left-handed pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes for assignment and called up Wilfredo Ledezma from triple-A Las Vegas.

The move Saturday comes a day after Reyes was lit up for eight runs in four innings by the Rangers as the Blue Jays lost 12-2 in Texas.

Reyes has given up 15 runs and 18 hits in his last two starts.

The 26-year-old made 20 starts for the Jays this season, posting a 5-8 record with 5.40 earned-runs average. Reyes joined Toronto last season in a trade with Atlanta that also brought shortstop Yunel Escobar to the Jays.

Ledezma has made 34 appearances in relief this season with Las Vegas. The 6-4, 225-pounder posted a 1-1 record with a 4.63 ERA.

The 30-year-old left-hander has appeared in 187 Major League games (40 starts) over eight seasons with Detroit, Atlanta, San Diego, Arizona, Washington and Pittsburgh.

TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays have designated left-handed pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes for assignment and called up Wilfredo Ledezma from triple-A Las Vegas.

The move Saturday comes a day after Reyes was lit up for eight runs in four innings by the Rangers as the Blue Jays lost 12-2 in Texas.

Reyes has given up 15 runs and 18 hits in his last two starts.

The 26-year-old made 20 starts for the Jays this season, posting a 5-8 record with 5.40 earned-runs average. Reyes joined Toronto last season in a trade with Atlanta that also brought shortstop Yunel Escobar to the Jays.

Ledezma has made 34 appearances in relief this season with Las Vegas. The 6-4, 225-pounder posted a 1-1 record with a 4.63 ERA.

The 30-year-old left-hander has appeared in 187 Major League games (40 starts) over eight seasons with Detroit, Atlanta, San Diego, Arizona, Washington and Pittsburgh.

The Toronto Blue Jays traded
outfielder Juan Rivera to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange
for a player to be named later or cash considerations, the
Major League Baseball team said on Tuesday.

Rivera, 33, appeared in 70 games for the Blue Jays this
season and had a .243 batting average with six home runs and 27
runs batted in.

He was acquired by the Blue Jays in January along with
catcher Mike Napoli from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in
exchange for outfielder Vernon Wells.

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Lawrence Academy right-hander Tyler Beede with the 21st overall pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday night.

Widely considered the best high school prospect in the state in a decade, Beede has wowed scouts this year. Utilizing a fastball that can reach the mid 90s and quality secondary pitches in an extremely smooth delivery, he went 8-0 with an ERA of 0.69 and 102 strikeouts in 51 innings.

Because of a verbal commitment to Vanderbilt, many thought Beede would drop to the end of the first round or even into the supplemental round. But Toronto nabbed him with its first selection, just three spots after Boston’s initial pick and three before the Red Sox’ second.

It is a bit down the road, but if Beede signs with the Blue Jays, he may get a chance to work with former Boston pitching coach John Farrell, now the manager in Toronto.

Funds will be used for special summer camps

Jun 06, 2011 – 04:02 PM

NORTH DURHAM — The Toronto Blue Jays have helped ensure this year’s summer camp season will be a memorable one for a handful of North Durham children.

The Major League Baseball club, through its Jays Care Foundation, recently presented Precious Minds with a $10,000 grant, which will be used to provide opportunities for children with developmental disabilities to attend specially designed accessible summer camps. All four of the Blaze summer camps offered by Precious Minds for children and youths with developmental disabilities in north Durham are fully booked. “Our camp goals for the kids are to support the ongoing growth of each child’s full potential by facilitating an environment of safety where the kids can feel ‘at home’ and thrive in the company of new friends and a supportive staff,” said Sandy Ianuzzo of Precious Minds in a press release. “Our program focus is on social and life skills, healthy nutrition habits and improved physical fitness.” Precious Minds is a charitable organization that supports families with children who have barriers to learning, from learning disabilities and attention deficits to more involved developmental and physical disabilities such as Down Syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. For more information, visit www.preciousminds.com.

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Aaron Hill (right) is greeted at homeplate by teammates Jose Bautista and J.P. Arencibia after hitting a grand slam in the 1st inning during Major League Baseball action between Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 29, 2011.

RICK MADONIK/TORONTO STAR

It was a day of firsts for the Toronto Blue Jays.

There was Aaron Hill’s first-inning grand slam, not only the first bases-loaded homer of his career but his first round-tripper of the season.

Then there was Edwin Encarnacion’s inaugural homer of 2011 in the ensuing at bat. And how about Jayson Nix’s first-inning single, the first hit for him in 22 at bats and the first by a Blue Jays third baseman since May 15?

All were welcome in a lopsided 13-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday before 18,325 fans at the Rogers Centre, but none more so than Hill’s blast.

Not only did it put the Jays ahead to stay and set the stage for an 18-hit Blue Jays attack, it provided some hope that maybe the personable second baseman is coming out of the hitting funk that has bogged him down the past two seasons.

After a banner season at the plate in 2009, Hill hit an embarrassing .205 last year. But at least he was still providing power with 26 homers.

This year, he’s been hitting a little better but has provided nothing in the way of power.

The Jays are hoping Sunday’s blast will turn him around.

Manager John Farrell, for one, is hoping it will help his second baseman at least relax a bit.

“I think more than anything, he’s been a little more relaxed the last couple, three weeks,” Farrell said. “I think he himself is starting to feel it come a little bit more routinely for him.”

Hill was obviously happy with the homer, but isn’t sure it will provide the push he needs to get back to the form he showed two seasons ago.

“Obviously, it’s still not there,” he said. “I’m trying not to look at results because obviously you want results quick and fast because you want to get going.”

Hill said that his ultimate goal isn’t hitting homers, but simply feeling good at the plate and getting his bat through the hitting zone with authority. He’s still struggling with that.

“It’s frustrating for me just because I know I’m a better player,” he said.

Hill feels he’s getting closer to that goal, but needs to be more consistent.

He said in order to get back to where he was in 2009, when he hit 36 homers and drove in 108 runs, he has to concentrate on hitting line drives.

“I never viewed myself as a home run hitter and I’m still not going to,” he said.

One guy who has been viewed as a home run hitter is Encarnacion, so getting that monkey off his back should help add another hot bat to the Jays lineup.

Nix’s monumental hit, his first of two on the day, should at least relieve some of the pressure the team’s collection of third basemen have been facing. Farrell says he wasn’t losing sleep over it.

“For me, it was just a matter of time,” he said. “Before Jayson went on the DL he was having good at bats, he was contributing offensively and it’s taken a little time to get going since his return.”

The Jays got another solid outing from ace Ricky Romero, who held the White Sox to two runs and six hits in seven innings despite being “as bad as I could be” in the bullpen.

Considering the way the Jays hit, he didn’t need to be that good.

Corey Patterson completed a nine-hit weekend with four hits including his second homer in two days. He also drove in three runs.

Encarnacion, who came into the game hitting .236, added three hits.

On a day when slugger Jose Bautista managed only one hit, the explosion from the rest of the lineup was more than welcome.

By Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com | 03/20/11 3:50 PM ET

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Toronto’s Jesse Litsch outlasted right-hander Scott Baker in a pitchers’ duel that resulted in a 1-0 Blue Jays victory on Sunday afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Litsch, who is competing for a spot in Toronto’s starting rotation, threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings. He faced just two batters over the minimum while throwing 41 of his 63 pitches for strikes. The 26-year-old also showed an improved ability to finish off at-bats by striking out seven of the 18 batters he faced.

It was a bounce back start for Litsch, who allowed nine hits and five runs during his last outing against the Phillies.

“Last one was one of those bad ones,” Litsch said. “You just got to get over it and you got to come back the next time with your positive attitude and come back from that. I was up in the zone, I had to work on that and get down in the zone for this one.”

Baker cruised through his four innings of work. He allowed just three hits while striking out six and not issuing a walk. He threw 45 of his 68 pitches for strikes and at one point struck out five consecutive Blue Jays’ hitters.

“The ball game out of his hand really good,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “It was typical Baker. The thing he does is pitch uncomfortable out of the zone. He got some big strikeouts on some really good pitches.”

His only blemish came in the bottom of the first inning when he surrendered a two-out double off the wall in left field to Toronto slugger Jose Bautista. Adam Lind followed with a bloop single off the outstretched glove of shortstop Alexi Casilla for an RBI single.

Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar went 2-for-3 in his second game back after being scratched with soreness in his back. Minnesota third baseman Danny Valencia added a double.

Travis Snider gave Toronto some insurance in the bottom of the eighth when he hit a two-run homer off Jeff Manship to make it 3-0.

Up next for the Blue Jays: Following an off day on Monday the Blue Jays will host the Phillies on Tuesday afternoon in a 1:05 p.m. ET start at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Left-hander Ricky Romero will get the start after missing his last outing with inflammation in his left middle finger. Toronto’s Opening Day starter is 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA in three starts this spring. Also scheduled to pitch against Philadelphia is right-hander Chad Cordero — who will be making his Grapefruit League debut — and Carlos Villanueva and Casey Janssen. Rookie right-hander Kyle Drabek will pitch in a Minor League game on the club’s off day.

Up next for the Twins: The Twins travel to Bradenton, Fla., to face the Pirates on Monday at 12:05 p.m. CT at McKechnie Field. Left-hander Brian Duensing is scheduled to start while relievers Carlos Gutierrez, Jose Mijares, Glen Perkins, Jim Hoey, Chuck James, Joe Nathan and Matt Capps are all available for action. Catcher Joe Mauer is also scheduled to make his second start behind the plate in Grapefruit League play after making his debut at catcher on Saturday.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kyle Drabek has the stuff to pitch in the majors. It’s his demeanor that needs fine-tuning.

“One of the main things I’m working on in spring training is trying to stay calm on the mound and not show anything to the hitters,” Drabek said Wednesday after Toronto beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-3.

“I’m real competitive,” Drabek said. “When I was younger, it showed on the mound. People were saying I needed to slow down a little bit. Even my dad told me that. It’s something that’s got to happen.”

Drabek’s father, Doug Drabek, was the National League Cy Young winner in 1990 while pitching for the Pirates.

“I talk to my dad a lot, especially after every game,” Drabek said. “He’ll either get (the game) info from my mom or see it on the computer, then call me and we’ll talk about what went on in the game.”

The 23-year-old Drabek pitched five innings and gave up two runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Neil Walker hit a solo homer off Drabek in the first inning. Garrett Jones had a two-out, RBI single in the fourth.

“My arm has felt great this spring,” Drabek said. “It’s a success so far. Hopefully, it continues.” Drabek, a former first-round draft pick, made his big league debut last season. In three starts, he went 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA. This spring, he is in good position to lock up a spot in Toronto’s young, revamped starting rotation.

“I knew what I was coming into,” Drabek said. “When I got out there, it’s just me and the catcher. It’s baseball. That’s what I try to think about, no off-field things or anything like that when I’m on the mound.”

Pirates starter Paul Maholm worked five innings and allowed four runs on five hits. The left-hander walked two and struck out three.

David Cooper hit a two-run home run and Edwin Encarnacion hit a solo shot. Cooper’s homer capped a three-run fourth inning, when Toronto took a 4-1 lead.

“I hung two pitches and it cost three runs,” Maholm said. “This was the first time all spring — bullpens, game, anything — when I’ve all the sudden gotten out of whack. It’s hard when you know you’re off and you’re trying to compete.”

Maholm ended his outing on a positive note by tossing a 1-2-3 fifth inning.

“You want to feel good, but also it’s nice to get kicked around for an inning and know you can come back out and do what you need to do,” Maholm said.

NOTES: Pirates manager Clint Hurdle spent the day at minor league camp, so rookie league coach Woody Huyke managed the game against Toronto. Huyke, 73, is in his 53rd season of pro baseball, including the past 42 with the Pirates. He managed the Gulf Coast League team in Bradenton for 31 years. … Pirates C Ryan Doumit (strained oblique) took batting practice and participated in fielding drills. Doumit will get six at-bats Thursday in a minor league camp game. … Pirates RHP James McDonald, who skipped his last start due to a sore left side, will throw a bullpen session Thursday.

By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | 03/09/11 5:08 PM EST

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — For the second consecutive day, the Rays rallied with a two-out extra-base hit in the ninth inning to tie the score. And for the second consecutive day, Tampa Bay emerged victorious in extra innings.

Robinson Chirinos, playing first base after some defensive switches, led off the 11th inning with a double and scored on a two-out single to left field by Oscar Luna to deliver the win.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, catcher John Jaso laced a run-scoring double to knot the score at 3-3. He moved to third on the throw to the plate, but was stranded there by Jose Lobaton, forcing extras.

The Blue Jays, who had been one out away from emerging with the victory, also had to fend off a threat in the eighth. Tampa Bay utility man Joe Inglett almost brought the Rays back with a leadoff single and two stolen bases, but he too was stranded at third.

B.J. Upton’s second double of the game, a two-run double to right-center field in the fourth off Blue Jays starter Brett Cecil, gave the Rays a 2-0 lead. For Upton, who was 3-for-3 on the day, the double was his fourth extra-base hit of the spring.

Corey Patterson hit a two-run triple off Dane De La Rosa with two outs in the fifth to tie the score at 2-2. Yunel Escober followed with a single up the middle to put the Blue Jays up, 3-2. The Rays escaped further damage when Matt Joyce made a running backhanded catch at the wall in right field to rob Jose Bautista of extra bases and record the third out.

Ben Zobrist returned to the Rays after missing several games due to a sore right ankle. The prized utility man played second base and shined in the third inning, when he made a quick exchange to complete a 6-4-3 double play. Then, when Escober beat a throw to first that went wide of first baseman Felipe Lopez, Zobrist alertly backed up the play, picked up the ball and threw a strike to shortstop Ray Olmedo, who applied the tag to Escobar at second base for the third out of the inning.

Jeff Niemann made his first start for the Rays since allowing six earned runs in two innings during a “B” game against the Twins last Friday, and the results were much more positive. The 6-foot-9 right-hander allowed no runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out two in four innings. Of the 59 pitches Niemann threw, 33 were for strikes.

“I’d say it went well,” said Niemann. “I had some good plays behind me, I threw a lot of strikes, that’s how it’s supposed to go.”

Cecil made his third start of the spring for the Blue Jays. After allowing only one run in five innings in his previous two outings, the Toronto left-hander — who is penciled in to be the Blue Jays No. 3 starter this season — allowed two runs on three hits, a walk and two strikeouts in four innings.

Up next for the Rays: Tampa Bay will host the Red Sox on Thursday afternoon, in a 1:05 contest at Charlotte Sports Park. Andy Sonnanstine will start for the Rays. The right-hander experienced some rough waters in his first two outings, but he has been working on his mechanics, which is a part of Spring Training when the games don’t count. Also scheduled to see action are right-handers Rob Delaney, Mike Ekstrom, Matt Bush and Brandon Gomes, along with left-hander Alex Torres.

Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka will start for the Red Sox. Also scheduled to pitch for Boston are righties Alfredo Aceves and Michael Bowden, as well as lefties Andrew Miller and Rich Hill. Of note, former Rays left fielder Carl Crawford will make the trip to Port Charlotte, which will serve as his first appearance against his former teammates.

Up next for the Blue Jays: Right-hander Jesse Litsch will take the mound when the Blue Jays visit the Twins on Thursday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. ET. Litsch is a leading candidate to win one of the final two spots in Toronto’s starting rotation. In his last outing, Litsch allowed just one hit, while striking out four over three innings of work against the Braves. The 26-year-old is facing competition from Marc Rzepczynski, Kyle Drabek and Jo-Jo Reyes for a starting job.

By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | 03/08/11 4:30 PM EST

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Trailing by a run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Rays tied it on Robinson Chirino’s RBI triple, and won it on Justin Ruggiano’s two-out RBI single in the 10th, edging the Blue Jays, 3-2, on Tuesday in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Tampa Bay’s James Shields made his third spring start and surrendered a home run to Toronto’s Rajai Davis on his second pitch of the game.

David Cooper singled to open the Blue Jays’ second and scored when Adeiny Hechavarria hit into a fielder’s choice to give Toronto a 2-0 lead. Shields, who picked off a runner at second base in his last outing against the Yankees, picked off Hechavarria for the third out of the inning.

The defensive play of the game came when Desmond Jennings flew out to right and Juan Rivera threw a strike to catcher Jose Molina, retiring a sliding Kelly Shoppach at the plate.

Kyle Farnsworth, who is competing for the Rays’ closer role, retired the three hitters he faced in the fourth.

Shields allowed two runs on five hits while striking out three in 3 1/3 innings. Of the 60 pitches he threw, 44 were strikes.

Toronto starter Marc Rzepczynski, a 25-year-old left-hander, is competing with Kyle Drabek, Jesse Litsch, and Jo-Jo Reyes for the final two spots in the rotation and did not hurt his chances. He threw three scoreless innings, allowing no hits while walking two and striking out one.

In the sixth, the Rays loaded the bases with no outs on three consecutive walks by Blue Jays reliever David Purcey, but came up empty as Brad Mills struck out Shoppach and induced a double-play grounder from Casey Kotchman.

Tampa Bay scored its first run in the seventh when Dan Johnson homered off Mills.

Up next for the Rays: The Rays will use split squad on Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET, when they host the Blue Jays at Charlotte Sports Park. Jeff Niemann will start and will be followed by right-handers Cory Wade, Dane De La Rosa and Chris Archer along with left-handers Jake McGee and Cesar Ramos.

The Rays will also send a squad to Progress Energy Park in St. Petersburg to square off against the Netherlands national team at 1 p.m. Right-hander Chris Bootcheck will start for Tampa Bay and will be followed by right-handers Jonah Bayliss, Richard De Los Santos, Dirk Hayhurst and Brian Baker.

Up Next for the Blue Jays: Facing Tampa Bay on Wednesday, left-hander Brett Cecil will make his third Grapefruit League start for Toronto. Cecil dominated in his last outing against Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old struck out three of the first four batters he faced and only allowed one baserunner during his three innings. Also scheduled to pitch are right-handers Scott Richmond, Shawn Camp, Jason Frasor, Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco.

By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com | 03/06/11 4:20 PM EST

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Blue Jays jumped on Pirates starter James McDonald early, scoring four runs in the first three innings en route to a 5-0 win at McKechnie Field on Sunday.

Toronto’s third straight Grapefruit League win was highlighted by a three-hit day from third baseman Jose Bautista. Bautista more than doubled his previous spring output with the multi-hit game, which included a pair of doubles and an RBI single. Bautista also scored twice.

“Bautista, I tip my cap to him,” McDonald said. “He took some good swings out there.”

Toronto pushed McDonald’s pitch count up too high for the right-hander to be able to finish three innings as scheduled. Of the four runs scored against McDonald, only two were earned. A throwing error by shortstop Corey Wimberly extended Toronto’s two-run third inning. McDonald allowed four hits and struck out two.

Blue Jays outfielder Eric Thames continued to impress early in Grapefruit League play. He had a first-inning sacrifice fly and drove in one with a single in his next at-bat. In just his second game since returning from an upper rib cage injury, Travis Snider reached base twice and drove in a run with a double.

Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero breezed through his four-inning start. Romero struck out six, walked two and allowed only one hit.

“Not bad, eh?” Romero said. “The plan was to just come out and pitch. The first outing was more just getting in tune with some pitches and getting a feel for that sinker. Today was just more go out and just pitch. That was the plan, and that’s what we did.”

Jon Rauch followed Romero with a scoreless inning. Frank Francisco, who has been brought along slowly this spring, worked out of trouble to pitch a scoreless sixth in his first spring appearance.

Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan bounced back from a shaky outing to retire Toronto in order in the fourth. Aaron Thompson, who is likely to start the year with the Pirates’ Triple-A club, also looked strong in his one inning.

Right-hander Chris Resop, who is fighting to make the Pirates’ bullpen, allowed one run on two hits in one inning of relief.

Up next for the Blue Jays: Right-hander Brandon Morrow will make his second start of the Grapefruit League season when the Blue Jays visit the Rays on Tuesday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. ET. Morrow’s first outing of the spring also came against Tampa Bay, in which he threw three shutout innings while striking out four. Morrow effectively worked in his changeup, a pitch that he has been looking to develop after using it sparingly during the 2010 campaign.

Up next for the Pirates: Slowed early in camp by tightness in his right calf, Evan Meek is scheduled to appear in his first spring game on Monday. Meek will take the mound following starter Ross Ohlendorf, who is scheduled to throw three innings in the Pirates’ 1:05 p.m. ET home contest against the Rays. Shortstop Ronny Cedeno, who hasn’t played since bruising his right middle finger on Thursday, could also return to the field.

DUNEDIN, Florida (Reuters) – Jose Bautista, who led Major League Baseball with 54 home runs last season, agreed to a $64-million, five-year contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays, the team said on Thursday.

The versatile Bautista is coming off a breakout year where he set a Blue Jays season record for home runs, led the major leagues in extra-base hits with 92, scored 109 runs and drove in 124.

Bautista, who played third base and in the outfield, said it was the happiest day of his life and he looked forward to bringing a World Series back to Toronto.

“I’m just really excited and ecstatic to wear the Blue Jays uniform, to play in Canada in front of our fans and represent the Dominican Republic and try to win more championships and bring them to the city of Toronto just like they were in the early ’90s,” Bautista said at a news conference.

Prior to 2010, the 30-year-old Dominican had never hit more than 16 home runs in a season and his increase of 41 homers over his 2009 total set a major league record for the largest single-season increase.

Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero, a 26-year-old left-hander who was 14-9 last season, was thrilled to see the run-producing Bautista locked into the Blue Jays lineup for the long run.

“You see how hard he works and how devoted he is to his job,” Romero told reporters. “Last year was the first year where he really got to play for a whole year. The talent was always there, and now, after last year, he put it all together.

Bautista, whose contract includes a club option for the last year, was won the Hank Aaron Award for 2010 as the American League’s top hitter.

(Writing by Larry Fine in New York, Editing by Frank Pingue)

Jose Bautista, who led Major League Baseball with 54 home runs in 2010, has signed a five-year, $64 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bautista, 30, also led the majors with 92 extra-base hits last season and earned his first All-Star selection. The contract, which pays the outfielder $8 million next season and $14 million in each of the following four years, includes a club option for 2016, the team said today in a news release.

Last season, Bautista became the fourth player in baseball history to record at least 35 doubles, 50 home runs and 100 walks in a season. His club-record 54 home runs were more than triple his previous career high of 16, set in 2006 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The contract allows Bautista and the Blue Jays to avoid arbitration. Bautista, who made $2.4 million last season, was seeking $10.5 million through arbitration and the team originally countered with a $7.6 million offer, according to the Toronto Star.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eben Novy-Williams in New York at enovywilliam@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net