I don’t want to get ahead of myself, and I don’t want to outright proclaim that Jason Bay is back. I have been burned once before and don’t want to get burned again. So, to quote the old adage: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
So as to not jinx anything, I will remain cautiously optimistic when it comes to Bay, and whether or not he can be a vital contributor to the New York Mets.
One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that Bay is turning the corner. Let’s accentuate the positives.
Bay is hitting .328 in his last 19 games while slugging four home runs and driving in 17 runs. Bay was responsible for ending the Mets infamous grand slam drought last Tuesday against the Tigers. Bay was also responsible for starting and ending last Sunday’s essential comeback win against the Yankees.
For a team deprived of its primary power bats in David Wright and Ike Davis, Bay is actually posing a presence at the plate. It’s refreshing to know that Carlos Beltran isn’t the only one who poses a threat to go deep at a moment’s notice.
However, let’s all put our collective feet on the breaks and take a step back and exhale. Let’s not worry about Bay’s future production for the time being. Rather, let’s marvel in the moment and just go with it. Let it sink in. Let it ruminate.
Ignorance cannot always be bliss, though, and the reality of the situation has to take hold.
So, I want to believe in Bay, but I will stop short of saying he’s past his previous issues. After all, of Bay’s last 25 hits, only five have been for extra-bases (amazingly no doubles). His magnificent two home run night on Tuesday in Los Angeles was actually his third as a Met. Incredibly, out of Bay’s six 2010 home runs, four of them came in two games.
It’s not a bad thing to temper your expectations when it comes to Bay. This way, you won’t be disappointed if he goes into another funk.
Don’t get me wrong. I want this to be the real thing with every bone in my body. I don’t think I am rooting for a player as hard as I am for Bay right now.
Bay is the consummate professional. Bay is never one for excuses and he is trying his damndest to live up to his lofty paycheck. To hear guys like Terry Collins and R.A. Dickey lament how hard he tries, it seems like it is poetic justice that some good fortune falls Bay’s way.
So, faith as our will, let’s hope this surge from Bay is for real. I want to believe. I really do.
We don’t have much choice but to believe. No team is going to take his salary so he is our left fielder for 2 and 1/2 years. He has been a large dissappointment and one of the reasons we are only playing .500 ball. If this is just short term rejuvenation then eventually Bay will have to start sharing his time. Bay is a consummate pro, playing hard nose defense, stealing and running the bases and apparently being a good team player. I also want to believe the surge is for real because the other alternative leaves us a huge hole in our lineup and pocketbook.