MLB free agency period begins on Sunday, and while the Toronto Blue Jays aren't expected to be very active on the open market, they do have a few holes on their current roster that need to be filled.
Improving the starting rotation may not be a priority for the Jays this off-season – Ricky Romero, Shaun Marcum, Brendan Morrow, and Brett Cecil are all but locked into the top four spots and a number of prospects, including Kyle Drabek, are being considered for the final spot – but as evidenced by last year, injuries occur and you can never have too many arms at your disposal.
A number of Canadian ball players have passed through (or are currently in) the Jays system, including right-hander Shawn Hill, who started four games for Toronto last season, and another Canadian hurler could certainly give Jays fans someone extra to cheer for.
Let's take a look at each player:
Jeff Francis: Francis started 19 games last season and finished with a 4-6 record and a 5.00 earned run average. The 29-year-old southpaw's best season was in 2007 when he finished 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 34 starts but hasn't been able to recapture those numbers since as he has fought shoulder injuries for the past three seasons.
Rich Harden: Harden started 18 games for the Rangers last season, compiling a 5-5 record with a 5.58 ERA. Early in his career, Harden started strong putting up a few very solid seasons while with the Oakland A's, but injuries and ineffectiveness has plagued his career of late, and the 29-year-old right-hander has been on three teams in the past three years.
Erik Bedard: Bedard sat out the entire 2010 season due to shoulder injuries. Once considered a legitimate ace, Bedard has been a bit of a disappointment ever since being traded to the Mariners in a blockbuster deal. The biggest question with Bedard may now be whether or not he can stay healthy enough to contribute to a big league club.
http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=340001
