Happy New Year. Hope you enjoy your next trip around the sun.

Man, there is almost nothing to write about in the baseball world. Last week, the hometown Blue Jays signed four players - Michael Barrett, Raul Chavez, Randy Ruiz, and Mike Maroth. To be fair, they're the kind of depth-building moves that the Jays need to make - but were met with derision because they're the ONLY moves the team has made to date.

Elsewhere, everyone seems to be trying to figure out if the Dodgers can actually trade Andruw Jones, and which team might be stupid enough to take him. As a thought experiment, I will make a case for the Blue Jays - just because.

First, four reasons to NOT be interested:

1. The Jays already have two quality centre fielders in Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. They have lots of holes, but this isn't one of them
2. Jones is owed something like $20 million on his contract. The Jays are on a budget (though we're not exactly sure what the number is)
3. Jones struggled badly in 2007, and was among the worst hitters in baseball in 2008. The Jays struggled offensively last season, and don't need to get worse
4. Although he's won numerous Gold Gloves, Jones is 32 years old and fat, and may not be all that good defensively anymore

Those are pretty good reasons to stay away. But, on the other hand,

1. they might be able to trade either Wells or Rios for some quality players. It makes sense to trade one of them (likely Rios), but they would need another centre fielder in reserve
2. assuming that the Dodgers really want to get rid of Jones, then he should be available for a PTBNL
3. Jones contract has been restructured so that it might fit into the team's budget. It will be irritating to pay off over the next five years, but "irritating" doesn't equal "financial albatross"
4. Jones will be a free agent after next season. If he isn't motivated by his own embarrassing play, then at least he might be motivated by money*

* Jones is currently playing Winter Ball, which might be evidence that he is sufficiently motivated to play better in 2009. On the other hand, he's been terrible thus far, and judging from the photos I've seen of him at bat, I'm not even sure it's really Andruw!

Thus ends the thought experiment. OK, it's not the best idea in the world... but if nothing else, it would be creative, and fans might appreciate some evidence that the Jays still have a functioning GM. The Yankees, despite their massive spending spree, still have a gaping hole in centre field; if the Jays can trade Rios (or better yet, Wells) for, let's say, Brett Gardner, Austin Jackson, and I dunno, Philip Hughes or somebody, then pick up Jones for $15 million and a bucket of baseballs - if nothing else, it would make fandom more interesting. And that's why I have this website in the first place.

EDIT: So a day later, Andruw quits Winter Ball. Huh. Well, if he doesn't like the Dominican at this time of year, then he should come to Toronto and take a power skating course. Lou Gehrig was a fervent speed skater during the offseason, which helped him develop godly glutes (actually, we should say Gehrigly glutes, since I don't think even the Greek Gods had glutes like Gehrig... or Gretzky for that matter.