Jays And Batista Agree To $16M

Shortstop Tony Batista, acquired by Toronto from Arizona last June, agreed Monday to a $16 million, four-year contract with Blue Jays.

Batista, 26, hit .285 with 26 homers and 79 RBIs for Toronto, which traded reliever Dan Plesac to the Diamondbacks on June 12 for Batista and right-hander John Frascatore. Batista batted .257 with five homers and 21 RBIs for Arizona.

After making $375,000 last year, Batista gets a $1.6 million signing bonus, $1 million this year, $2.9 million in 2001, $4.5 million in 2002 and $6 million in 2003.

Batista, who had been eligible for salary arbitration for the first time, would have been eligible for free agency after the 2002 season.

Four Blue Jays remain eligible for arbitration: left-hander Pedro Borbon, shortstop Homer Bush, catcher Alberto Castillo and Frascatore.

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