Blue Jays sign C Barrett

Dec 30, 2008 - 8:29 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday signed catcher Michael Barrett to a minor-league contract with a club option for the 2010 season.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Barrett appeared in only 30 games for the San Diego Padres last season after injuring his elbow in April and breaking his nose in July. He batted .202 with two home runs and nine RBI.

In 12 major league seasons, Barrett has .264 career average with 97 home runs and 422 RBI over 1,047 games with the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs and Padres.

Also on Tuesday, the Blue Jays signed lefthander Mike Maroth, catcher Raul Chavez and infielder Randy Ruiz to minor league contracts.

Maroth, 31, appeared in three minor league games last season for Omaha of the Pacific Coast League before missing the rest of the season due to injury. In those three games for Kansas City's top farm team, he posted an 0-2 record with a 12.91 ERA.

Maroth went 9-21 for the Tigers in 2003, becoming the first pitcher to lose 20 or more games in a season since Brian Kingman lost 20 for the Oakland Athletics in 1980.

Over his career, Maroth has a career record of 50-67 with a 5.05 ERA over six seasons with the Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals.

Chavez, 35, spent the 2008 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, appearing in 42 games and batting .259 with a home run and 10 RBI.

Ruiz, 31, appeared in 22 games with the Minnesota Twins last season and batted.274 with a home run and seven RBI.