UPDATE 10:11 AM-- The Blue Jays will indeed offer SS Marco Scutaro salary arbitration as noted here. He is expected to decline and the Jays will receive draft pick compensation from whichever team he signs with. It's widely expected that the veteran will land a multi-year pact.
Alex Gonzalez has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Yesterday, the shortstop inked a one-year, $2.75 million contract with an option for 2011 according to FoxSports.com. A-Gon became a free agent when the Sox elected to not pick up their portion of the $6 million mutual option for this year. At first sight, some may wonder why the Sox didn't bring him back at such a cheap price. The Red Sox are tentative to give free agent contracts to free agent shortstops as they have been burned by the ghosts of Julio Lugo & Edgar Renteria.
Jed Lowrie, who's had his development stunted by a series of wrist injuries over the last couple of seasons, is not a starting shortstop on a championship caliber club. The club would like Lowrie to begin the season at Triple A where he can receive regular playing time and (hopefully) develop into the future everyday shortstop the Sox seek.
Jose Iglesias, the 19-year old Cuban SS signed in September as an international free agent, is a few years away at this point. Iglesias has been compared to Ozzie Smith in the field, but still has some work to do at the plate. One of the youngest players in the Arizona Fall League, Jose hit .275 with 2 HRs, 4 2Bs, and11 Ks (4 BBs) in 69 ABs. While it's unclear at what minor league level he'll begin the season, it's obvious the team does not want to sign another aging veteran to block the youngster.
A bit of a stretch is Tug Hulett. Tug was acquired by the Red Sox a few days ago for cash or a player to be named later from the Royals. He will provide organizational depth, but is more of a 2B than a SS. In only 18 ABs at the big league level last year he had 2 hits, but in his third year of Triple-A he hit .291 with a .384 OBP in 374 ABs while slugging 11 HRs and 27 2Bs. Hulett replaces Nick Green on the organizational depth chart. After Lugo went down (later traded) and Lowrie also fell victim to the injury bug, Green had the opportunity to be the everyday shortstop. Hulett will have the opportunity to crack the opening day roster as a utility infielder.
The real question: Are the Sox gonna make a run at Marco Scutaro? (.282/.379/.409 in 2009). We predicted Scutaro may be a realistic option at SS in our offseason preview, but now that Toronto has signed Gonzalez, will they offer Scutaro salary arbitration? If the Jays decide to do so, they run the risk of him accepting a large one-year tender and them being financially strapped. However, if he declines, the Blue Jays will receive compensatory picks from his new team as he qualifies as a Type A Free Agent. He is said to be seeking a multi-year deal, but at 34 years old, does he really fit in with the team's long-term plans?
Much more news on the team's shortstop scenario as well as other Red Sox free agent updates to come.
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