AP: Jason Bay reaches deal with Mariners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free agent outfielder Jason Bay has reached a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because there was no announcement by the team.
The 34-year-old Bay is hoping to resurrect his career with the Mariners after three disappointing and injury-plagued seasons with the New York Mets.
Last month, Bay and the Mets agreed to terminate his contract with one guaranteed year remaining on his $66 million, four-year contract. The agreement let the Mets spread out the $21 million they still owed him.
Bay hit .165 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs last season. He was slowed by concussions and rib injuries while with the Mets and played only 288 games in three years with them.
Bay is familiar with the Pacific Northwest. He grew up in British Columbia and went to Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because there was no announcement by the team.
The 34-year-old Bay is hoping to resurrect his career with the Mariners after three disappointing and injury-plagued seasons with the New York Mets.
Last month, Bay and the Mets agreed to terminate his contract with one guaranteed year remaining on his $66 million, four-year contract. The agreement let the Mets spread out the $21 million they still owed him.
Bay hit .165 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs last season. He was slowed by concussions and rib injuries while with the Mets and played only 288 games in three years with them.
Bay is familiar with the Pacific Northwest. He grew up in British Columbia and went to Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash.
why do you fat slobs care, you couldn't hit a fastball if your life depended on it, so why don't you just shut the hell up buy a ticket or don't .... who cares about baseball anyway. They should cut it to 100 games and 7 innings, it's too long and too boring to even give a damn about.
What a bunch of so called loser fans!!
This guy was a very good player...He's had some bad luck, We give him a
chance and it wont cost us anything...happens in baseball all the time...Now
its Jasons chance...root him on!
 @rstone I'd rather see fans be critical of bad moves than blindly think they are supporting a good effort.  I'll root on all the players but I will also continue to be critical of bad play and even worse front office moves.  I hope Bay works out, but I'd rather see those innings go to a younger player with potential than a washed up has been.
 @rstone This guy was a very good player < you're the one that said it. How about the accomplished ones that came over and failed. Mitchell, Beltre, Figgins... the list goes on. Go young and keep them. It was hard watching Fister pitch in the Classic for Detroit. Loser fans... that's funny. Loser team, but I am every so hopeful.
34 years old? And a one year contract. Tells me that again, the player is smarter than the ownership. Sell this team to an owner who isn't paralyzed from the neck up.
"Bay hit .165 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs last season."
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He'll fit right in!
"The 34-year-old Bay is hoping to resurrect his career with the Mariners after three disappointing and injury-plagued seasons with the New York Mets".
Bay hit .165 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs last season. He was slowed by concussions and rib injuries while with the Mets and played only 288 games in three years with them.
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Great ! I can see the real  advantage to getting this guy.....................................  THERE IS NONE!
Whats up with the Mariners?? Â
Looks like they're preparing us for another Stellar Season.
And they spent money on this guy why?
Honestly, I didn't expect the Mariners to make any news worthy moves at all so I really can't complain. Kind of funny how we lost a Rookie of the Year with Ichiro and gained another with Bay. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bayja01.shtml He's had some killer seasons and as a righty, he can take advantage of the new outfield dimensions in left field.Â
Extra Extra Read All About It.....M's sign a sub .200 hitter again with a 20 RBI season, M's front office say's 2013 is a rebuilding year, AGAIN....Extra Extra
C'mon guys. This is a win/win for the M's and Bay. The Mets will be paying most of his contract so if he does have another bad year, we aren't on the hook for him financially. If he rebounds and starts hitting better, then we reap the benefits. The Mets paid him BIG bucks so that means he did once hit really well to earn that kind of money. He has had a few injuries so if he gets healthy he should put on a better show. If not, he can retire in his own backyard.
 @acmariner99 Sounds like a broken record.......I've heard this one before.
@acmariner99 Enjoy your Bay Bobblehead next season.
Jason was a pretty good hitter before he started getting hurt. If his bat heats up again, and the M's can get Ibanez back, they might have a pretty good shot at a better season. They can both play left field and Raul would make a great middle of the order guy, although he'd be better used as the designated hitter. Why is everyone so down on giving a guy a chance?Â
 @Louise Scott I think a lot of us are done giving the Mariners another chance. Some of us gave up many years ago. I would say anyone who pays to see them play and expects a positive result on a consistent basis is a naive fool.
The Mariners have lost the largest fan base of any professional sports team. They have averaged the highest drop in total tickets sold to any single game among all professional sports leages combined. The team has not made a single post season appearance in more than ten years; its no wonder when they sign players like this to their roster!
He has demonstrated that he can hit in the past. That's obviously why he obtained a huge contract from the Mets. If he can get healthy he at least has potential to start hitting well again. He will sign for incredibly cheap and unlike most Mariner signings, he will actually be happy to come home to his roots. Most likely he will flop, but you never know what a change of scenery can do. I do agree that the Mariners need a lot more help than this if they are going to seriously contend in the next few years. They need a couple of their young players to show a lot of improvement along with at least a couple additional big bats. In the end a couple big bats will help, but it will be for nothing if their young nucleus doesn't eventually step up.
 @Paddy Which nucleus would that be? Felix Hernandez and ... and ... hmmm.
 @Lloyd Christmas Smoak, Ackley, Montero, Seager, and eventually Zunino/Franklin. These players are still young and at least have the potential to pick things up. I'm not saying they definitely will, but the possibility is still there. I think you might be giving up a little soon.
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Smoak has shown that he can hit, but he has not done so consistently yet (age 26). Ackley regressed last year, but I don't think it's time to give up yet (age 24). Jesus Montero is hitting 267 during slightly more than one year in the majors (age 23). Seager is batting 259 over his career (age 25). Zunino is showing promise at only age 21. Nick Franklin is also promising and he is also 21. Add Walker, Paxton, and Hultzen to the mix for pitchers.
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I don't think these guys will lead to a playoff run by themselves, but adding a couple veteran bats to this lineup will take a lot of pressure off and create a great mentoring opportunity for the young guys. That at least has the potential to create a contending team. Bay will unlikely make the team, but it's still an intriguing option for negligible payroll. I'm more interested in some of the other players they will potentially land.
geez....another has been........
 @mune237 Damn, you beat me to it!
Wow. Really c'mon man.
Figgins just left with: .181 2HR 11RBI Listen... I am trying hard to have faith. Just didn't know I'd have to work this hard.
The Mendoza line will now be named the Zduriencik line. In honor of him loading our team with .180 career utility players.
WHAT THE F IS THIS! Â I don't even care if we got him for a bucket of baseballs, this is not what this team needs at all.
.165 last season? He'll fit right in to the roster like a natural
YAAAWWWWNNNN another loser to the roster.
From what I've heard they are paying hardly anything for him and it's only one year. If we pick up another outfielder (Hamilton, Swisher) and he does decent in Spring Training then he could be a piece to trade.
I have a deal proposal. Â Start winning your games and I'll MAYBE support any of those stadium upgrades you got planned to do. Â As far as I'm concerned, so upgrades are necessary until the team starts stepping up to the plate and win some more games.
The Mariners paid Chone Figgins to go away. The Mets did the same to Bay. Another disaster in the making. At least it will only be for one season.
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Will he have his own bobblehead night? The suckers are lining up already.
.165, 8 HR, 20 RBI ... yeah, he'll fit right in. Â -sigh-
At least it's only a 1 year deal, regardless of how horrible he played last year. Â Hopefully this isn't the M's "big" move.