No Contract Talks for Bay

Published on May 1, 2009 by Paul Raymond · 2 Comments

Boston Red Sox slugger Jason Bay is having an amazing season but yet can’t get himself a contract extension. Bay is a free agent after this season but for the time being it appears negotiations are on hold. Is it the Red Sox wanting to see how the guy does over the course of a whole season in the spotlight? Is it Bay wanting to explore the market for a bigger deal?

Actually, it’s neither. it’s just the current financial market.

The two sides were in deep talks during Spring Training. The Boston Globe reports that talks had stopped because the two sides couldn’t agree on the market for outfielders. No surprise there with the caliber of guys still out on the market and some of the low deals that a few free agents took.

Joe Urbon, Bay’s agent, gave the Globe his point of view on the stalled talks. “[Bay] and I haven’t even talked,” Urbon said. “It’s been pretty quiet, which I expected. I think everybody wants to get through April.” That should put Red Sox Nation at ease. I’m sure many of their fans have been wanting this extension to happen and quick.

Bay had an amazing month of April, hitting five homers and 19 runs batted in with a .324 batting average. Not bad, not bad at all.

So will talks start up soon? According to Urbon that’s not likely. “There were no expectations, really,” Urbon said. “It was more, if we need to respond to something, we will. If it does [come up], we’ll be ready for it. Until then, just taking it day by day.”

Unfortunately for the Red Sox if this pace keeps up the dollar value will continue to go up. I have no doubts in my mind thou the Sox will re-up. They’ve got no choice.

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