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Source: Mets Have No Intention of Keeping Reyes


By Chuck Johnson ~ October 31st, 2011. Filed under: Digest Contributors, New York Mets.

Earlier today, a source close to the Mets situation told me the team will make a “cursory” offer to Jose Reyes, but do not want him back, nor will conduct long-term negotiations.

“Reyes will not be back,” the source said. “Any offer will be window dressing.”

Mike Silva adds: 

The fact the Mets asked Reyes’ team what number will keep him off the market and the response was silence makes it pretty clear where this is going.

I think it’s better for Mets fans to come to grips with the fact the Jose Reyes era is over. He provided some great moments, but in the end left everyone wanting for more. I am disappointed, but there will be life after Reyes; lots of life for this franchise. They survived the loss of Seaver, Strawberry, Gooden, and Piazza. They will survive the loss of Reyes.

It wasn’t his entire fault, as the Omar Minaya regime didn’t capitalize on his great stretch from 2006-2008. Personally, I am looking forward to a fresh start with the franchise. I think moving away from the Minaya-era core is what needs to be done. At this point, it’s like staying in a bad relationship for the sake of it. Although this is an indictment on Wilpon ownership, the fact remains that signing Jose Reyes to a deal longer than 4- 5 years is a bad baseball and business decision.

Even in what some consider a “career year” (I would argue that ’06 was, but that is for a different day), Reyes spent a large portion of the second-half injured. His inability to play at a normal pace the last six weeks gave me pause about a long-term deal. I just don’t see him staying healthy or producing at his ’06-’08 levels.

What’s next? Rebuilding. Ruben Tejada now will have the shortstop job, and the team must decide what to do with David Wright. Personally, I would do my best to see what Wright’s market will bear. I think the Mets are going to be surprised what they can get.

The Mets will have a new face in 2012 and beyond. The development of the young pitchers will be a key theme throughout next season. I thought the team could contend for a Wild Card spot (second WC, if available), but I think focusing on the long-term over a unlikely playoff run is the prudent way to run this team.

Fortunately, it appears Sandy Alderson and company are doing just that.

Finally, I still predict Reyes will not get a 7-year deal. Don’t be surprised if Peter Greenberg and Reyes try to pull them back into the negotiations.

If the Mets let Reyes walk to another team for a 5-year deal it tells you either the financial situation is much worse than they are letting on (very possible), or they really never wanted him back in the first place. I think the truth is somewhere in-between.

Frank Russo Adds:

I am hearing the Tigers are a team that may make a major run at Reyes. They would move Jhonny Peralta to third to accommodate him. They feel the gaps at spacious Comerica Park would be perfect for him.

A life-long Yankee fan who counts among his fondest memories seeing “The Mick” play in person, Chuck is a long time member of SABR and the Minor League Alumni Association. A staff researcher for Retrosheet, and a former part-time scout with the Mariners, Chuck now works for the Milwaukee Brewers in their Spring Training Operations Office and holds a similar role in the offseason for the Arizona Fall League. Chuck's newest venture is as a staff writer for MLB.com's new minor league blog http://thefuturists.mlblogs.com, led by Senior Writer Jonathan Mayo. You can check him out there under user cjohns56 (same as Twitter), and on his soon to be launched personal website, www.mlbprospectpulse.com.
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12 Responses to Source: Mets Have No Intention of Keeping Reyes

  1. Tommy2cat
    October 31st, 2011 at 8:38 pm

    Either name your source or readers are free to interpret this entire post as minorless drivel.

  2. Tommy2cat
    October 31st, 2011 at 8:39 pm

    A source close to me has indicated that Jose Reyes will sign a multi-year contract with the NY Mets.

    Source: My cat

  3. Mike Silva
    October 31st, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    Tommy

    When Adam Rubin and the pros reveal their sources then Chuck, Frank, or I will – grow up.

  4. harris
    October 31st, 2011 at 10:41 pm

    If the Mets have no intention of trying to bring Reyes back, why was he not traded during the season? The market value for him last June/July had to be better than two future draft choices. It makes no sense for management to have such a negative attitude about resigning him, after refusing to consider any trade offers for him during the summer.

    Then again, maybe it does make sense. This is the Mets we’re talking about.

  5. David S.
    October 31st, 2011 at 11:45 pm

    Tommy2cat,

    Actually I prefer to look at the snot-nosed comments of an insignificant troll like you as nothing more than minorless drivel.

    Idiot!

  6. Piazza
    November 1st, 2011 at 2:00 am

    Personally, I could care less about the Wilpons, and I don’t see why every sportswriter and his dog mentions them as if they have anything to do with baseball.

    Now, I love Reyes, and if the Tigers blow him away, so be it. I’d be more interested in them going after some decent bullpen arms, and since they finished with the record they did, their first round pick is protected. I tend to think the team giving the longest offer to him will regret it at times.

    I can accept Reyes being gone. Either way, I still think this team will be much better than it was this year, Jose or no Jose.

  7. Nik
    November 1st, 2011 at 7:51 am

    I don’t question that somebody said that to you, I’m just sad they would publicly come out with a statement like that. Reyes & his people do have internet access. What if he plans to sign with the Mets no matter what? Do you want to upset the guy and take away the sentimentality aspect?

    Even post Omar, this team has far too many people willing to say almost anything. Most of the time it’s Jeff or Fred discretely saying something stupid… who knows who it is now.

  8. Bill
    November 1st, 2011 at 9:14 am

    @Nik — if he intended to stay with the Mets, they would would have given the Mets a number that would keep him off the market. And do you honestly expect that he will get upset reading stories like this and that will make him decide to go elsewhere? It’s all business at this point.

    @harris — weren’t fans yelling that Jose should not be traded in July? And he was on the DL for half of July, which likely cut into his trade value. The Mets probably decided that two draft picks were better. Beltran, of course, was a different story, since he was healthy and there were no draft picks to be had when he became a free agent.

  9. harris
    November 1st, 2011 at 2:47 pm

    @bill

    Who cares were fans were yelling about in July? In late June, everybody was anointing Reyes as the MVP. If the Mets knew all along they didn’t want him back (which this article suggests), they should have looked to trade him. I have a difficult time believing they could not have received a better package than two draft choices, the value of which is no better than speculative.

  10. Chuck Johnson
    November 1st, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    Harris,

    The problem with trading Reyes isn’t just a Mets problem, it’s why the Brewers didn’t trade Fielder during the season, for example.

    And it’s not the Mets’, per se, as much as it is the other team.

    Why trade a player off your 25 man roster, PLUS a couple of prospects, for a guy who will be a free agent in three months?

    Plus, how would it have looked to the fan base if you trade the future batting champ mid-season.

    Wouldn’t that be looked upon as red-flagging the season?

    The Met’s payroll this year was $142 million.

    In 2012, it won’t exceed $110 max, and probably will be closer to $95-$100 mil.

    Twenty-four million of that is tied into a pitcher whose career is over, and another fifteen million is tied into a player whose name invariably (outside New York) comes up in the discussion as one of the more overrated players in the game.

    And don’t forget Jason Bay.

    It’s not that the Mets don’t WANT Reyes back, its that they can’t AFFORD to bring him back.

  11. Bill
    November 4th, 2011 at 9:43 pm

    Chuck, you’re wrong on so many counts. First, teams trade for players who are going to become a free agent to have him play for them for those 3 months. There is generally no expectation that they will sign him after the season. The Brewers did not trade Fielder because they had hopes of making the playoffs and it would have hurt their chances. The Mets knew they had no chance but they probably did not want to hold a fire sale with Reyes, especially since there was hope of retaining him. With Beltran, it was obvious he was not coming back AND they were not going to get any compensation when he left.

    I don’t see why you say that Santana’s career is over. I agree he is unlikely to be worth $24m next year but there is no reason to believe he cannot be a decent pitcher again. It’s not like it has never been done. And while Wright certainly did not live up to his reputation this year, hopefully he will bounce back next year.

    And the real answer for Reyes is that they likely will not be afford to bring him back at the price that some other team will probably offer (and overpay) him.

  12. Anonymous
    November 6th, 2011 at 12:04 pm

    The mets shouldn’t even exist. They represent all that’s wrong with the 1% that makes life unbearable for the 99%.

    Shame on MLB and Selig for letting them operate with the blood money of the Madoff victims.

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