This Buster Olney blog post talks about how some Type A free agents who were offered arbitration are having trouble getting offers because teams don't want to give up draft picks to sign them.
The one most relevant to us is Orlando Cabrera, 34-year old shortstop and Richard Griffin's favourite subject. Olney notes that Cabrera is a "productive major league veteran" (you can't argue with the last 3/4 of that) who would fit well on the Jays (I tend to agree that Cabrera would fit in fine on the Jays for the right price - very little - and if they could also find someone to take J-Mac and his 2+ million dollar salary off their hands, it would really make sense). But, as he notes, Toronto would have to give up their first-round draft pick to sign O-Cab. Olney quotes a "highly ranked Blue Jays executive" who sounds familiar:
"I like Cabrera, and think he could help us," one highly ranked Blue Jays executive said. "But I cannot justify giving up a pick for a 34-year-old shortstop on a one- or two-year deal. It makes absolutely no sense for us. None."
I have to admit, when Furcal, Renteria, etc shook out the way it did, I thought the writing was on the wall that the Jays were going to get Cabrera on a deal similar to the one that Eckstein signed with our heroes last winter. I was not happy about that at all, but I thought it would happen. Now it looks like the Jays will not be in at any price.
Remember when Griffin said we should offer O-Cab a 4year, $32 million dollar contract? Me too. Thanks to Ottawa's own Kathleen Edwards for today's post title (it's from "The Cheapest Key" on her record Asking for Flowers)