The New York Mets released slugger Jason Bay in November, a full season before his $66 million contract was up. So obviously unhappy with his performance were the Mets, and so apparently certain he didn't have enough left at age 34 because of injuries and who knows what else, they preferred to cut Bay and pay him $21 million just to be rid of him. This is the same Mets team that's been teetering on insolvency in recent history because of the Bernie Madoff scandal.
Four months later, the Seattle Mariners say they're considering using Bay as their leadoff hitter. The same Bay who never has hit leadoff before (he's only hit second 14 times). The same Bay who batted .165/.237/.299 in 215 plate appearances for the Mets in 2012. The same Bay who finished with a .687 OPS over three injury riddled seasons playing for New York.
Hey, if you're going to bring in a former star trying to salvage his career — and you're the Mariners, who have finished last in four of the past five seasons — you might as well start him at the top. Bay, a funny and self-effacing sort , doesn't see what the big deal is. From the Seattle Times :
“It’s going to be the same as if I’m hitting fourth, fifth, or eighth,” he said. “I’m just going to be doing the same thing.”
He means, presumably, like when Bay hit .280/.375/.519 from 2004-2009 . More from the Times:
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