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Myers Leaves O’S For Blue Jays

Associated Press

Reliever Randy Myers, who led the American League with 45 saves last season for Baltimore, agreed Wednesday to an $18 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Myers, 35, was 2-3 with a 1.52 ERA and failed to convert a save only once. He has a 40-56 career record with 319 saves and a 3.08 ERA. He is sixth on the career saves list and third among active players, trailing only free-agent Dennis Eckerlsey and John Franco of the New York Mets.

Myers has also played for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.

“Clearly, we’re not done,” Toronto GM Gord Ash said. “We have a number of offers out there to other free agents and hopefully this news sways them our way.”

Toronto has Roger Clemens, the 1997 A.L. Cy Young Award winner, and Pat Hentgen, the 1996 winner. The Blue Jays want to upgrade their offense, which was last in the A.L..

Toronto also signed catcher Darrin Fletcher, who played for Montreal last season, to a $4.35 million, two-year contract.

Mariners retain Moyer

Jamie Moyer’s $2.3 million option for 1999 was exercised by the Seattle Mariners.

Moyer, a 35-year-old left-hander, had a career-best 17-5 record last season with a 3.86 ERA in 30 starts. He agreed last year to a $4 million, two-year contract that called for him to make $1.6 million in 1997 and $1.9 million in 1998.

If Seattle had declined to exercise the option, the Mariners would have had to pay a $500,000 buyout.

Around the majors

Outfielder Stan Javier decided to remain with the San Francisco Giants, agreeing to a $3.5 million, two-year contract… . The New York Mets reached halfway around the world to sign a Japanese high school pitcher, 18-year-old left-hander Juei Ushiromatsu. He is the first Japanese player to sign directly with a major league organization without playing professionally in Japan… . Catcher Mike Macfarlane returned to the Kansas City Royals, agreeing to a $700,000, oneyear contract, a cut of $187,500… . The Cleveland Indians are close to signing free-agent pitcher Dwight Gooden to a multi-year deal… . Right-handed reliever Doug Henry and the Houston Astros agreed on a $1,375,000, two-year contract. Henry, 33, was 4-5 for San Francisco last season.