Jeff Blair from the Globe and Mail reports the Jays are showing interest in free-agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera. He thinks the team may try to accomplish this by dealing a corner infielder or reliever to clear some salary off the books.
UPDATE March 2/09: Cabrera's going to Oakland according to ESPN's Buster Olney. He has signed a one-year deal for $4-million bucks.
The 34 year-old Cabrera posted a batting line of .281/.334./.371 with the White Sox in 2008. He had 8 homers, 57 RBI, 33 doubles, one triple, stole 19 bases in 25 attempts and his OPS+ was 84. Defensively, his fielding percentage was .978 after making 16 errors and his Range Factor per game was 4.43 and per 9 innings, it was 4.62. One drawback to signing Cabrera would be the Jays having to surrender their first round pick in this year's amateur draft because he's a Type A free agent. Right now, the Jays have the 20th overall pick.
On the field Saturday afternoon, the Jays lost 6-3 to Atlanta in Dunedin. Roy Halladay delivered two scoreless frame but B.J. Ryan surrendered four runs in the third. Offensively, Jason Lane was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and Jose Bautista went 3-for-3. Travis Snider and "Cowboy" Kevin Millar earned a hit and a walk in three plate appearances.
The Jays spring training record is now 2-2. They'll try to vault back into the Spring Training wild card/A.L. East race Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. Eastern when they visit Tampa Bay at their new spring training home in Port Charlotte. Jesse Litsch will take the ball for the Fightin' Jays against Jason Hammel in a battle of righties.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20090228230753992