Count me among those that don't like a Rolen for Glaus swap.

Today is Joaquin Andujar's 55th birthday! Woohoo!

Okay, and why does Da Box even care about the eccentric -- some would say "wacky" -- old righthander? The four-time All-Star won 127 big-league games (and three more in the post-season) but was best-known for his, ah, irascible behavior and wacky (there's that word again) quotes. We even had a Batter's Box award named for him back in 2003 and 2004. (Um -- then we didn't any more.)

But the Andujar mojo lives on here at Da Box as well as in the spirit and gumption of all baseball fans. Celebrate the man's birthday today because ... well, hey, youneverknow.

It's been a relatively quiet few days, at least in terms of signings and trades.

The 2008 schedule is out.  The Jays open up in NY and then have their home opener on Friday against the Red Sox.  The rest of the month gets easier after that!

So much for Johan Santana being the first domino to fall.

Dan Haren was traded to the Diamondbacks for a package centered around OF Carlos Gonzalez.

The Jays signed Sal Fasano to a minor league deal as a fall back backup catcher option.

Ken Rosenthal reports that the Jays "on the verge of signing David Eckstein, according to a major-league source".

The Cardinals did not offer Eckstein arbitration so the Jays would not give up any compensation if the deal was struck.

11:15 Update:  Jeff Blair reports that it's a one year deal for $4.5 million and that Eckstein will lead off.  That would likely leave Stairs/Johnson for the #2 spot in the order.

Batter's Box No-Prize to the first reader to correctly explain the choice of headline ...
(Congrats to Geoff, via Chuck)

OF Kosuke Fukudome to the Cubs, it looks like ... Reliever Kazuo Fukumori to the Rangers ... Jake Peavy re-signs with the Pads, who also ink IF Tadahito Iguchi ... The Yankees are trying to send $40M boy Carl Pavano to Columbus ... Brewers DFA Kevin Mench? Really? ... Oh, and the Mitchell Report comes out tomorrow -- that should be fun ...

Whatchagot?

Today is the day where pre-free agent players have to be tendered a contract or cut loose. We'll get to see if the Jays are really willing to pay $3 million or so to Josh Towers or whether it was just a bluff to try and get something in a trade.

Ricciardi indicates that the backup catcher position should be resolved this week. I think the Jays might be waiting for Johnny Estrada to possibly be cut loose by the Mets.

EDIT:  Apparently it's Wednesday for the tendering deadline.  My bad.

Eric Gagne to the Brewers ... LaTroy Hawkins to the Yankees ... Milton Bradley to the Rangers ... Kosuke Fukudome to somewhere  in MLB ... Danny Haren to the D-Backs? ... What else are you hearing?

So what's going on?

Tim Kurkjian on ESPNews (the television station; nothing online yet) reports that the Yankees are back in the Santana sweepstakes -- surprise! Hank Steinbrenner was misleading everyone about the "deadline"! -- which may push the Red Sox to sweeten their offer, apparently since the Dodgers are also now in discussion with the Twinkies.

Speaking of the Dodgers, the Andruw Jones deal has apparently jacked up Aaron Rowand's asking price, even with LAD now out of the bidding ... and yes, Barry Bonds is talking to Oakland (another "surprise!", right?) but has some, um, hurdles to clear first.

What are you hearing?

Andruw Jones makes his way to the Dodgers - 2 years, $36 million. I guess those CF signings didn't work out so well for the LA teams last year.

Tigers get Cabrera and Willis for Maybin, Miller and several other minor leaguers.

Jose Guillen is the latest to strike it big - 3 years and $36 million.

Looks like the White Sox and D'Backs have made a trade:  Carlos Quentin to the Sox for minor league prospect 1B Chris Carter.

The Winter Meetings begin next week and sportswriters are already complaining about free accomodations. Anyway, the Jays shouldn't be expected to make any bold moves, but youneverknow.

"Our approach will be a little different in the sense that we're not going there sitting on a free agent or waiting on a free agent, but we are going there trying to be as aggressive as we can," Ricciardi said in an interview this week. "What this will allow us to do is really sit back and ask clubs point blank, 'What are you trying to do? Would you do this for this?' It gives us a chance to put as many plates in the air as possible."

When Jason Kendall gets $4.25 million guaranteed from the Brewers you know there's not many catchers available this offseason.