A report from Fox Sports today stated that the Toronto Blue Jays have mild interest in Pittsburgh Pirates switch hitting catcher Ryan Doumit.

You can read the report here amongst all the other offseason speculation from Fox Sports:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10357594

The Jays are in need of both a starting and backup catcher for next season and in this writer’s opinion the addition of Doumit makes perfect sense for the Jays.

Doumit is coming off an injury plagued year where he hit .250 with 10HR & 31RBI after signing a lucrative long term deal with Pittsburgh the offseason before.

The Pirates are not happy with the production the switch hitting catcher supplied the team and are content with using Jason Jaramillo as their starter.

The Pirates also have catchers Eric Kratz and former Blue Jays farmhand Robinson Diaz in waiting at Triple A Indianapolis.

Doumit would be a good fit for the Jays as he is still young, entering his playing prime at 28 years of age, possesses power (15HR & 69RBI in 116 games played in 2008) and hits for average (hit .318 in 2008 with a career batting average of .273).

Ryan Doumit's power potential would fit in perfectly with the Jays.

Doumit is currently in the middle of a three year contract worth $11.5 million with a club option for 2012 & 2013.

Doumit is set to make $3.55 million in 2010 & $5.1 million in 2011.

Doumit’s line drive swing is a perfect compliment for driving the baseball over the corner outfield fences at the Rogers Centre or driving the ball into the gaps as well.

Doumit is also versatile defensively as he has the ability to play catcher, first base and the outfield.

Doumit does an above average job throwing out runners attempting to steal when behind the plate.

In 2008 he threw out 37 percent of runners who attempted to steal, while in 2009 he threw out 45 percent of runners who attempted to steal.

Doumit suffered a right wrist injury in April of 2009 that many attributed to his underperformance at the plate last season, similar to the problems that Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay was battling with in 2008.

The catcher is healthy and with the Pirates looking to go much younger and on the cheap they may give up Doumit and his contract at a low cost trade price.

Doumit is still just 28, in his playing prime and considering the other options available on the free agent market his contract is reasonable for the power potential and all around game he could bring to the Jays.

If this move was to occur I personally would be all for it, as the Jays would stay within their plan building a young nucleus while acquiring a player who only has upside and could be the Jays starting catcher for the next two seasons, with an option to keep him around for two more after that.

Yes, the Jays still have “catcher of the future” J.P Arencibia in waiting, but after having a down year at Triple A Las Vegas last season, Arencibia may take longer to develop than the Jays had anticipated.

Again, this is only speculation based on mild interest, but if this move did happen it could be a smart decision made by new general manager Alex Anthopoulos and the Blue Jays.

Ryan Doumit to Toronto?

This writer says “Yes Please!”