By BOB ELLIOTT -- Toronto Sun

BOSTON -- Are the Blue Jays ready for Prime Time?

Well, maybe not prime time on Fox-TV, but they are ready for Deion (Prime Time) Sanders.

Sanders has told his friends and former teammates with the Cincinnati Reds he will sign with the Blue Jays on Monday.

The Reds gave Sanders his unconditional release yesterday.

The Jays look at signing the outfielder/NFL cornerback as a no-lose situation. Not that Shannon Stewart, Jose Cruz or Raul Mondesi will lose their starting job.

BUSY BOY

Sanders, who also is under contract to the NFL's Washington Redskins, will be assigned to the triple-A Syracuse SkyChiefs. If he plays well enough to help the Jays, he will be promoted.

It has long been the dream of Jays president Paul Godfrey to own an NFL franchise. And now Godfrey will sign an NFL player.

Hey, you have to start somewhere.

However, Jays assistant general manager Dave Stewart apparently is the driving force behind signing Sanders.

Sanders was recalled by the Reds on May 1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers -- his first major-league game since Sept. 4, 1997.

He showed he was ready at triple-A Louisville in April when he led the International League in hitting at .459.

NO GO WITH ARGOS

With the Reds, Sanders played 32 games this season, hitting .172 with one homer, four RBIs and three steals.

In his first game up, he lined a single to centre on the first pitch he saw from Dodgers right-hander Eric Gagne in the first inning. In the second inning, he hit a three-run homer off Gagne.

Sanders is under contract to the Redskins so he won't be able to pull double duty with both the Jays and the Argos.

He signed a one-year contract -- with no incentive package -- with Cincinnati worth $500,000 US.

One thing is for certain.

The signing of Sanders will increase attendance at P&C Stadium in Syracuse.