2011 Contract Issues: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays will face three club options after the season:

• Shortstop Alex Gonzalez has a $2.5MM option.  That's actually a bit less than he's earning this year, and the net price would be lower if there's a buyout involved.
• Reliever Kevin Gregg has an odd contract, where the Blue Jays can exercise a $4.5MM option for 2011 or an $8.75MM option for 2011-12.  Both scenarios appear steep unless Gregg has a big year.
• Backup catcher Jose Molina has a $1MM club option with a $200K buyout.

In Vernon Wells, Adam Lind, and Aaron Hill, the Blue Jays will pay an additional $16.1MM to players under contract.  Wells' $10.5MM bump leads the way.

Fortunately, the Jays have $31.65MM coming off the books as Lyle Overbay, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and John Buck will be up for free agency.  A few of the four will likely be dealt this summer.  Also to be cleared: $10MM owed to B.J. Ryan and $6MM to Roy Halladay. 

The Blue Jays have plenty of arbitration situations after the season, with non-tender candidates mixed in.  Brandon Morrow, Jesse Litsch, Dana Eveland, Jesse Carlson, and Merkin Valdez project as first-time arbitration players.  Shaun Marcum, Casey Janssen, and Dustin McGowan should be second-timers, while Edwin Encarnacion, Shawn Camp, and Jeremy Accardo will face arbitration for the third time.  The Blue Jays have a pair of fourth-year arbitration players in Jose Bautista and Brian Tallet.  There's a lot to sort through here, but no one seems likely to get a massive raise.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the information.