The Toronto Blue Jays had a very busy weekend from a roster transactions point of view.

The Jays did not tender a contract to last season’s backup catcher Raul Chavez before Saturday night’s 11:59 pm EST deadline making the productive backup a free agent.

However, the Jays and Chavez agreed to a minor league deal the following day giving the defensive specialist an invitation to Spring Training to compete for a job.

As I had written in an earlier article the Jays were interested in acquiring speedy outfielder Joey Gathright.

The Jays did so on Saturday signing Gathright to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.

Gathright will compete for an outfield spot and could bat leadoff for the club as the Jays are currently without a leadoff hitter, after last season’s lead off man Marco Scutaro left via free agency to the Boston Red Sox earlier this offseason.

The Jays also avoided arbitration with utility player Jose Bautista and pitcher Dustin McGowan.

Bautista, who played well in right field after the departure of Alex Rios to the Chicago White Sox, will return on a one year contract at $2.4 million, the same salary he earned last season, while McGowan who has been injured for some time now earned a one year deal worth $500,000.

The Jays & catcher John Buck have reportedly reached an agreement.

On Sunday the Jays continued making moves coming to a contract agreement with former Kansas City Royals catcher John Buck. The deal is a reported one year contract worth $2 million. When asked about the deal on Sunday Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos denied comment.

Buck was not offered a contract by the Royals at Saturday’s deadline which was expected as the Royals had signed veteran backstop Jason Kendall on Friday.

Finally, Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports reported that the Blue Jays as well as the Cleveland Indians are interested in power hitting free agent Marcus Thames.

Thames, formerly of the Detroit Tigers has averaged 20 home runs per year since 2006, even though he has never had more than 400 at bats in a major league season.
Thames, who can play the outfield, could also bat in the designated hitter role if the Jays decide to use Adam Lind in the outfield. Thames, a less than spectacular defender in the outfield was primarily a designated hitter in his time with the Tigers.

There is also the possibility of Lind making the transition to first base which would leave the designated hitter role wide open with Thames to possible fill it.

The 33 year old Thames will most likely move towards the team that offers the veteran the most at bats.