Blue Jays to gauge free agent and trade market at GM meetings as Melky Cabrera declines qualifying offer

MLB's hot stove is barely cooking but the market will begin to take shape at this week's GM meetings in Phoenix, providing Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos and his front office their first opportunity to gage where they fit in that equation.

As expected outfielder Melky Cabrera declined Toronto's $15.3 million qualifying offer. He's now free to negotiate with other teams. Should he sign elsewhere Toronto would receive compensatory pick in next year's amateur draft.

Heading into the meetings the Blue Jays have already been linked with free agents Russell Martin, Pablo Sandoval, and Victor Martinez. They also continue to state their desire to re-sign Cabrera although the two sides were "far apart" according to Anthopoulos.

As it stands the Blue Jays don't have a defined starter in left field, centre field, second base, and designated hitter while the closer's role is also up in the air with the imminent departure of free agent Casey Janssen.

Coming off a superb playoff run for the champion Giants, Sandoval is going to be one of the most sought-after players on the market. The 28-year-old switch-hitting third baseman won't come cheap (he's reported to be asking for at least five years and $100 million) and the fight for his signature will come with stiff competition from San Francisco and the Boston Red Sox.

Martinez would give Toronto an ideal complement for Edwin Encarnacion at first base and DH. However he'll be 36 next year and worries about a long-term deal and a sizeable price tage could force the Blue Jays to back off.

Martin, 31, is the top catcher available. He presents a defensive upgrade over incumbent backstop Dioner Navarro and brings a solid bat to the table as well.

On top of these conversations with free agents, it's also sure that Anthopoulos will continue to actively search for potential trade partners. Earlier this month he sent Adam Lind to Milwaukee in exchange for pitcher Marco Estrada and stressed how the move would help with roster flexibility.

With just over $100 million committed to 10 players and about $20 million estimated to go to Toronto's eight arbitration eligible players, that should leave Anthopoulos and his colleagues with between $20-$30 million to improve the roster.

Like the action on the field, baseball's offseason moves slowly. Historically most of the big transactions go down at the winter meetings, taking place this year from December 7-11 in San Diego, but the GM meetings still serve a significant purpose. After they leave Phoenix at the end of the week Toronto's decision-makers will have a much better idea of what it will take to keep Cabrera around and what the cost will be to bring in impact players that can help the team contend in 2015.