11
2012
Morning Grind: Bay Is Having A Negative Impact On Davis’ Performance
An article by 
I couldn’t be more thrilled right now with the 4-1 start this team is off to.
For a team that was low on expectations, a fast start was critical to establishing a good foundation built on confidence in themselves and the knowledge that they are capable of winning any game when the team executes.
That said, I have some deep and abiding concerns…
Both Ike Davis and Jason Bay are struggling, but for quite different reasons.
In some ways I blame Davis’ slow start on Jason Bay. The Mets’ young first baseman was deservedly tabbed to be the cleanup hitter early on in training camp. It was good decision and one that was fully supported by all the peripherals in his short career.
But in addition to battling some timing issues and possibly some fatigue from his Valley Fever diagnosis, the biggest stumbling block could be the unhealthy diet of breaking pitches and changeups he is being dealt thanks in great part to Jason Bay. So far this season, Davis is only seeing about 25% fastballs at the plate – and in two-strike counts that number falls to just below 20%. Compare that to the 45% fastball ratio that the average hitter sees and the problem becomes quite apparent.
Jason Bay is not only having an adverse effect on the team in general, particularly the offense, but his presence in the five spot in the order is a contributing factor to the struggles of one of the most important spots to any lineup, the cleanup hitter. Bay continues to see his offense slide and just when you think it can’t get any worse it absolutely does.
It’s time to make the difficult decision of:
1. Batting Bay lower in the order and putting Lucas Duda in the five spot without any further delay.
2. Platoon him and try to net some value from left field when a right-hander is on the mound.
Either way you slice it, Bay is still going to collect on his $66 million dollar deal. But what this team needs more than anything else right now is to get some real offense out of that left field spot which is usually a haven for some of the top sluggers in the league.
After two straight seasons of having the worst ranked offense in the National League coming out of left field, enough is enough. Bay has been given every opportunity imaginable to work himself out of this funk.
People love to use statistics to project all the time. If you look at Jason Bay’s peripherals since he swapped a Red Sox jersey for a Mets jersey, the future is plain to see.
His once solid career as a slugger is apparently over. It has nothing to do with injury, or with Citi Field, or his batting stance. It has everything to do with a complete deterioration of his bat speed, responsiveness, instincts, power, and of course his confidence which is completely shattered. Some players may be able to overcome one or even two of those things, but at 33, Jason Bay will only get worse, not better. It’s time to move on just as we did with with Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. Mentally, I believe most of us have already moved on, but now we have to get Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson to follow suit.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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Gary Cohen on WFAN just said that Murphy cost the Mets four outs last night. He added that they should have left him in the outfield and should pump him up and trade him to the AL. Sounds like everything I’ve been saying.
I imagine some Mets fans will now say Gary Cohen is a terrible, crazy, lunatic, over the top, ridiculous, whiny ass Mets fan. LOL
Come on… tell Ike to stop waving at the offspeed junk and they will stop throwing it so much.
There is no data suggesting the name on the front of one’s uniform has any correlation to the production of one’s bat.
Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson will give Bay more than 5 games into the season to make a decision different than the one they made in the offseason regarding Bay. 5 games is nothing.
I don’t think it’s a lock that he’ll have an even lower career worst year. I also don’t care about the ‘production from left field’ on a team that has and will score the most runs in the NL East.
The Mets also don’t have an awesome option to put there. I’m sure Torres will see some time in the lineup instead of Bay in a month if this is continuing, long way out though.
Every day I tell myself Bay can turn it around…maybe with this at bat. Just about every time, the fails me and all the other Mets fans. Every once in a while, he’ll collect a couple of hits in a game, and we’ll think that he’s on the mend.
He hit well last September after a miserable year. I thought maybe he’s getting his groove back.
As I said over a week ago, I would give him six weeks (definitely batting no higher than sixth in the lineup) to be a genuine offensive presence–minimum 3 HRS and 16 RBIs, .250AVG–or cut him.
I basically said this yesterday in the ” We’re A Better Team than People Give Us Credit For” post. Bay is reducing Ike and you simply cannot have this ripple down effect for 1 of your better young players and clean-up hitter. I think at the most Sandy and TC have to give Bay another 2 months to show some sort of meaningful turnaround with the bat and if not start thinking about another LF option or options. What’s the big deal and difference here? Sandy last season ate a combined 18MM with Ollie and Castillo so what’s the difference if he eats Bay’s combined 18MM salary and prorated signing bonus next year. Plus obviously, the Mets right now want to mainly rebuild with young players from their farm system and where does Jason Bay fit into this.
I personally don’t buy into the fact that Jason Bay is responsible for Ike’s 0 for the season. I think Ike has looked a little lost at the plate, especially in the first 2 games. I think he’s not being patient, and if he’s getting junk pitches then he controls whether he will get better pitches if he doesn’t swing at junk. Ike has been on base what? Twice?
If he’s getting no pitches to hit, he’d get on base more by being patient. He’s struck out 6 times in 4 games. And then once last night in his only AB.
Fun Fact: Last year David Wright struck out 7 times in his first 5 games. And I’ll bet anything most of the same people who will blame Bay for Ike’s struggles were blaming Wright for Wright’s struggles in 2011.
So Jason Bay is not at fault in my view. It’s the guy with the bat in his hand.
I agree that bay should drop in the order (well, that and get put on the bench more often), but BS that he is responsible for Ike. Ike is responsible for Ike.
He is getting a steady diet of crap breaking balls, because he keeps flailing at them. As long as he is doing that, they will keep coming. Expect that 25% (and I would have thought that was already lower) to keep dropping. Hell, if I was a manager, I would fine my pitcher for throwing ike a FB right now.
Ike would be seeing the same pitches with Pujols hitting behind him.
So as a few others noted, stop swinging at them, and eventually teams will get tired of walking him and throw a strike. And if not, still better to take the walks then to take the K on unhittable crap.
Maybe got Duda, Ike, Bay as the 4, 5, 6?
I can see where Ike might be pitched around because of Bay hitting behind him but perhaps a more experienced hitter would not swing at such pitches. One thing, it would raise his OBP a lot.
But Terry likes the lefty-righty-lefty switchoff. How important that is, the insiders know more than we do.
Can’t believe Gary Cohen said those remarks – shows that he won’t take the role of a homer. But Murph in left and Duda in right – is that anyway to welcome Captain Kirk to centerfield?
Cohen’s remarks are increadable. Yes, it is time to reduce Bay’s role. Could Bay fill Hairston’s role as a right handed bat off the bench? Murphy is best at third base. He was painful to watch in leftfield. Wright, a one time gold glove. may need to move into the outfield to allow for a better team. Give Valdispiin or Turner a shot at second.
This is so true. I’ve seen Ike get entirely too many breaking balls. Especially with 2-strikes. And it also seems that all the borderline calls have gone against him. Way too many walks back to the dugout with Ike just shaking his head (or angrily muttering at the ump with his back turned). Once David gets back, they should immediately move Duda up to the 5-hole. Although, The Dude needs to up his average as well. He hasn’t done much besides those two dingers. Duda still poses a better threat than Bay in that slot though.
I still don’t think my friend. That Bay hitting behind Ike is forcing Ike to see more breaking pitches. He is seeing them because he keeps swinging at them. It’s not like they are pitching around him to get to Bay when Ike keeps striking out every ab.
Bay needs to be given the Oliver Perez treatment. He is a useless player who drags down the whole team. It will be expensive but worth it.
Bay needs to be given the untrainable wild dog treatment and taken to the back yard and shot.
How long before Jason Bay suffers one of those unverifiable injuries (rib cage soreness, groin strain, etc.) that will lead to the disabled list and enables the Mets collect insurance on his contract?
If the Mets could the centerfield fence to about 15 feet behind second base, maybe Bay could get 3 to 5 home runs this year.
But there is a bright side. The good doctor from Toronto, Dr. Galia, should be getting back into business soon after his conviction for HGH dealing. But he will need to get the Dr.’s new telephone number.