Bastian: Scutaro and Johnny Mac file for FA

by aagoodfella on Nov 7, 2009 6:38 AM EST

TORONTO -- Marco Scutaro and John McDonald both filed for free agency on Friday, leaving the shortstop position vacant on the Blue Jays' depth chart. Toronto needs to add a starting shortstop for 2010 and the club might try to bring back one or both of the veteran free agents.

Scutaro and McDonald took the necessary step toward the open market one day after Blue Jays first baseman Kevin Millar also filed the appropriate paperwork with the league office. Catcher Rod Barajas is the only eligible free agent for Toronto yet to file. All teams have exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents until Nov. 20, when other clubs can begin offering contracts to any free agents.

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has indicated that Toronto has interest in retaining Scutaro and McDonald, but the organization will weigh all its options. Playing a role in the Blue Jays' decision could be the fact that the 34-year-old Scutaro is coming off a career year that led to him being classified as a Type A free agent this winter.

That is something the Blue Jays did not anticipate when they traded for Scutaro -- a career utility man prior to last season. In his second year with Toronto, the shortstop and leadoff man thrived as a full-time player, hitting .282 with a .379 on-base percentage and career bests in home runs (12), doubles (35), RBIs (60), stolen bases (14), walks (90) and runs scored (100).

If Toronto offers Scutaro arbitration and he declines and signs with another team, the Jays would be in line to receive a pair of compensatory picks (potentially a first-round selection and a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds) in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. With the Jays possibly heading into a rebuilding period, the club might try to take advantage of Scutaro's current value.

The 35-year-old McDonald made $1.9 million in 2009 in the final season under a two-year contract, but the veteran infielder had limited playing time. McDonald's 151 at-bats and 35 starts were his fewest since he played for Cleveland in 2004. McDonald -- known more for his skill on defense than at the plate -- hit .258 with four homers and 13 RBIs over 73 games.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091106&content_id=7634582&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

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re: Scoot's compensatory picks

if Scutaro walks, don’t be surprised if the team that signs him has a protected first rounder. He’s best suited as a stopgap for a team that probably won’t compete in the next two seasons, but doesn’t have any other good SS options lying around. So, yeah, a team like us.

"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"

by jessef on Nov 9, 2009 8:54 PM EST reply actions

Its a tough situation on whether I want him to stay or go.

I would take the picks in a heartbeat and ideally he isn’t really suited for our team at the moment (i.e I am not too sure how well we could compete in the next 2 years).

Then again the type A status might scare some teams off and we get him on the cheap regardless.

Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...

by JohnnyG on Nov 10, 2009 9:03 AM EST up reply actions

For reference, (at least according to MLB trade rumours since Im too lazy to go look it up myself) these are the teams that DO NOT have pick protection from signing type A free agents:

the Rays, Mariners, Tigers, Braves, Twins, Rangers, Marlins, Giants, Cardinals, Rockies, Phillies, Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels, and Yankees.

Any other team not listed here would have some protection and would only forfeit their 2nd rounder.

Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...

by JohnnyG on Nov 10, 2009 9:05 AM EST up reply actions