Bay Goes Away

[revo]

The Mets and Jason Bay have called it quits, with Bay taking the remaining $19m dollars of his salary and heading into free agency. What a disaster he was! Addition by subtraction.

[Don Quixote]

The Mets and Jason Bay have called it quits, with Bay taking the remaining $19m dollars of his salary and heading into free agency. What a disaster he was! Addition by subtraction.

When Bay signed the deal, most of us thought it wouldn't turn out well late in the deal. What we didn't anticipate was that it was a disaster from Day One.

(I'm not claiming omniscience here. I spent $8 on him in PONY last year. Neither my only mistake in that league nor my worst, but pretty bad.)

Does anyone have an idea where Bay may land? I can see him signing a "make good" deal with someone, going for a 4th OF/PH/DH job.

[joncarlos]

When Bay signed the deal, most of us thought it wouldn't turn out well late in the deal. What we didn't anticipate was that it was a disaster from Day One.

Does anyone have an idea where Bay may land? I can see him signing a "make good" deal with someone, going for a 4th OF/PH/DH job.

If Cody Ross leaves Boston I can see Bay fitting in there. Same role - lefty masher, corner OF.

[Sharky]

Supposedly he wants to go to the West Coast somewhere. I hear the Dodgers have money to burn...

[Erik]

Jason Bay now has something in common with Bobby Bonilla. Both will be paid by the Mets in 2013 to not play for them.

[Don Quixote]

I assume they're looking for guys who don't suck. Just a guess. Plus, their entire OF is full for years to come unless there's a trade.

Actually, Bay as a bench bat is not the worst idea. This assumes, of course, that he rediscovers how to hit.

[revo]

Actually, Bay as a bench bat is not the worst idea. This assumes, of course, that he rediscovers how to hit.

Not gonna happen.

Bay just got $19m to walk away, which means he can sign a league minimum deal for '13 to be a starter somewhere, with the hopes he'll sign one more long-term deal with a successful season. There's no point for him to be a bench bat anywhere.

[Mithrandir]

I wonder if Bay(or any other player) ever feel guilty for making such an enormous amount of money and not really come close to earning it. Doubt it,

[virgonomic]

I wonder if Bay(or any other player) ever feel guilty for making such an enormous amount of money and not really come close to earning it. Doubt it,

I think they must. They are professional athletes who have proven they can perform at a high level. When they don't, it must eat at them, and possibly fuel their slump.

[BuckyBuckner]

I wonder if Bay(or any other player) ever feel guilty for making such an enormous amount of money and not really come close to earning it. Doubt it,

Gil Meche retired leaving $11M on the table for one year because he wasn't pitching well and felt he didn't deserve the contract. This year there was the Japanese infielder on the Twins that asked out of his contract, giving up several million to go back to Japan. Albert Belle, on the other hand, continued to cash his checks years after his playing days were over.

[revo]

I wonder if Bay(or any other player) ever feel guilty for making such an enormous amount of money and not really come close to earning it. Doubt it,

[The late, great] Lyman Bostock signed a deal with the California Angels that would reportedly pay him $2.3 million over five years, an astounding contract at the time. He had been paid $20,000 by the Twins in 1977.

The 1978 season started poorly for Bostock. So poorly, in fact, that he believed he did not deserve the lucrative contract he had just signed, and demanded that Angels owner Gene Autry keep his money until Bostock started earning it. When Autry refused, Bostock gave the money to charity, reportedly a $50,000 sum.

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/9bb77e84

[Judge Jude]

Bay by all accounts has worked his butt off thru these terrible years, earning respect if not admiration of teammates and media. Plus he's Canadian!

That said, the union doesn't want you doing any givebacks, though of course they can't make you keep playing.

NY Post had good headline after the move: "E-BAY"