Shi Davidi tweeted:
"Jason Bay says while he hasn't filed any papers yet, he can't see a scenario in which he comes back to play, so he's essentially retiring."
Bay was much maligned in his brief Mets career, which spanned from 2010 - 2012, and frequently was unfairly treated.
I have never retracted my statements from the 2009 off season where I believed that Bay was the right fit for the Mets. I always felt he was underrated defensively and he did play a solid LF for the Mets, while battling injury and incessant scrutiny from NY media and Mets fans.
While always liking Bay as a stand-up individual and honest person, I wasn't always in Bay's corner towards the end of his career with the Mets, resorting to calling him Puddle. I just felt Bay was beyond repair in NY and was in dire need of a change a scenery. I rooted for Bay to do well with Seattle, which he did not accomplish, being released by Seattle after 68 games last year.
Bay always played hard, and never ran from the press. He always handled himself with professionalism and class to a sometimes hostile New York press. He would sit at his locker well after games until all questions were asked and answered.
Sometimes it isn't always about the numbers put up on the scoreboard; baseball players can transcend that, and Bay was/is the type of character who did this with his professionalism and class.
He had his difficulties, battling through concussions and other injuries, but be always played hard and faced the music when he didn't perform well.
Most of today's athletes can learn a lot from a quality person like Bay.
Though his days in Flushing weren't among the best, he was also unfairly vilified; I never believed Bay took the money and ran, no, but I wish he had had a more substantial existence in Flushing.
If Bay does decide to retire, which seems likely, baseball will lose out on a quality individual who was never appreciated in his years here in Flushing.
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