Last night at 11:59pm EST was the deadline for Major League Baseball clubs to offer salary arbitration to their current free agents.

The Toronto Blue Jays did just that.

The Jays offered salary arbitration to Type A free agent shortstop Marco Scutaro & to Type B free agent catcher Rod Barajas.

What does all of this mean?

It means that if Scutaro and Barajas accept arbitration offers than they will remain with the ball club next season, although this is very unlikely as most arbitration cases are declined allowing the player to search for a better contract offer via the free agent market.

If Scutaro declines the salary arbitration offer from the Jays hoping for a better contract via the free agent market than the Jays will be compensated with two draft choices if Scutaro does in fact depart to another team.

Where will Marco Scutaro end up next season?

The Jays receive two picks in Scutaro’s case because of his Type A classification, which means Scutaro was ranked in the top twenty percent of shortstops across the Major Leagues.

In Barajas’ case the Jays will receive only one draft pick if he declines arbitration and departs to another club as he is listed as a Type B free agent, which puts him in the top twenty one to forty percent rankings of Major League catchers.

In Scutaro’s case the Jays would receive the first round selection of the team that Scutaro departed to, as well as a supplemental pick between the first and second round unless that team also conducted a larger deal with another free agent.

If this occurred the Jays would not receive the first round choice. The team that lost the player who signed the larger contract would.

The Jays are familiar with this process as this is what happened last offseason when the New York Yankees first signed free agent AJ Burnett away from the Jays and followed that with the signing of CC Sabathia.

The Jays lost the Yankees first round selection to the Milwaukee Brewers in the move.

The Jays will receive the supplemental pick for Scutaro no matter what happens on the free agent market.

The same goes for Barajas. Due to this Type B classification the Jays will receive a supplemental pick between the first and second round if he leaves via free agency no matter what.

Will Rod Barajas accept arbitration and a return to the Jays?

The two players have until the end of the day on Monday to accept or decline the arbitration deals.

The Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos is prepared for both scenarios.

The Jays are currently in need of a starting and back up catcher and have expressed interest in free agent Yorvit Torrealba as well as the re-signing of last season’s back up Raul Chavez.

The Jays also tried to deal for Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder earlier this offseason, but the deal fell through when problems surrounding Snyder’s oft injured back re-surfaced.

If Barajas accepts arbitration than the Jays could go with the catching tandem they had last season as Chavez could return in the back up role on a very low end contract.

If Barajas declines than the Jays could go after Torrealba to begin the season as its starter.

Torrealba is also drawing interest from the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants so the Jays will have to move fast once Barajas makes his decision on Monday.

Also, do not rule out the possibility of Barajas declining arbitration, searching the free agent market for a deal and than re-signing with the Jays if nothing is available.

However, this is very unlikely as teams such as the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners are in the market for a veteran catcher such as Barajas.

As for Scutaro the Jays solidified the shortstop position last week with the re-signing of back up John McDonald as well as the signing of free agent Alex Gonzalez.

Anthopoulos has made it known that if Scutaro was to accept arbitration than the Jays would use the versatile veteran to spell Aaron Hill at second base, Edwin Encarnacion at third base, but mostly in the outfield as the Jays are not fully confident in young Travis Snider at the Major League level.

Team/Player Photos: Baltimore Orioles v Toronto Blue Jays on Jul 28, 2010

Numerous teams around the Major Leagues including the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers & Oakland Athletics are in need of a player such as Scutaro, but are they willing to possibly give up two draft picks to sign him?

Toronto Blue Jays fans will have to wait and see this coming Monday when Scutaro and Barajas are left to make the next move in accepting or declining arbitration.