For Jays, 2009 already looks bleak

TORONTO -- More than a few folks picked the Toronto Blue Jays to be a major player in the American League this season. If you are now among those who believe the Jays will be a factor next year, they now have a lot to overcome.

Prior to tonight's series opener between the Jays and Red Sox at the Rogers Centre, the Jays announced that pitcher Shaun Marcum needs tendon-transplant (or Tommy John) surgery on his right elbow and will miss all of next season. Remember that tonight's starter, A.J. Burnett, has the right to opt out of his contract at the end of this season and will almost certainly do so, leaving Toronto with two major holes in its starting rotation.

Earlier this year, the Jays also lost Dustin McGowan, who is not expected to return to the club until the middle of next season. The Jays obviously have had trouble scoring runs this year and the starting rotation was the clear strength of their team; Toronto starters rank first in the American League and second in the majors (behind only the Cubs) in ERA.

For now, at least, all of this is good news for the Red Sox, who generally will keep their pitching staff intact over the winter. (Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen and Justin Masterson, among others, are all under team control.) The Yankees, too, have major questions at the moment, which seems to leave the Tampa Bay Rays as the Sox' biggest concern at the moment.

At least until the Yankees start throwing around money like drunken sailors on shore leave.

One other note: For agents, this offseason could be a dream scenario with the Red Sox (roughly $40-$6 million to spend) the Blue Jays ($30 million) and Yankees (pick a number) all capable of pursuing big talent. C.C. Sabathia is out there, as is Mark Teixeira. Burnett will be out there, too.

The good news for the Sox is that they will be far less desperate than either the Jays or Yankees.