Stuff: Happ, Boni, Presser

Jose Reyes was introduced to the Toronto media yesterday, if you missed that.  Gregor has that over at bluejays.com.

Conspicuous in its' absence from that video is the little tidbit AA gave out about having some other blockbuster fall through before moving on to the eventual Marlins deal.  Stoeten tries to tackle that at DJF, though I'm not sure he even convinced himself of anything, let alone anyone else.  There just doesn't seem to be any trade that makes sense, given the way AA worded his response.

I find the only one that makes sense is Cleveland, depending on their willingness to include a guy like Carlos Santana.  Obviously we don't know what the Jays would have been giving up in the other direction, but a deal for a guy like Asdrubal Cabrera makes sense, given that he could play 2B if Yunel Escobar wasn't moving in the other direction.  That's just me spitballing, as I haven't looked closely at anything in terms of contracts and prospect depth on Cots, but I might do that later on today, depending on how today shapes up and what time I start drinking.  I need groceries, after all.

Beyond that, JA Happ and Emilio Bonifacio have both agreed to 1-year deals, avoiding arbitration.  Boni will make $2.6MM this year, while Happ settled for $3.7MM.  Hefty price for a 6th starter/swingman.  Happ made $2.35MM last year in his first arbitration year, and looks like he could be a non-tender candidate next year if he's going to be coming out of the bullpen.  Bonifacio made $2.2MM last year, also in his first arb year.  He and the Marlins actually went to a hearing, unable to find a middle ground between $2.2MM and $1.95MM.

The Jays have a policy of either going to trial, or working out a multi-year deal with any players that file their arbitration numbers.  That deadline is in about an hour (1:00 ET), and Josh Thole is now the only remaining arbitration eligible player without a deal set.  MLBTR's Matt Swartz projects Thole to make $1.2MM through arbitration.

[Update] The Jays have signed Thole to a two-year deal with a club option for a third.  Even if they don't pick up that club option, he'll be arbitration eligible, as a super-2.  The deal pays Thole $1.25MM in both 2013 and 2014.  The Jays will avoid going to arbitration for the 14th straight year or something ridiculous.