Does Boston's Trade for Jeremy Hermida Mean the End for Jason Bay in Beantown?

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Fresh off the heels of watching yet another Yankees championship, the Red Sox brass have already gotten to work on improving their team's lackluster offense.

The Red Sox acquired 25-year-old outfielder Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins, giving up southpaws Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez in return. In 516 major league games, Hermida sports a .265 average, with 57 homers and a mediocre .769 OPS.

Though Hermida is by no means a middle-of-the-order slugger, this could very well signal the end of Jason Bay's tenure in Boston. Bay recently shot down a four-year, $60 million offer from the Sox, and his worth will only increase as the offseason wears on.

Bay may have led the team in home runs with 36, but his 2009 season showed he is very prone to slumps. He hit .230 in June and .192 in July, racking up a whopping five home runs. The Sox will need more consistency in left field if they hope to keep up with New York's offense.

Hermida fits in perfectly with Boston's new-found "bargain" style of team building. Unlike John Smoltz and Brad Penny, though, Hermida's best years could be ahead of him. He is still young and may blossom into one of the top hitters in their lineup.

The more likely situation, though, is that the Sox go after a player like Matt Holliday and have Hermida serve as backup. If that plan fails and they have to settle for a less glamorous bat, they will have the lefty Hermida to fall back on.

Many trades and promotions could happen for the Sox before the start of the 2010 season. With the Hermida acquisition, though, Bay does not look to be part of the plan.

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