I am sure lots of other players were wondering what might have been if Manny hadn't run himself out of town. Bay knows he is not Manny. The last thing he needs is for the fans to expect him to replace Manny, because he is solidly below Manny's level. I would doubt that he took great offense at hearing that one of the greatest all-time RH hitters might have made the difference. If he did, well then, he needs a serious reality check.
In the current Red Sox lineup, Bay will probably not be backing up Ortiz, so management doesn't think that he is the guy.