Attention, Red Sox management: During this afternoon’s Sox-Rays mash-up, when you see the plane passing overhead tugging the banner that says “Pay Bay!”, just know that it’s me at the controls. And feel free to wave.
Seriously, there aren’t many cases in which locking up Jason Bay wouldn’t be a good idea. Unless, of course, you’re looking to build The All-Bronze Team of Olympic-Caliber Tanners. In that case–and that case alone–I’d have to pass on Bay.
I understand, however, that we’re only one month in, and like all good businesspeople, you want to bide your time and shop around and see how our favorite Canadian import since William Shatner holds up. But he’s already among the league’s top five in home runs, RBIs, runs and slugging percentage. And he’s neck-in-neck with Youk for the title of “guy you want at the plate when the game’s on the line.”
Last night, he came up big once more. Just when it looked like James Shields was going to keep us in handcuffs all night, Bay delivered a monstrous, game-tying, three run homer. And Shield’s reaction after he served up that pitch–smacking the mound like a guy who just missed the last steak and cheese on free sub night at Quizno’s–said it all, really. You don’t give anything away to the Man they call Bay.
But beyond all these heroics, he’s one of those rare personalities in the game about whom it seems a bad word could never be said. Quiet and unassuming, whenever he’s being interviewed by Heidi Watney, I almost expect to see him take the mike from her hand and go talk up some other player, explaining that he’s tired of the spotlight already and wants to spread the love around.
It’s a potent and intriguing combination. And one I feel that you, Red Sox Management, should consider as you sit down to discuss this team’s future, and who needs to be a part of it. Thank you.
Also, this morning, at about 9:55 or so, Surviving Grady will be one of the featured blogs on The Baseball Show on Comcast SportsNet (we won’t be part of the simulcast on EEI; just the TV version). Total airtime will be roughly 45 seconds, but we hope to make it one of the best-spent minutes of your lifetime.
UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Felger and The Baseball Show. Managed to avoid any F-bombs, although in trying to cram as much blabbering as I could into 30 seconds, I neglected to… ah, tune in and see. Just know that when I’m mentioning James Shield’s reaction to Bay’s homerun, what I mean is that Bay’s agent should include it on his highlight reel when he’s shopping him around.
