Blue Jays Morning Brew: Rasmus, Samardzija, Ohka, Expos

May 27, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus (28) in the dugout prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves at the Rogers Centre. Toronto defeated Atlanta 9-3. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 MLB Winter Meetings wrapped up in usual fashion with more talk than action. Here’s a wrap-up of some of the news and rumours about the Toronto Blue Jays.

MLB Trade Rumors pivots off three pieces, two from Ben Nicholson-Smith at Sportsnet and another from Bob Elliott at the Toronto Sun, and puts together a nice summary of hot stove items from the Winter Meetings. Highlights include thoughts from GM Alex Anthopoulos regarding an extension for Colby Rasmus, the Jeff Samardzija rumours, signing RHP Tomo Ohka and the Rule 5 Draft.

Gregor Chisholm does a Winter Meetings wrap-up over at his blog North of the Border. Chisholm also helps explain how the Blue Jays are able to use the $244,000 in available international cap space they gained in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels at BlueJays.com. This is essentially how the Blue Jays can use it.

"The money can only be used for players who were eligible to sign as of July 2, 2013. It doesn’t apply to next year’s crop, nor does it apply to players in professional leagues (Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Cuba apply), are at least 23 years old and have played a certain number of years in that league.In other words, the money can’t be applied to the likes of Masahiro Tanaka and Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz, but there are still plenty of other international players available."

Scott MacArthur at TSN says that Anthopoulos feels he has laid the foundation to possible moves at the Winter Meetings despite not sounding like a huge fan of the four-day event. Nicholson-Smith also had a great article at Sporstnet about the art of putting together a deal at the Winter Meetings. Chisholm talks about the potential of a three team trade at North of the Border.

Andrew Stoeten at DJF gives us some context around agent Scott Boras’ comments about the possibility of Major League Baseball returning to Montreal.

Tom Haudricourt from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says that rumours about the Blue Jays interest in 2B Rickie Weeks, along with interest from the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins were false.