Welcome to Boston Jason Bay…

The first page of Jason Bay’s career has been written and if it’s any indication of what’s to come it looks like good news for the Boston Red Sox. By no means did Bay light the world on fire, but he got the big hit when the Red Sox needed it most and helped the Sox win a game that they needed to have. Needless to say, Jasons Bay will receive nothing but praise by the Boston media for the next couple of days. Here’s a couple of things that I noticed during Bay’s first game in Fenway:

• Boston is welcoming Jason Bay. Red Sox fans have always been unpredictable, but for the most part will pay their respects to it’s greats that left and returned with another team and a new superstar being welcomed into town. I knew that Jason Bay would get a warm hand when he came to the plate for the first time…but I didn’t expect it to be as loud as it was. The trade for Bay was an ugly one that Sox fans apparently either hated or loved. Red Sox fans had to go through another “Nomar trade” and lost one of it’s most beloved players over the years. The fact that Bay was the player the Sox received in return for Manny was enough alone to make a select Sox fans hate Bay already.
• He’s got Manny’s eye. If Bay’s night tells us anything it says that he works the count and waits for his pitch. Just like with Manny Ramirez he sometimes won’t get that pitch and ends up striking out. Bay finished his first game in a Sox uniform going 1-3 with 2 walks and was hit by a pitch. I can’t even describe how many times Manny had a hitless or one hit game, but walked more than one time.
• Don’t be fooled, people are excited by him. Bay was given a standing ovation each time he came to the plate, and he seems to already be in the Manny-Ortiz mold meaning that when he comes to the plate with the game on the line people stop what they’re doing and become as loud and rowdy as they possibly can. Hell, these fans were excited by the way Bay ran the bases, but I guess that’s understandable when you’re so used to having a left fielder that’s slow as shit and neglects to hustle half the time.
• The man can actually play defense. Um…hmm…wait…did a Red Sox left fielder actually play a good game defensively…what is this nonsense?
• He’s a quiet guy. From the moment he arrived in Boston to his interview at the end of the game he stayed quiet, humble and cliche. I don’t want to speak for everyone, but after the type of comments Manny’s made and the type of antics Manny has done, I welcome a down to earth, quiet player who goes out there each night, does his job, and keeps quiet.

Much like Manny Ramirez’s first game at Fenway, Jason Bay made a great first impression on Red Sox fans. Barring the postseason, Bay won’t face a more pressure filled game than the one he played in tonight, and considering he got the biggest hit of the game, all signs are positive.