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Jason Bay to become a U.S. Citizen

by Craig Calcaterra
July 02, 2009



Craig writes the Shysterball blog for the Hardball Times.


Aaron Moreno said...

Damn snowbacks are taking over this country!

Posted 07/02  at  01:38 PM
J.W. said...

Ok now. Come on. Look. I know baseball lends itself to some absurd stats (made up example: Jason Marquis becomes the first Rockies pitcher to induce 17 groundballs since Mike Hampton did it in 2002) that are extremely specific and occur within a very small span of time. But “first Red Sox player to be naturalized since Dominican-born David Ortiz was sworn in LAST SUMMER in Fenway Park” ??!!? What, it’s noteworthy that it’s been all of 10 months since the last Red Sox player freakin’ NATURALIZED?!?! If ANYTHING, it should read: “suprisingly, Bay is the second member of the Red Sox to naturalize in the last 12 months.”  I mean seriously!

Good gracious.

/rant.

Posted 07/02  at  01:55 PM
Dan said...

What are the chances that Bay will follow in the footsteps of the previous Red Sox left fielder and run out to his position waving a tiny American flag?

Somehow I kind of doubt it but it would be amusing if he did.

Posted 07/02  at  02:05 PM
Thomas Beck said...

Does this mean he’ll be playing for the USA in the next World Baseball Classic?

Posted 07/02  at  02:20 PM
TomG said...

This stuff belongs in and sounds as if it was written for the local newspaper, not here. Nothing to do with baseball. What a colossal waste of time, energy and what appears to be a smattering of intellect.

Of course, the website could be renamed the LocalBall Times to suit the “social” commentary.

Posted 07/02  at  02:24 PM
Pete Toms said...

Bay has been gettin bashed a bit up here over this….unfortunately there are many hosers who can only express pride in their country through condescending about the US…well English Canadians anyway, the Quebecois actually have their own distinct culture and are not remotely as preoccupied with matters in the US as the Anglo Canadians….I bet Bay’s change in citizenship is all about taxes…

Posted 07/02  at  02:39 PM
Craig Calcaterra said...

TomG:  Nice.  I love the way that things can become instant memes around here.

Pete:  I thought Bay actually did mention his wife and kids or whatever in all of this, but yeah, it could be a tax thing.

And I’m surprised I got no comment from you re: the Blue Jays-Rays blurb in ATH today, Pete . . .

Posted 07/02  at  02:49 PM
Michael said...

Re: taxes: Bay has not renounced his Canadian citizenship. He is now a dual citizen. Also, taxes are generally about where you live, rather than your citizenship, right?

I’m not a tax lawyer, but if Bay is married to an American and has a Green Card his tax situation certainly can’t change much by adding a US Passport to his luggage.

Posted 07/02  at  03:56 PM
TC said...

Faneuil Hall: one of the worst tourist traps in the US.  It seems a weirdly appropriate place to become naturalized.

Posted 07/02  at  04:06 PM
Pete Toms said...

@ Michael - You’re probably correct and I’m probably wrong.  I haven’t given this much thought, I don’t really give a crap about Bay’s citizenship.  I did notice that Jeff Blair wrote this on his blog (this is the entire entry BTW),

“Trail, B.C.’s Jason Bay has become a dual citizen.

Damn Americans.”

Mr. Blair frequently and consistently makes no secret of his disdain for all things in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

@ Craig - I know you were baiting us hosers this AM, but I haven’t been able to come up with a witty retort. 

Despite the patriation of our constitution in 1982, there remains 1 province which hasn’t signed it and our head of state (the GG) is still the Queens representative here (or somethin like that). 

Come to Ottawa, we’ll eat some poutine and beavertails (beavertails are pretty much a tourist thing but poutine is truly canadian), drink some Blue, play some road hockey (our true national sport, not ice hockey), go 5 pin bowling and dicuss our dysfunctional politics.

Posted 07/02  at  04:46 PM
Ron said...

The United States doesn’t recognize dual citizenship. As far as the US is concerned, he is an American citizen and nothing else counts.

Posted 07/03  at  08:22 AM
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