Jays to Acquire Evan Longoria?

As per ESPN's Buster Olney, the Toronto Blue Jays' front office has been internally floating around the idea of proposing a trade of the Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria for Vernon Wells' contract. Under the stipulations of the proposed deal, the Rays would not actually acquire Wells himself, merely the rights to payment of his salary; Wells would continue to play for the Blue Jays.

It will be interesting to see whether or not Jays GM Alex Anthopolous will be able to end his team's long search for a shortstop by coercing the Rays to include prospect Sean Rodriguez in the proposed trade.

More info as it comes.

An Ode to David Eckstein

You're the master of the three pitch at-bat
and undisputed king of hustle.
You'd lose a fight to a toddler
because you have no muscle.

You're pale like an albino
and resemble some kind of imp.
You have the the throwing arm of a six-year-old girl
and the mobility of a blimp.

If I wanted to build an offense
based on grounding out,
the way you keep the defense on their toes
would get you on my team without a doubt.

You might not steal bases
and you go deep but once a year,
but your consistent scrappy play
makes one thing abundantly clear...

If I want the ultimate ballplayer,
the kind to make my team shine,
I know exactly who I would choose.
My new starting shortstop......... Hanley Ramirez.

But you were definitely within the top one million.