Working on a Budget: Blue Jays Should Look to The Bargain Bin

He may not have a lot of money to spend, but Toronto Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos has some outfield options.

It's no secret that Vernon Wells is an above average defender, however Travis Snyder and Adam Lind won't save the Jays' very many runs throughout the year.

Free agency could provide some cheap relief. Rocco Baldelli is looking for a suitor. Considering his health issues are under control and he won't be constantly injured and his age, he could be a good addition in right field.

He can get the job done on the field and looking back at his past he should still have potential to sport a .300 average with a little bit of pop.

Marlon Byrd is another free agent that could be brought into the fold. He's able to play all three outfield positions and he's put up three solid years in Texas. The confines of the Rogers Centre may even allow him to put up another 20 homer season, too.

A little more costly, but possibly in range since the trade of Scott Rolen and salary dump of Alex Rios on the waiver wire, could allow the Jays to make a play at Rick Ankiel. He's never made more than eight errors since making the transition from pitcher to outfield. He's also hit 25 homers in 2008. Don't forget that it takes nothing to sign him as he's neither a type A or B free agent.

Endy Chavez won't win a batting title, but he's made fewer than two errors each of his last five season.

The return of Eric Hinske? He's made it to the World Series, three times, winning seems to follow him since he left Toronto. He's cheap, why not?

In other words, there are some options on the free agent market, more than internally.

There could one or two diamonds in the rough waiting within the club, though.

Jose Bautista, could do a lot worse. On the other hand, could do a lot better. A whole season could go either way. Don't expect anything more than an average big leaguer.

Buck Coats has had another good season after a fairly good spring training with the big club, but he didn't even get a September call up this season.

In a perfect world, Lyle Overbay will get traded for a backup catcher. This opens up first base for the Pacific Coast League Player of the Year, Randy Ruiz, who is the only clown without room to get in the Volkswagen right now. This gives the Jays a chance cut a little more payroll, keep Ruiz in the fold -- he hit a combined 35 homers with Las Vegas and Toronto this season -- allows the Jays to keep Lind at DH and still leave some flexibility to strengthen the outfield defence.

Considering Anthopoulos is building, not rebuilding, maybe one of these scenarios will ultimately come to fruition. Let's just hope we don't hear anything about a five-year plan, we all know what happened to the last guy had one of those.