Yesterday, MLB Network anchor Sean Casey was a guest of Kim Jones and Ed Coleman on WFAN.
To listen to the entire interview, click here.
When Casey was asked how Jason Bay, who was his teammate in Pittsburgh and Boston, would be in left field at Citi Field, Casey said:
“awesome sign…if you’re going to give somebody $66 million you want a guy you know is going to show up everyday and is going to be accountable for what he does, he’s going to work hard, he’s going to play hard every night – Jason Bay fits that bill…I just feel like the Mets need somebody who’s going to go out there and be a leader on the field…”
When asked if Bay is streaky, Casey said:
“Yeah he’s a streaky guy sometimes, but like most power hitters are, I think the big thing about Jason Bay, what you’ve got to realize is that he’s going to drive in big runs, he’s going to drive in a lot of runs, but he’s going to have some times during the season where he strikes out a lot…but if you follow anyone through a six month season, they’ll go through their spurts too…I don’t worry about that because you can give up…a couple of weeks where you’re cold and you’re striking out a little bit for winning a bunch of games with some big home runs.”
When asked about his defensive skills, compared to a big outfield in PNC Park to a smaller one at Fenway Park and now what he will bring to Citi Field, Casey said:
“You watch this guy over 162 games, and you appreciate Jason Bay. He runs pretty well…you guys will see that when he comes to play…and he plays a good left field…is he a burner? Is he going to get everything? No, but he plays a solid left field, so when I hear people say ‘he is below average defensively’, I totally disagree…Ive seen it first hand – he can play left field and he is going to make some nice plays, and when you throw him out there, you’re not getting hurt with by him being out there.”
…to be honest, what he brings defensively is the least of my concerns in this deal…he is a major league outfielder who has commanded close to $70 million guaranteed over the next four years…with that comes the expectation that he can play his position to the point where he is not a defensive liability, and to this point, i have not heard anything about his lack of ability to play the game defensively…
When asked whether or not Bay wanted to be a Met, Casey said:
“I think Jason Bay wants to be a Met…the bottom line is he’s talked to his wife, he’s talked to his agent, he’s talked to his family – if he didn’t want to be somewhere, he wouldn’t be somewhere, knowing him…he’s excited to go to New York, obviously he played in Boston so I don’t think the media will be that big of a deal for his personality, but he wants to be a Met and he wouldn’t have signed in New York if he didn’t want to be a Met – there’s no doubt about that…”
…like we have been saying for a long while now, this deal came down to dollars and the length of the contract, and in the end, Bay could not get a better deal elsewhere…he said at the end of the Division Series that while he loved Boston, he was going to seek the best possible deal, and he stayed true to his word…
When asked if he buys the fact Bay’s swing was better suited for Citi Field, Casey said:
“I buy it…Jason Bay’s power is left center, left field and he is a pull power hitter and you saw what Citi Field did for David Wright last year…David’s more of a right center, has an inside out swing where he juices balls to right, and in Shea they were home runs – now in Citi Field they’re doubles and triples and it almost kind of changed the way he goes about his approach, but Jason Bay’s a pull hitter, he’s a pull power hitter, and don’t forget, he played in PNC Park for six years where it’s 410 to left center and that’s not an easy park for right handers to hit but he was still driving in 100 and hitting 30 home runs…it doesn’t matter where plays, he’s going to hit it out.”
When asked what else he thinks the team needs, Casey noted the Red Sox acquisition of John Lackey and that you “win at the top of your rotation”, and said while the Mets still need help in their starting rotation, the addition of Bay’s bat is “big” but also said:
“…I think they needed another guy in there too that brings a different element. I sometimes watch the Mets and I feel like it’s a bunch of individuals just putting up stats. I’d hate to say that but you watch them sometimes and you’re like ‘man, do these guys really want to win? Or, are they just hoping to put up some numbers and get to free agency again, or something.’ I think Jason Bay brings a presence where hey, he’s been around in Boston, he’s come up with some big hits, he’s been on a winning club, the guy plays everyday hard. I think this sign is more than just a numbers thing, its also a role model for those guys on how to play the game everyday.”
…i think this is perhaps the most glaring need on this club, more than a pitching, offense, or defensive improvement…the Mets have more or less collapsed and crumbled over the past three seasons, and when i look specifically at what happened in 2007 and to a lesser degree in 2008, yes a combination of injuries and poor pitching at the end of both of those seasons contributed to their demise but when a club loses the way they did in those seasons, i believe it’s a character flaw which is the primary factor and frankly, i think Omar Minaya did very little after that to alter the tone and the mood in the clubhouse until now…if Bay is what Casey says he is, he can be a huge all around lift to the organization from an approach and attitude perspective…
Meanwhile, Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan told Mike Puma of the New York Post:
“He’s a lunch-pail guy…He’s going to come in and play every day and play hurt, and he’s going to be an asset to the Mets.”
With regards to his experience with the Red Sox and how he had to fill such huge shoes when Manny Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers in 2008, Magadan said that would only help him with the Mets, saying:
“He came here for Manny and had to deal with being the guy that came here replacing Manny…He came the last two months of 2008 and handled it like a champ. He was very productive for us and a big reason we got as far as we did in the playoffs.”
For more on Bay, check out Casey’s interview here and the New York Post here.
I like Json Bay. I can trust him and I think Omar made a great move. Before I founf out who is better, I thought Holliday was better. Holliday is much like a Wright who we have. Bay is a Delgado who we don’t have. Bay’s swing can launch 35 hr’s which s what I think it will.
Actually, reading Casey’s comments I was just thinking how he’s the OPPOSITE of Delgado… Not going to get ‘bored’ or leave the team early- less ego, more team spirit.
I think the additon of both Bay and Francoeur coupled with the subtraction of Delgado should definitely improve the “team attitude” of the Mets. I like Delgado and he was a slugger no doubt, but sometimes I got the feeling that he was not always there for the team.
wow, this was great to hear about bay. he really is perfect for this team; he seems to be exactly what we needed. on the other hand, i disgree with you in regard to delgado…. he cares so much….. his “book” shows how much how cares about producing for team (i guess you can say that is for himself, but imo it is not) carlos’s fists pumps at first to end the game…. come on the guy cares.
Xavier I disagree with you. How can you possibly say Delgado doesn’t care when you don’t know him personally or see him in the clubhouse? The guy is coming off of a serious hip injury and is actually still hurt… I think it is unfair to say he doesnt care when he is injured. I would love to bring back a healthy Delgado for 1st base. Murphy isn’t good enough. As a matter of fact Murphy s*cks
I think Murphy improved as the year went on and if given the chance he will do so again. He will never have Keith Hernandez’s glove but he will be average and his hitting will only get better and better.
That’s exactly how I felt about Delcrappo, and so it still amazes me that everyone still has this man-crush on the guy. This is the NY Delcrappo that we would be bringing back to milk us for a few extra million, NOT the Toronto Delgado that was a pleasure to watch and brought it every night. What’s the fascination?
What’s the fascination? How about the potential for 35 homers and 115 RBI. Don’t think he can do that? Neither did anyone in ’08. And he wound up THIRD in the league in homers. 2006- strong year; 2007- poor year for a cleanup hitter (but not bad for a 6 or 7 hitter); 2008- slow start, but MVP caliber 2nd half; 2009- after a strong WBC, he was off to a strong start, among the league leaders in RBI, and batting around .300. (remember what he did during that Pirates series?). Then he got hurt, unfortunately.
The bottom line is, as long as he’s healthy, then even a fraction of Delgado is better than most, especially if he’s coming back on a mostly incentive laden deal, while batting mostly 6th (unless he takes off). It’s a low risk, high reward proposition as long as he checks out ok and that he’s willing to sign for a reasonable 1 yr deal while Ike Davis gets more seasoning (or Minaya pulls off a stunner and gets us Gonzo). Delgado could still potentially be the most feared and dangerous bat in the lineup, and again, he’d be batting sixth, providing both great protection for Beltran (he’s batting 5th in my lineup), and excellent depth in the lineup, with a 6-8 of Delgado, Francouer, and Molina- who actually batted cleanup the past few years, and actually did a respectable job… in fact, all three of them batted cleanup for their respective teams for good lengths of time last year, and here, they’d actually be the lower portion of our batting order. Now THAT’S depth. How many 6-8′s can match that? How many 1-8′s can match that, especially if they find a way to trade Castillo and get O-Dog or Brandon Phillips. Not many at all.
If you want someone to hit 220 and hit homeruns, Mike Jacobs is still available and will be much cheaper. If you want someone to sit on the DL all year, I would be willing to do that for the league minimum. I’ll give you everything Delcrappo will for much cheaper, and Jacobs will give you everything you want him to give you for much cheaper, but nobody out there will give you the Toronto version of Delgado right now, because there aren’t any of those on the FA market right now, and Delcrappo doesn’t have anything left in the tank. He’s just trying to milk some team dumb enough to keep paying him until they realize what many of us here already know. He’s done. If you don’t think Murphy can handle 1B, then sign Laroche and bring Murphy off the bench or trade Murphy, but Delcrappo isn’t the answer, unless the question is, “who is looking to screw the Mets over again?”
What’s weird though is that I’ve heard quite a few times that Delgado actually helps his teammates far more than people realize, and that’s actually coming FROM his teammates. What’s the truth? Probably somewhere in between the two viewpoints. I’m one who actually wants Delgado back, and hitting in the 6 hole if healthy (and maybe even cleanup if he really takes off ala 2008, from June on of that season). I think his presence in the 6 hole can really help the whole lineup. If we can get him for a really low base, but generous incentive laden 1 yr deal, and Minaya is very comfortable with his health, then I say absolutely go for it.
For those who worry about his influence, I think the Mets leadership is different now than it was in the past. You could already sense a palpable difference last season when Wright and Francouer seemed to have the most leadership presence. Neither Bay or Francouer were here just a year ago. And now here they both are, starting the season together, with their professionalism, passion, intensity, and drive, etc, representing a quarter of the everday lineup. And I think they both will help Wright be more comfortable in his role, giving him two people passionately in his corner. And again, I just get a different vibe from these guys than we’ve gotten during the past few years. I sense more of a chip on their shoulders, including Beltran, especially Beltran, and I look forward to this team together in 2010.
But I also believe they’d be a much better offense with Delgado in the 6 hole and Francouer in the 7 hole, followed by the speedy Bengie Molina. I think this current group of players, especially the hitters, could work well together, even with Delgado, if that’s been a problem in the past. I think if Delgado struggles, then you can just go back to Murphy, which was the original plan anyway. But what if Delgado gives us 30 and 90 and lots of protection from the 6 spot? That’s a BIG deal, and that would absolutely take this offense to a higher level (just look at the offense with Murphy instead, coming from the 7 spot, following Frenchy in the 6 hole… it’s just not the same). And what if we actually get something closer to his 2008 performance of 38 and 116? Daaaamn! It’s definitely worth looking into, IMSO.
Thanks. I think a lot of us like Delgado. I was there last year when he launched one over the bridge, and made it look easy. That’s leadership, and pitchers love it when their own teammate does that and it picks everyone up. I’d like to like Murphy but he’s not likely to ever be Carlos Delgado on his best day, let alone anywhere near Keith Hernanez. I can live with what he might be, but I can’t be convinced he’s gonna be a star.
I agree with Xavier… I think Francoeur over Church was a major change in production and attitude, and Bay will add to that; maybe having two other articulate white players will take some of the “great white hope” burden away from David Wright, and let him relax a bit…you know he was getting tired of being the only one interviewed after every game.
I absolutely believe that the Mets had an attitude problem rather than a talent problem over the years. They just couldnt handle the pressure and folded. Baseball is a game that once you start thinking, its all over. If your swing or your pitches arent flowing naturally its going to throw off your game. We need Bay to bring both his talent and his attitude to the Mets and hopefully (provided we’re healthy) we can get over the hump and have EXTENDED success.
We’re getting excited this Bay character!
We’re gonna win in two thousand tin!
TYPO! We’re getting excited ‘about’ this Bay character!
two thousand tin? lol
This is all very nice to read and especially to see that he is considered, by his peers and coaches, to be a gamer and a guy that will play thru injuries. However, its very difficult to feel optimistic about this year with the pitching staff as currently constructed. I know its been beaten tp death, but we need an Arroyo or Meche, or some solid veteran to give a little stability to this starting pitching staff. Though its tempting, I would have a hard time feeling good about the team if all they did was sign Sheets. He’s just too much of a wild card. Very tough call on where to go for pitching right now.
Great post Matt, I even listen to Casey’s interview, and I’m getting pumped! Now Get us some PITCHING OMAR!
It was Mike who wrote the post, not Matt.
Crap, I’m not with it today! New Years Eve will do that to you! Sorry Michael, an awesome post to say the least, and a nice little fill-in story till our next signing or trade, gotta feeling the trade will come before the signing.
Mets reps will be meeting with Molinas reps this week in the hopes of locking him up, and that alone is a huge boost to the pitching staff. Unlike Schneider, Molina has anchored very good pitching staffs.
Bay, Francouer, & Murphy’s really change the dynamic of this team… durable guys who work hard and always put there best effort.
Pagan gives us great versatility, Carter can be the power lefty off the bench who can relieve fcore or Murphy, Cora is a leader. Blanco is a great backup. We filled the pen with live arms. Pelfrey will be back, Maine is a good pitcher, Ollie is being watched like a hawk to get in shape, Reyes , Wright, Beltran all have something to prove…
We have a great team
Also, the farm system looks so much better this year as well, great job so far Omar
Great that Omar has not given up any of our top prospects to make any of these moves!
Ahh yes……….a new day in a new year, in a new decade even and hope springs eternal for the Mets! ” We’re on the mend in 2010″ lol
People shouldn’t give up on Tatis so quickly. He provides more value than people realize. If people looked at his stats the last two years, and equate them out to a full season, it would amount to a very nice season, especially for a bench player who can adequately field just about every position but center and catcher, who has decent speed, solid pop, can hit in the clutch (as long as he avoids the DP), and plays his heart out all the time, while always acting completely professional. He struggled with DPs last year, but he eventually got past it. And on top of it all, he’s very inexpensive and he loves playing here. Tatis is much more valuable than people realize, and it’s unfortunate if people don’t see that, IMSO. I really hope one Fernando Tatis in a NY Met in the coming 2010 season.
As for the bullpen, don’t sleep on Fernando Nieve. I think he could be a really nice power arm with a go get-’em attitude in the pen. The more we have of those, the merrier. I also think Stokes can be an important part of this team, unless Minaya wants to trade Stokes and Sean Green for a good lefty. There’s some good value in those two relievers. Too bad Darren Oliver already signed with the Rangers.
You’re very right about Tatis and his two year Mets stat total. 19 homers, 95 rbi, .811 OPS, .289 BA in 613 AB’s. He’s fine fine job but I think Mets fans are ready for a change. I think ex Met Melvin Mora would be good replacement.
I’m excited because I think we as Mets fans are starting to come around on Jason Bay.
Finally…a non-critical view of the Mets.
The Mets are undefeated in 2010!
Uh, you sure about that? I’d go check the stats.
:)
One thing is for sure, Jason Bay will be a lot better than Daniel Murphy in LF.
Daniel Murphy would be a lot better than Daniel Murphy in LF.
Are you talking about Dave Murphy, the LFer from the Texas Rangers? ;-)
Interesting stats, Citi Field vs PNC Park (where Bay played 4 years)
Citi Field PNC Park
Left Field 335 feet 325 feet
Left Center 379 feet 389-410 feet
Center Field 408 feet 399 feet
Right Center 383 feet 375 feet
Right Field 330 feet 320 feet
Considering LF power alley at PNC park, makes you believe a healthy Bay can hit over 30hr while playing at Citi Field:
YEAR HR AB
2004 24 411
2005 32 599
2006 35 570
2007 21 538 (injure plague season – right knee)
He also played some good OF during those years in that big LF, so got to believe his defense is not as bad as Boston media wants everybody to believe.
LGM 2010!!
Delgado’s Mets teammates have repeatedly called him a clubhouse leader. Reyes was the most recent to do so a few weeks ago. Mets fans have habit of creating fiction that doesn’t align with fact.