Are we witnessing the real Jason Bay?

The return of Jason Bay has widely been considered a major reason why the Mets have been playing better baseball of late. (Notwithstanding last night’s 10-3 drubbing at the hand of the Phillies).

Prior to last night’s game, the Mets had gone 6-1 in Bay’s return and raised their collective batting averages from .238 to .297 while scoring two more runs a game in the seven games since.

So, could the Mets finally be getting the man they paid $66 million for?

Well, the answer is not so cut and dry. It’s still very early, but the early returns look like Bay is the player who was a perennial 30+home run, 100+ RBI guy with the Pirates and Red Sox, and not the guy Mets ran out there last season.

Bay’s 2010 campaign has been well documented and dissected. With just six home runs, a .749 OPS and missing almost half the season with a concussion, Bay was labeled a bust.

Rightfully so.

Citi Field’s spacious dimensions messed with Bay’s psyche and the universal thought was he would rebound much the same way David Wright did last year after his first year playing at the new stadium.

Bay has come back with a chip on his shoulder. He is sticking to his old stance and is not giving into changing mechanics. He wants to prove he is healthy. He wants to impose his will on pitchers and let them know that he still carries a big stick.

So far, he is doing just that.

In his seven games back, Bay has batted .300 with one home run, two doubles, three runs batted while also scoring six runs. While the numbers are not eye-opening, what they represent is stabilization and a sense of relief.

The mere presence of Bay in the lineup has paid off dividends. With Bay-on top of Wright and Carlos Beltran-batting before him, Ike Davis has felt relaxed and comfortable at the plate. You have to give at least partial credit to Bay for Davis’ recent torrid streak, in which Davis has hit safely in the last 11 games (Bay being present for eight of them).

With the season Davis is off too, you can expect Bay to get some good pitches to hit as long as Davis is raking behind him.

It’s nice to see Bay play relaxed and loose while just letting the game come to him. He is not pressing, which was a major issue last year.

This year it seems as though Bay is having more “fun” on the field.

While Bay is no savior, his season will be of paramount importance to the Mets. And for now, I think we are seeing the real Jason Bay.