They met with the agent for Rafael Furcal, they have discussed Ty Wigginton and they have looked at Jason Bartlett.

Free-agent Furcal, who turned down a four-year offer of between $35 million and $40 million US from the Oakland A's, also is being pursued by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"We wanted to find out what he's looking for, we would have to be real creative," Ricciardi said. "If he came in and said he wanted X amount, we couldn't do it ... it would be far-fetched."

Ricciardi said the interest from Furcal about playing with the Jays seemed "real," but he conceded "it could be agent speak."

The Jays like Wigginton, of the Houston Astros, but as a third baseman.

Bartlett is not expected to be available from the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays.

Riciardi was giving his daily news briefing yesterday standing on one side of a hallway inside the cavernous casino. Walking down the other side, as far away as possible, was Washington Nationals president Stan Kasten.

As Kasten passed, the man mentioned most often as Paul Godfrey's successor as president, raised his right arm to his ear as if trying to eavesdrop, in a teasing manner the way club executives will do.

Had he been listening he would have heard Ricciardi ...

- Evaluate current chances of completing a deal at the meetings by saying "I don't believe we're going to get anything done."

- When asked about the status of second baseman Aaron Hill, lost to a season-ending concussion, answer: "I saw his picture on the cover of the paper the other day playing poker ... I guess his head is okay."

- Click off his cellphone as the theme from The Godfather played.

- Praise Paul Beeston, CEO on an interim basis "He has so much history in the game, he understands the nuances of the industry, it's been fun working with him."

- Say once again that the Jays would not do a five-year deal on free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett. "He knows what we will do, we did a five-year deal with him when he was 28, but we won't do one with him at 31." The Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are chasing Burnett.

- Say that Francisco Rodriguez's three-year, $37-million deal with the New York Mets is not an indicator of the market. Originally Rodriguez has asked for five years. There is a glut of free-agent relievers on the market with Kerry Wood (likely headed to the Cleveland Indians) and Brian Fuentes (perhaps to the Detroit Tigers?). "We'll know what the market is going to be once CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira sign."

- Say he's not interested in moving closer B.J. Ryan.