• MLB.com's Drew Davison mentions that Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston expressed his desire about having shortstop Marco Scutaro around next year. "Well, I hope we get him back," Gaston said. "I don't know, maybe we have got a shot. It's just one of those things." Scutaro projects to be a Type-A free agent, so the Jays could stand to gain two draft picks if they offer him arbitration and he signs elsewhere.
• Anthony Witrado of The Journal Sentinel has a quote from Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy, who felt like his demotion to Triple-A was a punishment. Because of how long he was sent down, Hardy's free agency was delayed by a year until after the 2011 season. As you can imagine, he's upset about it.
• Meanwhile, Tom Haudricourt tweets that he's not "expecting any last-minute deals tonight involving the Brewers," and that "all is quiet" on their front.
• Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post Dispatch notes that one of the Cardinals first callups will be third baseman Troy Glaus, who's been out all season due to injury.
• After signing Brad Penny earlier today, Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News says that he's "told the Giants don’t expect any more moves this evening." There was some speculation that the Giants could be interested in one of the White Sox veterans that suddenly became available tonight.
• Last night we learned that the Mets cancelled fall instructional league in a cost cutting move, but today Adam Rubin of The NY Daily News noted that the team will instead have its minor leaguers work out at their academy in the Dominican because "there's not enough competition in Florida, especially with the Cards purportedly no longer fielding an instructional league team in nearby Jupiter."

MONDAY: Outfielder Trot Nixon, in Brewers camp on a minor league deal, is on the roster bubble according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.  They may not even have a place for him in Triple A.  Nixon, 35 in April, is hitting .108/.233/.216 in 43 spring plate appearances.  He hit .309/.437/.558 in a Triple A stint last year, earning a brief look with the Mets.

Nixon, 35 in April, hit .309/.434/.558 in 181 Triple A at-bats before a trade to the Mets.  He played eleven games for the Mets before hitting the DL for a strained groin and then hernia surgery.

Duffy, 29 in April, amassed only 109 minor league ABs this year as he was limited by September ’07 shoulder surgery.

Nixon, 34, was hitting .309/.437/.558 in 58 games at hitter-friendly Triple A Tucson.  He should probably not go anywhere near a southpaw though.

Nixon could also play some first base, spelling Conor Jackson occasionally. 

SUNDAY: According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, four teams watched 33 year-old outfielder Trot Nixon audition in Tucson today: the D’Backs, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Dodgers.  Nixon earned $4MM in ’07 while hitting .251/.342/.336 for the Tribe in 354 plate appearances.  He was pretty much injury-free.

Nixon’s calling card had typically been his ability to rake right-handed pitching.  He hit .256/.352/.345 against righties in ’07, drawing plenty of walks but displaying no power.  Rather than a platoon he seems in line for a bench job this year.

Nixon’s calling card had typically been his ability to rake right-handed pitching.  He hit .256/.352/.345 against righties in ’07, drawing plenty of walks but displaying no power.  Rather than a platoon he seems in line for a bench job this year.

• Says Jim Molony: no less than 10 teams have expressed interest in Carlos Silva.  Weak – 11 have expressed interest in Bedard, loser.
• Other guys in the 10 interested teams club – Livan Hernandez and Kazuo Fukumori.  At least, that’s where their agents would like everyone to think.
• The Padres can only afford one of Mike Cameron and Kosuke Fukudome.  They think Fukudome can play an adequate center.  Kevin Towers is still in talks with Cameron.
• The Mariners are shopping Jose Lopez, who Jeff Passan names as a possible non-tender.  However Lopez already is already all tendered up through 2010 on a long-term pact.  So to ditch him the Ms would have to trade him or else cut him and eat the money, Russ Ortiz style.
• Passan suggests the Rays might prefer to go with Shawn Green for their right field vacancy, as Geoff Jenkins and Brad Wilkerson want multiyear deals.  The Giants also like Green, for some reason.  Nick Cafardo suggests Trot Nixon could be the guy behind the guy for the Rays.

• Pat Gillick’s honesty is refreshing and funny.  On Randy Wolf: "He’s the only guy who’s voiced some concern, but I haven’t heard anyone else voice concern about the ballpark.  He’s always voiced concern. I talked to him last year and talked to him this year, and he always makes some remarks about the park which are quite unfounded."
• Gillick also weighed in on Kyle Lohse and Carlos Silva, noting their agents want to keep as many clubs involved as possible.  The Phillies expect to sign neither.
• It’s a bottom priority, but the Phils are considering Pedro Feliz as a third base option.
• Trot Nixon isn’t on the Phils’ list of outfield targets.  As you know, Geoff Jenkins is under consideration.

A Nixon/Choo platoon probably wouldn’t make sense – looking at the splits for both players, neither can hit lefties.  However, Casey Blake can play right when the Indians face a southpaw.

The Tribe will have roughly 1800 ABs to go around for Blake, Nixon, Choo, Ryan Garko, David Dellucci, Jason Michaels, and Franklin Gutierrez.  Perhaps a trade is in order. 

I tried to allocate the ABs for fantasy baseball, and my brain exploded.  Please go over to RotoAuthority and help out.

If the Sox do keep Nixon and complete the J.D. Drew signing, Jose Guillen will be pretty much the only decent remaining RF on the market.

Dejan Kovacevic mentions that the A’s are considering Sean Casey.  Casey’s doing his usual good batting average/low slugging thing and he’s getting $8.5MM for it.  The combined efforts of Dan Johnson and Nick Swisher have been inadequate at first, but would Casey really help?  Johnson is hitting .485/.575/.848 in 33 Triple A at-bats; maybe he deserves another look.  The Athletics, who are dead last in the AL in slugging, wouldn’t be helped by adding the powerless Casey.  They need Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, Pat Burrell, or even Raul Ibanez to make a difference. 

The Yankees have decided to hold on to Philip Hughes, and the Phils aren’t biting on whatever else they offered.  According to George King, the Yanks think assuming Abreu’s contract and exercising his option should be enough.  Still, it would be cool to see a nasty young Phillies rotation in 2008 with Hughes, Cole Hamels, Gio Gonzalez, and Scott Mathieson.

Also, I’m hearing that WPEN in Philadelphia has mentioned a trade rumor: Tom Gordon for Trot Nixon.  Nixon is a good hitter (.400 OBP), though he’s 32 with declining power numbers.  Given that Flash would be hands down the best reliever on the market, I’d expect the Phils to get more.   

Kenny Williams didn’t deny the recent Soriano rumor, so now you know it’s legit.  Kenny has been pretty shrewd with the media, so this is probably all part of his plan.  Despite word of a possible contract extension with Washington, Buster Olney all but assured us of a Soriano trade in today’s blog.

Also, Olney nixed the A-Rod to the Cubs idea, explaining that Rodriguez is a bargain in the Yankees’ world.  This column is kind of weird to me.  Phil Rogers almost seems like he’s just cooked up a brilliant scenario or something, with Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones being swapped for A-Rod.  Thing is, Bleed Cubbie Blue broke out this exact trade rumor three weeks ago.

RotoAuthority has a look at which pitchers have been abused this season.

The details:  The Cubs send Kerry Wood and $6MM to the Rangers for Kevin Mench.  The Cubs would also surrender Todd Walker and prospects and would receive Barry Zito from Oakland.  It’s unclear what prospects would go Oakland’s way, although it’s fair to speculate Beane would ask for #1 prospect Felix Pie.  Thanks to Alex and Mike for passing it along, and you can read a message board thread on the deal here.

My opinion?  Doesn’t sound valid in the proposed form.  As mentioned on the Inside The Ivy message board, it sounds more like a Phil Rogers opinion column.  Rogers can’t be reached to confirm the rumor.  The Cubs have plenty of starting pitcher and outfielder options on the table, and can make a deal without surrendering Pie.  Given that Beane holds the cards with six starters, only the Cubs’ very best could entice him.  I don’t think this deal happens.

I’ve also been informed that George Ofman from WSCR is reporting that Rafael Furcal will make his final decision by noon CST on December 4th.  It’s still unknown which way he’s leaning.  It’s well-known that the Dodgers have put in a three-year, $39MM bid for the shortstop.  The offer is a smart one and mitigates L.A.’s risk nicely.  Given that it could bring Furcal more money in both the short and long term, the Dodgers must be a serious option.

A source in the Red Sox organization mentions that the Cubs have interest in 31 year-old right fielder Trot Nixon.  Nixon hasn’t had 500 at-bats since 2002, but he’s hit well when healthy.  Nixon mashes right-handers but struggles mightily with southpaws.  The Red Sox are rumored to have interest in Corey Patterson.

Thanks to Alex, Mike, Nick, and Cody