Now that the exclusive negotiating period has come and gone for the Red Sox, the reality of who will be bidding for Jason Bay’s services starts to get clearer.

Before we get to those teams who are, and aren’t, interested in entering the fray, one thing that should be noted as this process unfolds is that Bay isn’t entering into free agency tip-toeing on eggshells. All anybody had to do was read a couple of Bay’s comments since the end of the Sox’ season to understand this.

Here’s what he said immediately after the Red Sox’ final game of the 2009 season: “I’m actually looking forward to it,” Bay said of his first foray into free agency. “I was looking forward to it after winning a World Series, or at least going further than this, but everybody, I don’t want to say ‘plays to get to this point,’ but it’s something new and something interesting … It’s tough to go out on these terms, but I guess the second part of my season is this offseason and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s out there and seeing how the process goes.”

And there was this line from the live chat Bay conducted on WEEI.com: “There isn’t one important factor. The funny thing is that everybody has an opinion of what I’m waiting for or what I’m doing and I don’t even have an opinion, and that’s the truth.”

Bay is looking forward to this process, and, as he suggested, is diving in with an open mind. For the 31-year-old who has waited his whole professional life to have this kind of opportunity, the fun has just begun. So, one day, in, this is what we know in regards to some of the teams that are (and aren’t) interested in the free agent outfielder:

Red Sox: They’ve doubled the financial part of their proposal — going from an initial offer of three years, $30 million to four years, $60 million — but didn’t come close to buying out Bay’s right to experiencing the open market. They like him, perhaps as much as anybody, as their willingness to put Bay at the top of the team’s payroll would suggest. But … all together now … all it takes is one team to jump in with the kind of love that the Sox aren’t willing to show. One thing to keep an eye on is if, or when, the Sox decide to slap a deadline on the decision. They did it with Mike Lowell (who signed his deal exactly two years ago, Friday), and with Jason Varitek last year. The thinking is that the Sox need to know which way Bay is going to go because Plan B or Plan C (whatever they might be) won’t be viable options forever.

Angels: Other than the Yankees, this is the team that could present the most problems when it comes to the Red Sox re-signing Bay. Not only do they have the kind of money that would allow for a legitimate run at a top tier free agent (remember, they were also in the Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia bidding until near the end last year), but now their owner has proclaimed that LA will be a player for Bay’s services. Arte Moreno told the Los Angeles Times Thursday that not only is his team interested in Bay, but that the Angels have no interest in the other free agent big ticket item, Matt Holliday. Would anybody be surprised to see Angels approaching $17 million per year in their offer to Bay this offseason? And is that a number the Red Sox are willing to go to?

Mets: You know they have money, and they also fit the model in terms of the type of team that would value what Bay brings to the table. It has been well-documented that Bay’s detractors point to defensive metrics that don’t paint a pretty picture. (Although Bay’s agent, Joe Urbon, not only pointed out the flip-side to that argument when talking to WEEI.com, but said just a few days ago that no team he had talked to has brought up concerns regarding any of the outfielder’s defensive deficiencies.) So why does that concern the perception we might have in regards to the Mets’ interest in Bay? Check out this quote from New York GM Omar Minaya at the general managers meetings last week: “Defense is important because it’s a pretty big ballpark. But the bottom line is that if you’re a corner outfielder you’ve got to have slug,” Minaya said. “I would put offense over defense right now in a corner outfielder.” Interesting …

Giants: Not interested. At least that’s what their GM, Brian Sabean said this week. Sabean told reporters following the Tim Lincecum Cy Young press conference that his team wasn’t about to get in a race it didn’t have a chance at winning. “”We’ve contacted who we think is going to have mutual interest,” Sabean said. “We’re not going to be involved with people that are going to use us on the way to something else. If there’s legitimate mutual interest, we’ll have meaningful talks. Quite frankly, there are a lot of nice opportunities with that second tier. There are some people who are going to help, maybe in some cases just as well as the higher-priced free agents.”

Cardinals: Also reportedly not (that) interested. St. Louis clearly wants to re-sign Holliday, but it doesn’t look like Bay is their primary back-up plan. “”We’ll see how the market develops,” St. Louis general manager Mozeliak told reporters. “Is (Jason Bay) a possibility? Sure. But right now it’s fair to say he’s not one of our top priorities.”

Mariners: This one could be interesting. There is an obvious link considering the Seattle area is where Bay makes his home in the offseason, and the Mariners’ outfield’s combined OPS was horrific last year. But the flip-side is that Seattle, more than most any other team, has made outfield defense a priority. The combination of Ichiro Suzuki, Franklin Gutierrez and Endy Chavez paid dividends last season. Perhaps, with Gutierrez and Suzuki still in the mix, the Mariners find some middle ground and see a Bay acquisition as a happy medium.

Blue Jays: Yes, Bay is Canadian. (As he points out, full Canadian, and half American after gaining his U.S. citizenship this year.) But when you’re talking about competing in the free agent market with the big boys, the Blue Jays won’t have a chance. This we know: The outfielder will prioritize the certainty of winning of national pride.

Yankees: Stay tuned …

There will be more teams, rumors and reason, but this is what we have for now. Bay’s second season has officially begun.

Speaking at an event to honor Red Sox principal owner John Henry, who received the Woodrow Wilson Award for corporate sponsorship, team president/CEO Larry Lucchino expressed his organization’s desire to re-sign Jason Bay.

“Very much so,” Lucchino said when asked if the Red Sox wanted the outfielder back. “We’d love to have him back. He’s in many ways the personification of a player we want here.”

The Red Sox’ exclusive period to negotiate with Bay runs out at midnight Thursday.

According to report from the San Francisco Chronicle, Giants’ general manager Brian Sabean said that his team isn’t likely to pursue premier free agent outfielders Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. The Giants were thought to be one of the teams who would be making a play for Bay’s services.

Henry Schulman writes in his blog entry:

Sabean essentially said he refuses to be a “stalking horse” for any player who is just using the Giants to get more money elsewhere, and that the Giants will talk only to free agents who have a genuine interest in coming to San Francisco.

He said he doubts Bay and Holliday will have genuine interest because the Yankees, Red Sox and other bigger-market teams will be chasing them.

Former Boston Red Sox Curt Schilling appeared on The Big Show on Thursday afternoon to discuss the futures of Jason Bay, Adrian Gonzalez, Alex Gonzalez and other Red Sox news. If you happened to miss the interview, simply visit the Big Show audio on demand page after the show. Here are some highlights from the interview:

“If I’m Boston and I have money to spend, I’m going to sign Bay and trade for Felix Hernandez or Halladay. ”

“Halladay makes all the sense in the world.”

“The beauty of it is from Boston’s angle, and I’m not as versed in this … If I’m Boston, I would end up at the trading deadline package, because I think that’s a slight dump for them now. And I don’t want to get into a bidding war with prospects. I would give them three foundational players to bring a Halladay in here, because I think that makes you a perennial 100-win team and a potential October lock with the three of those guys.”

Halladay makes all the sense in the World. What would you give up for him?

“I think it’s going to take three marquee, franchise prospect names. I think you’re looking at a Buchholz, a Kelly, somebody else. I don’t know how they feel about them. … I think what helps right now is [Jed Hoyer] being in San Diego. … I think it’s an advantage and a disadvantage for both sides, in that he understands the value that Boston has in its prospects. He knows exactly who to ask for in a potential deal for Adrian Gonzalez.”

“But I feel like you’re moving potential pieces around to make that happen, as opposed to a Bay and a Holliday filling in some holes. If you bring Gonzalez here, you’re looking at moving Mike [Lowell] or DHing him. I’m not sure you want to platoon Ortiz and Lowell at the DH spot, the third base spot, and all the things that go along with that.”

[Bay – if you don’t get him, Boras will have the hammer]

“This is [Boras’] Super Bowl. He milks it for everything, obviously to the benefit of his players. But the benefit of his players is not always to the benefit of the game.”

[Where will Bay end up?]
“It really depends. I will never in my life discount the Yankees from anything ever, again. The hard part, when they get into the bidding, is not necessarily the dollars, but it’s always the years. They always seem to be willing to go one more year than anyone else. I think Theo has made it very clear that they don’t mind paying market value for a player as long as they’re not paying for that player longer than he’s useful to the club. They feel the years are a much bigger piece of the pie than the whole dollars thing. ”

On Matt Holliday
“I don’t agree that Matt can be the player in the American League that he was in the National League. I put a lot of weight in the fact that he didn’t perform as well [in Oakland]. ”

“A big ballpark, to me, couldn’t affect your batting average as much. Obviously, there’s more foul territory there and it does have some impact. But I don’t know that he’s the impact player with the numbers that he was in the National League over here in the American League.”

[Know what you have with Bay. Holliday is unknown. And Boras.]

“If I’m going to go out and spend the years and the money that we’re talking about spending, I don’t want to have any questions. I would argue that the slump Jason went through last year was every bit an aberration. I’ve seen him. I’ve competed against him. It was an unusually long slump for many different seasons. I don’t think you can expect that, year-in, year-out. At the end of the day, I’m looking at a guy who I know is playing in this market, who can perform in October, who at the end of the season is going to be 30 and 110. I’m confident that offensively he’s going to be a better player next year than he was last year.”

David Ortiz saw buddy Alex Rodriguez win a World Series this year with a loaded Yankees roster, now Ortiz would like some help in the Red Sox lineup. (AP file)

David Ortiz met with the media in the interview room at Fenway Park Thursday afternoon to talk about his upcoming Second Annual David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic, along with the event’s auction, both of which will benefit the David Ortiz Children’s Fund. (The charity provides children in New England and the Dominican Republic access to the pediatric critical care they need for full and productive lives.)

Ortiz also touched on a variety of subjects, including one he brought up at a similar press conference at this time last year — whether or not the Red Sox need another big bat in the middle of their lineup. Last year Ortiz went on record as saying it should have been a priority. This time around?

“I say that like a year ago and everybody looked at me like I was a [expletive] clown. I say, ‘We need another 30-home-run-hitting guy.’ ‘What, you crazy!’ Everybody talking trash. Now what?” Ortiz said. “Everybody will always welcome a 30-home-run-hitting player. Every time, every situation. You want to compete with those guys across the street, you better bring it, period.”

The question was then asked if the acquiring a middle-of-the-order back would remain of the utmost importance even if the Red Sox re-sign Jason Bay.

“I’m going to leave that up to you. You’re the one with the power of the pen,” Ortiz said. “We always need help. We always need guys capable to produce. That’s what everybody chase in the offseason, a guy who can come in and supply powers, RBIs. This is a team that’s playing in this division. Everything is powerful right here. You’ve got the world champions in the East. You’ve got Tampa Bay in the East. You’ve got the Blue Jays getting stronger every year in the East. You’ve got Baltimore who you don’t know if they’re going to come kick your [butt] all year round in the East. So, you better get ready to play in the East.”

One subject that Ortiz also talked about at length was his approach to this offseason, which will include him starting hitting nearly two months earlier than last year. The designated hitter will head to the Dominican Republic Friday to continue his workouts, which he explained will be similar to the offseasons when he wasn’t hampered by injury.

“I always do that,” Ortiz said. “I try and get myself exercising. I’m a big guy. I’m a guy who no way can sit down and watch TV and eat. I hate to come the following year and people start to say I’m overweight, not in shape, and too old. You have to take responsibility in whatever you do, and especially at your job. I know that I don’t want to be going through that. I just maintain myself, working out, doing things, burning calories, trying to stay in good habits so when you come to the hard work the following year, it’s easy.”

Something he wanted to make clear, however, was that is commitment to his health had nothing to do with the fact that he is going into the last guaranteed year of his contract.

“I always look at my last year like my first one because what I’m doing right now I’m doing every year. I don’t want you guys to think I’m doing what I’m doing right now because it’s the last year of my contract and I’ve got to put it together,” he said. “No, I do this every year. Every year after the season I continue working because I want to bring my best to the field.”

As for Ortiz’ reaction to Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein’s comments after the season that the team needed the DH — who turned 34 years old Wednesday — the player seemed to have little concern.

“I’ve always been a force here. I’ve always been the guy that this ballclub counts on. I know that for a fact. I’m going to prepare myself and come back and try to do it again,” Ortiz explained.

“This year is going to be the one year where is going to be a lot of expectations around here. I hear a lot of people talking about this ballclub needs to get younger, this ballclub needs to this, this ballclub needs to do that. As long I know the Red Sox, the Red Sox have had veteran players around. You never have a team out there under the [average] age of 30, that I remember. I’m not saying having young players around is a bad thing, but veteran players know how to deal with pressure and things like that.

“Comments doesn’t make anything better. What you do will make things better … I’m just going to go back to the basics. What I normally like to do. One thing nobody can take away from you is your bat. If anybody takes my bat away from me, I won’t be able to play because that’s the only thing I do.”

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein met with a small group of reporters at Fenway Park following David Ortiz’ press conference publicizing the slugger’s golf tournament and offered an update on the Jason Bay negotiations as the Sox’ exclusive negotiating period comes to an end at midnight, Thursday.

“It will last as long as it lasts, until one side does something different. I think this part of the process is important to him, so he’ll see what it’s like, see what’s out there and ultimately make a decision,” said Epstein, who said the two sides have maintained dialogue throughout the two-week period following the completion of the World Series.

“That’s not up to us. I think all along we maintained it was likely he was going to see what was out there.”

A report on SI.com suggested Bay turned down the Red Sox latest offer of four years, $60 million.