SB Nation - Adam Everett

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:36:15 -0000

by Matt Slocum - AP

Today's Frosty Mug is so full, I didn't even have time to caption this picture of Randy Wolf.

Some things to read while evening out the teams.

It turned out to be a pretty active first day of the Winter Meetings. The Brewers were the talk of the late night rumor mill, based on reports that they're close to signing a three year deal with Randy Wolf (also noted in Rumorville). Tom H. says the deal is rumored to be in the $25-27 million range, and is also quantifying the amount of smoke surrounding it.

With that said, the deal mustn't be done yet, because Arn Tellem, who represents Wolf, is meeting with the Mets this morning. Jon Heyman says the Mets aren't willing to offer Wolf a three year deal.

Is this the move you were hoping for from the Brewers? I'd be happy with it at this point, as long as the price isn't much above $27 million. There's always some risk involved, but this is almost certainly a better deal than, for example, the four year deal Joel Pineiro is seeking.

Wolf might not be the only starting pitcher the Brewers acquire this week. They've reportedly discussed a deal with the Mets that would send Corey Hart to New York for John Maine, a former student of Rick Peterson who has missed most of the last year with shoulder issues (FanShot). It's unclear how much fire is behind this smoke, but the Mets are also rumored to be discussing a similar trade with the Angels, with Juan Rivera taking Hart's place.

The Brewers also added a little depth to their middle infield yesterday, claiming shortstop Luis Cruz off waivers from the Pirates (FanShot). Cruz played seven positions (everything but pitcher and catcher) last season in AAA, but has virtually zero ability with the bat (a .274 OBP in AAA last season), and Adam McCalvy confirmed the move was made for minor league, not major league depth. The Brewers don't have a true shortstop prospect in the minors above Brent Brewer and Josh Prince, neither of whom played above A-ball last season.

The Brewer bullpen suffered a blow yesterday, as Mark DiFelice underwent surgery to repair damage to his labrum and rotator cuff, and will miss the entire 2010 season (FanShot). DiFelice is 33 and undergoing his second major shoulder procedure, but intends to try to pitch in the majors again in 2011, telling Adam McCalvy "I don't want it to end like this."

This raises the stakes a little bit in the search for additional bullpen help, but the Crew won't be getting said help from Rafael Betancourt. Late in the day yesterday it was reported that the Brewers were unlikely to lure Betancourt away from a return to the Rockies. I haven't seen it confirmed, but I'm pretty sure he accepted arbitration late last night.

Looking back at a rumor from the weekend, In-Between Hops has come out against a Jeff Suppan-for-Juan Pierre deal, fearing the extra $4 million in salary the Brewers would have to take on would make it difficult for them to sign a pitcher like Randy Wolf.

And, looking back even farther, Dave Allen of FanGraphs has a look at the pitch-blocking ability of Gregg Zaun. Ken Macha is making me crazy: I should see this as a positive, but instead I see it as the excuse that might be used to keep an underperforming/overused Zaun in the lineup and a more deserving catcher on the bench.

In the minors, Brewerfan.net has a new Power 50 up. It's always interesting to see how guys move up and down the charts during the offseason. This edition's big gainers were Kentrail Davis, Jake Odorizzi and John Axford, with Hernan Iribarren, Chris Cody and Max Walla losing significant ground.

And around here, we're looking for your help to select a Brewer All-Decade Team in a series we're calling Making Your '00 Face. That link will take you to the voting for first base, where Prince Fielder has opened up what will likely turn out to be an insurmountable lead. Voting for second base will open at 4 pm today.

Around baseball:

Braves: Reliever Rafael Soriano has accepted the team's offer of arbitration.
Cardinals: Have agreed to a one year, $7.5 million deal for Brad Penny, pending a physical.
Nationals: Signed Ivan Rodriguez to a two year deal worth $6 million, acquired reliever Brian Bruney from the Yankees for a PTBNL, and released reliever Saul Rivera.
Pirates: Signed reliever Vinnie Chulk to a minor league deal.
Rangers: Acquired pitcher Clay Rapada from the Tigers for a PTBNL or cash.
Red Sox: Signed pitcher Fabio Castro and re-signed Kason Gabbard.
Rockies: Released outfielder Matt Murton, who is expected to spend 2010 in Japan.
Tigers: Re-signed Adam Everett to a one year deal, and signed reliever Brad Thomas, who has spent the last two seasons pitching in Korea.
Twins: Carl Pavano has accepted the team's arbitration offer.

The Rule 5 Draft is on Thursday, so I'm almost done burying you in links like these: Harry Pavlidis of The Hardball Times and Lisa Winston of MiLB.com have a look at several players who recently played in the Arizona Fall League and were left unprotected in the draft.

Competition is heating up in the market for Edwin Jackson. One report yesterday had the Tigers receiving 12 offers for his services. I guess that's what you get when you put a pitcher who threw over 200 effective innings last season and is due about $5 million on the market.

Speaking of pitchers the Brewers might be interested in, Justin Duchscherer declined the A's offer of salary arbitration.

I think most of us will be happy to see these former Brewers sign elsewhere, and keeping one of them in the division would be a double bonus: Jason Kendall is reportedly drawing interest from the Royals, and Braden Looper has expressed interest in pitching for the Cubs.

In case you were wondering, Keith Law has an explanation of how the Winter Meetings, usually held in a warm vacation spot, ended up in Indianapolis. The cold temps and snow haven't kept people from exchanging some tidbits of info you probably would never have known without the internet (and might not have missed):

There was apparently a small tiff between Scott Boras and new Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog over comments Herzog made about Matt Holliday, a Boras client.
Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez didn't shoot anything while out deer hunting with Bobby Cox last week.
Former D-Back, Indian, Ray and Ranger Nick Bierbrodt, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2004, is a ttempting a comeback.
New Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopolous is battling a cold this week, so he's not shaking anyone's hand.
Speaking of the Blue Jays, radio reporter Mike Wilner has an annoying ring tone and left his phone in the media workroom yesterday.
Craig Calcaterra brought an airport card to the meetings, making him one of the few writers not reliant on slow internet service.

And, of course we're all having fun this week, but Paul DePodesta has a reminder for all of us that many of this week's rumors will be just that, and not to get too worked up over them. Of course, no one ever gets too worked up around here, right?

Away from the meetings, here's a strange story. After months of investigation, Major League Baseball has concluded that new Twins prospect Miguel Angel Sano, who claims to be 16, is somewhere between 16 and 18. Sano also recently changed his name to Miguel Jean. If he turns out to be Miguel Tejada in disguise, the Twins will probably be very upset.

On this day in 1991, Brewer reliever Julio Machado was arrested for murder after shooting a passenger in a car that had just been involved in an accident. Machado was later found guilty and served 12 years in prison.

I don't have any Brewer birthdays today, but it is a Woot-off day, so there's that.

Drink up.

Winter Meetings Catch-Up 12/07/09

Ian Casselberry — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:18 -0000

Okay, with the assorted FanShots and main page posts, let's have one place to chat until some more news or rumors break at the Winter Meetings. I ask that you please continue to post links as FanPosts, just so people know where to look on the blog main page. I may repeat those stories on the front page, just to add more details and for distribution purposes.

If this has made things a bit confusing, I apologize. But I think it's the best way to facilitate discussion among regular commenters and anyone who may be clicking over here (for the first time or otherwise) to check on the latest developments.

Here's the day so far from Indianapolis:

Adam Everett has re-signed with the Tigers, agreeing to a one-year, $1.55 million contract.
Clay Rapada was traded to the Texas Rangers for a player to be named later (or cash considerations).
Several teams are interested in trading for Edwin Jackson, but according to FOXSports.com, the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks may be closest to a deal.
The Yankees are among the clubs interested in both Jackson and Curtis Granderson, but based on what Buster Olney reported on ESPN, the Tigers may have asked for more than the Yanks were willing to trade.
Jon Paul Morosi reported that the Angels are also "still in" on Jackson and Granderson.
Perhaps the Washington Nationals can also be counted among those pursuing Jackson, according to the Washington Post's Dave Sheinin.
In all, 12 teams are reportedly making offers for Jackson that the Tigers are now sifting through.
Fanhouse's Ed Price mentioned a rumor that the Mets had acquired Jackson. But the key word there was "rumor," and this eventually proved to be false news.
Via Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown, the Tigers are one of four (and maybe five) teams looking at reliever Kevin Gregg. This year, Gregg compiled 23 saves (in 31 chances) for the Cubs, with 71 strikeouts and 30 walks in 68.2 innings. He beat out Carlos Marmol for the team's closer job, but eventually lost it in mid-August.
Detroit also signed minor league pitcher Brad Thomas, as reported by The Detroit Tigers Weblog. Thomas, a 32-year-old lefty, last pitched in the majors in 2004, playing the last two years in Korea.
Finally, the Tigers outrighted reliever Zach Simons to Triple-A Toledo, removing him from the 40-man roster (where Thomas replaces him).

Did we miss anything? Until anything new arises, this can be a place for general discussion. Thanks for your cooperation.

Tigers Get Adam Everett On Cheap Deal

Satchel Price — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:01:01 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Browse more photos »

Update (6:47 PM): Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted that Everett signed for $1.55M. That's a pretty small amount for a guy who has established himself as one of the best defenders in the game at shortstop, especially when you see that guys like Alex Cora got $2M, and a year after Cesar Izturis and Aaron Miles got two-year deals for $5M and $4.9M, respectively. It's a pretty solid deal for a guy that's sure to be a good defender at shortstop, even if he's sure to give back much of the value with his bat.

According to the Detroit Tigers' Twitter account, the team has re-signed shortstop Adam Everett to a one-year deal. Unless the Tigers add another option, it's likely that they'll go into next season with the tandem of Everett and Ramon Santiago dominating time at shortstop.

Everett, 33 in February, is regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops in recent memory, but he's also one of the least productive everyday hitters in the game as well. Everett has a career line of .245/.297/.351, and he's consistently posted worse numbers in the past three seasons. He's likely good for a wOBA in the .265-.280 range over a full season, he's posted a mark in that range in each of the past four seasons. He's essentially a -20 run hitter over the course of a full season.

While he's clearly a liability offensively, he's also shockingly good on defense, supported by numerous scouting institutions and defensive metrics. He won the Fielding Bible Award as the best defensive shortstop in the game in 2006, and has a startling +18.3 UZR/150 in 792 games. He's clearly one of the better defenders in the game, with smooth hands, a strong arm, good instincts and impressive range, and he's never posted a UZR/150 below 11.0 in a season with over 40 games.

The terms of the deal aren't known yet, but presumably Everett won't command much more than $2-3M guaranteed, making him a solid investment considering that you're essentially assured to have one of the best defenders in the game at shortstop. He's certainly not ideal considering that he's one of the worst hitters in the majors, but the Tigers could use the quality defense up the middle and they have Santiago as an alternative if they can't withstand Everett's poor offensive efforts.

There's pretty much zero upside to the deal for Detroit, but knowing that at the very least you're going to be getting top-notch defense from the most important position on the field is nice, and the cost to do so is presumably relatively low. Unless the Tigers spent more than $2-3M on this deal, then it's a nice move for them, especially when you consider that Alex Cora got $2M.

Tigers Bring Back Adam Everett

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:59:58 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Did Adam Everett re-enact this moment upon agreeing to a one-year deal to return to the Detroit Tigers next season?

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Check shortstop off the Detroit Tigers' Winter Meetings shopping list. The team has re-signed Adam Everett, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal (and making the announcement on its official Twitter feed).

Terms of the contract have yet to be reported, but a guess would be that it's at least for the $2.75 million that Alex Gonzalez will be receiving from the Blue Jays. Earlier today, Jon Paul Morosi reported Everett was seeking $3 million on the open market. When that information is released, we'll post it here.

(Thanks to demondeaconsbaseball for posting the news in a FanShot.)

UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal reported on Twitter that Everett's deal is for $1.55 million.

(Hat tip to allikazoo and SabreRoseTiger for posting the info.)

Morning Prowl: Sizemore's Recovery, Polanco's Departure, Best Play-By-Play Guys, and Jacque Jones Wants Work

Ian Casselberry — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:40:51 -0000

More photos » by Joseph Kaczmarek - AP

Placido Polanco looks like 18 million bucks in his new uniform.

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Second baseman to-be Scott Sizemore appears to be on the good road to recovery, according to the Freep's George Sipple. Doctors examined his broken leg (broken ankle?) yesterday, and project Sizemore to be out of his walking cast in approximately three weeks.

SB Nation's Phillies blog, The Good Phight, wonders if the defending National League champions overpaid for Placido Polanco. Is $18 million too much "for the decline stage of a player with very little power or speed, being asked to shift positions"?

Jason Beck, meanwhile, explains the Tigers' thought process in not offering Polanco arbitration. The feeling was that Polanco would've accepted Detroit's offer, and that likely would've led to the Tigers paying more than the $6 million the Phillies will give hiim next season.

At the press conference to announce his signing with the Phillies yesterday, Polanco said he "always wanted to be" in Philadelphia and "never wanted to leave."

At Tiger Tales, Lee Panas writes about the decision to let Polanco go as a free agent. I love this sentence: "Fans will also miss his grimace, his large head and his cold weather clothing." Indeed.

ESPN's Buster Olney mentioned on his Twitter feed that the Phillies might be after another Detroit Tigers free agent. The Fightins need a late-inning reliever, and Brandon Lyon is apparently on their radar.

Curtis Granderson's 2007 season, which included 23 home runs and 23 triples (as part of something we liked to call the "Quad 20"), is one of ten noteworthy statistics from the 2000s listed by Big League Stew.

At Fanhouse, Matt Snyder ranks his top 10 play-by-play announcers. Check out who made the list at #10. (And I think everyone will agree with Snyder's first two picks for his bottom five broadcasters.)

Cross one potential suitor for Adam Everett off the list, now that Marco Scutaro has officially signed with the Red Sox. (It would've been interesting to see Dustin Pedroia take a crack at shortstop, if that's the way the Sawx were leaning. Not with Polanco as his double-play partner, of course.)

Jacque Jones apparently doesn't want his failed stints with the Tigers (.165 average) and Marlins (.108) in 2008 to be the last note on his career. After playing with the independent Newark Bears this year, Jones will be cruising next week's Winter Meetings looking for work.

Morning Prowl: Winter Meetings, Suitors For Adam Everett and Brandon Lyon, and Multi-Year Deals For Relievers

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:00:16 -0000

by Charles Krupa - AP

Is Edwin Jackson the most likely Detroit Tiger to be traded at next week's Winter Meetings?

View full size photo »

In his latest column, CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler (former Tigers beat writer for MLive.com) believes the Tigers will be a team to watch at next week's Winter Meetings, and perfectly sums up their will-they-or-won't-they offseason. Besides clearly explaining Detroit's payroll issues and why Edwin Jackson is the most likely Tiger to be traded, Knobler also lends some insight into what the team's budget could be.

(Hat tip to Mack Avenue Tigers)

The Tigers were bound to have some competition for Adam Everett this offseason. One of the teams in pursuit might be the Red Sox. According to WEEI.com, the Sawx have been in contact with Everett, though haven't made any sort of offer. Alex Speier also reports that the Red Sox were willing to offer Alex Gonzalez $3 million, so Everett could probably expect something similar.

Marco Scutaro appears to be the favored free agent shortstop for the Red Sox, however. That is, if they don't move Dustin Pedroia over there.

(via The Cutoff Man)

Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal report that the New York Yankees have shown interest in Brandon Lyon. But the Yanks are likely to show interest in virtually every free agent reliever (probably including Fernando Rodney). Those plans will depend on what the team does with Joba Chamberlain and/or Phil Hughes, however.

So we now know the Mariners didn't want to trade Brandon Morrow and Shawn Kelley for Jackson, but what's the take from the other side? Seattle Times beat writer Geoff Baker thinks the Tigers would've had to throw in another player, at least.

On the MLB.com Hot Stove blog, Jason Beck wonders if the Tigers might offer a multi-year deal to a reliever this offseason. That could be what it takes to re-sign Brandon Lyon or Fernando Rodney. And Dave Dombrowski has given two-year contracts to relievers (Rodney, Todd Jones, Troy Percival) before.

Two bloggers who think the Tigers should've offered arbitration to Placido Polanco: Brian Borawski at TigerBlog believes this shows the team is more interested in cutting costs, and could see season ticket sales affected by that. Baseball Musings' David Pinto thinks a second baseman who can hit is worth more than the relievers who received arbitration offers from Detroit. (Pinto also sees Polanco as a good fit in Boston.)

One reliever you can probably take off Detroit's shopping list - if he was ever on it - is Jose Valverde. The Astros offered him arbitration yesterday. Would the Tigers want him if they have to give up a first-round pick? (Not to mention the guy made $8 million this season.)

Remember how Kelly Shoppach killed the Tigers in 2008 (.333/.404/.905, six homers, 11 RBIs in 13 games)? But then he fell off the table this year (.214/.335/.399 overall), and was likely to be released. Now, he's out of the AL Central, after the Indians traded him to the Rays.

Two FanPosts to check out: john.kmiecik is asking for suggestions to replace his Polanco jersey, now that he'll likely be moving onto another team next year. And NCDee is looking to meet up with some fellow BYBers while she's in Michigan for the holidays.

Adam Everett: $3 Million Shortstop?

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:00:26 -0000

by Duane Burleson - AP

Adam Everett should get quite a raise with his next contract. Will he get it from the Detroit Tigers?

View full size photo »

Adam Everett was due to get a raise in whatever contract he signed for next season. The $1 million the Detroit Tigers paid him last season came with a rather significant injury discount, as Everett was coming off a shoulder injury and needed to show he could play through a full season healthy.

Having done that, and given the increasing emphasis throughout baseball on defense over offense, Everett's price tag is surely going to increase on this year's open market. Confirmation of that came with the Blue Jays' signing of Alex Gonzalez over the holiday weekend.

Gonzalez agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract (with a $2.5 team option for 2011). And he's a pretty similar player to Everett. Gonzalez hit .238/.279/.355 this season, while Everett hit .238/.288/.325. Gonzalez showed a bit more pop, with eight homers to Everett's three. Their RBI totals were roughly the same, with Gonzalez driving in 41 to Everett's 44.

Defensively, UZR favors Everett (8.9) over Gonzalez (6.7), but not by a wide margin. Both are roughly the same age, turning 33 in February.

So if Gonzalez is worth nearly $3 million on the open market, what sort of contract can Everett expect to receive?

And if the Tigers wouldn't go that high to sign Everett, they almost surely wouldn't be in the running for Marco Scutaro or Orlando Cabrera. Both players are reportedly seeking two-year deals worth at least $5 million per season, based on their offensive numbers. That price tag compelled the Blue Jays to opt for Gonzalez and his greater defensive value instead. And we already know how much the Tigers favor defense over offense at the shortstop position.

Washington Nationals: Shortstop Watch...Adam Everett?

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:35:36 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Detroit Tigers' shortstop Adam Everett (4) is one of the few SS options linked to the Nationals this winter...(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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There is actually a lot of free agent talk going on out there, it's just that none of it involves the Washington Nationals. You can look and see that the Red Sox, having lost SS Alex Gonzalez to the Toronto Blue Jays, are left with,"...virtually no choice but to sign Marco Scutaro," as FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi pointed out in an update of their article entitled, "Latest buzz from the MLB offseason", narrowing the field of available free agent infielders even further as DC GM Mike Rizzo searches for the player the Nationals intend to replace Cristian Guzman with, if they decide Ian Desmond needs a full year at Triple-A...

Mr.'s Rosenthal and Morosi also provide the reasons the Red Sox have for looking at Scutaro alone, as the FOXSports' writers critique the other remaining free agents:

"...Orlando Cabrera's defense has declined, and many clubs believe that Miguel Tejada needs to move off short. Adam Everett is a terrific defender, but an even weaker hitter than (Alex) Gonzalez."

Everett, one of two SS's Mr.'s Rosenthal and Morosi identified as the Nationals' targets at short earlier this offseason, (alongside Gonzalez), hit just .238 with a .288 OBP, .325 SLG, 21 doubles, 4 HR's and 44 RBI's in 118 games over which he posted a .969 fielding percentage (5th best in the AL), committed 14 errors (6th most in AL) and helped turn 67 DP's for the Tigers. Everett's 13.6 UZR/150 ranks as the second best rating amongst shortstops in the American League, behind only the Orioles' Cesar Itzuris, (14.1 UZR/150) and third overall in baseball behind Itzuris and Jack Wilson (20.4) another light-hitting free agent SS who already signed elsewhere...Will the Nationals go after Everett, the solid defender to play behind their young pitchers, thinking they have enough offense up front? Is Everett an improvement over Cristian Guzman? (Guzman in '09 - .284 AVG, .306 OBP, .390 SLG, .696 OPS, .962 fielding percentage, (-2.6) UZR/150, 20 E's, 65 DP's.)

More and more DC fans are expressing the feeling that it's going to be the "in-house" candidate, Ian Desmond, at short when the season begins...

11/28 - If We Must Discuss This Again...

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:00:11 -0000

First, we're going to get the stuff that hasn't been covered before out of the way. THEN we can come back to the same old topics.

Cost and Value: Economic Realities (Part 1 of 3) - Pinstripe Alley

Cost and Value: Salaries and Future Value (Part 2 of 3) - Pinstripe Alley

Evaluating the financial efficiency of the Yankees' lineup.

Yeah, I know, MFY fans, eww. But that's no excuse not to read these.

Black Friday Baseball Bargains - Fenway West

Nothing shocking or crazy, just a reminder of what's out there.

Rivals bicker over Red Sox relic - Boston Herald

A coveted piece of Red Sox lore sits deep in Yankee country with an uncertain future as a pair of rival collectors bitterly feud over who will profit from a potential sale of the Olde Town Team’s 1912 World Series trophy.

STORY TIME!!!! And don't give me some excuse about having to hear about Pilgrims and Indians all week - we all know that no one talks about that after the kindergarten plays with construction paper outifts.

The Brain: Humanity's Other Basic Instinct: Math - DISCOVER Magazine

Thanks to Tommy at BtB for this link.

Discussion: The Trade Of The Decade - MLBTradeRumors.com

Torey Lovullo to be named manager of Pawtucket - SoxProspects.com

After the jump, a whole bunch of stuff about assorted Blue Jay players (and a Detroit Tiger as well).

Latest buzz from the MLB offseason - FOX Sports on MSN

Will the Red Sox go after Cabrera? — 1:23 p.m.

There is no evidence to suggest that the Red Sox have approached the Tigers about a trade for first baseman Miguel Cabrera. But besides the Red Sox's obvious need for a slugger such as Cabrera, there is another reason to believe that a conversation between the clubs almost certainly will take place.

Red Sox owner John Henry.

As the Marlins' owner in July 1999, Henry authorized the signing of the 16-year-old Cabrera out of Venezuela for $1.8 million. Less than two months later, the Marlins signed their top draft pick, right-hander Josh Beckett, the No. 2 pick overall, to a four-year, $7 million deal.

Cabrera and Beckett were Henry's two most important player acquisitions for the Marlins. Henry, after taking over the Red Sox in Jan. 2002, reunited with Beckett through a trade in Nov. 2005.

Acquiring Cabrera from his former Marlins GM, Dave Dombrowski, would complete a circle of sorts — and perhaps put Henry in position to win his third World Series with the Red Sox.

Red Sox left with little choice in SS race — 1:12 p.m

Barring a major surprise, the Blue Jays' signing of free-agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez leaves the Red Sox with virtually no choice but to sign Marco Scutaro.

No quality shortstops are known to be available in trade, and the free-agent market is thin on quality defenders at the position.

The shortage, in part, is what motivated the Jays to move quickly on Gonzalez, signing him to a one-year, $2.75 million contract Thursday with a $2.5 million club option for 2011.

The Jays did not want to be caught short at the position, the way the Orioles were in 2008. Pitching is difficult enough in the AL East, especially with a young staff.

Among the available free agents, Orlando Cabrera's defense has declined, and many clubs believe that Miguel Tejada needs to move off short. Adam Everett is a terrific defender, but an even weaker hitter than Gonzalez.

The Jays still will offer arbitration to Scutaro, a Type A free agent; they would play him in left field and bat him leadoff if he accepted a one-year, non-guaranteed deal. Scutaro, though, likely will get a better offer than that from the Red Sox or another club.

His departure would net the Jays two high draft picks as compensation. The Jays also could flip Gonzalez for additional young talent at some point — the free-agent market at short next winter also will be thin, and he is under control for �11 — but they still lack a long-term solution at the position.

It looks like Red Sox will have yet another new shortstop 2010 - The Providence Journal

Try not to gag on the dance metaphor.

How signing Alex Gonzalez could net Toronto a 1st round pick - THT

Alex Gonzalez to Toronto; What Will Red Sox Do Next? - Bleacher Report

If only they would ever give reasoning for WHY they don't want a list of players.

Boston Red Sox Wants Marco Scutaro? The Question Is...WHY?! - Bleacher Report

Oh, SOOOOO close to being good - the end is lacking.

Arbitration deadline could decide a lot - Extra Bases

More hot air on Halladay front - National Post

The Jays want a major league-ready arm and bat, both young and affordable enough to stay in Toronto a while, plus prospects for Halladay.

@SI_JonHeyman

ive heard halladay-shopping jays like jesus montero of #yanks (plus hughes/joba?) and casey kelly of #redsox (plus buchholz?)

Born: Jan 08, 1976

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Carl Pavano	5-4	12	12	0	0	0	0	73.2	85	39	38	7	16	59	4.64	1.37

This season was a bit of a revival for Pavano, and he proved himself to be a big game pitcher for the Twins down the stretch. When he's healthy he's can strike a few guys out and has good command, and while he'll be 34 in January he's still young enough to have another good season or two to give.

Pavano has stated he'd like to return to the Twins, and naturally the prospect of playing for a competetive team like Minnesota will have some draw. Minnesota's interest is likely mutual, but Pavano's future here (unlike the rest of the guys on this list) will depend greatly on what kind of interest he draws from other clubs and how much they'll be willing to pay him next year.

I expect Pavano to get an offer from the Twins within the next couple of weeks.

Odds for a return in 2010: Realistic

Poll

Which free agent are the Twins most likely to bring back?

Mike Redmond

21 votes

Ron Mahay

4 votes

Joe Crede

65 votes

Orlando Cabrera

41 votes

Carl Pavano

572 votes

None of the above, actually

71 votes

774 votes | Poll has closed