TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays are still hoping to re-sign A.J. Burnett but spent some time at this week's general managers meetings talking to the agents of other free agent pitchers just in case.
"We definitely have our hat in the ring, but as we keep progressing, I don't know if we'll sit around and wait, so to speak," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said of Burnett on Friday. "We met with some other pitchers' representatives that were out there. We want to keep our finger on the pulse with some other guys and see if there is some interest with some other guys.
"We're still very interested in keeping A.J., but we've got to start exploring other things too."
The gathering in Dana Point, Calif., ended Thursday and went as expected for the Blue Jays, who got official word that Burnett would opt out of the remaining US$24 million and two years left on his contract with the club Tuesday.
While Darek Braunecker, Burnett's agent, insisted that his client remained interested in coming back to Toronto, the Blue Jays are exploring all avenues to fill the massive hole in their starting rotation.
They are believed to have spoken to the agents for Derek Lowe, Ryan Dempster of Gibsons, B.C., and perhaps Ben Sheets, but Ricciardi wouldn't comment on specifics.
He did say that at this point they had no deadline for Burnett, but added that they'd need an indication of his plans sooner rather than later.
"We've had good conversation, where we're trying to be cognizant of the fact that they've got to get some of their information together," said Ricciardi. "But there will just come a time from our end, that we either have to fish or cut bait.
"I think we're all in agreement that we're not going to let that process drag out and I don't think they want that process to drag out, too."
Aside from Burnett, the Blue Jays are also believed to have met with the agents for shortstop Rafael Furcal and slugger Jason Giambi, who is already being linked to a possible return to Oakland.
Shortstop and DH are two areas Ricciardi is thought to be interested in upgrading, but he offered no details of his plans, just that he was active.
"We explored a lot of things," he said. "Right now we're in the early stages, we're trying to see what's available, what makes us better, so we're going through that process."
