Jason Bay
Encyclopedia
Jason Raymond Bay is a Canadian professional baseball player. An outfielder, he currently plays for the New York Mets
of Major League Baseball
. Bay has previously played for the San Diego Padres
, the Pittsburgh Pirates
, and the Boston Red Sox
.
. In 1999 he played for the Chatham Athletics
in the Cape Cod Baseball League
. Bay attended Gonzaga University
.
in the 22nd round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
and was assigned to the Expos' Short-Season A team in Burlington, Vermont (Vermont Expos
). In , Bay was assigned to the Expos’ High Single-A team in Jupiter
. He began the year slowly, and in May he was moved to Clinton of the Midwest League
. Bay reached base in his first 26 games, then went on to hit
.362 and win the league batting title. In all, he batted .315 with 14 homers
and 75 RBIs
on the year.
The Expos traded Bay to the New York Mets
on March 24, 2002 with Jim Serrano for Lou Collier
. The Mets traded Bay to the San Diego Padres
with Josh Reynolds and Bobby Jones
for Jason Middlebrook
at the 2002 trading deadline.
, a home run, in the 9th inning. Two days later, he suffered a broken right wrist after a hit by pitch
.
On August 26, 2003, Bay was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
, along with Óliver Pérez
and Cory Stewart in August in exchange for Brian Giles
. He finished the season with a .287 batting average, four home runs, and 14 RBI in 30 games.
Bay began the season on the disabled list
due to surgery during the off-season, and did not join the team until May. Despite missing the beginning of the season, he still produced the best offensive numbers of any National League
rookie. He hit .282 in 120 games, leading all major league rookies in home runs (26) and RBIs (82). He also led all NL rookies in slugging percentage (.550), extra base hit
s (54) and total bases
(226). With his 26 home runs, Bay broke a Pirates rookies record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo
in and matched by Ralph Kiner
in . Selected the 04 NL rookie of the year by The Sporting News, Bay was the third Pittsburgh player honored with the award, after second baseman
Johnny Ray
(1982) and catcher
Jason Kendall
. Bay was also the first Canadian player to win the award.
In 2005, Bay was selected to his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game
as a reserve outfielder. He was the only player on either roster not to appear in the game. Bay also appeared in the 2005 Century 21 Home Run Derby
, representing Canada in the nationality-themed contest; he was eliminated in the first round after hitting no home runs. Bay finished the season with a .306 average, 32 home runs, and 101 RBI, leading the Pirates in every major hitting category.
After 2005 season Bay signed a four-year contract extension worth a guaranteed $18.25 million.
Bay hit .321 with 12 home runs (a Pirate record for home runs in a month) and 35 runs batted in in May 2006. From May 22 to May 28 he hit home runs in six consecutive games, two short of the major league record held by Dale Long
, Don Mattingly
, and Ken Griffey, Jr.
He had actually hit 10 home runs in ten games, but he had failed to hit a home run in one of the games (and hit two the next day).
Following an aggressive public relations campaign by the Pirates in 2006, Bay led all National League outfielders in All-Star voting. Pearl Jam
lead singer Eddie Vedder
even urged fans to vote for Bay during a summer concert at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena
. Bay became the first member of the Pittsburgh Pirates voted into the All-Star game as a starter since Andy Van Slyke
. In the game, Bay went 1 for 3, with a single
.
After battling injuries, Bay's season was less productive. Despite having a strong first couple of months, he hit .247 with 21 home runs and 84 RBI.
Bay had a much more productive 2008 with Pittsburgh, hitting .282 with 22 home runs and 64 runs batted in through the All Star break. In a May series against the Chicago Cubs
, Bay had extra-inning walk-off hits in back-to-back games; the first two walk-off hits of his career. A month later, he got his third walk-off hit of the season and his career with a 13th-inning solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays
.
On July 31, 2008, Bay and a player to be named later (Josh Wilson) were traded to the Boston Red Sox
in a three team deal that sent Manny Ramirez
to the Los Angeles Dodgers
and Andy LaRoche
with Bryan Morris
to the Pittsburgh Pirates
from the Dodgers and Brandon Moss
with Craig Hansen
to the Pirates from the Red Sox. In his Red Sox debut, Bay scored both runs, the second coming after he hit a triple in bottom of the 12th inning and scored the game winning run on a Jed Lowrie
RBI infield single. Bay hit his first home run with Boston the next night against Oakland. In one game, he hit multiple home runs against the Baltimore Orioles
at Oriole Park. He would end the 2008 season with Boston batting .293 with 9 home runs and 37 RBI.
The Sox' 2008 American League Division Series
against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
was the first playoff series of Bay's career. Bay hit a home run in each of the first two games of the series. Bay finished the series batting 7 for 17 (.412), with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 5 RBIs. In the 2008 American League Championship Series
he scored the first run in game one. In game two he opened the door for the Red Sox with a two-run double and a home run in the fifth inning. However the Boston Red Sox lost in seven games.
After a strong first half that included an All Star selection, Bay went on to lead the Red Sox with a career high 36 home runs and 119 RBIs during the regular season. Early in the season he also had a streak of 11 home runs with men on base, tying the team record and falling one shy of the major league mark.
In 2009, he was named # 41 on the Sporting News list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball.
He filed for free agency after the season, turning down the Red Sox's offer of salary arbitration.
. The deal is worth about $66 million over four years plus a vesting option for a fifth year. General manager Omar Minaya
, who engineered the deal, originally traded Bay to the Mets in 2002 when he was GM for the Montreal Expos. On January 5, 2010, Minaya and Jeff Wilpon
held a press conference at Citi Field in which Jason Bay was presented with his uniform, number 44 for the Mets.
On April 27, in the first game of a double header against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, Bay hit his first home run as a member of the New York Mets
in the bottom of the 4th inning to give the Mets a 2–0 lead. The Mets went on to win the first game 4–0 and win the second game 10–5.
In his first season with the Mets, Bay played in only 95 games. He suffered a concussion in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers where he ran into a fenced wall and his head jerked back. He finished his season with a .259 batting average, only 6 six home runs (he hit 36 the year before), had in 47 RBIs, and scored 48 runs.
Bay began 2011 on the disabled list
with a rib
injury
and returned to the Mets on April 21 in a game against the Houston Astros
. On June 28, 2011, Bay hit a grand slam
off of Detroit Tigers
pitcher Daniel Schlereth
, it was the first grand slam by the Mets since Angel Pagan
hit one on August 1 of 2009. On August 8, Bay hit his 200th career home run against the San Diego Padres
, becoming the third Canadian MLB player after Larry Walker
and Matt Stairs
to reach this milestone.
In his major league career Bay has demonstrated well-above-average power to all fields. He has also shown good discipline at the plate; in , he ranked in the top ten in the National League
in walks
, though he also does strike out
more often than the average hitter. On the bases, though he is not exceptionally fast, Bay is a very effective basestealer
; in 2005, until he was picked off
in the last week of the season, he tied the major league record for most steals in a season without getting caught with 21 consecutive stolen bases. The record has since been broken by Chase Utley
, with 23 consecutive steals in 2009.
. Their son, Garrett David Bay, was born on May 3, 2011 in New York City
.
Bay's sister, Lauren Bay Regula, is a professional softball
player who pitched for Canada in the 2004 Olympics
, and was on the 2008 Olympic
team as well.
Bay remains friends with Edmonton Oilers
center Shawn Horcoff
, who was also born in Trail. He is close friends with Cleveland Indians
center fielder Grady Sizemore
, who was also a groomsman at Bay's wedding.
In Bay's opening interview with the Boston media, he stated that his father was a die-hard Red Sox fan who had bought him a Red Sox onesie
to wear when he was young. Bay believed it was still in his parents' basement along with his two childhood TV room posters of Red Sox greats Jim Rice
and Carl Yastrzemski
.
On Thursday, July 2, 2009, Bay became a U.S. citizen after a ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston. During the off season Bay resides in his wife's hometown of Seattle.
Bay recently had a house in Larchmont, New York
.
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Bay has previously played for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, and the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
Amateur career
Bay experienced success as a player very early, playing on a Trail team that reached the 1990 Little League World Series1990 Little League World Series
The 1990 Little League World Series took place between August 21 and August 25 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The San Hua Little League of Tainan, Chinese Taipei defeated the Shippensburg Little League of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania in the championship game of the 44th Little League World...
. In 1999 he played for the Chatham Athletics
Chatham Athletics
The Chatham Anglers, more commonly referred to as the Chatham A's and formerly the Chatham Athletics, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Chatham, MA. Prior to the 2009 season, the team changed its name to the Chatham Anglers due to Major League Baseball Properties' trademark of...
in the Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...
. Bay attended Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
.
Minor league career (2000-2002)
Bay was drafted by the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the 22nd round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft
2000 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Compensation picks:- Background :The Florida Marlins made Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA the first overall selection in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft...
and was assigned to the Expos' Short-Season A team in Burlington, Vermont (Vermont Expos
Vermont Lake Monsters
The Vermont Lake Monsters are a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics. The team plays its home games at Centennial Field on the University of Vermont campus in Burlington, Vermont...
). In , Bay was assigned to the Expos’ High Single-A team in Jupiter
Jupiter Hammerheads
The Jupiter Hammerheads are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter, Florida, named for the hammerhead shark.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins major-league club....
. He began the year slowly, and in May he was moved to Clinton of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. Bay reached base in his first 26 games, then went on to hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.362 and win the league batting title. In all, he batted .315 with 14 homers
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and 75 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
on the year.
The Expos traded Bay to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on March 24, 2002 with Jim Serrano for Lou Collier
Lou Collier
Louis Keith Collier is a former utility player who played in Major League Baseball from through . Collier batted and threw right-handed...
. The Mets traded Bay to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
with Josh Reynolds and Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (left-handed pitcher)
Robert Mitchell Jones is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from -. He made his MLB debut on May 18, 1997, for the Colorado Rockies....
for Jason Middlebrook
Jason Middlebrook
Jason Douglas Middlebrook is a retired professional baseball pitcher. He played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball, from 2001–03, for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets.-External links:...
at the 2002 trading deadline.
San Diego Padres (2003)
Bay debuted with the Padres on May 23, 2003, getting his first major league hitHit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, a home run, in the 9th inning. Two days later, he suffered a broken right wrist after a hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates (2003-2008)
2003-2004
On August 26, 2003, Bay was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, along with Óliver Pérez
Oliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
and Cory Stewart in August in exchange for Brian Giles
Brian Giles
Brian Stephen Giles is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. During his career he played for the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres...
. He finished the season with a .287 batting average, four home runs, and 14 RBI in 30 games.
Bay began the season on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
due to surgery during the off-season, and did not join the team until May. Despite missing the beginning of the season, he still produced the best offensive numbers of any National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
rookie. He hit .282 in 120 games, leading all major league rookies in home runs (26) and RBIs (82). He also led all NL rookies in slugging percentage (.550), extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s (54) and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(226). With his 26 home runs, Bay broke a Pirates rookies record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo
Johnny Rizzo
John Costa Rizzo was an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1938-1942. Rizzo set the Pittsburgh Pirates record for most home runs in a season, with 23 in his rookie year of 1938...
in and matched by Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner
Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...
in . Selected the 04 NL rookie of the year by The Sporting News, Bay was the third Pittsburgh player honored with the award, after second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Johnny Ray
Johnny Ray
John Cornelius Ray is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 10-year career from 1981 to 1990. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League and the California Angels of the American League...
(1982) and catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Jason Kendall
Jason Kendall
Jason Daniel Kendall is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He is the son of former catcher Fred Kendall, who played in the majors from 1969–1980.-High school:...
. Bay was also the first Canadian player to win the award.
2005-2006
In 2005, Bay was selected to his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 76th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan,...
as a reserve outfielder. He was the only player on either roster not to appear in the game. Bay also appeared in the 2005 Century 21 Home Run Derby
Home Run Derby
The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
, representing Canada in the nationality-themed contest; he was eliminated in the first round after hitting no home runs. Bay finished the season with a .306 average, 32 home runs, and 101 RBI, leading the Pirates in every major hitting category.
After 2005 season Bay signed a four-year contract extension worth a guaranteed $18.25 million.
Bay hit .321 with 12 home runs (a Pirate record for home runs in a month) and 35 runs batted in in May 2006. From May 22 to May 28 he hit home runs in six consecutive games, two short of the major league record held by Dale Long
Dale Long
Richard Dale Long was a first baseman in professional baseball. Between 1951 and 1963, Long played in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Browns , Chicago Cubs , San Francisco Giants , New York Yankees and Washington Senators...
, Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, and Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
He had actually hit 10 home runs in ten games, but he had failed to hit a home run in one of the games (and hit two the next day).
Following an aggressive public relations campaign by the Pirates in 2006, Bay led all National League outfielders in All-Star voting. Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
lead singer Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
even urged fans to vote for Bay during a summer concert at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena
Mellon Arena
Civic Arena is an indoor arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel...
. Bay became the first member of the Pittsburgh Pirates voted into the All-Star game as a starter since Andy Van Slyke
Andy Van Slyke
Andrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...
. In the game, Bay went 1 for 3, with a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
.
2007-2008
After battling injuries, Bay's season was less productive. Despite having a strong first couple of months, he hit .247 with 21 home runs and 84 RBI.
Bay had a much more productive 2008 with Pittsburgh, hitting .282 with 22 home runs and 64 runs batted in through the All Star break. In a May series against the Chicago Cubs
2008 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2008 season was the 136th season for the Chicago Cubs. It is considered one of their most impressive regular seasons in the entire history of the franchise. Despite 97 regular season wins—the most since 1945—they failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs, losing 3-0...
, Bay had extra-inning walk-off hits in back-to-back games; the first two walk-off hits of his career. A month later, he got his third walk-off hit of the season and his career with a 13th-inning solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
.
2008
On July 31, 2008, Bay and a player to be named later (Josh Wilson) were traded to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in a three team deal that sent Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and Andy LaRoche
Andy LaRoche
Andrew Christian LaRoche is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent....
with Bryan Morris
Bryan Morris
Avery Bryan Morris is a baseball pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He is currently the starting pitcher for the Altoona Curve, the Pirates Double A affiliate in the Eastern League.-Professional career:...
to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
from the Dodgers and Brandon Moss
Brandon Moss
Brandon Douglas Moss is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...
with Craig Hansen
Craig Hansen
Craig Robert Hansen is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. A closer out of St. John's University, Hansen was drafted in and quickly made his major league debut, but has since spent most of his career at the Triple-A level...
to the Pirates from the Red Sox. In his Red Sox debut, Bay scored both runs, the second coming after he hit a triple in bottom of the 12th inning and scored the game winning run on a Jed Lowrie
Jed Lowrie
Jed Carlson Lowrie is an American professional baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:Lowrie was born on April 17, 1984 and later attended North Salem High School....
RBI infield single. Bay hit his first home run with Boston the next night against Oakland. In one game, he hit multiple home runs against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
at Oriole Park. He would end the 2008 season with Boston batting .293 with 9 home runs and 37 RBI.
The Sox' 2008 American League Division Series
2008 American League Division Series
-Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox:-Game 1, October 1:Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaIn a re-match of last year's ALDS, starters Jon Lester and John Lackey were sharp early on, each tossing a couple of scoreless innings. The Angels finally got on the board in the third, when...
against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The 2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season was the 48th season for the franchise. The regular season ended with the Angels winning their seventh American League West division title and setting a franchise record for single-season wins...
was the first playoff series of Bay's career. Bay hit a home run in each of the first two games of the series. Bay finished the series batting 7 for 17 (.412), with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 5 RBIs. In the 2008 American League Championship Series
2008 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 10, 2008 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FloridaBoston won a pitcher's duel on a sac fly by Jed Lowrie in the fifth and an RBI double by Kevin Youkilis in the eighth. Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was nearly unhittable in Game 1 of the 2008 ALCS. He held the Rays hitless...
he scored the first run in game one. In game two he opened the door for the Red Sox with a two-run double and a home run in the fifth inning. However the Boston Red Sox lost in seven games.
2009
After a strong first half that included an All Star selection, Bay went on to lead the Red Sox with a career high 36 home runs and 119 RBIs during the regular season. Early in the season he also had a streak of 11 home runs with men on base, tying the team record and falling one shy of the major league mark.
In 2009, he was named # 41 on the Sporting News list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball.
He filed for free agency after the season, turning down the Red Sox's offer of salary arbitration.
New York Mets (2010-present)
On December 29, 2009, Bay agreed to a deal with the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. The deal is worth about $66 million over four years plus a vesting option for a fifth year. General manager Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
, who engineered the deal, originally traded Bay to the Mets in 2002 when he was GM for the Montreal Expos. On January 5, 2010, Minaya and Jeff Wilpon
Jeff Wilpon
Jeffrey Scott Wilpon is the COO of the New York Mets baseball team and the executive vice-president of Sterling Equities. Jeff is the son of New York Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon. Jeff and other Wilpon family members invested with Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme that collapsed in 2008...
held a press conference at Citi Field in which Jason Bay was presented with his uniform, number 44 for the Mets.
2010
On April 27, in the first game of a double header against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Bay hit his first home run as a member of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in the bottom of the 4th inning to give the Mets a 2–0 lead. The Mets went on to win the first game 4–0 and win the second game 10–5.
In his first season with the Mets, Bay played in only 95 games. He suffered a concussion in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers where he ran into a fenced wall and his head jerked back. He finished his season with a .259 batting average, only 6 six home runs (he hit 36 the year before), had in 47 RBIs, and scored 48 runs.
2011
Bay began 2011 on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with a rib
Rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax...
injury
and returned to the Mets on April 21 in a game against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. On June 28, 2011, Bay hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
off of Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
pitcher Daniel Schlereth
Daniel Schlereth
Daniel Robert Schlereth is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.-Early years:Schlereth was born in Anchorage, Alaska, before moving to Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He is a graduate of Highlands Ranch High School. During his senior year, he struck out a school record 19 batters in a...
, it was the first grand slam by the Mets since Angel Pagan
Angel Pagán
Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...
hit one on August 1 of 2009. On August 8, Bay hit his 200th career home run against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, becoming the third Canadian MLB player after Larry Walker
Larry Walker
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
and Matt Stairs
Matt Stairs
Matthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian professional Major League baseball outfielder, first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone...
to reach this milestone.
Qualities as a player
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, though he also does strike out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
more often than the average hitter. On the bases, though he is not exceptionally fast, Bay is a very effective basestealer
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
; in 2005, until he was picked off
Pickoff
In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or a catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base....
in the last week of the season, he tied the major league record for most steals in a season without getting caught with 21 consecutive stolen bases. The record has since been broken by Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
, with 23 consecutive steals in 2009.
Personal
Bay and his wife, Kristen, have two daughters, Addison, who was born on November 19, 2006, in Pittsburgh, and Evelyn, who was born on September 16, 2008, in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Their son, Garrett David Bay, was born on May 3, 2011 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Bay's sister, Lauren Bay Regula, is a professional softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
player who pitched for Canada in the 2004 Olympics
Softball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Softball at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held at the Olympic Softball Stadium in the Helliniko Olympic Complex from August 14 to 23. The United States won the gold while Australia took silver and Japan , the bronze....
, and was on the 2008 Olympic
Softball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Softball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing took place over a ten day period starting August 12 and culminating in the medal finals on August 21. All games were played at the Fengtai Softball Field...
team as well.
Bay remains friends with Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
center Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, 99th overall, by the Oilers, the team with which he has spent his entire NHL career...
, who was also born in Trail. He is close friends with Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
center fielder Grady Sizemore
Grady Sizemore
Gradius "Grady" Sizemore III is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
, who was also a groomsman at Bay's wedding.
In Bay's opening interview with the Boston media, he stated that his father was a die-hard Red Sox fan who had bought him a Red Sox onesie
Onesie
An infant bodysuit is a garment designed to be worn by infants much like a t-shirt; they are distinguished from t-shirts by an extension below the waist, with snaps or Velcro that allow it to be closed over the crotch. The purpose of the opening at the crotch is to facilitate access to the infant's...
to wear when he was young. Bay believed it was still in his parents' basement along with his two childhood TV room posters of Red Sox greats Jim Rice
Jim Rice
James Edward "Jim" Rice , nicknamed "Jim Ed", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder.Jim Rice played his entire career for the Boston Red Sox from 1974 to 1989...
and Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
.
On Thursday, July 2, 2009, Bay became a U.S. citizen after a ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston. During the off season Bay resides in his wife's hometown of Seattle.
Bay recently had a house in Larchmont, New York
Larchmont, New York
Larchmont is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,864 at the 2010 census. It is located within the town of Mamaroneck, on the shore of Long Island Sound, northeast of Midtown Manhattan...
.
Awards and honors
- Three-time NL Rookie of the Month (June, July and September, 2004)
- National League Rookie of the Year (2004)
- The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
NL Rookie of the Year (2004) - Tip O'Neill AwardTip O'Neill AwardThe Tip O'Neill Award is an award given out by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame to the Canadian baseball player "judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to the highest ideals of the game of baseball." It is named for Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer...
winner (2004, 2005 and 2009) – given to the top Canadian baseball player each season. - National League All-Star (2005, 2006)
- Represented Canada at the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball ClassicThe World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
- Represented Canada in the 1990 Little League World SeriesLittle League World SeriesThe Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
- May 2006 Player of the Month
- Represented Canada at the 2005 Home Run DerbyHome Run DerbyThe Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
- The 2008 Chuck Tanner Award for "professionalism, cooperation and availability to and with Major League writers to best assist them in carrying out daily responsibilities."
- American League All-Star (2009)
- American League Outfield Silver SluggerSilver SluggerThe Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
(2009)
Records
- Holds the record for most home runs at PNC ParkPNC ParkPNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
with 61. - Second most Home Runs (14) by a visiting player (behind Lance BerkmanLance BerkmanWilliam Lance Berkman is an American professional baseball outfielder and right fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball....
- 18) and the highest batting average of any player with more than 100 at bats (.363, 58 for 160) at Great American Ball ParkGreat American Ball ParkThe Great American Ball Park is a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home of the National League's Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2003, replacing the Reds' former home, Cinergy Field, which was known as Riverfront Stadium from its opening in June 1970 until the 1996...
in Cincinnati. - 3rd all-time in Home Runs hit by a Canadian born player behind Larry WalkerLarry WalkerLarry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
(383)& Matt StairsMatt StairsMatthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian professional Major League baseball outfielder, first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone...
(260).Jeff HeathJeff HeathJohn Geoffrey Heath was a Canadian left fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Cleveland Indians. He was one of the American League's most promising power hitters of the late 1930s and early 1940s, twice leading the AL in triples, and batting at least .340 with over...
had (194).
Pittsburgh Pirates
- 4th all-time with .515 slugging percentage
- 8th all-time with .890 on-base plus slugging (min 100 AB)
- 8th all-time with 139 Home Runs
- 10th all-time with 682 Strikeouts
- 12th all-time with .375 on-base percentage
- 15th all-time with 34 sacrifice flies
- 15th all-time with 35 hit by pitches