Mets manager Terry Collins is seriously considering a major shakeup in the lineup that would include batting the struggling Jason Bay in the No. 2 spot of the batting order.

“I’m going to try something,” Collins said. He added, “We’ve got to get him some protection, there’s no question about it.”

Bay seems to have no problem with it, saying that he’d hit anywhere and that it made no difference to him.

The idea is that with Bay batting second, he would be protected by right fielder Carlos Beltran and get better pitchers to hit.

Original Post 5/18: Bay Is Running Out Of Time 

Now that David Wright is officially going to join Ike Davis and Angel Pagan on the DL after being diagnosed Monday with a stress fracture in his lower back, Peter Botte of the Daily News says it would be nice if Jason Bay started “providing some production commensurate with his $66 million contract.

“Now’s the time you find out what guys are really made of,” said Bay, who is hitting just .216 with a .656 OPS and two home runs in 20 games since coming off the DL with a ribcage injury. “Regardless of if they’re hurt or not, I think it’s important for me to get back on track.”

Bay had a would-be homerun taken away from him on Monday night by the expansive dimensions in Citi Field and was asked his thoughts on the deep alleys.”

I thought I hit it pretty well. At least, well enough to go off the wall. But apparently not. It definitely doesn’t help, no question.”

The next time he came to bat, hitting it deep wasn’t as big of a concern as the Mets slugger was asked to sacrifice bunt with Carlos Beltran on first and none out in the tenth.

Bay has just six RBIs this season and in 116 games as a Met, he has homered just eight times with a .251 batting average in 426 at-bats. He is batting .178 o the road this season going 8 for 45.

There may not be a season left to salvage when David Wright or Johan Santana comes back if Jason Bay doesn’t get things figured out soon.

Sooner or later, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran who have carried this team for nearly two months, will cool down a little making Bay’s lack of production even more glaring than it is now.

On the lighter side, did any of you catch this fan at the end of Monday night’s SNY broadcast?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3gEKK_fGvU&feature=player_embedded