The Blue Jays would like to re-sign Marco Scutaro, Rod Barajas and John McDonald, but retaining the free agents may not be realistic. GM Alex Anthopoulos told Shi Davidi of the Canadian Press that he's not necessarily bringing them back.

"As much as I like John McDonald, Rod Barajas and Marco Scutaro, there might be alternatives that make this organization better and are the right alternatives for this team," Anthopoulos said.

Scutaro is one of the offseason's most appealing free agent shortstops. He hit .282/.379/.409 and was a solid defender, according to UZR/150, so he's in line for a raise from his 2009 salary of $1.1MM.

"We'd like to bring them back," Anthopoulos said, "(but) everything has to fit with respect to what the alternatives are and with respect to what their financial requirements are. I'm starting to get a pretty good handle on where their expectations are with respect to the market and what they feel their value might be."

Scutaro will be a Type A free agent, so the Blue Jays will obtain two top draft picks if he turns down an arbitration offer to sign elsewhere. Barajas will be a Type B free agent; the Jays won't necessarily offer him arbitration.

Davidi also reports that the Blue Jays won't bring Kevin Millar back for another season. The 38-year-old hit .223/.311/.363 in his lone season with the Jays.

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Millar is 100% gone from this article and it looks like Mac isn't too far behind.

Build that bench into one of our strong points AA.

I still don't get why they want to bring back Barajas. He'll want too much money and he's coming off a god awful season. They need to decide very soon what to do with Roy because he could fill most of these vacant holes by himself.

Bills, Loney, Martin, and Hu for Halladay and Downs and you don't even have to think about Barajas.

No one knows yet what the team payroll will be in 2010........So how do you guys keep dreaming up free agent signings and trade scenarios when you don't know if the budget will be $50M or $110M for 2010?......I'm going to keep my General Manager's hat in a box in the attic for a while.

I still believe that the Jays are going to try and get JJ Hardy. Ash has stated that they are going to have to start making trades to get some young pitching. And the Jays certainly have lots of that.

"Why do you keep posting about making a lame duck trade like this? You are getting nothing back. Billingsley is an inconsistent middle of rotation starter. More to be the next Chacin than Marcum. Loney will give us what Overbay does(Overbay .832 OPS compared to Loney's .756 OPS), Martin had a bad year offensively and LA fans says he is a known for yaking and clubhouse turmoil, Hu had a sore arm at season's end. We are gambling on enough of those already."

-Billingsley would be our best SP hands down.
-If you look a little closer at Loney his home/road splits are like night & day
-Martin, who knows what happened to him, but we'd probably fill the dome with fans because he's Canadian. And judging from the tremendous support that any Canadian person playing for the Jays gets on here, I predict sellouts

Halladay has to go, but IMO we need big prospects coming back. Which is why I don't endorse East's deal.

"If you are going to trade Doc...I think they are but I am 100% against it...have to get either young talent now, or bluechip prospects, or both. Not sense trade Doc for stopgap players"

Re-read my post.

And try and use your memory for any other talk I've mentioned about Roy on here.

I want him gone and I want him gone for prospects. The only deviation I've mentioned is the 3 way deal involving Hanley Ramirez coming to the Jays.

If you're so against any trades, come up with one on your own, so i can sit and pick holes in it. Do you even know any upper echelon prospects on other teams?

I absolutely love the idea of trading doc and Downs in a package and even eating salary to make it happen and to insure some real talent coming back.That would open up the door for alot more teams.After all doesn't the front office keep saying they'll spend if it makes sence?

I know the no trade clause blah blah blah but if eating salary opens the door for a trade to Tampa then i'm all for it as i see them as a very good fit.If Doc thought Tampa had a chance he might waive to go there?

Millar and McDonald were givens to be gone. As far as Scutaro and Barajas it all depends on price and direction of the club, I think they are gone as well in a minus Halladay direction.

"Hu is a sore arm reliever. We have many of them, just force out a Downs or Frazier, and he is not as good as they are. "

I didn't realize that he had a sore arm. Maybe the Jays would think about converting him to a shortstop then.

lol well played.

"Build that bench into one of our strong points AA."

id really rather have a starting lineup be our strong point. followed by our rotation. followed by our bullpen...THEN our bench. actually..i guess the last two could be interchangeable

hahaha... thanks... i was reading this wondering if I was crazy or this guy didn't know what he was talking about... saves me having to ask

"Hu is a sore arm reliever. We have many of them, just force out a Downs or Frazier, and he is not as good as they are. "

Well I was talking about the shortstop, but the fictional reliever Hu is also a possibility.

If Millar does not come back, who will bat cleanup? What will Cito do without a veteran ! LOL.

LOL

How can you say nothing is coming back?

Loney had a line of .309/.387/.475 last yaer away from home. For some reason he just can't hit in LA. GUESS WHAT!!! WE DON'T PLAY IN LA!!!

Billingsley is a 24 year old work horse who doesn't give up any hits. Looks like a young Doc FFS.

Martin. Hit or miss. A change of scenery would do him well. Has a decent arm and could explode like he did a few years ago.

Hu would slot in immediately as a our shortstop. If Scutaro leaves, we get 2 picks and Hu. What's not to like?

Take off the blinders. That is a good trade. You aren't going to get Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson for Halladay.

That's a great return but I fear the messy domestic situation going on with the McCourts may dim the lights on LAD being a trade partner. If it's business as usual and we can get those players for Doc and Downs we must pull the trigger. The guy who is rebutting the deal doesn't even know who these players are outside of Martin. The only time Lyle was any where near as good as Loney was in 06, I see two trains heading in different directions to boot. Both great defensively, no doubt who I take in the open market. It gets frustrating coming back on the board and finding the quality thinning faster than Matt Stairs hairline. Get 'er done east. It's got my vote.

Yeah the ownership thing may play a big role. Good point.

It's a win-win for both teams.