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Bay's statement

Email|Link|Comments (30) Posted by Adam Kilgore, Globe Staff October 13, 2008 10:35 AM

There is no comparing anyone left in the postseason to Jason Bay.

His 11 hits lead every batter in the playoffs. His nine RBIs tie him for first with the Phillies' Shane Victorino. His three home runs tie him for second behind the Rays' B.J. Upton. Among players remaining in the playoffs, his 1.437 OPS is second only to ...

Oh, boy. Of course. So, yeah, maybe there is one comparison. Bay might be the best player so far in these playoffs. So how unfair is it that you could still say, "Well, he's no Manny Ramirez" and, in at least one sense, be technically correct?

Ramirez is the only player with a better slugging percentage than Bay in the postseason, he's the only active player with a higher batting average, and the Dodgers slugger's OPS is slightly higher, 1.543 to 1.437.

But, as we've all learned during Bay's tenure in Boston, to belabor the fact that he replaced Ramirez misses the point entirely: Bay is one of the best players baseball and, in his first October, he has been the most destructive offensive force in the Red Sox lineup. He jacked a home run in Boston's ALCS Game 2 loss in Tampa Bay, and he'll lead the Red Sox back into Fenway Park for this afternoon's Game 3.

"I mean, so far, so good," Bay said.

How's that for understatement? Bay is batting .440 (10 points lower than ... oh, never mind), has reached base in more than half his plate appearances, and scored the series-clinching run in Game 4 of the ALDS, sprinting from second after a double and diving headfirst into home.

Bay's unflinching demeanor has helped carry him through these playoffs. He waited four years in the minor leagues to make the majors, and he waited five years in the majors to make the playoffs. When he struck out in his first two at-bats this postseason, he joked to teammates in the dugout, "That's a big part of my game."

During his seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing for team nowhere near contention, he never stewed about his franchise's irrelevance, because he had nothing to compare it to.

"I hate this saying, but it is what it is," Bay said. "You go out there, and you play because that's what you do. And you try to win games. You don't really know any different. It's something I was missing, and I didn't know. That's just what baseball was like for me. Now this is what baseball is like."

He received his first taste of true baseball pressure when he arrived in Boston, taking over in left field for a future Hall of Famer. He hit well immediately and never worried about the man who used to play his position. But the atmosphere in which he arrived in Boston helped him for the postseason -- playoffs bring anxiety, but how much worse could it be than replacing Ramirez?

"It's been different," Bay said. "It hasn't been astronomically different. Nothing prepares you for it. But I did have a general sense."

Bay had figured Boston out. Maybe Boston didn't realize, until now, quite what it had in Bay.

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30 comments so far...

Lets give Manny some more credit. Here are a couple other stats not mentioned that Bay hasn't done since he arrived in Boston. A) backhand a teammate. B) Shove a 60 year old traveling secretary to the ground. C) Pretend he is injured. D)Half-heartedly jog out a ground ball, fly ball, pop up, etc..Unfortunately, Bay only hustles on every play. E) Stand and admire HR's and 400 foot singles. F) Forget where he came from...Sadly, We will just have to "make do" with the Team Player, Jason Bay.

Posted by Erik October 13, 08 10:50 AM

I wish Boston.com, The Globe, the Herald, NESN, and the rest of the Boston media would drop the monitoring and reporting on Manny Ramirez. Whether you wanted him to stay or go is irrelevant. The guy didn't want to play here anymore and for that he is now in L.A. Please spare us what he is doing....nobody in Boston cares anymore. I would rather hear how Kevin Millar is doing.....at least he was a team guy!

Posted by Steve October 13, 08 11:02 AM

I don't believe that there are many people who do not give Bay his due. When we say he's not Manny it's because, for some of us anyway, we loved Manny and found him not only to be a great baseball player but highly entertaining as well. Manny is a unique individual as you well know. I happen to be a Red Sox fan but unlike many others I still love and will always love Manny. He held a special place in our hearts that probably know one will ever replace. When others get over their disappoint and hate I am sure they will realize this too. Manny was Rhett Butler. Bay is Ashley Wilkes if you understand the reference.

Posted by elccpa24 October 13, 08 11:09 AM

Adam,

Forget the comparisons! We'll take Jason any day of the week! As soon as you-know-who rolls over a ball a couple of times out in left. We can put this crap behind us.

How about the line-ups for today instead of this old hat!

Posted by JMSoxer October 13, 08 11:26 AM

So Bay's offensive stats are comparable to Ramierez. But what about defense? How many runs did he save getting outs that Manny would have missed? Or allowing Ellesbury or Crisp to play CF differently because Bay can cover more ground in left?

Posted by joelm October 13, 08 11:46 AM

Jason Bay is the anti Manny- -

I would summarize what I mean by saying.

Everything Manny does is spectacular. He succeeds in a spectacular fashion and fails in a spectacular fashion. But nothing he does is solid/fundamentally sound.

With Bay, everything is solid/fundamentally sound. But nothing is spectacular.

Posted by tony October 13, 08 12:03 PM

Manny who?

Posted by Dennis October 13, 08 12:23 PM

As a lifelong Pirate fan, I can tell you he became the unfair whipping boy of too many jaded Pirate fans. There still are many Pirate fane who still support him and are rooting Bay on. Think because of all the losing, he was unfairly targeted by fans and some press. Bay could have been one of the very best all time Pirates if the stupid management didn't trade him for 4 players who probably will never equal his value. Actually, with other all stars around him, he will be fabulous in Fenway. He is not Manny, but in some ways he is better. He is the consummate team player, he fields better and he runs the bases better than the HOF- to-be. Sure Sox fans will really appreciate this man and hope they sign him for another 3-4 years after they win one this year. He is special.

Posted by bill October 13, 08 12:28 PM

"Bay is one of the best players baseball and, in his first October..."
"During his seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing for team nowhere near contention..."

Sorry to break your balls Adam but did you forget to have your coffee this morning? This is the Boston Globe not the Herald.

Posted by Miles October 13, 08 12:43 PM

I understand the reference and to call Jason Bay Askley Wilkes is an INSULT. Ashley was not an honorable, was weak and misled sScarlet, he only looked honorable because he was from old money. Rhett turned out OK in the end, but he was a blockade runner who initially made his money on the blackmarket, which to my recollection means charging more money than should be charged for an item. You got the scondrel part right.

Posted by Nolongermakingecuses4manny October 13, 08 12:45 PM

players baseball? Really?

Posted by Scott from San Fran October 13, 08 12:56 PM

RE: Bay. Other teams are probably now saying, "Why couldn't we get a guy like that?" Nice job Theo.

Posted by Robert October 13, 08 01:02 PM

Instead of posting my own 3000 word opinion, I'll sum it up by saying, I agree with the top poster, Erik. Manny's one heck of a talent, but it feels good to cheer for a guy like Jason Bay, who appreciates what he's got.

Posted by Ghost of Johnny Most October 13, 08 01:13 PM

NoLongermakingexcuses4manny
Thanks. You actually made me laugh out loud. I really didn't mean for anyone to take me THAT seriously. I do love my "Gone With the Wind." What I meant was Rhett was daring and dashing while Wilkes was a little bland and drab (or using an analogy from today he was "white bread." Thanks for your analysis though. I really needed that laugh today! I am beginning to see what T.J. Simers means when he calls Boston "Angryville." I think you might take yourselves just a tad too seriously. But again good for a laugh.

Posted by elccpa24 October 13, 08 01:35 PM

Does anyone recall watching the "Trade Deadline" show on NESN.
They reported that the Rays obtained Bay from the Pirates.
The deal actually fell through, because the Rays refused to give up some of their prospects that the Pirates wanted.
THANK GOD!
What a wonderful addition Jason Bay has been, since day one.
I hope they sign him to a nice extension after the season, and he'll be here for the remainder of his career.

Posted by rodfromcranston October 13, 08 02:56 PM

Bay has done the job, but it's a little simplistic to look purely at the statistics in making any comparison to Manny. Firstly, if Bay was viewed as an adequate replacement or even an improvement over Manny at the plate, he would be batting in the 4 spot behind Ortiz...which he is not. Youk is, and as great as he has been (MVP-consideration worthy all season), he hasn't been providing the protection that Ortiz had previously enjoyed either - opposing pitchers have been successfully going after Papi without much consideration of the consequence if he were to reach. Thirdly, there's the intangible...nobody asked Bay to be Manny, nor did anyone reasonably expect him too. After the first few days following the trade, he became just another one of the nine. He has had the luxury of playing with a certain lack of pressure that Manny, upon whom the Dodgers entire hopes have rested since the trade, has not...the fact that Manny has produced under such circumstances is a credit to his superiority as a hitter and clutch/playoff performer. But Bay is, like I said, getting the job done so far for the team.

One more thing: why is there an objection to having any discussion about Manny now that he's no longer on the team? It's one of the continuing storylines that makes a Sox-Dodgers potential WS matchup so fascinating.

Posted by DAR October 13, 08 03:16 PM

Elccpa24

You posted on a sports blog and made a literary reference to "Gone with the Wind" and somebody called you on it and gave an insightful answer. I think you take yourself too seriously, not just a tad.

As for quoting TJSimer, he can call Boston anything he wants, he appears to be just Manny's mouthpiece now. If Manny did that to the Dodgers, I would hope TJ would not pretend it is OK to act that way.

Posted by Not buying it October 13, 08 03:16 PM

Boston media is like the jilted former lover.
Every piece has some mention of the former flame (manny)
wondering what he is doing, where is he doing it and...gasp... he is doing it with someone else?
does he still remember me?
how did he look?
what was he wearing?

forget Manny
let him go
move on

Posted by Peskyspole October 13, 08 03:25 PM

manny is not a man

Posted by mannys dead grandma October 13, 08 03:37 PM

I always rooted for and made excses for Manny...but inside it tore me up to watch his antics!
Then, his last month here seemed surreal. I am downright insulted the way he has played for the Dodgers....where was all this game, hustle and desire for us!
And forget about the media, they are just another huge example of the downfall of our society! All they talk about is how great he is and how we are flippin the bill for the "clown!"
Every time I see Jason Bay in the lineup I thank Theo again!
Go Jason go.

Posted by michael contorelli October 13, 08 03:47 PM

Jeez, Boston sounds like a jilted lover ! Manny is gone get over it, he was like the funny have a good time boyfriend, now comes the real thing and hopefully he will stick around and show us what he has. Manny has not been a team player most of this year and the stuff he said about Red Sox fans should make us not trust him anymore.

Posted by prof. dumbledore October 13, 08 03:56 PM

Elccpa24

You posted on a sports blog and made a literary reference to "Gone with the Wind" and somebody called you on it and gave an insightful answer. I think you take yourself too seriously, not just a tad.

Posted by Not buying it October 13, 08 03:59 PM

I want us to win it all! but any way it turn's out all RED SOX fans are glad BAY is with our TEAM!!!!!.....................................the guy in la was not a team player

Posted by blackbear October 13, 08 04:00 PM

Pirates fans = screwed

Can we have another deal Mr. Neal?

Posted by Jimmy Jones October 13, 08 05:00 PM

I like the Manny apologist who said that Jason Bay was doing the job so far.
Hey DAR! What more do you want him to do? Put a Manny mask on so you'll feel better.
GET OVER HIM! You sound like you lost your lover. Boo! Hoo!

Posted by Angela October 13, 08 10:18 PM

i got a question for you. how many intencional walks have bay gotten? i counted 2 on manny last night...you know why? because pitchers/managers fear manny....bay is a joke pitchers challenge him and thats why hes gotten lucky.

dont compare manny to bay. after all manny is gonna make it to the hall of fame and bay wont be even close

Posted by eduardo October 14, 08 03:04 PM

Keep talking about how good a team player bay is...without Manny boston wont win.

Posted by Gabriel October 15, 08 03:35 AM

Eduardo, you proved our point with your Hall of Fame comment. Manny is all about showboating. Is the Hall of Fame more important than being a true team player and all around good sportsman? How about what it takes just to be a decent person? Manny is all about himself - a showboat. Read the stats again, Bay has as much of a chance for the Hall of Fame as your "showboat" does. Pitchers and managers do not fear Manny, they recognize his weakness, all he can do is hit the ball. What else can he do that is to be feared?

Posted by Koz October 15, 08 08:32 AM

without Boston, manny won't win.

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