Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, the website of Boston’s dominant sports-talk radio station, has a fascinating story up about Jason Bay’s path to the New York Mets. It’s well worth your time to click through and read the whole thing. Here is a teaser:
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“I was truly happy to put everything behind me and become a member of the New York Mets,†Bay said from his Seattle-area home.
The months leading up to that point were a different story entirely.
As was first reported by Peter Gammons Monday on NESN, Bay did agree to a four-year, $60 million deal with the Red Sox back in July, an offer that was pulled off the table by the club due to the team’s medical concerns.
“That,†the outfielder said, “is just one-tenth of the story.â€
I don’t want to just blatantly rip off Bradford’s fine reporting so please do visit WEEI.com and check out the whole article, very interesting stuff including the Red Sox insisting that Bay have knee surgery as a prerequisite to signing a new, shorter contract, and interesting parallels between Bay and Carlos Beltran’s situation such as the Red Sox demanding a third medical opinion after Bay’s doctor’s second opinion disagreed with the Red Sox doctor’s initial opinion. Ultimately:
- Bay found himself in New York undergoing a physical performed by Mets’ team doctor Robert Altchek. The physician came to the same conclusion as the two previous doctors who examined Bay’s July MRI – that there were no medical concerns – leading to the Citi Field press conference a day later. “Much like the path of my career, this experience has not been a straight line but it all ended up working out for the best,†Bay said. “I have no regrets.â€
11 comments
joed1
1/21/2010-11:48pm at 11:48 pm (UTC -4)
That was great find by you and an awesome read too. After digesting that entire article, I feel so much better about the Bay signing after drowning in all the negative allegations regarding Bay’s health in the last 48 hours.
I just cant understand why for the life of me everything the Mets do is being cast in such a negative light by the media. I think Twitter has made it so easy for them to blurt out these unfounded charges and rumors without holding to the same level of responsibility and researching their leads like they do with their regular print editions which go through their editors.
Nice job of clearing up all the unwarranted noise surrounding this Bay signing. I’m banking on the fact he shuts everyone up with his bat this year. LGM
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-12:02am at 12:02 am (UTC -4)
Thanks Joe. Coming from an established Mets blogger such as yourself (be sure to check out Mets Merized Online in the sidebar blogroll folks) that means a lot, and since sometimes I’m a sarcastic SOB I want to assure you I’m being serious.
I too was heartened by reading Bradford’s piece and am looking forward to some LF stability, quality locker room presence and fine production from Bay.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-12:22am at 12:22 am (UTC -4)
Ankiel to KC for 1/$3.25 + option
prismo
1/22/2010-7:14am at 7:14 am (UTC -4)
Did a little calculating (as I love to do)…
Phillies projected 2010 payroll: $143MM
Phillies projected 2011 payroll: $138MM (minus Jayson Werth and Jamie Moyer)
They might be slightly downgraded in 2011…but it’s basically going to be the same World Series team for the next two season. Sucks to be any other team in the NL East…especially the Mets who are a worse team on paper and will also have barely any money to spend next offseason.
stickguy
1/22/2010-7:31am at 7:31 am (UTC -4)
well, the flip side (now that they have locked up Vicky and Blanton for 3 years) is that they will basically be the same team for the next 3 years! Oh, the flip? They will be getting to be quite old, and with the payroll pretty much maxed out, have no real room to absorb any injuries (which become more prevalent as playrs age) to important guys.
My speculation is that they are already planning to let Werth walk after 2010, with the MiL OF they didn’t trade taking over RF in 2011. Other than that, it is only the 5th SP and bench/BP spare part roles in play for the next 2 years.
Guess Amaro won’t have to be working very hard!
prismo
1/22/2010-7:37am at 7:37 am (UTC -4)
Yep, they could go with either Kendrick as a SP or Dominic Brown as a RF and spend the 5MM at the other position. Or use both those guys and spend the money on relief/bench. Either way, basically the same team, with a slightly worse (but still very good) lineup.
You’re right though, one big injury and they’re in huge trouble. If a starting pitcher gets injured, especially next season, it could spell big trouble for them.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-7:45am at 7:45 am (UTC -4)
As currently constructed, they’ve got an aging LF coming off surgery, a SS who looks to be going into the downside of his career, a BP with two key players coming off surgery and barely contributed last year and/or had horrible years (re: Lidege and Romero), and a 47 year old as part of their SP staff.
And Oh joy – I see they just gave Victorino a 3 year extension. So we get to look forward to watching him patrol CF in Philly for the next few years – NOT!!!
If you look at the past 4 years with the Phils, they’ve been incredibly lucky with their core players not being injured and playing just about the whole year. Maybe that’s contributed to their poorly constructed bench, which, from what I’m seeing, isn’t any better yet for the 2010 season. We all know how injuries can change things in a blink of an eye.
That’s what great about baseball….what’s on paper doesn’t always translate. Something else we NY Met fans know all too well.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-7:20am at 7:20 am (UTC -4)
I’m not exactly sure what to think after reading this article. Can someone tell me what Boston was trying to do there? I’m really scratching my head over the enforced surgery at the end of the 2009 season to get the contract. Surgery when he wasn’t even injured or feeling pain….
What? Boston doctors have some new preventative knee surgery they’re experimenting with?
Have no idea if Bay will every have knee, or shoulder problems in the next 4 years. But I’m convinced he certainly doesn’t have any right now.
Welcome to NY, Jason.
stickguy
1/22/2010-7:33am at 7:33 am (UTC -4)
hopefully Bay is the one that really works out well.
No idea what Boston was doing, but can you imagine the media uproar (never might the blog comments!) if this story came out but it was the Mets in the Boston role?
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-8:14am at 8:14 am (UTC -4)
Everybody bow to Peter Gammons, the purported baseball journalism god, for reporting 1/4 of the story.
CaseStreet
1/22/2010-10:28am at 10:28 am (UTC -4)
Good stuff, and w/ Beltran being out for god knows how long, we will definitely need Bay’s bat. Had we gone the Cameron route, we’d be in trouble. Though, I still think Cameron + LaRoche would’ve been a nice plan B.