While the Brooklyn Cyclones cranked up the promo machine for Monday’s rehab appearance by “one of professional baseball’s most exciting players” (albeit one the team’s owner recently described in less than flattering terms), the parent club’s 8-5 defeat to Philly on Sunday was marked by repeated displays of futility (0-4 at the plate, a huge error on a misjudged fly ball in the 8th inning) by left fielder Jason Bay. It took the New York Daily News trio of Sean Brennan, Roger Rubin and Kristie Ackert to coax the usually unflappable Bay into finally losing his cool.
Bay left three runners in scoring position in his first two at-bats, grounding into inning-ending outs with runners on second and third in the first and on first and second in the third. With the average now back down to .234 – and with Willie Harris and Scott Hairston swinging hot bats – is he concerned about losing playing time?
“Not my job,” Bay said. “I show up and if I’m in the lineup, I’m in the lineup. If I’m not, it’s not my decision to make. I felt like before the break things started going well, and obviously I haven’t carried that momentum. But I’m still going out there trying to get the momentum I had, and I’m not worried about who’s doing well and who’s not.”
And about those boos Sunday?
“You think I enjoy what I’m doing out there?” Bay asked. “I’m more frustrated than anybody. But’ve I got to come back and do it every single day. I can’t get too caught up in the frustration.”
Given the Mets’ financial commitment to Bay, not to mention the likelihood that Terry Collins would like to manage another baseball team someday, it is highly unlikely Harris or Hairston will receive much playing time at Bay’s expense.
(ADDENDUM : who are you gonna believe, a guy who blogs 4 or 5 times a week or the manager himself?)