THE CANADIAN PRESS
BRADENTON, Fla. — Jason Bay had never been as discouraged as he was during the waning days of a miserable 2007 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
With both personal and team struggles to endure, the constant negativity around the club really got to him. Then came a complete front-office shuffle that left him questioning his future in Pittsburgh.
Later, a couple blunt assessments of the Pirates’ situation landed him in some hot water and a series of trade rumours followed.
It all made for a long winter, and only now, back at spring training, does the native of Trail, B.C., feel a sense of renewal.
"I was definitely frustrated, for a number of reasons," Bay said Thursday before the Pirates rallied for an 8-7 Grapefruit League win over the Toronto Blue Jays. "The team’s struggling, you’re struggling, I had never really struggled at this level, the faster I tried to dig out the deeper I’d get, trying everything, it was a grind.
"But you kind of get here and you realize last year was last year, you move on and hopefully things get a little better."
Despite the sunny outlook, Bay’s days in Pittsburgh may very well be numbered.
New general manager Neal Huntington opted against stripping down the long-suffering club — mired in a run of 15 straight losing seasons — during the off-season, deciding instead to give them another chance in 2007 before taking that route.
Should the Pirates continue to struggle, Bay and other veterans with market value could be moved for young players as part of a rebuilding program. If they start winning, they may try to add on to make a run in the weak National League Central.
"I’d love nothing more than to do it here having been here through all the bad times, kind of like the Tigers, through the 120 losses and all of a sudden a couple of years removed from that, boom," said Bay. "There’s a lot more to be said for that than just kind of going to a team.
"At the same time, it’s easier to say that than for it to actually happen. There’s some steps we need to take from where we’re at, it’s not going to be an overnight thing. If it looks like it’s going to take more time than I have, does that make a lot of sense?"
Truth is, if not for a poor season by his standards — a .247 average with 21 homers and 84 RBIs — Bay would likely have already been in another uniform. Rumours during the winter meetings had him headed to Cleveland and while the Blue Jays also showed some interest, ultimately his market value was too low for the Pirates’ liking.
One possible scenario is that they wait for him to bounce back this summer, then deal him once his value is higher.
Bay understands the reality of that scenario and is prepared to deal with it. He’s already been traded three times, all while he was in the minors, and with just two years left on his US$18.25-million, four-year deal, his future in Pittsburgh was bound to become an issue.
"I don’t want to say it’s inevitable, but I knew it was going to come sooner or later, put it that way," said Bay. "I’ve been traded three times before so it might affect other guys certain ways but I don’t think it will affect me."
Many of Bay’s problems at the plate last year were rooted in a case of tendinitis in his right knee, an problem that prevented him from loading up on his back leg and exploding into the ball during his swing.
One big-league executive who watched him play said it was clear Bay was far from 100 per cent, although the 29-year-old refuses to use injury as an excuse.
"It wasn’t hurting me but my body wasn’t doing the things it normally did, just trying to get off of it. That led to some bad habits," he said. "It’s tough to load that back side when your knee doesn’t want anything on it. It’s not an excuse but it might have been a factor."
Still, watching the reception Bay gets on opening day in Pittsburgh will be interesting.
Long a fan favourite for embracing the city and his hard-nosed style of play, he faced criticism this winter for the first time as a Pirate for two harsh but dead-on critiques of the team.
On the final day of the 2007 season, Bay said, "To think we’re going to win 100 games or go to the World Series next year with the exact same team it would be a little foolish."
Then, at the Pirates’ annual fan festival in Pittsburgh in January, he said, "I think that, for a championship-quality team, you need to make more moves. And I’m not talking about the .500 team we can be. I don’t think anyone in this room is going to tell you we’re a championship-quality team."
Sometimes the truth hurts and Bay experienced some backlash. But he remains committed to the franchise and isn’t looking to jump ship as long as the Pirates are trying to build a winner.
"I’d love to be part of the turnaround but I understand that if things don’t work out and there’s a direction they want to go, there’ll be a few different names that aren’t here and that’s just how baseball works," said Bay. "I feel like I’ve been with the Pirates my entire life.
"I like it there, I have a house there, I like the situation, I would love nothing more than to see it through, but if for some reason that doesn’t happen, whether it’s wins and losses, trades or whatever it might be, it’s not up to me.
"I can step outside the box and see the big picture, not just from in here and I understand that I may or may not be a part of that."
