Jason Bay has been fueling the Red Sox offense lately and fans are wondering when Theo is going to sign him to a long term contract. Red Sox assistant GM Jed Hoyer was asked about the negotiations yesterday during a live chat at Sawxheads.com:
Jed Hoyer: I can’t specifically address any contract negotiations but I can say that Jason Bay has been outstanding for the organization in every way. He is a first-class teammate and he has fit in with out team seamlessly. Oh, and he seems to get big hits all the time too…
Bay is entering the prime of his career and will be looking for his big payout. He is 30 years old right now and his agent will ask for at least a 5 year deal. If he becomes a free agent the Yankees will get into the mix and throw all kinds of money at him to replace Johnny Damon in left. So should the Red Sox break the bank to lock him up for the long term? There are a couple of reasons the deal hasn’t happened yet:
The economy: Teams are not offering the huge contracts that they were a few years ago and with the current financial situation the Red Sox might want to see if the sellout streak continues and if revenue will keep up.
Bay’s career numbers: Jason Bay has only hit over .300 in 2005, in 2007 he hit .247. He is a career .284 hitter. He has had only 2 100+ RBI seasons. Last season he had 51 strikeouts with 22 walks with the Red Sox, those numbers are much better this season: 26 strikeouts with 28 walks.
This season he has looked very good at the plate and in the field and has been a good teammate who stays healthy. Is the 2009 Jason Bay the player you will get in the future? Theo needs a little more time to tell and after all, in Theo we trust.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
