“Things kept coming up like, ‘Jason this’ and ‘Jason that ‘. The only people I talked to were my wife and my agent. People were just flat-out making stuff up. I have no problem if people present things as their opinion, because that’s like water off my back. But when someone heard something from someone else and then it came from me, that’s not right. I know there’s competition to get stuff out there, and once it all started I wanted to address some things, but I didn’t want to address things that weren’t true. So it’s partly my fault for not addressing stuff and [allowing] it to take a life of its own.
~ Jason Bay ~
Jason Bay addressed issues that happened between him and the Red Sox during negotiations. Although he “doesn’t throw stones” at the Boston doctor(s), he wasn’t pleased nor did he agree with their diagnosis.
“Look, I know everybody seems to think there’s this gray area, but there isn’t. I was told in August that in order to get the reduced deal they were offering I’d have to have knee surgery on something that didn’t hurt. They said, ‘We feel like you need it and it will help.’ Then they came back at the end of the year and they were willing to do it without the surgery. I said, ‘Wait, you thought I needed this surgery a month earlier and now you don’t?’ And they explained that they felt comfortable with the way I finished up the season and I didn’t need it.
“However minor, however major, however [much] gray area, that’s what happened. It was flabbergasting to me how that situation changed. This isn’t meant to be throwing stones at doctors. But it got to the point where I needed to answer some of the things that were out there.’’
Bay contends that Boston wanted him to have knee surgery in order for the Red Sox to offer a deal. Bay’s knee(s) never bothered him, and he didn’t want to have surgery if there was no pain. He also disputes what the Boston Doctor, Dr. Thomas Gill, said in him needing knee surgery:
“I could see a thousand medical people and they might all agree on the same thing, but if the guy there [Gill] doesn’t see it that way, that’s their prerogative. Things got out, and it was painted as me having sour grapes. By no means do I want to portray it that way. But what bothered me is now the perception was I was damaged goods, even though three doctors determined I wasn’t.
“I’m not saying they’re right or wrong, but I would hope others would take that into consideration.’’
Bay says he isn’t bitter about the Red Sox handling of his free agency, he just wishes they would have handled it differently:
“By no means am I bitter. I’m not the first guy to change teams. I was put off by the timing of it, because it was the one and only time in my career to capitalize on what I had accomplished and I was looking at this thing [medical clause] in the face, which I thought was untrue.
“Having said that, did they ever mean to be malicious? Absolutely not. I wish them well. They have a great team.’’
To read more about Bay and his comments, check out Nick Cafardo - Boston Globe
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