MLB

Mets make plays for Bay, Molina

The Mets crashed the Jason Bay party yesterday, joining the derby for the free-agent star, targeting him to be their biggest offensive addition since Carlos Delgado four years ago.

In what qualified as a surprise, the Mets submitted an offer to Bay, emerging from what seemingly had been a hot stove slumber. The formerly inactive team handed out two offers yesterday, one for Bay and one for free-agent catcher Bengie Molina, as the Mets try to add much needed power and plug their gaping hole in left field.

The question now is whether the Mets — who hit a major league-low 95 homers last year — can haul in Bay, Molina or both. Their proposal to Bay was hardly of the “offer he can’t refuse” variety — four years between $60 million and $65 million. Bay already turned down Boston’s four-year offer in the $60 million range.

As for Molina, the Mets had been trying to cap their proposal to him at two years and $12 million.

The Mets had made Molina their No. 1 catching target. The two-time Gold Glover has plenty going for him. He won a World Series with the Angels in 2002, he blasted 20 homers and drove in 80 runs this year with the Giants and he’s averaged 18 homers and 76 RBIs the last five seasons while batting .282.

On top of that, said former Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi, who had Molina in Toronto in 2006, he comes through in key spots.

“He finds a way,” Ricciardi told The Post, “to get a big hit when you need it.”

Ricciardi also raved about Molina defensively, praising him for his game-calling and receiving skills.

“He did a great job with our staff,” he said. “He takes pride in his catching.”

METS BLOG

In Molina’s 2006 season with the Jays, Roy Halladay went 16-5 with a 3.19 ERA. Of course, that’s the planet’s best pitcher, but keep in mind that Ted Lilly also won 15 games (which was a career high at that point) and closer B.J. Ryan posted a sparkling 1.37 ERA and saved 38 games.

And the Jays’ team ERA that year was 4.37 — fifth-best in the AL. This season Molina caught just 23 percent of runners trying to steal, but in 2008 he stopped 35 percent and in 2007 he nabbed 30 percent. For his career, he’s at 32 percent.

Molina’s part of the celebrated Molina catching family, with one brother (Yadier) a star for the Cardinals and another (Jose) a world champion with the Yankees. Clubhouse-wise, the Mets would be getting what sounds like a strong addition. Said Ricciardi, “You won’t ask for a better guy.”

The Mets were also looking at free-agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba, but agent Melvin Roman told The Post yesterday that he knew the Mets were going to negotiate with Molina. Roman said he is talking about Torrealba with two other clubs.

So if the Mets don’t get Molina, they will have to be careful that they still get a quality catcher to pair with newly signed veteran backup Henry Blanco. As for Bay, the 31-year-old hit .267 with 36 homers and 119 RBIs this season, ranking second in the AL in RBIs to Mark Teixeira’s 122.

Bay’s not a strong defensive player, however, and Jerry Manuel has said the Mets want to focus on pitching and defense. Ricciardi insisted that Bay is “a smart player” who would not cost you defensively and is “more than adequate” in left field.

Additional reporting by Joel Sherman in Indianapolis

mark.hale@nypost.com