Weighing in on new 'paternity leave' rule

Like many fathers, Jason Bay wanted to be at his wife's side when she gave birth to the couple's third child Tuesday. Like many fathers, Bay has a job.

Unlike many fathers, Bay is a Major League Baseball player. So he was able to miss two games with the blessing of his employer as one of the first players to take advantage of a new rule this season that grants expectant fathers paternity leave and allows teams to replace him for 1-3 games.

"I think it's a great idea to not shorthand teams," Bay said. "To not have that pressure on you to say, 'I've got to get back, they're a man down.' It's kind of a classy thing to do."

It's hard to find anyone in baseball today who would argue -- publicly, at least -- with the idea that a father should miss games to be at a child's birth. As society has evolved in that direction, so has baseball.

But the Mets lost both games when Bay, their $66-million leftfielder and No. 5 hitter, was on paternity leave. His replacements in the lineup (Lucas Duda, Scott Hairston and Willie Harris) went a combined 0-for-9 as the Mets lost, 7-6, in 10 innings and, 2-0, to the Giants.

The Mets did get to add a player. But that player was Duda, a career .183 hitter. He went back to Triple-A when Bay returned Thursday.

Could the Mets have won one or both of those games if Bay had played? Would anyone in baseball even say that out loud?. "I think," Mets broadcaster Ron Darling said, "that front office, fans -- no, not fans -- teammates, us in the booth will never admit that we think about it. It's thought about, but you know it'll never be back the same. You also know he's such a big part of your team."

Darling, the former Mets pitcher, is a father of two. His first son was born during spring training; Darling didn't miss a workout even though the boy was born prematurely and had to spend two weeks in the hospital. His second son was delivered via planned C-section on a day off during the 1993 season.

"You just didn't ask for a day off," Darling said. "You'd feel awful. And I'm a pitcher. I could have had a couple of days off if I'd wanted it.". Darling applauded the change in attitudes and rules that allows a player to ask for the days off now with no questions asked.

"The game of baseball has evolved so much better as far as families are included," he said. "Those things just didn't exist in our day. Probably made us worse parents for it and worse husbands."

When the paternity leave rule was instituted for this season, it addressed the needs of the team while the player was gone -- not whether the player should leave in the first place. That issue is settled.. Or is it?

"Twenty-five years ago, nobody left," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Nobody went to weddings, their uncle's getting married . . . nobody went. The season was six months long or five months long and you stayed. The game's changed and they've added this rule and it helps you because you don't lose a player. You actually can keep a full roster. You just adjust to it."

Collins, who does not have any children, was asked if he liked the new rule.

"My opinion really doesn't matter in the whole scheme of things," he said. "I mean, I'm sure the wives are happier."