The Hot Stove League is in full gear, and let the speculation begin for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Sounds like Randy Johnson will not be back.  Not for the type of money that Arizona is offering.  Sounds like 2nd base will be the main priority.  But should it be?  The 620 Sportsline has a crazy idea:  Trade Eric Byrnes to the Toronto Blue Jays for Scott Rolen.  Rolen goes to 3rd, Mark Reynolds goes to 2B, and “The Eric Byrnes Show” goes away!  Not sure which we like better (actually I’m pretty sure which I do), but take a look at how alike their contracts are:

Scott Rolen 3b
8 years/$90M (2003-10)

•    signed extension 9/02
•    $5M signing bonus
•    03:$7M, 04:$8M, 05:$11M, 06:$11M, 07:$11M, 08:$11M, 09:$11M, 10:$11M
•    additional $4M bonus due Rolen in 2010
•    $10M deferred ($2M/year from 2003 to 2007)
•    full no-trade clause (waived to allow trade from St. Louis 1/14/08, with Toronto paying St. Louis $1.8M and the Cardinals responsible for $4M bonus due in 2010 as part of the deal)
•    performance bonuses: $50,000 each for Gold Glove & All Star selection
•    1 year/$8.6M (2002), avoided arbitration 1/02
o    rejected Philadelphia’s 10 year/$140M offer 2/02
o    acquired by St. Louis in trade 7/02
•    4 years/$10M (1998-2001) (Philadelphia), signed 3/98
•    1 year/$0.175M (1997)
•    drafted 1993 (2-46)
•    agents: Levinson brothers, ACES
•    ML service: 11.060

Eric Byrnes of
3 years/$30M (2008-10)

•    signed extension 8/7/07
•    $2M signing bonus (paid in 2 installments in 2008)
•    08:$6M, 09:$11M, 10:$11M
•    no-trade protection
•    1 year/$4.575M (2007)
o    re-signed 2/07 (avoided arbitration, $5M-$4.25M)
•    1 year/$2.25M (2006)
o    signed as a free agent 12/05 after being non-tendered
•    1 year/$2.2M (2005)
o    avoided arbitration 1/05 ($2.5M-$2M)
o    performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 350 & 400 PAs
o    $25,000 one-time assignment bonus if traded
•    1 year/$0.328M (2004)
•    1 year/$0.3M (2003)
•    agent: Michael Sasson
•    ML service: 6.075

With the no-trade protection it would be another Larry Walker for Matt Williams type deal.  Unlike Williams, Byrnes may seek playing time, something he’s much more likely to see in Canada.  Connor Jackson is better than Kevin Mench/Adam Lind, right?  I know, we’re dreamers.  That or just extremely skeptical of the offensive returns of a Ramon Vasquez or Adam Kennedy.

Burnsy’s also skeptical of a man splitting a plate of food with another men.  We’re not saying that happened on Wednesday night.  We’re not saying that happened on Wednesday night at Donovan’s.  And we’re certainly not saying that Gambo and Scott Sutherland split a meal Wednesday night at Donovan’s before the Suns-Rockets game.  We can’t confirm that they were eating off each other’s plates, but we can confirm that a joint dessert was offered by the waiter.  It was declined.  Thankfully.   (Mp3 of Gambo openly talking about this awkward situation is attached above).