White Sox hire Blue Jays scout By BOB ELLIOTT, QMI Agency

TORONTO - Blue Jays scout Marco Paddy was hired by the Chicago White Sox Wednesday afternoon.

Can Omar Minaya’s arrival with the Jays be far behind?

Minaya was the general manager of the Montreal Expos and promoted a young scout whose name was Alex Anthopoulos. After the Expos, Minaya moved on to become GM of the New York Mets.

The Jays did hire Ismael Cruz as special assistant, Latin American operations.

Paddy has been the Jays director of Latin American scouting for the previous five years. J.P. Ricciardi hired Paddy away from the Atlanta Braves where he worked for 14 years.

Besides being involved along with GM Anthopoulos on free-agent shortstop Adeiny Hechevarria in 2009, Paddy, who hold the same title with the White Sox, was busy under Anthopoulos: He signed Venezuelan right-hander Adonys Cardona for a $2.8 million bonus and Mexican third baseman Gabriel Cenas for $700 in 2010.

And this year he was in on right-hander Roberto Osuna, as the Jays purchased his contract from the Mexico City Reds for roughly $1.5 million. He also signed Venezuelan outfielders Jesus Gonzalez ($1.4 million) and Wilmer Becerra ($1.3) and Dominican infielder Dawel Lugo ($1.3M).

Minaya is no stranger to the scouting world having been hired by Sandy Johnson with the Texas Rangers. Johnson and Luis Rosa who signed Robbie and Sandy Alomar, Ivan Rodriguez and Ruben Sierra with the San Diego Padres and the Rangers.

With the Rangers, Minaya was involved in signing Sammy Sosa and Juan Gonzalez.