--RHP Jean Machi, who went a combined 4-10 the last two seasons with Class AA New Hampshire, was released by the Blue Jays. He had a 4.65 ERA in 21 games (nine starts) this year.
--The Jays are said to have had contact with Stan Kasten regarding their search for a new president and CEO. Paul Godfrey is stepping down at the end of the year, and Paul Beeston has been hired to serve on an interim basis and guide the club in a transitional role and head the search committee for a replacement. Kasten has a proven track record in baseball as the former president of the Atlanta Braves and president of the Washington Nationals. --C Gregg Zaun is a free agent, and he has officially burned his bridge with the Jays. Zaun was not happy last season after losing his starting status to Rod Barajas.
"Nobody ever wanted to tell me what was going on," he said. "That was the only part that was hard to swallow. I felt like I deserved a little bit more honesty than that. But then again, I felt like, with my service to the ballclub and the way that I played the last three years, that I deserved the opportunity to be the everyday guy for at least a month and go out there and prove to them that I wasn't the right guy for the job anymore, but I never was given that opportunity."
"We wish him nothing but the best. We've got nothing bad to say about Gregg Zaun. He did a great job for us," said general manager J.P. Ricciardi in response to Zaun's criticism.
--As far as a backup for Barajas, the Jays don't have one. They will probably try to acquire a veteran backup through a trade or free agency. Failing that, they would fill from within with the likes of Curtis Thigpen, Brian Jeroloman or the defensively challenged but offensively gifted J.P. Arencibia, their No. 1 catcher of future seasons.
"We'll know more as we get deeper into the offseason, but I feel very comfortable going with the kids if we have to," GM J.P. Ricciardi said. "We're comfortable, you can't have a star at every position in the sense of having a backup. We'll see how it plays out, and if guys get hurt, we'll have to make an adjustment at that point."
BY THE NUMBERS: 33-24, 439 strikeouts -- The combined 2008 numbers of RHPs A.J. Burnett, Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan. Burnett has opted for free agency (he still could sign with Toronto), Marcum is out for 2009 with elbow surgery, and McGowan (shoulder) won't be back until at least May.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think we'll know which way he's going to go before the winter meetings." -- GM J.P. Ricciardi, regarding discussions with the representatives of RHP A.J. Burnett.
