Thursday, July 22, 2010

Jason Bay's Golden Sombrero

A golden sombrero is awarded to a player who manages to strike out four times in a single game (real golden sombrero not included). It's quite the feat unless you're Ryan Howard or Mark Reynolds. Unfortunately, cycles and no-hitters are all the rage nowadays. Not for me, though. I will pour over the box scores to bring you the finest at swinging and missing.

Wednesday was a ridiculous day for guys not making contact, so I've taken one of the sombreros to give MTD a moment to ponder why his on-again, off-again boyfriend Chase Utley won't return his calls.

Jason Bay has had a good career. He had a 131 OPS+ in six seasons with Pittsburgh, including a Rookie of the Year in 2004, but no one stays with that porta potty at a Lollapalooza of a franchise, so Bay was traded to the Redsox in the middle of the 2008 season, hit well, then had a big year for Boston in '09. This season, his first with the Mets after he recieved an absurd $66 million in guaranteed money in a four-year contract, has been more Roberto Kelly than Bernie Williams. Bay's putting together a .257/.346/.403 with just six home runs in 91 games, and Wednesday against Arizona, you could almost hear Kelly laughing from his hot dog cart (speculation) each time Bay came to the plate. We'll finish off this six-pack of Busch talls to commemorate Bay's putrid evening.

1st two at-bats: grounded out in the first, safe on an error in the third.

Loyal Offbase reader: "But Derwood, surely Bay didn't strike out in four consecutive at-bats, right?"

Let's go to the grainy, VHS tape....

Top 6: Bay strikes out swinging against Dan Haren.

Top 8: Bay strikes out swinging against Esmerling Vasquez. That's actually a $500 fine in the Dominican Republic.

Top 11: Bay goes down swinging again, this time against Juan Gutierrez, which is a $250 fine in Venezuela.

Top 13: Bay whiffs for the fourth time, flailing at three Blaine Boyer pitches. That's a $35 fine you have to pay to the resource officer at Walton High School (GA).

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