25
2012
Met’s Won’t Release Jason Bay, So What’s Next For The Slugger?
An article by 
It comes as no surprise that the New York Mets have gone on record as saying they will not be releasing Jason Bay prior to the 2013 season. With the amount of money that is invested in Jason Bay, it is better to hang on to him and see if he can turn it around, instead of getting nothing in return for the investment. In the business world, these are considered sunk costs – costs that have already been incurred and cannot be recovered. The amount paid should not affect any decision making in the future.
The Mets have determined that Bay’s contract is a sunk cost. Many Mets fans will be outraged with the recent news that Bay will be on the 2013 roster. Bay, on the other hand, has one more year to prove that he isn’t the biggest bust in New York Mets history. Bay has to take advantage of this situation, and start mending his relationship with the fans right now.
The first thing Bay should do, after hearing the recent news, is sign up to play Winter Ball. He has to make an attempt to get to the root of his offensive problems, because his collapse has been inexplicable. Winter ball would be the first step in showing the fans that he is serious about getting back on track. It will show the fan base that he still has some pride in his work. If he waits until Spring Training to try and work out his issues, it’s likely he will have the same results as he had in 2011 & 2012. He has to work out the issues before he gets to Spring Training, and the best way to do that, is by playing Winter Ball.
2013 may also be the last chance Bay has to prove to the other teams in the MLB that he is worth signing in 2014. It’s his last chance to prove to himself that he is a major league ball player. It’s difficult to see an athlete fall from grace the way Bay has these past few years. His relationship with the Mets fans may be too far gone to repair at this point, but a decent showing in 2013 would definitely be a step in the right direction. It ultimately falls on Jason Bay to repair that relationship with the fans. Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, the Mets fans will have a reason to embrace him once again.
About the Author: Mitch Petanick
Mitch is currently an Editor and Minor League Analyst for Mets Merized Online. His baseball experience includes being a former All-Conference collegiate baseball player who had numerous professional tryouts, and he is currently a hitting instructor. He has been involved with the game of baseball for over 30 years now as a player, coach, and consultant. Mitch is also a former Featured Columnist on Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @FirstPitchMitch.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 6.5 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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I’ll say this again: it’s stupid to assume that the Mets won’t release Bay because they say they won’t when they can’t say anything else if they want any chance of trading him and thereby getting anything of value in return for him.
Agreed, FO personnel have agendas and that has nothing to do with telling the fans the truth as the truth is usually counter productive to the agenda.
That and the masses are idiots.
It doesn’t make fiscal sense to release a player making $19m…they will hang on to him until the last possible moment. I think they are more afraid of releasing him and paying him $19m while he goes and plays for a different team on he cheap and returns to form. They may end up paying him to play against them. They can’t have that.
Mitch, COMBINED perez and Castillo were making $18 million.. it can be done! and my point is, THREE GM’S in house, and none can come up with a creative way to get rif of this guy is beyond me!! Pathetic and lame job
That is a very real fear. I think it is not very likely, but it would be disastrous if it indeed happened.
thats why I think he’ll be here opening day but gone soon after.
A) They’ve done it before with Perez and Castillo.
B) That’s just your speculation, because again, this article proves absolutely nothing other than that the Mets front office, contrary to popular belief, is a lot smarter than several fans who would rather they say “Bay sucks and we’re going to release him if we can’t trade him, now excuse me while I call other teams to see who’s interested in giving up anything for a player they can just sign later on.”
What’s next for the slugger? Think the word slugger should be in quotes
I wish Jason Bay woukd just call Ryan Brauns “”"GUY”"” …..*hint**hint
He has to hit the first. LOL
Sorry, He has to hit the ball first.
It’s hilarious to refer to Jason Bay as a Slugger. The guy couldn’t lead a softball beer league in home runs..