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Mets agree to overpay Jason Bay for four years

The New York Mets have agreed to overpay 31-year-old free agent outfielder Jason Bay for four years at a guaranteed $66 million. "This is very exciting for me," said Bay. "Everyone wants to get overpaid when they become a free agent, but it doesn't always happen. I'm lucky the Mets came forward." Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Bay's poor range in the outfield, weak throwing arm, propensity to strikeout, failure to drive in baserunners and advancing age made him the perfect candidate to overpay. "We wanted to do it the right way, too," said Minaya. "That's why we included a vesting option for a fifth year that would increase the deal to $80 million. We want to overpay Jason Bay well into the next decade. He's the kind of player you build a payroll around."