There is strong mutual interest between the Toronto Blue Jays and reliever Jesse Crain, according to multiple major league sources.

Peter Gammons of MLB Network and NESN reported earlier this week that the Blue Jays were among at least nine teams with interest in Crain.

Crain was born in Toronto, but his parents returned to the United States within several months of his birth. He graduated from high school in Colorado, and the Minnesota Twins selected him in the second round of the 2002 draft from the University of Houston.

Crain, 29, is coming off perhaps his best all-around season since 2005. While he has only three career saves in the major leagues, Crain, most often a setup man, is said to have interest in closing.

So, if all offers are equal, he could favor the team that lacks an established closer. At the moment, the Blue Jays don’t have a closer for 2011, but it isn't clear if the team views Crain as a potential ninth-inning man.

-Jon Paul Morosi

For a while, Jorge De La Rosa seemed likely to wait on fellow free-agent lefty Cliff Lee, delaying his decision until the losers of the Lee sweepstakes could bid along with other clubs.

As it turns out, De La Rosa will act sooner rather than later.

The Rockies are close to re-signing De La Rosa to a three-year contract worth between $32 million and $33 million, according to major-league sources.

De La Rosa's represented by Paul Cohen and Bobby Barad, the same agents who handle Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who's agreed to a contract extension through 2020, sources said.

The Rockies and Nationals had made offers to De La Rosa, and one or two other clubs were expected to submit proposals within the next 24 hours.

However, De La Rosa's comfortable in Colorado and works well with pitching coach Bob Apodaca. His desire to stay with the team – combined with a strong financial offer – apparently convinced him to stay.

The Pirates and Orioles are among the other teams that have expressed interest in De La Rosa, who played for the Pirates' new manager, Clint Hurdle, when Hurdle managed the Rockies.

The Yankees also have checked in, as they do on most prominent free agents, but their priority is Lee.

The Nationals' pursuit of De La Rosa was complicated by their efforts to sign hitters, most notably free-agent first baseman Carlos Pena. The Orioles, too, were working on parallel tracks for hitters.

-Ken Rosenthal and Tracy Ringolsby

The Rays are closer to trading shortstop Jason Bartlett than ever before.

The Dodgers' three-year, $21 million agreement with free-agent infielder Juan Uribe on Monday sparked accelerated discussions involving Bartlett, major-league sources say.

The Cardinals, Giants, Padres, Orioles and Pirates all have expressed recent interest in Bartlett. The Giants' need is particularly acute after losing Uribe.

The Rays, facing the losses of several free-agent relievers, are believed to be seeking bullpen help in any deal for Bartlett, whom they would replace with Reid Brignac.

Marco Scutaro of the Red Sox and J.J. Hardy of the Twins are among the other shortstops on the trade market, while Miguel Tejada and Orlando Cabrera are the leading free agents at the position.

-Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi

Say this for Scott Boras: He never lacks for ideas.

The agent’s latest brainstorm is a “minor-league posting system” for players left unprotected on their respective teams’ 40-man rosters.

Teams currently obtain such players through the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings. The cost of each player is $50,000, and the player must be offered back at half-price if he doesn't remain on the major-league roster all season.

The Boras plan would generate considerably more sizzle – and dollars.

Each team would protect a set number of players: 40, the current number, or maybe even 45. Every other player in a club's farm system would be available through a blind posting process similar to the arrangement baseball maintains with Japanese clubs.

In Boras’ vision:

*A prospect-rich team such as the Royals could sell off unprotected young players in return for money they could redirect toward free major-league agents.

*A club deep in young pitchers, but not position players, could use the process to create more balance, selling one type of player and buying another.

*If a team preferred to keep a player another club wanted, it would match the posting price and send the money back the other way.

“It would create a currency in the game,” Boras says. “It also would create an excitement in the game. It would be like a mini-free agent period. You would have a 40-man roster that really means something.”

Two general managers, when informed of the plan, were skeptical.

The first seemed intrigued by the idea – “it would be like an expansion draft every year” - but noted that Boras and other agents would benefit if more money were available for free agency.

The second GM said there are simply not enough good players in the game to make the idea viable. The Rule 5 draft, he said, rarely yields true finds, and most players at the bottom of 40-man rosters are expendable.

Boras, though, believes his plan would force clubs to place even greater emphasis on scouting and development, making talent evaluation that much more important.

“It would create all kinds of opportunity,” he said.

-Ken Rosenthal

Free-agent right-hander Frank Francisco is likely to accept the Rangers’ offer of salary arbitration, giving the team additional late-inning relief options, major-league sources say.

Francisco, 31, is a Type A free agent. By accepting arbitration, he'd opt for a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with a near-certain raise from his 2010 salary of $3.265 million.

Other teams have shown interest in Francisco as a closer. However, in recent years, clubs have been reluctant to surrender a high draft pick for Type A relievers who aren't established ninth-inning specialists.

Of the 14 Type A free agents offered arbitration, right-handers Jason Frasor and Grant Balfour are the most similar to Francisco. Both could accept arbitration, returning to the Blue Jays and Rays, respectively.

Francisco, who didn't pitch after Aug. 28 last season due to a muscle strain in his right side, likely would resume a prominent role for the Rangers, either as a setup man or closer.

The Rangers are trying to retain free-agent left-hander Cliff Lee. If they lose him, they might be more likely to move right-hander Neftali Feliz to the rotation, opening the closer’s role for Francisco or someone else.

The team's also discussed making right-hander Alexi Ogando a starter or closer, depending upon what it does with Feliz.

Yet another option, if Lee departs, would be to sign free-agent closer Rafael Soriano.

The Rangers, though, are more likely to spend big on a free-agent hitter such as Vladimir Guerrero, Paul Konerko or Adam Dunn – and supplement the bullpen with a more inexpensive reliever.

Right-hander Bobby Jenks could be one possibility if he is non-tendered by the White Sox. Free-agent righty Kerry Wood could be another.

Francisco, 31, posted a 3.76 ERA in 52 2/3 innings last season, striking out 60 and walking 18. He lost the closer’s role to Feliz after blowing saves in his first two opportunities.

-Ken Rosenthal

We know the Dodgers want to add offense. We know, through sources, that they are unlikely to pursue outfielder Carl Crawford, third baseman Adrian Beltre or any other high-priced slugger.

Given all that, one free agent makes particular sense:

Infielder Juan Uribe.

The World Series champion Giants want to retain Uribe, but the interest in Uribe is significant enough that he's almost certain to decline the team’s offer of salary arbitration and remain on the open market.

Uribe, 31, isn’t an elite hitter, as evidenced by his .300 career on-base percentage. But he established career highs with 24 homers and 85 RBI last season and hit big homers in Game 6 of the NLCS and Game 1 of the World Series.

For the Dodgers, he would make sense in a number of ways:

* He could play third base, enabling the team to use Casey Blake as part of a left-field platoon.

* He could play shortstop on days when the oft-injured Rafael Furcal is unavailable.

* He could play second ahead of Ryan Theriot, whose .633 OPS last season was the third lowest in the NL.

The Dodgers need depth in the infield. Shortstop Dee Gordon, who'll likely open next season at Triple-A, is their only top infield prospect.

Furcal, 32, could be entering his final season with the team. His $12 million club option for 2012 becomes guaranteed only if he makes 600 plate appearances, a figure he's reached only once in the past three seasons.

Blake, 37, is also entering the final year of his deal; the Dodgers hold a $6 million option on him for ’12.

A multi-year contract for Uribe would protect the Dodgers at multiple positions this year and beyond.

-Ken Rosenthal

The Chicago Cubs are showing interest in free-agent first baseman Carlos Peña, according to a major league source.

Peña, 32, is coming off a disappointing contract year with the Tampa Bay Rays, batting only .196 with 28 home runs and 84 RBI in 144 games. He also missed time because of an injured heel.

Hitter-friendly Wrigley Field would be a favorable landing spot for Peña, particularly if he plans to reestablish his value over a short-term deal. (The one-year strategy worked well for Adrian Beltre, a fellow Scott Boras client, at Fenway Park in 2010.)

That Peña bats left-handed is another selling point. The Cubs don’t have an experienced left-handed power hitter on their current roster.

Peña's a former Gold Glove winner, and his defensive ability would be an asset for the Cubs. Chicago infielders had grown accustomed to playing with Derrek Lee, a big target at first and a former Gold Glover himself.

Manager Mike Quade doesn’t have an obvious internal candidate to play first base this year, although it’s possible outfielder Tyler Colvin could handle the position in the long term.

The Cubs also have shown interest in free agent Lance Berkman.

-Jon Paul Morosi

In recent years, free-agent relievers who received Type A rankings sometimes had difficulty finding work. Teams were reluctant to forfeit a high draft pick for signing them.

This offseason could be different.

As of Friday, the highest first-round pick that could be lost was the 20th overall selection. What’s more, for teams that sign more than one Type A free agent, the high number of supplemental choices will reduce the impact of losing a second and third pick.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Thirty-five free agents were offered salary arbitration by their respective clubs, an increase of 12 from a year ago. If most decline, virtually an entire round of compensation picks will be created between the first and second rounds when those players sign with other teams.

In addition, the clubs that finished with the 15 worse records cannot lose their first rounder if they sign a Type A free agent, according to the basic agreement.

Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks, Padres and Brewers will receive corresponding picks after failing to sign their first rounders last year, meaning the top 18 selections are protected.

The Tigers already have forfeited the No. 19 pick for signing free-agent catcher Victor Martinez. The highest pick currently in play, No. 20, belongs to the Rockies.

Teams occasionally draft relievers at that part of the draft – the Tigers picked Ryan Perry at No. 21 and the Diamondbacks took Daniel Schlereth at No. 26 in 2008. A free agent at the right price might be a better investment, particularly for a team that already has signed a Type A free agent and lost a pick.

Say, for example, the Yankees sign left-hander Cliff Lee, then want to add the top lefty reliever on the market: Type A free agent Scott Downs. They'd sacrifice the No. 31 pick overall for Lee, but the pick they'd lose for Downs probably would be the equivalent of a third rounder, with all those supplemental picks in between.

Teams still will be reluctant to forfeit picks in what projects to be a very deep 2011 draft, but more free-agent relievers might want to decline arbitration and gamble on getting multi-year deals, even if it means accepting slightly lesser salaries from teams that also are losing picks.

Some teams will be more inclined to sign proven major-league pitchers than risk spending and waiting on, at best, late first-round talent.

-Ken Rosenthal

The Minnesota Twins, who were awarded exclusive negotiating rights to Tsuyoshi Nishioka, envision him playing second base rather than shortstop, according to a major-league source.

The 26-year-old infielder played both positions for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League.

Nishioka is likely to compete with Alexi Casilla for playing time at second base, the source indicated. Orlando Hudson, a Type B free agent, isn’t expected to return.

Minnesota could retain this year’s primary shortstop, J.J. Hardy, through salary arbitration. Other shortstop options are available via trade or free agency.

The 30-day period for the Twins to sign Nishioka began on Friday.

-Jon Paul Morosi

At present, the Philadelphia Phillies’ 40-man roster lacks a left-handed reliever who has made more than 25 appearances in a major-league season.

That’s a big change for a team that deployed two experienced lefties (Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero) out of the bullpen during the 2008 World Series.

So, it’s not surprising that a major-league source says the Phillies are pursuing one of the most experienced lefty relievers on the market: Dennys Reyes, a 14-year veteran.

Reyes, 33, is a free agent after two fairly successful seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, his 10th big-league employer. He went 3-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 79 innings as a Cardinal.

Oddly, he was more effective this year against right-handers (.177) than left-handers (.307).

-Jon Paul Morosi

The Boston Red Sox reportedly had interest in free agent catcher John Buck, but he signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Florida Marlins.

The Red Sox also made a bid to retain Victor Martinez, but he agreed to a $50 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Now Boston is considering a number of catching contingencies. Free agent Rod Barajas is one of them, a major-league source said Wednesday.

Barajas’ career offensive numbers are similar to those of Buck and free agent Miguel Olivo, according to the statistical database at Baseball-Reference.com.

Barajas, 35, has a lifetime OPS just below .700, but he performed well in limited action with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of this season.

One cause for concern: Barajas’ caught-stealing percentage dropped from 34 percent in 2009 to 15 percent this year.

The Dodgers did not offer Barajas salary arbitration on Tuesday night.

-Jon Paul Morosi

Dennis Gilbert was among the bidders when the Texas Rangers were up for sale this year, but he's not planning to pursue ownership of the state's other major-league franchise.

Asked Wednesday if he would attempt to buy the Houston Astros, Gilbert told FOXSports.com, “Not at this time.”

Astros chairman Drayton McLane announced earlier this month that he will sell the franchise, ending his 18-year stewardship.

“There’s not a finer gentleman in the game than Drayton McLane,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert was a prominent baseball agent before retiring in 1999. He is currently a special assistant to Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and the co-founder of an insurance agency in Beverly Hills, Calif.

While pursuing the Rangers, Gilbert submitted a bid of more than $500 million. The group led by Chuck Greenberg and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan purchased the club for $593 million.

Gilbert is a season ticketholder for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some in the industry view him as a potential Dodgers owner if that club goes up for sale. The Dodgers’ immediate future hinges on the outcome of the divorce case of Frank and Jamie McCourt. A ruling is expected soon.

-Jon Paul Morosi

The Yankees plan to offer salary arbitration to free-agent right-hander Javier Vazquez, but not because they want to retain him.

Vazquez, a Type B free agent, has agreed to reject the Yankees' offer, enabling the team to collect a supplemental draft pick between the first and second rounds when he signs with another team, major-league sources say.

Teams frequently make such gentleman's agreements with Type B free agents. No harm is done to the signing team, which doesn't lose a pick for signing a Type B player.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman enjoys a strong relationship with Vazquez's agents, Sam and Seth Levinson. Vazquez likely would receive a raise from his $11.5 million salary if he accepted arbitration, but Cashman wouldn't make the offer without receiving assurances from the Levinsons that Vazquez would reject the one-year, non-guaranteed deal and remain on the open market.

The Nationals and Marlins are among the teams pursuing Vazquez.

-Ken Rosenthal

This is a critical week in the market for shortstops, largely because of a player who is unknown to many U.S. fans.

The posting period of Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka is set to expire on Tuesday. By 5 p.m. ET, clubs must submit a bid to Nishioka’s team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, in order to obtain exclusive negotiating rights.

Nishioka, a switch hitter with speed, is coming off a season in which he won the NPB Pacific League batting title. He has experience at shortstop and second base.

While it’s not clear which clubs are serious about bidding on Nishioka, a number of major league teams are looking to upgrade at his positions. If he agrees to come to the U.S., Nishioka could impact the trade market for shortstops – namely Tampa Bay’s Jason Bartlett.

Bartlett is drawing varied levels of interest from the Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, according to major-league sources. The Rays could wait until after Tuesday’s announcement before aggressively pursuing a deal with one of the clubs that didn’t pair up with Nishioka.

It’s important to note that Nishioka won’t necessarily play next year in the U.S. The Oakland A’s submitted the winning bid for Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, but contract talks between the A’s and Iwakuma’s agent have reached an impasse.

Bartlett, 31, is due to earn between $5 million and $5.5 million next year in salary arbitration. He is coming off a down offensive season, but batted .400 in the American League Division Series against Texas. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2011 season.

Bartlett is about as expensive as Boston shortstop Marco Scutaro, who also has been mentioned as a trade candidate. Scutaro has a guarantee of $6.5 million remaining on his contract, including the buyout of an option for 2012.

-Jon Paul Morosi