What about Jason Bay?

Am I missing something? Why are the Boston Red Sox against signing Jason Bay? What does the man have to do to get some love? Since coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Manny Ramirez trading deadline deal back in 2008, he has been a steady force for the Red Sox. In his year and a half in Boston, Bay hit 45 home runs, drove in over 150 runs and scored more than 125 runs in approx 200 games.

In 2009, Jason Bay was only 1 of 19 major league ball players who hit at least 30 home runs and drove in over 100 runs and he was only 1 of 9 players who also scored more than 100 runs. That is elite company. Yet the Sox do not value him. In turn the Sox have, what appears to be, turned over the left field duty to 36 year old Mike Cameron - a great defensive outfielder, but let's face it, he's not Jason Bay at the plate. He's been a bit of a rally killer the past few years - striking out way to much for a guy with his speed.

I am puzzled at the lack of apparent interest in Bay and the decision to move on with Cameron and a bit of Jeremy Hermida on the side. The Sox came into the offseason clearly with a need to upgrade their offense. Priority number 1 was to resign Bay and then add a power hitter on top of him. Now they appear to have closed the door on Bay. Bay produced in the year and a half he was here and it was clear to a lot of Red Sox nation that he was capable of putting up his averages (30 HRs, 100 RBIs, 100 runs scored) over the next 4+ years. He would have solidified left field and the middle of the lineup. The Sox did not want to go there.

Maybe there is more to come (Adrian Gonzalez?) and the Cameron signing will make more sense. But as of now, I'm confused. I wish the Red Sox had signed Jason Bay for 2010 and beyond. Maybe they still will ...