The Jays have signed former Oriole, Met, Yankee, Mariner, Marlin and Giant reliever Armando "Suitcase" Benitez to a minor league contract as insurance for Casey Janssen coming down with a sore shoulder.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced today that Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Seattle Mariners for all 31 seasons of the team's existence, has been named the 2008 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. Niehaus will be honored with the award during Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies on Sunday, July 27, in Cooperstown, N.Y. The news came to Niehaus on his 73rd birthday.

Read the full press release here.

Gregg Zaun gives his explanation, by way of the National Post, on how his name wound up in the Mitchell Report. 

The Jays will have one less stop at the "Trop" in 2008.  MLB.com reports they will play the newly-named Tampa Bay Rays for the first time in Orlando this April. 

Okay, it's not really "Breaking News," given the rumours of the past three months, but at long last, Johan Santana has changed professional addresses, moving on to the Big Apple. However, he's also, in a bit of an upset, changed leagues, as baseball's best starting pitcher -- sorry, Doc! -- is now a member of the New York Mets.

In return for Santana, the Twins will receive center fielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra -- a package which, according to ESPN.com, "some talent evaluators believe could be the fourth-best offer that Minnesota received during this process."

Thoughts, anyone?

Are we sure he has signed? The Jays have signed Rod Barajas to share the catching duties with Gregg Zaun. Barajas signed with the Jays last off-season before changing his mind the next day. This signing is a lot cheaper, $1.2 million for one year versus $6 million for two years in the previous attempt at a contract.

According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, "major-league sources" say the Jays are working on a trade that would send Troy Glaus to the Cardinals for Scott Rolen. Rosenthal reports that both players have agreed to waive their no-trade clauses.

Rich Gossage is now a Hall of Famer, the only member of the class of '08 at this point. Jim Rice just missed, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven were in shouting distance, and nobody else was close.

Your thoughts?

Oakland, after trading ace Dan Haren to Arizona just two weeks ago, has acquired LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Fautino De Los Santos and OF Ryan Sweeney from the White Sox in exchange for switch-hitting OF Nick Swisher, who hit 22 homers in his age-27 season last year. Thoughts?

The Jays avoid arbitration with Reed Johnson, signing him to a 1 year, $3.275 million contract.

The article linked above also mentions that the Jays have signed minor league contracts with pitchers Lance Carter, John Parrish, and Ryan Kethner.