Roy Halladay was Toronto’s Opening Day starter in 2009. The Blue Jays traded him following the season.

Shaun Marcum was Toronto’s Opening Day starter in 2010. The Blue Jays traded him following the season.

The veteran departures should make for a competitive spring training this year in Dunedin, Fla. John Farrell, in his first season as the Toronto manager, said in a telephone interview this week that only three pitchers have been assured of spots in the rotation: left-handers Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil and right-hander Brandon Morrow.

The remaining two spots probably won’t be decided until late in spring training. Farrell listed five candidates for those jobs: right-handers Kyle Drabek, Jesse Litsch and Scott Richmond; and left-handers Marc Rzepczynski and Jo-Jo Reyes.

“This is going to be an exciting spring,” Farrell said. “We’ve got a number of decisions to make.”

Litsch, Richmond and Reyes are coming off seasons in which they missed significant time due to injuries. Of the five, Rzepczynski logged the most innings in the majors last year (63 2/3).

Drabek, meanwhile, will bring a lot of momentum to camp. He threw 162 innings at Class AA New Hampshire last year, followed by another 17 in the majors.

It’s not far-fetched to suggest that Drabek is capable of throwing 200 innings in the majors this year — even at the tender age of 23.

“You can look at the (innings) progression he’s already gone through to this point,” Farrell said of Drabek, whose father, Doug, is the former Cy Young Award winner. “What it’ll come down to now is his efficiency in games. When you look at the competitive nature of the person, and you know that the talent and personal side align, this is a very exciting and bright young prospect.

“You’re talking about someone who loves to compete and doesn’t back away from challenges. That’s his wiring and his makeup.”

— Jon Paul Morosi

Braves right-hander Kenshin Kawakami figures to be among the myriad options the Yankees consider when looking for rotation help.

The Braves, though, might get a better deal from Japan.

Two Japanese clubs are willing to acquire Kawakami and cover more than half of his remaining $6.67 million salary, according to a major-league source.

The Braves would not obtain a player in such a transaction, but they could reinvest the savings in draft picks, international free agents or mid-season additions.

Kawakami, 35, is 8-22 with a 4.32 ERA in two years with the Braves, including 1-10 with a 5.15 ERA last season.

His appeal to the Yankees — if it indeed exists — would stem from his 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA in five career starts against the AL East, including a three-inning stint against the Yankees.

In other Braves news, left-hander Billy Wagner remains on the team’s 40-roster, leaving open the possibility that he could rejoin the club.

Wagner still intends to retire, sources say, but has yet to formally submit his paperwork to Major League Baseball. Even after he makes his retirement official, he would need to sit out only 60 days if he wanted to return.

— Ken Rosenthal

Good news for Reds fans: Left-hander Dontrelle Willis is in terrific physical and mental condition, according to his agent, Matt Sosnick.

“He looks like an NFL receiver right now,” Sosnick said Thursday. “Very little body fat, totally ripped, eating meticulously. He’s in the best shape of his life. And mentally, he’s in the best place I’ve ever seen him.”

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Sosnick said he was struck by Willis' confidence while spending time with him Wednesday at the pitcher’s home in Arizona.

“There’s no doubt in his mind that he’s going to come back to 100 percent,” Sosnick said. “Based on the day I spent with him, I’d have to agree that he’s going to.

“I’m incredibly optimistic, seeing how happy he is, how content he is. He still has to do it. But everything is in place for him to have a good year.”

Willis signed a minor-league contract with the Reds in November. He will compete for a spot in the bullpen, but could move into the rotation if he pitches well and a need arises.

For Willis, the 2011 season could be pivotal.

He twice went on the disabled list in ’09 due to recurring anxiety disorder. He was traded by the Tigers and released by the Diamondbacks in ‘10.

Over the past three seasons, he is 3-9 with a 6.86 ERA in 30 appearances, 27 starts.

— Ken Rosenthal

Vladimir Guerrero’s struggles on the free-agent market raise the question:

What happens next offseason to David Ortiz?

Both Guerrero and Ortiz are designated hitters. Both turn 36 this year. Both share the same agents, Fern Cuza and Diego Benz.

Could Ortiz misread the market as badly as Guerrero seemingly has?

Well, he misread Guerrero’s market, that’s for sure.

“I guarantee he will go back and play for Texas and get good money,” Ortiz told ESPNBoston.com in November. “You can put that down right now.

“I’m going to tell you one thing — he’ll get more than one year, too. You wait and see.”

Guerrero, barring a major surprise, is not going to land a multi-year deal. He also figures to take a significant pay cut from his $6.5 million salary despite coming off a 29-homer, 115-RBI season for the American League champion Rangers.

The Rangers offered Guerrero a one-year, $8.5 million contract early in the offseason, according to a major-league source. Guerrero, however, rejected the deal.

The Orioles, the team with seemingly the most current interest in signing Guerrero, are offering him between $3 million and $5 million, sources say.

Ortiz, too, could have become a free agent this offseason, but the Red Sox exercised his $12.5 million club option. He is coming off an even better season than Guerrero — Ortiz had an .899 OPS, Guerrero an .841. But few DHs in their mid- to late 30s command big money on the open market these days.

Guerrero, if he had accepted the Rangers’ offer, would have been an exception. Hideki Matsui, 36, signed with the A’s for $4.25 million. Jim Thome, 40, went to the Twins for $3 million. Manny Ramirez, 38, joined the Rays for $2 million.

Each of those players received only a one-year contract. Guerrero, Ortiz and Bobby Abreu, 36, could join them as free agents next offseason, creating an even more crowded market.

— Ken Rosenthal

Johnny Damon has made seven career appearances at first base, none since 2008, none as a starter. The Rays have not indicated he will play any position but left field. But let’s play the what-if game.

What if the Rays grew comfortable with Damon at first, creating room for one more offensive piece? And what if that offensive piece was free-agent designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero?

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The Rays’ current first-base options are Dan Johnson and Casey Kotchman. But imagine a lineup that had Damon at first, Manny Ramirez in left field and Guerrero at DH.

Interesting, to say the least.

The Rays, mind you, have given no indication that they are considering such a plan. Guerrero seems more likely to sign with the Orioles, or maybe the Angels or Blue Jays. But stranger things have happened.

The Tampa Bay front office is progressive, routinely considering every available big name. Few expected the team to sign Damon and Ramirez. But the Rays, playing in the AL East, understand the need to take occasional risks.

Using both Damon and Ramirez in the field would be a considerable risk, a 180-degree departure from the team’s previous defense-first philosophy.

Kotchman, though, could replace Damon in the late innings. Sam Fuld, another outstanding defender, could substitute for Ramirez. If there is any manager who could make such an arrangement work, it’s the ever-creative Joe Maddon.

The Rays have other needs — another reliever, a backup infielder. But Guerrero would make a bigger impact than any other player they could acquire.

If the Rays could land Guerrero for, say, $5 million, they would have three potential Hall of Famers — Damon, Ramirez and Guerrero — for the shockingly low price of $12.25 million combined.

Granted, Ramirez might throw a fit if the Rays paid Guerrero more than twice his new $2 million salary. But they already cut such a deal with Damon, didn’t they?

The Orioles appear a cleaner fit for Guerrero — they play on natural grass, not artificial turf, and would require less defensive shuffling to accommodate him. The Rays, though, offer a greater chance to win.

Damon at first? Ramirez in left? Maybe those are just two square pegs in round holes. But if the goal is to outscore the opponent, the Rays might want to explore the idea. If they haven’t already.

— Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi

The Yankees’ offer to free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte is or will be one year, $12 million, according to SI.com.

To which Pettitte might reply, “Is that all?”

The Dodgers signed free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda in November for those exact terms. And Kuroda, while an effective pitcher, is not as accomplished as Pettitte.

STARTLING ROTATIONS

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Kuroda, who turns 36 on Feb. 10, was 11-13 with a 3.39 ERA last season, working 196 1/3 innings.

Pettitte, who turns 39 on June 15, was 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA, working only 129 innings in the regular season.

The difference in the respective ERAs of the two pitchers actually is deceptive; Pettitte pitched in a tougher home park than Kuroda and a tougher league.

He also performed well in both of his postseason starts, producing the same line — two runs allowed in seven innings — against both the Twins and Rangers.

The Yankees could argue that Pettitte was sidelined from July 20 to Sept. 17 with a strained left groin. But the Yankees hardly are in a position of leverage, given their rotation needs.

Here’s guessing that, if Pettitte indeed returns, $12 million won’t get it done.

— Ken Rosenthal

The Toronto Blue Jays did send cash to the Los Angeles Angels in last Friday’s Vernon Wells trade after all.

Major-league sources confirmed to FOXSports.com that the Blue Jays included $5 million in the deal.

That’s a small percentage of the $86 million left on Wells’ contract over the next four seasons. But the cash will lessen the immediate impact of Wells’ salary on the Angels’ bottom line.

Here’s how the math works: Without the cash exchange, the Angels would have paid Wells’ entire $23 million salary, with the Blue Jays inheriting Juan Rivera’s $5.25 million and Mike Napoli’s arbitration award, which will be no greater than $6.1 million.

Now, the Angels will pay Wells $18 million. The Blue Jays’ exposure will probably be slightly less than that, although the exact number is hard to determine since on Tuesday they traded Napoli to the Texas Rangers for Frank Francisco and cash.

-- Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal

‘Tis the season for bottom-feeding, and the Rockies are an example of a team trying to address minor needs.

Club officials specifically are looking at free agents in three areas, according to major-league sources.

• Rotation depth. The Rockies want a veteran who can give them 12 to 15 respectable starts when needed. Right-handers Dave Bush and Rodrigo Lopez are targets.

• Left-handed relief. Ideally, the Rockies would like to sign a veteran such as Mark Hendrickson or Joe Beimel to a minor-league deal. Franklin Morales and Matt Reynolds are their current left-handed options.

• Infield. Alfredo Amezaga, Cristian Guzman and Aaron Miles are among the possibilities for a backup role.

The Rockies also maintain interest in Michael Young — if the Rangers choose to move him. However, the team has taken on additional commitments since first discussing Young with the Rangers at the winter meetings, signing reliever Matt Lindstrom to a two-year, $6.6 million contract and awarding outfielder Carlos Gonzalez a $3 million signing bonus in his new seven-year, $80 million deal.

Young is guaranteed $16 million in each of the next three seasons, and the Rangers would have to include significant cash to facilitate a trade.

—Ken Rosenthal

Perhaps more than anyone else, Mike Maroth embodied the Detroit Tigers’ three-year turnaround from last-place laughingstock to pennant winner.

In 2003, he became the only major leaguer in the last three decades to lose 20 or more games in a season. In 2006, his robust April and May helped to position the Tigers for their first World Series appearance in a generation.

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Then bone chips in his left elbow forced him from a start at Kansas City. As it turned out, the southpaw’s career never was quite the same. Four years and multiple surgeries removed from his most recent appearance in the majors, Maroth told FOXSports.com on Tuesday that he has decided to retire.

“I gave it everything I had,” the 33-year-old said from his Florida home. “I feel confident that I’m making the right decision. I’d love to keep playing, but I realize that I don’t have it in me. I have no regrets. I put forth all of the effort possible to continue to play, but I believe my body just can’t do it anymore.

“I’ve given myself every opportunity to come back. It’s just to a point where it’s time to move on.”

Maroth owned a 50-67 record and 5.05 ERA in 161 games (150 starts). His final appearance in the majors came with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007, but he spent almost his entire big-league career with the Tigers. He relied on a fastball that rarely averaged more than 85 miles per hour, which made his achievements (including a one-hit victory over the Yankees in 2004) all the more noteworthy.

For more, visit FOX Sports Detroit.

— Jon Paul Morosi

The Red Sox, after losing losing out on Jayson Werth and before signing Carl Crawford, explored a wide range of offensive alternatives at the winter meetings last month.

Free-agent outfielder Magglio Ordonez and Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran were among the Sox's more-publicized targets.

The Blue Jays' Jose Bautista, after leading the majors with 54 homers last season, would have been an even more noteworthy addition.

The Sox made multiple offers for Bautista at the meetings but never got the sense that the Jays were serious about a deal, major league sources said.

Other clubs pursued Bautista as well. The Jays, however, preferred to keep the slugger, who has one year left of arbitration before becoming a free agent.

The Jays are not exploring multiyear deals with Bautista, according to his agent, Bean Stringfellow, who spoke to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.

All of the preliminary trade talk involving Bautista eventually could lead to a move — not with the Red Sox, but another interested club if the Jays fall out of contention by July.

— Ken Rosenthal