MANCHESTER -- The Toronto Blue Jays front office is pretty smart -- and stealthy.

When nobody expected it, the Jays acquired Sergio Santos from the White Sox, giving up minor leaguer Nestor Molina during baseball's winter meetings. They pretty much stole Jose Bautista from the Pirates.

Wednesday's agreement with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, however, didn't take much thinking. The two parties re-upped on a player development contract that will keep Toronto's Double-A affiliate in Manchester through 2014.

No sense messing with a productive partnership. The Blue Jays have delivered a pair of Eastern League championships since 2004 and 55 Fisher Cats have gone on to reach the majors, including 2012 Opening Day starter Drew Hutchison. From Toronto's standpoint, there isn't a better player development atmosphere in the Eastern League.

Northeast Delta Dental Stadium features one of the best playing surfaces in the minors, an indoor batting cage, excellent crowd support and an on-site Hilton Garden Inn. No, the Blue Jays never gave serious thought to moving their Double-A affiliate to Ottawa next season, despite some off-season reports in the Canadian capital.

Fisher Cats president Rick Brenner and Toronto director of minor league operations Charlie Wilson officially killed the rumor on Wednesday.

"The Fisher Cats represent the best of Minor League Baseball with state-of-the-art ballpark and facilities, passionate baseball fans, and a great front office led by Art and Rick. This is a great arrangement for us for another two years,? Wilson said.

New Hampshire won Eastern League titles in 2004 and 2011 while attendance gradually increased each season. Last year's average attendance (5,574) was up from 5,516 in 2010.

Fisher Cats owner Art Solomon had kind words for the Blue Jays, praising the character and talent of their minor leaguers through the years.

"We are very pleased to continue our relationship with the Blue Jays,"?Solomon said. "Toronto continues to be a top-notch organization that consistently supplies us with high-character players and competitive teams on a yearly basis. We look forward to contending for additional Eastern League titles in the years to come."