Buzz: Bay’s Knees and Boston’s Last Offer
In a video segment for NESN.com, Peter Gammons said the Red Sox and Jason Bay agreed to a four-year, $60 million extension last June.
However, after Bay took his physical, ‘an MRI showed a problem with both knees, Ownership then wanted to pay two years, he had to prove his health to make it four years and he wouldn’t sign.’
The Mets signed Bay to a four-year, $66 million, with a vesting fifth-year option.
…ok, so, if boston was only offering a two-year deal, how did the Mets end up guaranteeing four… the Mets were fearful they were bidding against themselves, and i have to think maybe they were… that said, had it been known that bay could he bad for, say, a three-year deal, other teams most certainly would have gotten involved… and so, while, technically, the Mets might have bid up two additional years than the next closest official offer, in all likelihood, if they wanted bay, they eventually would’ve offered four years and $66 million any way, i would think, in other to beat out the other three-year offers… in the end, i think bay got what he was worth…
To hear more from Gammons, including his thoughts on why the league may soon institute an independent panel of doctors, check out NESN’s video clip, here.
