Peter Gammons stated that Jason Bay rather play in Beirut than in Queens. (Thanks to Metsblog for the tip) Great, I have no problem with this. Let him play there. I know that the free agent process is a long and tedious one but I think it’s time for the Mets to make a little stand here and put a deadline on this offer. Enough is enough.Â
I like Jason Bay, I like his bat and his glove and I think he would be a nice addition to the Mets, he’s good, but notthat good.  Jason Bay is not a good enough player to try to convince to play in Citi Field and I think it is all to obvious that he doesn’t want to play here. So let him go, I rather play a kid in left field than a player who really doesn’t want to be here. The last thing I want to see is a Jason Bay with a face on as he tries to play left field or bat  There are plenty of players out there looking for the opportunity-find them and bring them in.Â
I understand that the Mets do not have the financial or popularity power of the Yankees, but the Mets need to have to pride here and give him an Bay an ultimatum.
I completely understand that this is what happens when a team fails. Free agents don’t want to sign with a sinking ship. (aka Roy Halladay) However, the Mets must go out there and find player that wants to play in Queens.  There out there somewhere, Omar has to look, and look hard.
So Jason, go back to Boston and enjoy yourself. I know that you never wanted to leave there to begin with.  It was nice almost knowing you.
17 comments
metsfan4decades
12/26/2009-9:15am at 9:15 am (UTC -4)
Well said – and I completely agree.
Sounds like this is another case of an agent miscalculating the market. Boston offered him almost the same thing back in July and he turned it down. Someone must have convinced him he could do better or Boston would up that offer. Yeah…remember ARod and his free agency bid? How’d that work out???
njstuckintx
12/26/2009-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
Granted that last year was a disaster to end all disasters, I don’t understand this perception that the Mets are a sinking ship. They’ve been so close to the playoffs, one would think the only down part is the pressure of being in NY. Nut house, yes. Sinking ship, no.
prismo
12/26/2009-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
I feel like a broken record, but Gammons = Red Sox groupie. I don’t think he’s an idiot, but for some reason he can’t remain unbiased…and it’s painfully obvious.
Anyway, I’m all for giving Bay a 24 hour deadline, then pulling the offer. I doubt the Red Sox would shell out the money for him after signing Cameron and already nearing their projected payroll for 2010. If the Mets got lucky, Holliday would continue to hold out, and the Cards would sign Bay, making Holliday a much easier target for the Mets.
steveo
12/26/2009-11:14am at 11:14 am (UTC -4)
I really think Bay has created a bad situation for himself if the mets pass the redsox won’t give him squat for a contract since they are really close the luxary tax threshold and he will bring them over it and to pay Bay 15 mil or so is one thing but when you figure the luxary tax amount added to that it makes it undoable inless he plays for 4 mil which ain t happening
rustyjr
12/26/2009-11:37am at 11:37 am (UTC -4)
well Mack from Macks mets said the mets are targeting Joel Pinero – as a atheist all I can say is ” Heaven help us !!!”
GravediggerHebner
12/26/2009-12:01pm at 12:01 pm (UTC -4)
“The last thing I want to see is Jason Bay with a face on…”
Priceless.
Depending on who you believe, this Jason Bay stalemate is either him genuinely not wanting to come here, or his agent grossly miscalculating the market and holding out in a desperate attempt to get more money/save face/keep his job.
If it’s the former, Bay can take a flying f*@k at a rolling donut. If it’s the latter, well then the Mets have to decide how long they wish to play that game with the agent.
I’m inclined to agree with your assessment: he’s a good hitter, but he’s not a special player worth waiting around for and being portrayed fairly or unfairly as a rudderless organization being used or abused by a player and his agent. Make a deadline, enforce it, if he doesn’t come, I wish him luck finding 4/$65 elsewhere. I think the Mets need a good starting pitcher 1,000 times more than they need Bay anyway.
rustyjr
12/26/2009-12:33pm at 12:33 pm (UTC -4)
also agreed – but do we take the chance on a marlon byrd randy winn or a jack cust – knowing well that it more thatn likely will blow up in our faces?
GravediggerHebner
12/26/2009-1:05pm at 1:05 pm (UTC -4)
If those guys come cheaply, why not, although Cust would be 3rd on my list because he’s just a bad OF (I like to call him “pocket Adam Dunn” and I don’t know if pocket Adam Dunn helps enough to justify the horrific defense. At least we KNOW Dunn can knock the ball well out of Citi Field). If it breaks there will be money left to try and fix if. If Bay comes and breaks, there’s little left, and while I had/have undying love for Lackey which made me believe that a gamble on him was worth it, I don’t feel similarly about Bay.
A lineup with Reyes, Wright and Beltran is already deeper than many lineups in the NL. Bay IMO is a luxury, a quality SP is more of a necessity, and just because there may not be one of those left doesn’t mean to me “oh well better spend that money on a hitter.”
asod75
12/26/2009-4:25pm at 4:25 pm (UTC -4)
I want no part of Cust. I think any of us bloggers could play just a good a left field as Jack Cust said, he’s an absolute butcher in the field. Of all those options, Marlon Byrd might be the most intriguing. Former Phillies uber prospect that would get a chance to inflict some damage on them. Seems to have finally blossomed with extended playing time. I wouldn’t sign him to much more than a two-year deal (preferably one and hopefully F-Mart finally gets it together, or maybe Nieuwenheis takes another step in his development). I liked Randy Winn a few years ago, but he’s getting up there in age and really doesn’t offer much more than Angel Pagan would, and he’d be a lot more expensive than Pagan. Hope everyone had a merry Christmas!
asod75
12/26/2009-4:26pm at 4:26 pm (UTC -4)
*as Jack Cust could* not said. That’s what happens when you type a response way too fast and don’t edit it before posting!
Kingman 26
12/26/2009-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
This page is an example of the greatness of this site.
You are ALL right!
Bay should have been given an ultimatum long ago, and his Met offer should be off the table by Jan 4th….Bay has created a terrible spot for himself, Gammons was a Boston writer long ago before he became a national figure, the Mets ship is NOT sinking, we need a good starter more than we need Bay, etc etc etc.
And Pineiro is an older version of Ollie. We already have a younger Ollie. We don’t need another one.
How nice to briefly stop by here and see comments wiser than much of the reporting on major sites!
Thank you all, happy holidays, and let’s go Mets!!!
Hazmet
12/26/2009-12:59pm at 12:59 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not a big believer in ultimatum’s as I don’t know when one has ever worked. Typically, it would just irritate the player. It’s still many months from the start of the season with many more twists & turns to come. Most likely none of them working in our favor since it appears Bay doesn’t want to be here and Holliday doesn’t want to play in Citifield. Pull the offer off the table without notice, throw him back into the pool with Holliday and take away some leverage from both of them. If one of them is gracious enough to “settle” for the Wilpon’s Metsbucks then it maybe for less years or dollars as the start of the season approaches and no other suitors cough up the cash they desire. If some other team does appear, then up the offer at that time but at least then it would be clear we wouldn’t be bidding against ourselves. Besides, like many here say we need pitching first anyway and there’s not much there either.
metsfan4decades
12/26/2009-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
The longer this goes on and all these posts come out about Bay not wanting to come to Queens, the more I’m thinking Bay should really thing about damage control if he does wind up signing.
If Bay and his agent drags this out trying to squeeze out more $$ and/or years, and he winds up signing with the Mets b/c there really was no other legit offer, and he doesn’t come out spitting the platitudes of how happy he is to be joining the Mets…..then he might find himself being booed by the fans until he proves himself. Not sure he gets that NY fans aren’t Boston fans. He’ll have to almost be twice as good as advertised before the Citi faithful ‘forgive’ him for apparently wanting nothing to do with the Mets.
NY ain’t for sissies, Jason. Something to think about….
CaseStreet
12/26/2009-4:04pm at 4:04 pm (UTC -4)
So without bay or holliday, which I think Omar is playing it right, do we need laroche or is Murphy fine? And if not bay or holliday, is pagan enough?
trs86
12/26/2009-6:16pm at 6:16 pm (UTC -4)
So long time no read.
Has Jason Bay been interviewed yet?
Has Jason Bay verbally turned down the offer like he did the RSox offer?
Until then we wait. No need to give an ultimatum. Who is out there that you desperately want to run out and sign and Bay is keeping you from doing that? Again, I will remain patient.
trs86
12/26/2009-6:20pm at 6:20 pm (UTC -4)
Also, can someone give Omar some credit here?
“Jerry Crasnick of ESPN says Escobar has $1.25 million guarantees withal $125,000 for making the Opening Day roster.
In addition, Escobar could earn am extra $2 million based on games pitched, and an additional $1 million based on games finished.”
That’s a great signing for a guy who IF healthy could be dominant. If not then we lost less than the Redding signing.
darknova306
12/26/2009-11:18pm at 11:18 pm (UTC -4)
You know I’m a huge Omar critic, but I have to agree, this is a really nice signing in my eyes. I’ll take less money for Escobar’s upside than more money for Redding’s trash – I mean ‘upside’.