Perhaps if the Toronto Blue Jays and new general manager Alex Anthopoulos really want to make their mark on the MLB, they'll try to make a deal for Jason Bay this offseason:
That said, the new GM also is in charge of shopping for the groceries now. So how about Jason Bay for a main course?
Shouldn't Anthopoulos be entitled to make one big free-agent splash when the market opens next month? He has Roy Halladay to deal with and also might have some good young arms in surplus for trading purposes, assuming they get, say, Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan back from injury.
But what of Bay? He's Canadian by birth (dual citizen now) and that certainly would, or should, count for something. The Jays have never had a Canadian non-pitcher of all-star calibre and given the way things are going around here with fans, that surely couldn't hurt.
There's some obvious factors here: Bay is going to have a big contract next season, no matter where he ends up. Is Toronto rich enough to afford that? Also, Bay has gotten used to winning with Boston. Although it is his home country, he might not want to take a step back from a year-in, year-out contender to a team that can't even finish their in their division.
But, ya' never know. What do you think? If the Red Sox don't re-sign Bay, do you think he will be Toronto-bound, or to a team that would pay him a prettier penny?