Not a confidence inspiring expression
According to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (Comcast Sports Net New England), the Boston Red Sox are concerned with the declining defensive abilities of LF Jason Bay. The free agent outfielder has rejected Boston’s offer of a 4 year, $60 million contract, and is currently considering a reported offer from the New York Mets of 4 years, $65 million.
McAdam’s “baseball source” told him the Sox are more inclined to increase the average annual value of their offer rather than the number of years because “they believe Bay might have to transition to DH by the end of his next contract, citing his struggles on defense.”
Bay's defensive stock has fallen, can it get up?
3 comments
njstuckintx
12/12/2009-8:49am at 8:49 am (UTC -4)
Based on the above, wouldn’t it be a lot easier for Boston to go 5 years on this deal than the Mets? If the major concern is defense and people view him slotting into the DH position, wouldn’t that make him better suited for Boston (or any AL team for that matter) than the Mets?
CaseStreet
12/12/2009-11:12am at 11:12 am (UTC -4)
very interesting considering when Manny was a Red Sox, his range in LF was -19.8, -20., -21 in 05 to 07 while Bay’s range is -14.6 and -14.4 in 08 and 09. I guess they were okay with Manny’s defense because his bat makes up for it, while Bay not so much.
GravediggerHebner
12/12/2009-11:29am at 11:29 am (UTC -4)
Bay is a consistent power performer and I give him credit for that, but he’s no Manny Ramirez as Manny’s career OPS of 1.002 dwarfs Bay’s of .896.
People buy tickets to see Manny, not Bay.
And while NJ stuck in TX brings up a valid point about the very fact that Boston HAS the DH, while NYM do not, I can only guess Boston doesn’t want to be constricted over the next 5 years in who they can/cannot sign knowing that they may have to slide Bay into the DH slot at any time.
Or it could just be a ploy by their front office to test Bay’s desire to stay there. “We want you back, but not that much, so if you want to be here you’d better take this offer Mr. DH.”