Greg Myers has signed a one-year deal with the Jays. Details from the team's official website are here.
A superb and astute signing from the Jays. Myers is a pretty good catch-and-throw guy, but he can also handle himself at the plate, where he supplements low averages by drawing walks and showing occasional power. As a lefthander, he can be counted on to form half of a proper platoon with either Tom Wilson or Ken Huckaby, already a step up from the offense/defense jobshare that the righthanded Wilson and Huckaby had in 2002. Kevin Cash can take over as part of that platoon arrangement when he's ready.
If Wilson can really hit lefties nearly as well as he did last year, a Wilson/Myers platoon will add another good bat to the Jays offense. Huckaby, for all that I make a big deal about his popgun contribution to the offense, is a good guy behind the plate but can't bring enough with the bat to outdo Wilson, especially if Myers is handling the lefty side of a platoon. And if the Jays could possibly avoid carrying three catchers, I'd be much happier. So Huck may find himself back at AAA, or in another organization.
Myers will be 37 in mid-April, but he has been quite consistent at the dish for the last eight years, indicating that he isn't slowing down very much with age. Perhaps more catchers would age this well if they were career backups or job-sharers like Myers? At any rate, the real genius here is the length of the deal... one year only. Myers will earn a good rate this year, but if he is hurt or begins to feel the ravages of age, the Jays are not committed to paying another 2004 salary.
If you count Jayson Werth, the Jays now have seven players on the 40-man roster who have signifcant recent catching experience.
Greg Myers, it's great to have you back.
A superb and astute signing from the Jays. Myers is a pretty good catch-and-throw guy, but he can also handle himself at the plate, where he supplements low averages by drawing walks and showing occasional power. As a lefthander, he can be counted on to form half of a proper platoon with either Tom Wilson or Ken Huckaby, already a step up from the offense/defense jobshare that the righthanded Wilson and Huckaby had in 2002. Kevin Cash can take over as part of that platoon arrangement when he's ready.
If Wilson can really hit lefties nearly as well as he did last year, a Wilson/Myers platoon will add another good bat to the Jays offense. Huckaby, for all that I make a big deal about his popgun contribution to the offense, is a good guy behind the plate but can't bring enough with the bat to outdo Wilson, especially if Myers is handling the lefty side of a platoon. And if the Jays could possibly avoid carrying three catchers, I'd be much happier. So Huck may find himself back at AAA, or in another organization.
Myers will be 37 in mid-April, but he has been quite consistent at the dish for the last eight years, indicating that he isn't slowing down very much with age. Perhaps more catchers would age this well if they were career backups or job-sharers like Myers? At any rate, the real genius here is the length of the deal... one year only. Myers will earn a good rate this year, but if he is hurt or begins to feel the ravages of age, the Jays are not committed to paying another 2004 salary.
If you count Jayson Werth, the Jays now have seven players on the 40-man roster who have signifcant recent catching experience.
Greg Myers, it's great to have you back.
