In another sign of how valuable pitching has become in the big leagues, the Blue Jays are willing to offer right-hander Josh Towers salary arbitration, general manager J.P. Ricciardi said.

Towers is available in a trade scenario, but if he is not moved, "at this point we intend to bring him back," Ricciardi said. "We need all the pitching that we can get. We plan on Towers being here."

In 2007, Towers was mostly ineffective when used in either a starting or relief role. Overall he went 5-10 with a 5.40 ERA in 24 appearances, including 15 starts. In 105 innings, he allowed 126 hits including 18 home runs. The opposition hit him at a .296 clip.

And if he returns, he won't be coming back cheap. In 2007, Towers earned $2.9 million in the second year of a two-year, $5.2 contract.

But neither his past performance nor his cost seems to deter Ricciardi.

"You always need pitching depth with starters," Ricciardi said. "At spring training, he'll be battling for the fifth spot (along with Gustavo Chacin, Jesse Litsch and Casey Janssen) or the long relief role."

Still, moving him in a trade makes a lot more sense.

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