Jason Bay Signs With Mets

[TheNext44]

Originally Posted by Will M

Bay is so bad defensively that a fair amount of his offensive pluses are negated. Plus you never know what will happen on the south side of age 30. Not a wise move by the Mets IMO. Not that he won't help in 2010. I just think by 2012 it could start to get a big ugly in NY.

I'm a big fan of the new defensive metrics, but my family that lives in Boston says that Bay is a pretty decent fielder, and don't know why he has such a bad UZR. It might have to do with the Green Monster, but he had bad defensive ratings when he was in Pittsburgh too. I wonder if any Zoner's from Boston have an opinion on his defense.

I will say that this a pretty dumb move by the Mets. He's probably going to get worse, they don't need him, and he is taking up a huge part of their payroll. At least this should be a better signing than O Perez was.

[cincinnati chili]

He's one of the better hitters in baseball 5 out of the last 6 years. I'd sure like to have him on my team. Sure it's a ton o money, but snlike say the Pedro signing, I don't fear the back end of his contract so much.

[Scrap Irony]

Good deal for Bay. The Mets can afford a contract like this and he does one thing many Mets can't seem to do-- stay healthy.

[blumj]

Originally Posted by TheNext44

I'm a big fan of the new defensive metrics, but my family that lives in Boston says that Bay is a pretty decent fielder, and don't know why he has such a bad UZR. It might have to do with the Green Monster, but he had bad defensive ratings when he was in Pittsburgh too. I wonder if any Zoner's from Boston have an opinion on his defense.

He just doesn't get to much out there, not any more than what's hit pretty close to him, which looks okay if you're mostly used to Manny not paying attention. Fenway might skew the UZR some, but you can really see it in the bigger parks on the road. I'd have liked him back at the right price, but you can see where, in a few years, they would probably wind up in the same situation with him that they're in with Lowell right now.

[edabbs44]

Originally Posted by GADawg

tru dat...Jason Bay is a solid big leaguer but will be a non-factor there without a pitching staff to keep them in games.

As good as Bay is would he even be a big deal if he hadn't played for the Sox? it just peeves me how much attention these guys get playing in Boston or New York....can you imagine if Dunner had put up his career numbers in a Boston uni? The sportswriters would've already enshrined him by now

The difference is that the big market teams wanted Bay. They don't want Dunn. Should tell us something.

[NJReds]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Mets need pitching, much more than hitting.

They need both. Not a bad signing.

I think they overpaid, though as it seems as though they were negotiating against themselves.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by NJReds

They need both. Not a bad signing.

I think they overpaid, though as it seems as though they were negotiating against themselves.

The Red Sox had reportedly made a comparable offer early in the signing period. I don't get this "negotiating against themselves" idea. If they play the waiting game, then other teams get into the mix at some price and they lose their target. For example, say they wait it out and the price has dropped to $55M, but now they have four teams in the mix and Bay isn't sure he is a Big Apple type.

Of course, you will always be paying premium for "name" free agents in the current structure.

[UKFlounder]

If that happens, you can always increase your offer to make it more attractive. If the price drops to $55 million and 3 other teams get involved, then re-raise it to $60 or whatever to try to eliminate that other interest.

Still, it is a risk, and the point about "if you want someone, go get him" is very valid, but that comes with the risk of overpaying, at least if there is not a lot of other interest in him.

Originally Posted by traderumor

The Red Sox had reportedly made a comparable offer early in the signing period. I don't get this "negotiating against themselves" idea. If they play the waiting game, then other teams get into the mix at some price and they lose their target. For example, say they wait it out and the price has dropped to $55M, but now they have four teams in the mix and Bay isn't sure he is a Big Apple type.

Of course, you will always be paying premium for "name" free agents in the current structure.

[NJReds]

Originally Posted by traderumor

Bay isn't sure he is a Big Apple type.

If you can play in Boston, you can play in NY. Especially the Mets, who take a backseat to the Yankees on most days.

[bucksfan2]

This is the definition of a bad singing. Bay may be serviceable in the outfield for the first year or two of his contract, but what happens in years 3-4-5? He is not playing in Fenway anymore where the Monster changes the game, he is playing in the huge Citi Field. In year 3 of this contract Bay will be a DH playing LF.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by NJReds

If you can play in Boston, you can play in NY. Especially the Mets, who take a backseat to the Yankees on most days.

I don't know what his reason was, but I read recently that NY was not his first preference. Bay was traded to Boston and didn't seem to have much desire to stay there. I think he went where the money was, not necessarily his city of choice. That was the basis for my hypothetical comment.

[blumj]

Originally Posted by traderumor

I don't know what his reason was, but I read recently that NY was not his first preference. Bay was traded to Boston and didn't seem to have much desire to stay there. I think he went where the money was, not necessarily his city of choice. That was the basis for my hypothetical comment.

There were also rumors that he didn't want to go back to the Red Sox because they did something that really upset him during negotiations, nothing to do with location or playing environment.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by blumj

There were also rumors that he didn't want to go back to the Red Sox because they did something that really upset him during negotiations, nothing to do with location or playing environment.

Hmmmm.... I'm guessing they played a John Mayer CD while they negotiated.

[KoryMac5]

Originally Posted by blumj

There were also rumors that he didn't want to go back to the Red Sox because they did something that really upset him during negotiations, nothing to do with location or playing environment.

I don't think the Sox were willing to give him the option deal and I think the Mets were willing to pay a little bit more. Reports I had heard stated that Bay's agent did try to go back to the Sox to set up a bidding war. Unfortunately for Bay the Sox signed Cameron and told him to get lost.

Not a great move for the Mets as that park sucks the life out of sluggers. ESPN showed today that out of 36 hr's only 12 would have gone out of all 30 parks. When you play half your games at Citi Field I would expect Bay to drop to 15-20 hr power.

[TheNext44]

Originally Posted by blumj

He just doesn't get to much out there, not any more than what's hit pretty close to him, which looks okay if you're mostly used to Manny not paying attention. Fenway might skew the UZR some, but you can really see it in the bigger parks on the road. I'd have liked him back at the right price, but you can see where, in a few years, they would probably wind up in the same situation with him that they're in with Lowell right now.

Thanks. I think the fact that he replaced Manny was the key to my family thinking he wasn't that bad. lol

And I think the fact that the Red Sox replaced him with a defensive whiz in Cameron says what they thought of his defense and its importance.