The Future of Jose Reyes

     Sunday, August 7th, 2011, it's early in the game when Jose Reyes leaves the game with pain in his left hamstring. An MRI later would reveal that it is a strain in the hamstring, which is the same injury that kept Reyes out of the lineup for several weeks back around the All-Star Game. Later in the game second basemen Daniel Murphy was taken out with a leg injury and will miss the rest of the season. Monday, both players were put on the 15-day Disabled List leaving Mets fans worried about the rest of their season, not to mention Jose Reyes's MVP caliber season. At the time of this post the Mets are 58-57, 17 games back in the division and 8.5 back for the Wild Card. In a season that has been plagued my injuries (ace Johan Santana out for the year, Ike Davis out since May, David Wright missed significant time in May, Angel Pagan missed time, Reyes in July, and now Reyes and Murphy) I think it's safe to say that the Mets aren't catching the Phillies for the NL East. Though, as 2007 and 2008 told us, anything can happen. But, if the Braves, Cardinals, and Diamondbacks start losing and the Mets keep finding ways to win, it's not impossible to think that the Mets have an shot at the Wild Card (although an outside chance). So, unless by some miracle the Mets make the postseason, the absence of Reyes and Murphy doesn't matter a whole lot as far as this year is concerned. But what about next year?

     There has been a lot of talk regarding Reyes's upcoming free agency. Earlier this season Mets' owner Fred Wilpon bashed Reyes claiming that "he thinks he'll get Carl Crawford money, he won't," referring to the 7-year $142 million contract the outfielder signed with Boston this past offseason. Reyes, by many accounts, is arguably the best leadoff hitter and best defensive shortstop in the game. He is the catalyst to the Mets offense, from 2005-2008 when Jose Reyes scored the Mets had a record of 237-98. He's currently leading the majors in triples (16), 6th in hits (144), tied for 4th in steals (34 with 7 Caught Stealing), and 3rd in Batting Average (.336). Who wouldn't want those numbers out of their leadoff spot? A lot of teams... Reyes has been hampered by injuries since his call up back in 2003. Despite playing 161 games in 2005, 160 in 2007, and 159 in 2008, Reyes played only 36 games in 2009, and was out of the lineup in 29 games last season, with the aforementioned two DL stints this year. So the issue remains, will teams take a risk on a player of Reyes's caliber despite the injury issues? Mets fans hope not.

     Jose Reyes is arguably the most exciting player in the majors, and one of the few things Mets fans have had to cheer about since... well... this.  Despite cries from fans that the Mets should "dump everyone and just start over," I daresay that the majority of Mets fans would like to see #7 finish his career in blue and orange.  But there are many factors that may or may not make this a reality.  The first, and most important is $MONEY$.  With the MVP caliber season Reyes is having its realistic that he will become the next $100 million dollar player.  It's also no secret that the Mets have had their fair share of financial issues over the past year, perhaps only to be outdone by the Dodgers.  So the question is, can the Mets afford Reyes?  Thanks to about $50 million or more coming off the books this year with the expiration of the Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, Carlos Beltran, and Frankie Rodriguez contracts in addition to the recent acquisition of minority owner David Einhorn's $200 million investment (not to mention his deep, deep pockets), it seems possible that the Mets could afford to pay their shortstop.  The second factor (more an addendum to the first) is that of loyalty.  Reyes said earlier this season that he will not give the Mets a "hometown discount."  Well... that sucks.  But perhaps he'll change his mind.  He already spurned super agent Scott Boras's offer to represent him out of loyalty to his current agent Peter E. Greenberg and Associates.  Which is good for many reasons 1) Reyes decided to stick with the agency that gave him a chance at 16 when he first signed with the Mets (perhaps he will stick with the team who gave him a chance at 16), 2) Reyes is the godfather of one of Greenberg's children and Greenberg is the godfather of one of Reyes's children, imagine the awkward conversations that would present.  The third factor is timing.  In June Reyes said he would not talk about a new contract with the Mets until the end of the season.  This can be seen as good and bad.  The bad is, maybe he doesn't want to re-sign with the Mets, maybe he wants to leave the only organization he's ever played for.  The good is, he said this to prevent any mental strain throughout the season (out of loyalty to his team), many players have done this (see Pujols, Albert). Also, the timing of the injuries may have scared a lot of teams (Giants, Red Sox, Angels) away from trying to sign Reyes meaning a return to the Mets looks better and better every day.

     Thankfully, with 47 regular season games left in addition to the postseason, it will be at least another two months before Mets fans have to seriously worry about the future of their superstar shortstop.  But let's hope the Mets front office does the right thing (for once) and prevents this from becoming this.