Report: Two things keeping a Bay-Boston reunion from happening
According to the Boston Globe, there are two distinct things that are keeping the Red Sox from bringing free agent outfielder Jason Bay back to Beantown.
Could Bay return to the Red Sox? It’s not inconceivable, according to a major league source, who said it would take two things to happen. 1. Bay would likely have to accept a backloaded contract, which would help the Sox remain under the $170 million payroll threshold for avoiding the luxury tax; and 2. the Sox would have to extend their budget, after they gave a two-year, $15.5 million deal to Mike Cameron.
Then, where would they play Cameron? He could be used against lefthanded pitching to spell Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew, or the Sox could use Ellsbury in an Adrian Gonzalez deal. But with Mike Lowell back in the fold after he failed his physical with the Rangers, the Sox have less wiggle room in their payroll and on their roster.
Call it a gut feeling, but I don’t think Bay will return to Boston. The BoSox don’t like to budge when it comes to their payroll decisions, which is why Johnny Damon played the last couple years in the Bronx instead of in Baaaston. In the end, another club will step up and pay Bay what he wants and I think he’ll cash in and move on.
Plus, as the article notes, the Red Sox already have Cameron to play left field so they’ve probably moved on. I think the only reason why the Bay-to-Boston rumors are staying afloat is because no other team has stepped up and signed him yet and it doesn’t sound like he’s even close to striking a deal with another club.
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They forgot to mention the 3rd point. No way Bay signs a contract from anyone until he hears from the Yankees.
Bay and his agent are regretting their negotiating strategy now that the market is drying up. Unfortunately for Bay his only taker are the Mets, who basically have old talent on the team. The other problem the Mets’ stadium is a cavern, as Fenway was built for Bays’ hitting stroke. Oh well Bay and his agent gambled and lost. Trouble with that, the Sox lost a power hitter, when thy needed one the most.
The yankee’s probably won’t come calling, Holiday is more their type of player. The only possible scerio is to sign Bay, just so the Sox can’t, otherwise you are a Yankee fan or a dreamer. Take you pickinedan
I’m sorry…did I say the Yankees would sign him? No…the Yankees don’t want him but they will want to make the Redsox overpay if they want him. His agent will not sign with anyone until he finds out the level of interest from the Yankees, for the very reason you stated in your post. The market has dried up and his only real bargaining chip would be to give the appearance he would sign with the Redsox rival. This has nothing to do with being a fan or not. Every big name free agent tests those waters before they sign. Maybe you should stop following the Redsox and learn something about baseball.
T-Bone,
You’re thinking like it’s 1997…..ain’t that way anymore. Yankees don’t want him, and the Red Sox know it….so inquire away Yankees, it won’t make any difference. The days of the Yankees pulling strings is over, at least here in Beantown.
The only way Bay come back to the Sox is with an incentive heavy, deferred money contract.
Don’t need him, and now don’t want him.
Baseball lesson learned, and filed away!
Wow…it’s not that way anymore? Why do you think the Redsox try to make most of their moves via trade and not free agency? They are the kings of stealing good players from teams that don’t want to pay them. The Redsox had more of a chance back in 1997 because those Yankee teams were pretty much set except for some bit players. Now the Yankees look to reload every year which is why the Redsox prefer to find talent already under contract. Any player looking for big money will always try to get the Yankees into play and drive up the price.