While it looks like the Jays are scraping pretty close to the bottom of the barrel, there wasn't much else J.P. could do: he missed out on signing a free agent at the Winter Meetings and the list of available quality arms is slim pickings this time of year.

Zambrano is several years removed from a quality season. I think Ohka has a better chance of securing the #4 or #5 starting positions.

Clayton didn't get much love from Nationals fans last year (or Cinci fans for that matter), but I thought he did a pretty good job filling in for Christian Guzman. He's a quality defensive player who had some good success at the plate last season. Like Counsell, Clayton's veteran presence in the clubhouse should prove to be a stabilizing influence on Aaron Hill and Russ Adams. Landing Julio Lugo might have been nice, but I'd prefer to see that money spent on a proven arm, perhaps Gil Meche or Barry Zito.

My first reaction was, "Say it ain't so!" I'm warming to the idea now though. What if J.P. could swing a really sweet deal for Wells? Perhaps a young starter and a speedy CF, or a top-level IF?

Like the folks commenting on MLB Trade Rumors, I could see the Rangers and Houston, and maybe the Angels, emerging as the most likely suitors. 

While it appears that Cory Lidle will be headed headed to New York, the Jays have inquired about the Royals' Mark Redman and remain interested in Lopez, Armas and Lieber.

Meanwhile, Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi made comments yesterday that indicate that he may have cooled on the idea of acquiring Lugo: "We have a budget we have to adhere to and if we trade the guys they have asked for I have to go out and spend the money to replace those guys next year and it's going to be a lot more expensive."

Instead, Ricciardi is expected to pursue pitching, and Toronto scouts have been checking out Baltimore's Rodrigo Lopez, the Nationals' Tony Armas Jr., the Phillies' Jon Lieber and former Jay, Cory Lidle. Ricciardi says he won't deal his young pitchers Jeremy Accardo, Brandon League, Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum: "Those are all our young arms. We give those guys up, we have no control." Without one of these guns in the mix though, what can Toronto offer up as trade bait?

Reports published yesterday indicate that Alfonso Soriano could be headed to the White Sox in a deal that's rumored to include pitcher Brandon McCarthy and LF Scott Podsednik. However, Nationals GM Jim Bowden wouldn't offer any juice about the rumor, and White Sox GM Kenny Williams claimed that trading McCarthy is not an option. Is Williams serious about Soriano, or is this a ploy to try and keep him from becoming a Tiger? Can Bowden get everything he wants when Soriano is considered strictly a 10-week rental by all but one of the teams currently bidding on him?

Meanwhile, a Jays/Rays swap for Julio Lugo is still a distinct possibility. It's unclear if Lugo's injury to his finger will impact his trade value.

• Jays ship Hillenbrand, CBC.ca
• Giants pick up Hillenbrand from Jays; San Francisco gives up Accardo for infielder, reliever Chulk, MLB.com
• Hillenbrand and Chulk to the Giants for Accardo, Bluebird Banter

I thought Shea would fetch a little more than a reliever, but conversely, some feel the Giants got the short end of the stick on this deal.

Baseball Prospectus notes that Accardo "finally made The Show on the basis of a mid-90s fastball, a developing slider, and a filthy cutter that some compare to Mariano Rivera's bat-sawing Frisbee."

I'll be keeping a close eye on Accardo's appearances and will be interested to see if this deal helps or hurts the Jays in their pursuit of top seat in the East. 

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal explores trade possibilities for the newly DFA'd Shea Hillenbrand. Note that the Dodgers are mentioned first. I really think Ricciardi has some good options in working out a trade with LA. Does Hillenbrand have enough value to score Izturis and Perez? If not, who might be packaged along with him? Pitching is the biggest hole in T.O. these days, but I'd still like to see the team improve up the middle.

By the way, Keith Law also has a post about where Hillenbrand might hang his hat. He mentions 5 teams, but unless you are an ESPN Insider, you can't read the full article. The Giants are the first team he cites. Care to guess what the other four are (or, any ESPN Insiders care to share)? 

An aside: MLB Trade Rumors reports that Julio Lugo to Toronto trades are still being talked about, but doesn't cite any recent sources.

Who's in the market for a corner infielder/DH with average defense, a strong bat and low OBP? Both the Yankees and Padres are reportedly looking for veteran help at the corners, while the Dodgers are dangling Cesar Izturis and and Odalis Perez in return for a bat. I kind of like the idea of the Jays re-acquiring Izturis and adding Perez to the rotation…

"I love my teammates here, but I'm waiting to be traded," Hillenbrand fumed. "I should have been traded two months ago."

Similarly, MLB Trade Rumors noted that Gregg Zaun's recent negative comments may also send him packing, and mentioned the Rockies as a possible destination for the veteran backstop.