Kuzul

The Seattle Mariners have not made a decision on their final roster spot, but as noted by MLB.com, signs point to Jason Bay winning the job. Casper Wells may still be in the running, but in this case, Seattle may go with the veteran presence of Bay.

A tweet from Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times suggests that Bay may be the guy:

#Mariners hold off on the Casper Wells/Jason Bay decision. BUT..Wells staying in Ariz. to play minor league games, Bay going with M’s to SLC

— Geoff Baker (@gbakermariners) March 28, 2013

Assuming that Bay does make the team, it will be interesting to see what role he plays for the Mariners. Will he make a solid contribution, or will he simply occupy a spot on the Seattle bench?

Realistically, Bay is not necessarily going to be an impact starter unless Franklin Gutierrez cannot stay healthy or another outfielder is unproductive. At 34 years old, Bay was never intended to be a long-term solution.

The Mariners hope that spring training will be a reflection of Bay’s performance during the regular season. When you look at the 2012 stats, there were certainly signs that there was trouble ahead for Bay.

His 2012 stats looked like this:

Spring training: 46 at-bats, .196 average, 9 hits, 0 home runs, 0 RBI, 15 strikeouts

Regular season: 194 at-bats, .165 average, 32 hits, 8 home runs, 20 RBI, 58 strikeouts

His 2013 stats are significantly better, at least in spring training.

Spring training: 52 at-bats, .327 average, 17 hits, 2 home runs, 6 RBI, 17 strikeouts

Regular season: TBD

Obviously the spring training statistics have to be put in context. Many players hit well during camp, as they are facing a wide variety of pitching talent. In addition, the strikeouts are still a bit high, as Bay is striking out almost 33 percent of the time.

Still, the .327 average and a .407 on-base percentage are good signs that Bay has regained some confidence at the plate. Realistically, the Mariners do not expect Bay to be a dominating presence in the lineup, but it would be nice to have some solid offense off the bench or in an occasional start.

Again, Bay has not officially been awarded the final spot on the roster. However, it seems reasonable that he will be in a Seattle uniform on April 1 when the Mariners face the Oakland Athletics.

If Casper Wells does not make the squad, what will be his fate? Greg Johns of MLB.com tweeted this about the reason that Seattle has yet to announce a decision:

@tjmaurizio I don’t think it’s about seeing Wells. It’s about buying time to make a move or for him to clear waivers.

— Greg Johns (@GregJohnsMLB) March 28, 2013

It will be interesting to see if there is actually any market for Wells. What team wants a 28-year-old guy who hit .228 in 2012? At best, the Mariners might receive a low-level minor league or the always popular “player to be named later.”

It is time for Jason Bay to show that he can still play. Otherwise, he won’t be on this team for very long.

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The Seattle Mariners started spring training camp with 61 players. They are now down to 47, and more cuts will be coming soon as opening day is not that far away.

Fourteen cuts down. Twenty-two to go. Can you feel the tension start to build?

Some of the cuts have been expected, while others are intriguing. As is usually the case, certain players have stepped up and surprised people enough to warrant additional consideration.

Battles are tightening up, and the remaining players hope that they still have a chair when the music stops.

On March 14, the Mariners made some decisions on the starting rotation, sending the “big three” to the minors. This includes top prospects Taijuan Walker, James Paxton and Danny Hultzen. More cuts were made on March 15 as the team continues to trim players.

While fans may have hoped for a repeat of Michael Pineda in 2012, Seattle is not going to force these pitchers onto the Major League roster. As noted by The News Tribune, “With Jon Garland looking healthy, the Mariners had no need to rush them into the big leagues.”

What is intriguing is the fact that prospect Brandon Maurer is still in camp. Through March 15, Maurer has appeared in four games, compiled a record of 2-1 and kept his ERA at 0.90 for the spring. He has 11 strikeouts in 10 innings of work.

Maurer may still be battling long odds to make the rotation, but he is still in the mix with veterans Jon Garland and Jeremy Bonderman as well as Erasmo Ramirez and Blake Beavan. This race is too close to tell at this point.

The outfield is still crowded. So far, it appears that Jason Bay is potentially going to make the roster. Bay has cooled down a bit, but he is still hitting .292 with two home runs and four RBI. Julio Morban was actually hitting better, but the 21-year-old prospect was sent to the minors after showing that he may have a future in the Seattle outfield.

In addition to Bay, there are seven other outfielders still in camp. One assumes that three of those may have to go. Michael Saunders is actually not hitting particularly well in Arizona, though he did play extremely well in the World Baseball Classic.

Eric Thames may not make the roster, and Casper Wells will need to hit a little more consistently if he is going to win a spot on this team. The wildcard may be Carlos Peguero, who has displayed some solid hitting in Peoria despite leading the team in strikeouts.

Nick Franklin and Mike Zunino are still in camp despite the fact that neither prospect is hitting particularly well. Still, Zunino is making a good impression (via ESPN) in terms of poise and leadership. It will be interesting to see how long it takes him to become the man behind the dish at Safeco Field.

Slowly but surely, the roster is starting to take shape. Stay tuned for more cuts.

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The Mets are playing their way out of playoff contention just as fast as they found themselves within reach of the postseason.

New York is now 11.5 games behind Washington for first place in the National League East and are stuck in third behind Atlanta.

The Mets can make a play at the wild card, but they are still 7.5 games behind the Braves for a shot at the postseason.

For New York to make it to October, they will not only have to overcome their own shortcomings, but they will need some spectacular performances from key players. If a perfect storm of strong play and luck blows through Queens in the next month, the Mets could be in place to make a run at the playoffs.

Here are a few players who will need to be at the top of their game for the Mets to even come close at the playoffs.

Begin Slideshow

Nothing has gone right for Jason Bay since signing a contract with the New York Mets and his latest injury could push him to the brink of retirement.

In 2009, Bay hit .267/.384/.537 with 36 home runs and 119 RBI for the Boston Red Sox. He was an All-Star, won the Silver Slugger and finished seventh in the American League MVP voting that season.

That offseason, Bay signed a four-year, $66 million deal with the New York Mets that has him under contract through the 2013 season. Unfortunately, Bay’s injuries have made that contract look like an utter joke for the Mets organization and fans.

Through the first two seasons of his contract, he only played in 208 games and hit 18 home runs. He hit under .260 and had an OPS of under .750 in each of those years. Last season he missed 63 games with a concussion.

He had already missed 40 games this season recovering from a rib fracture. After returning, he was hitting .187/.253/.373 with four home runs, six RBI and 10 runs through 22 games.

His worst nightmare happened last night against the Cincinnati Reds: another concussion. On a ball hit to deep left field by Reds slugger Jay Bruce, Bay chased the ball all the way to the wall. He laid out for the ball but ended up missing it and banging his head in the process.

Bay struggled to get to his feet to corral the ball while Bruce trotted around all of the bases for an inside-the-park home run. The trainer would come out to check on Bay and he would then leave the game with a possible concussion.

Just a little while ago, the Mets placed Bay on the 7-day disabled list with a concussion, according to ESPN.

It’s been a frustrating season for Bay and you have to wonder whether he’ll retire after this latest concussion. I asked CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler what he thought about the situation.

 

@DKnobler do you think that Bay will retire after sustaining another concussion?

— Benjamin Klein (@bkredsox04) June 16, 2012

 

@bkredsox04 Too early to say, but you have to wonder that.

— DKnobler (@DKnobler) June 16, 2012

 

I personally think this is the end for the 33-year-old outfielder. His career has been on a downward spiral since joining the Mets and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. His contract will expire in a few years and I can’t foresee any team taking a chance on him.

His glory days from Pittsburgh are well past him and some would say that he’s yesterday’s news.

That failed catch in left field last night might be the last time that we see Jason Bay.

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Yankee fans all over the world have been waiting anxiously for the return of Brett Gardner from the disabled list.

Unfortunately, they will have to wait even longer for his return, as Gardner suffered a setback from his rehab assignment, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, feeling pain in his elbow following a minor-league game on Friday night.

Gardner played for the Class A Charleston team last night as part of his rehab. He has been on the disabled list since the end of April with an elbow injury, and it seems his elbow is not getting any better.

Sweeney Murti of WFAN reported that Gardner will travel to see Dr. James Andrews regarding the elbow injury, which could possibly mean that, if surgery is required, Gardner’s 2012 season could be over if there is any major damage.

If there is damage done and Gardner is on the shelf for a while, the Yankees need a backup plan.

Raul Ibanez has done a fine job filling in, as has Andruw Jones, but both are older players and are not meant to be everyday outfielders anymore.

The Yankees need some help to get fresher legs in left field, and I have an idea.

Now, I know it’s going to be off-the-wall and absolutely crazy, but an idea anyway.

What about Jason Bay from the Mets?

Yes, Bay is expensive, as he is in the third of a four-year, $66 million deal he signed back in December of 2009.

Yes, Bay is currently hitting .226 with three home runs and five RBIs, which are dreadful numbers.

Yes, as a Met, Bay has been a disaster and a bust.

But if the Yankees would want to take a chance on Bay and put him in left field, they wouldn’t have to give up anything.

All they would have to do is take on a negotiated part of his remaining deal, just like the Pirates are doing with A.J. Burnett, and Bay would be all theirs.

I don’t know if it’s playing in Citi Field that has done damage to Bay as a hitter, but I think if he got out of the National League and played at a hitter-friendly park like Yankee Stadium, he could see some luck.

Plus, he would be working with Kevin Long, who works tirelessly to help struggling hitters.

When Bay played for the Boston Red Sox, he was a solid hitter, cranking 33 and 36 home runs in consecutive seasons while driving in over 100 runs as well.

Fellow Yankees Featured Columnist Peter Alfano wrote about the possibility of the Yankees looking into getting Bay back on May 4, when the Gardner injury was still new and we all thought he was coming back.

Now that Gardner may be out even longer, Bay could be an option that wouldn’t cost the Yankees any serious prospects.

If they pay part or most of the deal, a low-level prospect would be in the deal. If the Yankees took on the rest of the deal, they aren’t parting with anyone,

Given how people reacted to Alfano’s article, I expect some resistance and people to criticize, which I will understand because your gut reaction to hearing Bay’s name is a no.

But, what if Bay revives his career and plays like he did in 2008 and 2009, where he used to kill the Yankees with the Red Sox?

I think it’s worth looking into for GM Brian Cashman, and calling up Sandy Alderson to see how he feels about it.

Any other left field option will cost the Yankees prospects. Bay likely would not, which is what makes him tempting.

Cashman has less than two months to figure out left field if in fact Gardner is done for the year and beyond.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

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Here we go again, Mets fans.

Today the New York Mets (9-8) placed left fielder Jason Bay and starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey on the disabled list.

Bay suffered a non-displaced fracture of a rib on his left side while attempting a full-extension catch in Game 2 of Monday’s doubleheader with the San Francisco Giants.

Bay did a face plant into the ground after making a diving attempt at the ball. He left the game in the eighth inning. X-rays Monday night were negative, but Bay described his rib area as “sore,” and said he was not breathing normally.

There is no timetable for Bay’s return. An MRI exam administered Tuesday morning at Manhattan’s Hospital for Special Surgery revealed the extent of the injury. According to reports, Bay will do nothing more strenuous than ride a stationary bike until the pain in his ribcage subsides.

“I knew it hurt pretty well,” Bay told reporters after the game. “I was hoping, best case, that it was a bruise. I got up this morning and the way it was feeling, if it was a bruise, it was a pretty good one.”

Bay had rebounded from a weak start to hit .290 with all three of his home runs since April 13. He was 5-for-15 over his past five games, reaching base more than 44 percent of the time and significantly reducing his strikeout rate (seven strikeouts in his last eight games; ten strikeouts his first seven).

It is hard not to feel bad for Bay. The 33-year-old’s rib fracture is the latest of several significant injuries he has endured since joining the Mets two years ago on a four-year, $66 million contract.

Most of them have been the result of bad luck. Bay suffered a serious concussion crashing into Dodger Stadium’s outfield fence in July 2010, then strained his left intercostal muscle last spring and began the season on the shelf.

After having as bleak a first two years in Queens as Bay did (18 homeruns), it finally looked like Bay was starting to turn the corner the last two weeks. Yet after another bad luck injury, it is hard to imagine that Bay can ever have a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

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Jason Bay is entering his 10th season in the MLB with his best years behind him.

Bay has lost his power and is getting up there in age—34 at the end of the 2012 season.

In 792 at bats with the New York Mets over the last two seasons, Bay has only 18 home runs. That’s less than any other season in his career since winning the NL Rookie of the Year in 2004.

Prior to signing with New York, Bay hit 185 home runs in over 3,000 at bats with the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox. During this seven year period, Bay averaged a home run every 18 at bats and batted below .260 only once.

With New York, Bay averaged a home run every 44 at bats and has batted below .260 both in 2010 and 2011. He set career worsts in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in 2011.

No longer able to stay healthy and with heavily declining numbers across the board, Bay is becoming a detriment to a team that already will have difficulty winning in an improving division.

Both costly and and under-performing, Bay will be the second highest paid player on New York’s roster. Due $32 million over the next two seasons, and with a club option for 2014 worth $17 million, it will cost New York $3 million to decline Bay’s option.

New York has several options for dealing with Bay, none of which are particularly appealing.

Releasing Bay would open a roster spot for someone more productive, but would cost the team an extraordinary amount of money simply to not be on the team. New York is already paying Bobby Bonilla nearly $30 million in deferred money through 2035 for this very reason.

GM Sandy Alderson could search for a trade partner in an attempt to recoup part of the money due Bay over the next couple seasons. Most teams would be unwilling to take on a commitment for a player whose output has been as low as Bay’s over the past two seasons.

Bay is getting older, and the deterioration of his level of play is proving his contract signed early in 2010 was a costly mistake.

The best move for New York is to weather the next couple seasons and hope that Bay can improve upon his production in 2010 and 2011.

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Ash sucks.  Bleacher Report.  Please delete this article.  And the Mets. 

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The New York Mets open the 2011 regular season tonight against the Florida Marlins with Mike Pelfrey set to oppose Josh Johnson.

Heading into this season, the Mets have a lot of questions that need answers. Can the rotation step up without their ace, Johan Santana. Will Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran stay healthy? How will the bullpen perform without Pedro Feliciano, their most reliable reliever last season?

We’ll start to get those answers tonight.

That said, here is your Mets 2011 season preview.

Starting Lineup

Jason Bay starting the season on the DL with a rib injury isn’t a good sign. Willie Harris will get the start tonight in left field, batting second and pushing centerfielder Angel Pagan to the fifth spot in the batting order.

Jose Reyes, entering possibly his final season with the Mets will be in his customary leadoff spot, and as all Mets fans know, as Reyes goes, so go the Mets. Last season, Reyes played in 133 games, batted .282 with 11 home runs, 83 runs scored and 30 stolen bases.

When Reyes is healthy, he’s one of the most electrifying players in baseball. This season, he’ll have to be if the Mets want to contend. David Wright had a great season in 2010, coming back to hit 29 home runs after hitting just 10 the year before. Along with Carlos Beltran and Jason Bay, Wright is the centerpiece of the Mets lineup.

Bay is eligible to come off the DL on April 9, so hopefully manager Terry Collins won’t have to wait any longer than that, but right now, fans need to cross their fingers. Once Bay returns, Reyes and Pagan will form an excellent one, two punch of speed and on-base percentage.

Rule 5 pick Brad Emaus is the most intriguing player heading into this season. A relative unknown, Emaus earned the second base job after the Mets released Luis Castillo and Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner failed to impress Collins in spring training. Along with catcher Josh Thole, the Mets will have one of the best offenses in the National League if they can stay healthy.

Starting Rotation

Mike Pelfrey steps in as the Mets No. 1 starter in the absence of Santana, who continues his way back from shoulder surgery. Last season, Pelfrey has the best season of his career, finishing the season 15-9 with a 3.66 ERA. He was amazing in the first half, starting out 10-2 with a 2.68 ERA, but he faded in the second half, posting an ugly 10.02 ERA in the month of July.

Jon Niese enters as the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation. In his first full season, Niese threw a career-high 173.2 innings, finishing 9-10 with a 4.20 ERA. He led the team in strikeouts with 148.

R.A. Dickey was one of the best parts of the Mets 2010 campaign. After failing to make the team out of spring training, Dickey was called up in May and was more than impressive, leading the team with a 2.84 ERA in 26 starts. A full season from Dickey should give the Mets a formidable front of the rotation.

Rounding things out, reclamation projects Chris Young and Chris Capuano look to restart their careers. Both have been dominant pitchers in the past, but have had to battle injuries in recent years. Young made just four starts for the San Diego Padres last season, finishing 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA. In spring training, Young won two games and posted a 1.84 ERA.

If he can stay healthy, Young could be the best offseason addition made by any team this offseason, and that includes the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.

Capuano missed all of the 2008 and 2009 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. He hasn’t made a full season’s worth of starts since 2007. In 2005, Capuano won 18 games for the Milwaukee Brewers, finishing with a 3.99 ERA.

If the Mets can get 50 starts total out of Young and Capuano, the rotation will certainly be a strong point. And if the Mets can stay near the top of the division until Santana returns, they can make a late push and perhaps capture a wild-card spot.

Bullpen

The bullpen is an area of strength for the Mets this season, as it was last year. The biggest difference is the loss of Pedro Feliciano, who made a league-high 92 appearances for the Mets last season. The reliable lefty is replaced by Tim Byrdak this season, tasked mainly with keeping the big left-handed bats of the NL East in check. Collins decided against carrying two lefty relievers, so we’ll see if that decision works out or hurts the Mets down the line.

Blaine Boyer, Taylor Buchholz, D.J. Carrasco and Bobby Parnell will form the path to closer Francisco Rodriguez. Parnell will serve as the Mets eighth inning man, but Buchholz could also see time in that role.

Parnell was excellent last season, posting a 2.83 ERA in 35 innings. If Rodriguez is not with the Mets next season, Parnell seems poised to take over the closer’s duties. 

Buchholz is another of the Mets low risk/high reward additions this offseason. In 2008, Buchholz was excellent for the Colorado Rockies, throwing 66.1 innings of relief and posting a 2.17 ERA. Since then, Buchholz hasn’t quite been able to put those kind of numbers together again, mainly because of injuries, but if he can find that success again, he could be the best reliever in the Mets bullpen.

The Mets are in a tricky situation with closer Francisco Rodriguez. If he finishes, not saves, 55 games, his $17.5 million option for 2012 will vest, leaving the Mets on the hook for a lot of money. The MLB has already visited general manager Sandy Alderson, who assured them the team will not try to prevent K-Rod from vesting his option. If the Mets are contending, the might not be able to avoid it. If they fall out of it, K-Rod could be one of the players the Mets will look to deal.

K-Rod was excellent in spring training and seems to be in midseason form already.

Bench Players

The Mets have a lot of versatility and power on this bench this season. Lefty Daniel Murphy was a lock to make this team in some capacity when spring training began. He was a contender for the starting second base job, and though he hit very well, his defense proved to be an issue. Murphy will serve as an excellent pinch hitter and is also capable of starting at three different infield positions and the outfield.

Scott Hairston and Willie Harris are both excellent additions to the team. Hairston showed a lot of pop in spring training, leading the team with four home runs. Harris is best known for his excellent defense, making a habit out of robbing the Mets in the last few seasons. He’ll get the start in left field tonight with Jason Bay on the DL.

Chin-Lung Hu will be the Mets versatile defense infielder, able to play both shortstop and second base. Backup catcher Ronny Paulino will serve the remaining eight games of his 50-game suspension handed out last season for performance enhancing drugs. Mike Nickeas will take his place until he can return.

With Bay on the disabled list, the Mets added Lucas Duda to the 25-man roster. Though Harris gets the start tonight, Duda will get the majority of the play while Bay recovers. A September call up last season, Duda started his major league career in a 1-for-33 slump, but finished the season 16-for-52 (.307 BA) with four home runs.

2011 prediction

The Mets are a team that, if they can stay healthy and get solid production, the Mets can surprise some people. Almost nobody is picking the Mets to make much noise this season mainly thanks to the questions surrounding their finances. If the Mets find themselves out of contention this season, guys like Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, both of whom are entering their final seasons under contract, may find themselves on the trading block.

On the opposite side, if Reyes has a good season, he could become too expensive for the Mets to resign.

With the strides made by the Phillies, Braves and Florida Marlins, the NL East is a tough division. “Health” will be the key word for the Mets all season, but I think they’ll get solid production from their starting rotation, especially Chris Young, as well as bounce back seasons from Bay, Reyes and Beltran. Throw in a solid bullpen and the Mets should be in good shape.

2011 record: 83-79, fourth in the NL East

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Jason Bay | Left Field

Season Predictions
AVG percentage: .271
OBP percentage : .363
SLG percentage: .500
HR: 26
RBI: 87
SB: 14

2010 Numbers: .259 | .347 | .402 | 6 HR | 47 RBI | 10 SB (95 G)

162 Game Averages: .278 | .374 | .508 | 30 HR | 105 RBI | 12 SB

Jason Bay might have been the biggest disappointment in all of baseball in 2010. 

The concussion were not his fault, but even before that the six home runs in 95 games were not what the Mets expected when signing him to a big time contract.  I don’t think anyone was more upset with the performance than Bay himself, who worked extremely hard over the winter adjusting his approach at the plate and was killing it this spring. 

Doubters will point out his spring last year was even better and he still “stunk” come regular season. However, in my opinion it was one of those seasons the player just really presses because of the new contract and struggles because he is trying to do too much, too quickly.

A quick look at Bay’s career stats will show last year was most likely a fluke more than anything. Out of his seven seasons as a starter, last year was the only year he didn’t hit at least 20 home runs and averaged about 30 home runs over that span—he had never drove in less than 89 runs even on bad Pirates teams, and only one other time had a slugging percentage under .520 percent. 

The odds are Bay will return to form, and for the Mets chances, he is going to have to mash again.

//**If you liked this article find more like it at Mini Mets Pipeline**\\

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