The Jays began the offseason with plenty of change. Paul Beeston removed "interim" from his title to become team president and CEO. General manager J.P. Ricciardi was replaced by his former assistant, Alex Anthopoulos, 32. As far as the roster goes, the biggest decision will revolve around star RHP Roy Halladay and whether to keep him for the 2010 season or trade him in the offseason for much needed talent.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The Jays have to figure out what they will do with RHP Roy Halladay -- keep him or trade him. They also might have to scramble to fill the holes at shortstop and catcher if free agents Marco Scutaro and Rod Barajas sign elsewhere. They do not have ready replacements in their system for either player.
ARRIVALS: LHP Sean Henn (waiver claim from Orioles), INF Jarrett Hoffpauir (waiver claim from Cardinals).
FREE AGENTS: SS Marco Scutaro, C Rod Barajas, SS John McDonald, DH/INF Kevin Millar.
The Jays would like to bring back Scutaro and will try and re-sign him. They will probably not pursue Barajas because they think that J.P. Arencibia may be ready to be promoted next season following the All-Star break. They might be willing to go with backup Raul Chavez and a cheaper alternative than Barajas.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RHP Jason Frasor, RHP Jeremy Accardo, C Raul Chavez, RHP Casey Janssen, RHP Brandon League, LHP Brian Tallet.
Jason Frasor is the most valuable asset on the list and could be the Jays' closer in 2010, having taken on the role after LHP B.J. Ryan was released. They have interest in bringing back the others with perhaps lukewarm interest in Jeremy Accardo, a reliever who spent most of the season at Triple-A Las Vegas. They have zero interest in Millar.
IN LIMBO: With the exception of 2B Aaron Hill and LF/DH Adam Lind, the rest of the players on the Jays' roster can all be had for the right package, including RHP Roy Halladay. Although they'd like more production out of 1B Lyle Overbay, they can live with his $7 million salary for 2010, the final year of his contract.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Jesse Litsch (Tommy John elbow surgery in June 2009) will be at spring training but is not expected to be ready by the start of the 2010 season.
RHP Shaun Marcum (Tommy John elbow surgery in September 2008) will be at spring training and could be ready at the beginning of the 2010 season.
RHP Dustin McGowan (right shoulder surgery in July 2008, right knee surgery in July 2009) will be at spring training but is not expected to be ready by the start of the 2010 season.
RHP Rob Ray (right shoulder strain) will be at spring training and could be ready by the start of the 2010 season.
CF Vernon Wells (cartilage damage in left wrist) was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery in early November. He is expected to be fully recovered before spring training.
3B Edwin Encarnacion (left wrist surgery in October 2009) is expected to be ready for spring training.
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