Sox may not wait long on Bay
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ATLANTA - Although Jason Bay has reached the stage where he no longer sees a reason to discuss his contract status, the Red Sox have every intention of revisiting talks with the outfielder before the end of the season, a baseball source has confirmed.
Prior to yesterday’s game, Bay said he has “gotten to the point where I’m just not going to talk about it’’ when asked about impending free agency. But with the All-Star break approaching, the Red Sox could very well use that opportunity to try to strike a long-term deal.
The Sox have negotiated contracts during the season with other players, most notably Josh Beckett and David Ortiz. The All-Star break typically provides a good opportunity for such talks, especially because the trading deadline and pennant races become a priority in the second half.
“Until there’s a press conference or until it’s the end of the season, it’s really a moot point for me,’’ said Bay, who got the day off yesterday.
The American League leader in RBIs, Bay seems to be dealing from a position of strength, given the absence of a suitable replacement. The Red Sox are believed to have used Adam Dunn’s two-year, $20 million contract with Washington as a starting point with Bay during spring discussions that went nowhere.
Bay, 30, currently is earning a base salary of $7.5 million. He could command double that on the open market in a three- or four-year deal.
TONY MASSAROTTI
