"Jason Bay craves anonymity. He prefers to resemble a cog in the Mets' machine, rather than an outlier lauded for each success and lampooned for each failure.

As a millionaire in New York, as an outfielder who signed a contract that contained the unwritten promise to produce, he understands the unlikelihood of fulfilling that wish. The prospect was unlikely before. After being benched for Tuesday night's game against Atlanta, it appears almost impossible now, thanks to the growing gap between the expectations created by his $66 million deal and his cratering output at the plate.

The team now faces an awkward dilemma. His manager, Terry Collins, wants Bay to succeed. But there is an inherent difficulty in playing Bay, when his efforts appear so futile.

"It's a battle," Collins said. "You bet." Then he added, "I'm comfortable with Jason Bay in the lineup. Make no mistake about that."

Yet consider the events of this 10-day road trip. The day the team embarked for Milwaukee, Bay sat so he could rest his head. Two days into the road trip, he sat for two games so he could re-tool his swing. Now, as the final leg began at Turner Field, Collins sat Bay because he needed to win a baseball game, and he believed his bench contained a better option."