Is Jason Bay selling out? This is always a tough question to ask, and fans are often polarized by such a question. By not agreeing to any of the offers given to him by the Red Sox, he is testing the patience of the Boston fan base. Some would say that Bay is fully entitled to test the free agent market. He has earned the right to play where he wants and for as much money as he can get. Others would say that Bay has a good thing going in Boston. The fans love him, the team loves him, and he’s just plain good. Both arguments are correct. It just comes down to what Bay wants to do.

Bay is among the top outfielder free agents still available this offseason. His credentials include a career .280 average, 185 home runs, and 610 RBI. He was the 2004 NL Rookie of the Year and is a three-time All-Star. He won the Silver Slugger award in 2009 after hitting 36 home runs and driving in 119; both career highs. He scored 103 runs of his own, had a .384 on-base percentage, and did not commit a single error in left field. He finished seventh in AL MVP voting. A career year like this certainly warrants Bay’s holding out on Boston to wait for the best available offer.

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly one of the teams interested in Bay. A native of Trail, British Columbia, Bay’s connection to Canada is well-noted by fans due to his success in baseball to this point. The Blue Jays have had at least one Canadian on their Major League roster for most of their history. For some reason, many Canadian fans believe it is important for the Jays to have one of their own on the team. Right now, the Jays have right-hander Scott Richmond competing for a spot in the starting rotation in 2010, but with the amount of young pitchers coming up, Richmond’s future with the big league club is all but set in stone. Jays fans are calling for GM Alex Anthopoulos to get Bay back from the States, no matter the cost.

The problem for Canadians is that Bay does not seem to be very interested in Toronto. He recently became an American citizen and resides with his family in his wife’s hometown of Seattle. They also have two American-born daughters. The Red Sox have reportedly thrown a four-year deal at Bay, estimated around $60 million, but were turned down. Whether Bay is looking for longer term or more money is not clear, but regardless of what he chooses, he’s certainly going to alienate somebody. If he stays in Boston, fans will be upset about what he put them through, if he leaves, they’ll say he sold out. Either way, Jason Bay is going to get exactly what he wants.