According to multiple media outlets, Jason Bay is resigned to testing the free agent waters once his current contract expires following this season. he's due to make just $7.5 million in 2009, the final year of a 4-year, $18.25 million deal signed with the Pirates.

Can't say I'm too surprised about this. The Sox were remarkably lucky to seal up all three of Pedroia, Youkilis and Lester within about a month and a half of each other with relative ease, so they were bound to encounter some difficulty along the way. Bay cites market changes as the main reason that he wants to wait it out, so perhaps this could end  up benefiting the Sox in the long run. If the market takes a further dive, they may be able to get him on the cheap as opposed to that clown that just signed for 2 years and $45 million with the Dodgers. When a guy like Bobby Abreu ($5 mil plus incentives) is forced to accept a meager 1-year deal from the Angels, anything could be possible with Bay. In the end, I believe he stays in Boston on a 4- or 5-year deal, probably in the neighborhood of $12 million per year, which would definitely be a bargain for that level of production.