Story to watch: A season at the Bay

Look, no one is going to outslug Manny Ramirez.
During his seven-and-a-half seasons in the Hub, he averaged 37 homers and 116 runs batted in. His on-base percentage never dipped below .388 and he slugged under .587 just once.
That's absolutely insane.
And Bay is almost certain not to become an iconic player in Boston. He will be 30 during the season so he probably only has four or five years there.
So, why, you ask, is Bay a story we should be paying attention to?
Put aside your thoughts and concerns about Manny and his exploits as a free agent. Put aside the idea that Bay won't become the next Rice, Yaz or Splendid Splinter.
Now, look at what Bay faces this season.
He's not only replacing a legend, he's going to be a key cog on a team that should be the favorite to represent its league in the World Series.
Sox fans have to face facts: Mike Lowell is aging rapidly. Jason Veritek already has. David Ortiz has never hit 30 homers without Manny hitting near him. J.D. Drew has played more than 140 games in a season just three times.
But Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis should each hit .300, combine for 40-45 homers and drive in their fair share of runs.
So, if things don't go well for any of the other regulars, it's going to be up to Bay to pick up the slack.
And, based on his career numbers, he should do that.
Playing without protection in the Pittsburgh Pirates' lineup, he hit 26, 32, 35, and 21 homers going into last season. At the time of his trade, he had 22 long bombs. Bay finished with 31.
Bay could put up numbers similar to Mike Greenwell. Or, if the Red Sox are lucky, he could become their version of Paul O'Neill. When O'Neill came to the New York Yankees he had been an above-average outfielder who blossomed in the Big Apple, where he had a stadium that suited his swing and, ultimately, a better lineup surrounding him.
Look at how things could fall into place for Bay.
He's a right-handed masher who could take advantage of the Green Monster and bash 40 doubles and 35 homers for the next five or six seasons. And if he does that, on a team that should contend for a ring in each of those seasons, he could cement a strong legacy in Boston.
Plus, he's more than capable in the field and has the potential to steal 15-20 bases per season.
So Bay's no one-dimensional player.
While everyone else is watching the same old story of Manny being Manny again, it might be more interesting to see what Bay turns into in Beantown.