THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO -- Canadian slugger Jason Bay and the Boston Red Sox have called off talks on a contract extension after making some progress, but not enough to get a deal done.
The two sides expect to restart negotiations once the season is done, when the Red Sox will have an exclusive window to talk with their left-fielder before he becomes a free agent.
Bay and the Red Sox also held an unsuccessful round of bargaining during spring training, but the native of Trail, B.C., feels there's more to build on this time around.
"I'm definitely more encouraged with the way things are this time, a lot more actually, that hopefully we can get something done," Bay said before Friday's game versus the Toronto Blue Jays.
"They've made great strides and I appreciate it. As of right now, in the best interest of both parties, if we didn't get something reached by (Thursday), we want to put it to the back burner so it won't be a distraction. I'm very encouraged."
Bay, back after playing in his third all-star game, entered play Friday leading the American League with 72 RBIs, to go along with his 20 homers and .260 batting average. He is one of the top players eligible for free agency next winter and the Red Sox have no natural replacement for him in left field or in the middle of the lineup.
"There's disappointment," said general manager Theo Epstein. "Both sides want this to work. We were really hopeful with the aggressive offer that we made that we could have reached a deal now.
"I think he still wants to be here, it's just not going to happen now."
Bay's big season has only increased his leverage since the spring, although he's not necessarily looking to break the bank. The 30-year-old likes Boston and would like to remain with the Red Sox, but knows he's "only going to really have one kick at the can" in free agency.
"I'm not really in the market, I'm not trying to set a precedent, I'm just looking for something that's fair," he said. "Whether that's changed over the last three months, you guys can determine that, it's just the position that we're in."
Bay is in the final season of a US$18.25-million, four-year contract he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in November 2005. He is looking for some stability in his next contract after being traded four times in his career.
