The Jays have signed three more players to add depth at AAA or to battle for backup roles in the major leagues.  These three players will join Matt Clement and Michael Barrett on the "taxi squad".  The three players are catcher Raul Chavez, pitcher Mike Maroth and and infielder Randy Ruiz.

Every ... okay, most ... well, all right, some ... New Year's Eves here on Da Box, we talk resolutions. (Near as I can tell, we've done it twice -- in 2004-05 and last year, 2007-08). But let's make this not-exactly-annual trek into New Year's fortitude and see if we can show some "resolve" ...
 
Now's your chance to share either your own baseball-related resolution, posted in public where you'll have no choice but to own up to it a year from now, or -- if you want to go for the cheap laugh, to post a resolution "on behalf of" someone in MLB.

That said, a few pointers ...

Every year here on Batter's Box, we gather on Christmas Day to recount our blessings of the past year and to share ....

Oh hell, no we don't. We come to brag about what baseball-related gifts we found under the tree left by that irascible never-aging prospect, Kris Kringle (DH, North Pole U.) ... so, Bauxites, what did YOU get (or give) that relates the Winter Holidays to the Summer Pastime? Don't hold back! Best gift story gets, you guessed it, a Yuletide No-Prize!

 

This sharing is usually led by our own Mick Doherty, I am pinch hitting this year.  Oh .. . and before I completely forget ... Merry Christmas and all that sort of thing, to you and yours from us and ours!

 

At the end of the 2008 season, agrand total of 171 players entered the free agent market. As of this writing, just a hair less than 90 percent of those are still available, as just 18 have signed with a new team (Renteria, Rhodes, etc.), re-signed with their old team (Blake, Moyer, etc.), accepted arbitration (Weathers) or retired (Maddux, Mussina).

That means there are still more than 150 free agents out there on the market. So here's a thought experiment ...

The winter meetings start tomorrow in Las Vegas.  Most attendees are already in Vegas or are arriving today.  The meetings end with the rule 5 draft on Thursday.  Often the meetings are anti-climactic as teams discuss trades but don't pull the trigger until weeks later.  the Jays are expected to be quiet.

News updates - the Toronto chapter of the baseball writers handed out their awards yesterday.  At the ceremony Paul Beeston addressed the media with bad news about the 2009 payroll.  The baseball winter meetings start in just over a week.

There has been some recent suggestions that the Blue Jays will not increase payroll for next year.  The newspapers are full of bad economic news every day and Bud Selig recently had Paul Volcker talk to the baseball owners about the economy.  In 2009 the Jays will likely see headwinds from the economy, from the value of the Canadian dollar and from loss of sponsors such as GM.  What does it all mean?

Jordan Bastian reports the Jays have set their 40 man roster.  Ricky Romero, Robert Ray and Luis Perez were added.  Les Walrond and Angel Sanchez have been removed.

This thread now contains news of the announcement of the 2008 American League Most Valuable Player. Dustin Pedroia? A-Rod? Morneau or Mauer? Carlos Quentin? Josh Hamilton? Francisco Rodriguez? Cliff Lee?

Update: Pedroia wins

Who should have won? And why?

The first couple of standard projection methods have come out so lets start seeing what our 2009 Blue Jays might look like.

Baseball America publish their top ten prospects today, followed by a subscriber chat this afternoon.  Thanks are due to mylegacy who has reported the top ten from the actual paper which has already been mailed to subscribers. 

Previously headlined:
More awards coming today ...
Shortly, this very thread will carry news of the announcement of both the AL Cy Young Award winner and the 2008 AL and NL "lineups" of Silver Sluggers.

Before we get to the announcements -- they're still a few hours off -- tell us, who will win? Who should?

Update: Lee wins; Jays' Halladay a far-distant second
Update II:  And here are your Silver Sluggers '08.

In a result that I'm sure is surprising to nobody, Geovany Soto and Evan Longoria have won their respective Rookie of the Year Awards. And in CRAZY BREAKING NEWS, the A's swooped in from left field to acquire Matt Holliday. I'm hearing Greg Smith and Brett Anderson are part of the package, but it's still being finalized.

Another Trade! (9:14PM) The Nationals have just traded Emilio Bonifacio along with prospects Jake Smolinski and P.J. Dean for Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham, according to Peter Gammons.

Update (4:18PM): A few sources seem to indicate that the final A's package consists of Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith and Huston Street.

Update (3:57PM): Greg Smith has been confirmed as part of the package. Anderson, Ryan Sweeney, and Carlos Gonzalez are also in the mix per ESPN.

 It's official (well, as close as can be.) AJ Burnett will opt out of the last two years of his contract, forgoing 2 years and $24 million.

The Jays are  announcing this afternoon that they will be bringing back Paul Beeston on an interim basis, to lead the search for a new CEO of the club. Beeston was the club's first employee, and was team president during the glory years, from 1989-1996. From 1997-2002 he served as president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball. Thanks to various Bauxites for the heads up.