The free agency pool got a little deeper yesterday as Jason Bay turned down a $60M (rumored) offer from the Red Sox that would span 4 seasons. The thirty-one year old, Canadian born left fielder is either tired of playing in the land where R’s go to die or he actually believes he deserves twice what he made last season.

According to espn.com the Red Sox paid Jason Bay $7,750,000 for the 2009 season. The Red Sox were then willing to say thank you to Mr. Bay for his rather solid performance by doubling his salary through the next four seasons. Sounds like a good deal to me, but I make in a year what he makes in a day so who am I to say anything.

Jason Bay is sincerely kidding himself. The three time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year is a talented hitter with above average talent in left and a familiarity with the big green amusement park feature in Fenway’s left field. It’s a great baseball market with the 4^th highest payroll in the Majors. Bostonians LOVE their baseball and at 31, Bay could really have a “great” place to end his career.

Especially when you consider the fact that he “saved” Boston from Manny. I lived in Rhode Island for the summer when they first got Bay and he seemed to have been immediately appreciated and admired. Which is stupid when you think about it because even though Manny can sometimes be Manny he’s still…MANNY. Oh and the whole he was on the team: 2 rings. He is off the team: no rings thing.

So why all this talk about the Red Sox? Well the answer is simple: Bay may be wearing pinstripes next season.

The Yankees will obviously be making moves with such and extensive open market this off-season. They will spend more than anyone thinks they should for a player that may or may not live up to the cash. Bay was never on the Yankee radar because it was hard for anyone to believe he wouldn’t stay in Boston, which he can still do (just because he said no to their first offer doesn’t mean they won’t make a second one). But if $15M a year isn’t enough only one of the two New York teams will be able to afford more than that, whether the overhyped left fielder deserves it or not.

As time ticks by it seems as if Damon is going to head out of town next season and it looks like the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be the team to pick him up. If that ends up being true then one would have to believe that Matsui stays put for at least one more season (if he’s willing to be the DH again). And although I will miss having Damon hit in the two-hole, I’ll be happy to have Godzilla remain in pinstripes.

If Matsui sticks around and Damon goes, then the Yankees need a left fielder. Matt Holiday will be the most sought after offensive free agent this offseason. And while the Yanks could surely pay him whatever it would take to keep him there for 5-8 years I don’t think they will.

Xavier Nady is still in the mix and although he was worthless in ’09 (out with a season long injury), the man has skills and has shown them in Pittsburgh and briefly in the Bronx. Saying this you begin to realize that the Yankees have a lot of options still on the team (assuming Damon is gone): Xavier Nady, Brett Gardner, Melky Cabrera, Ramiro Pena, Nick Swisher, Eric Hinske, and minor leaguer Austin Jackson (22 years-old in Scranton (AAA)). All of those players wear pinstripes at the moment and can play corner outfield positions (if not center too). So the Yankees need a big time left fielder like Bobby Brown needs a hit of crack.

Now you begin to ask what happens if the Yankees don’t sign a big offensive player? Do they sign Lackey or Halladay and beef up their prime starting rotation? No one knows the answer to these questions, we’ll just have to wait and see. But you can imagine front office meetings once the news broke that 15 million a year to stay in Boston wasn’t enough for Jason Bay.

Grab a hold of your checkbooks and let the bidding begin.