So How Great Was Jose Reyes' Season Anyway?

Come closer to the screen.  I want to let you in on a little secret.  Are you with me?  Okay, here goes.

Jose Reyes won the National League batting title this year.

What was that?  You knew that already?  You want me to tell you something you don't know?  Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you.  In fact, I have a number of things to tell you that you probably didn't know.  And once I tell you, you'll see that Jose Reyes' 2011 season was even greater than you originally thought.

 You had to look up to see Jose Reyes' name all over the National League leaderboard in 2011.

Jose Reyes batted .337 in 2011, the third-highest single season batting average in franchise history for a player who played the entire season as a Met.  (Mike Piazza batted .348 in 109 games for the Mets in 1998, but he also spent time with the Dodgers and Marlins that year.)  Naturally, Reyes' batting average represented a career high.  But he also set career highs in on-base percentage (.384), slugging percentage (.493) and OPS (.877).

Reyes also finished among the league leaders in hits (181), multi-hit games (57), runs scored (101), triples (16) and stolen bases (39).  He accomplished all this while playing in only 126 games due to his dual trips to the disabled list.

Fine.  You can find that information anywhere.  Now let's delve deeper into his final numbers.

On May 19, Jose Reyes went 0-for-3 with a walk.  The following day, he went 0-for-4.  That was the only time during the 2011 season in which Reyes went hitless in consecutive starts.  (On September 17 and 18, Reyes also failed to collect a hit.  However, he did not start the game on September 18, going 0-for-1 in a pinch-hitting appearance.)  Furthermore, since Reyes drew a base on balls in the May 17th game, that means he was never kept off base in consecutive games all year.  Let me repeat that in caps and bold it for greater effect.

NEVER DID JOSE REYES FAIL TO REACH BASE IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES ALL YEAR.

If you didn't see Reyes standing (or sliding) safely on/into a base in a game this year, all you had to do was wait until the next game.  There was a 100% chance you'd see him on base then.

Although Jose Reyes has always been a bit of a free swinger, he has never been one to strike out very much.  (Reyes' career high in strikeouts is 82, which he accomplished in 2008.)  But he had never made such consistent contact until this year.

In 2011, Reyes struck out 41 times in 537 official at-bats, an average of one strikeout every 13.1 at-bats.  Reyes was the toughest man to strike out in the National League, with every other player striking out at least once every 11 at-bats.  Yadier Molina finished second in this category, striking out once every 10.8 at-bats (44 Ks in 475 AB).

Let's put Reyes' numbers into perspective.  For Yadier Molina to have finished with a better K/AB rate than Reyes, he would have had to register 40 more at-bats in 2011 without striking out in any of them.  Also, if Reyes had picked up 10 more at-bats and had struck out all ten times, Molina would have surpassed him.  But Reyes only struck out more than ten times in a calendar month once, when he whiffed 11 times in April, so it would have been very unlikely for him to strike out in ten consecutive at-bats.  In fact, Reyes never struck out more than twice in any game this year and he fanned more than once in a game only six times, never doing so after July 24.

 Reyes the slugger?  Absolutely, as you'll read in the next paragraph.

Finally, let's take a look at the National League leaders in slugging percentage.  (You can find that info by clicking here.)  Jose Reyes finished 17th in the National League in slugging percentage.  He did so while hitting only seven home runs.  Why is that worth mentioning?  Because the other 16 players who finished ahead of Reyes hit at least 22 HR.

What makes this more amazing is that Reyes was the only player in the top 34 to hit fewer than 14 HR.  Therefore, Reyes finished the season as one of the best "sluggers" in the league even though the other 33 players in the top 34 all hit at least twice as many home runs as he did.  Of course, Reyes collected 47 extra-base hits that WEREN'T home runs (31 doubles, 16 triples).  The only player in the National League who topped Reyes in that category was the Rockies' Dexter Fowler, who hit 35 doubles and 15 triples.

Those are just a few examples of how great Jose Reyes' 2011 season was.  Reyes was more than just a high average hitter.  He was as consistent a hitter as the Mets have ever had in a single season.  He put the ball in play with more regularity than any Met in their 50-year existence and once he put the ball in play, he wasn't just satisfied with dinking and dunking singles here and there.

Jose Reyes had one of the most amazing seasons in Mets history in 2011.  Let's hope the Mets re-sign him so we can enjoy more seasons such as this one.

Jose Reyes: 2011 NL Batting Champion

Jose Reyes came into the day leading Ryan Braun by one point in the National League batting race.  Okay, technically Reyes' .33582 average led Braun (.33453) by .00129, but you get the picture.  After Reyes dropped a beautiful bunt single in the bottom of the first inning (see photo above), he left the game in a blink-and-you-missed-it moment, ending his 2011 season with a .33706 batting average.

Although the move to exit the game was Reyes' decision, that left a possibility that Ryan Braun could still win the batting title, but he would need three hits to do so, and he would have to do it in fewer than five at-bats.  (A 3-for-3 performance by Braun would have given him the batting title with a .33808 average and a 3-for-4 night would see Braun end the season at .33748, but finishing 3-for-5 would leave him short at .33688.  Anything more than three hits, regardless of the number of at-bats, would have given Braun the batting title and would have caused me to hit the delete button on this blog post.)

So what did Braun do in his final regular season game?  He grounded out in each of his first three at-bats, then flied out in his final at-bat.  By finishing at .33215 with his 0-for-4 night, Braun finished in second place in the National League batting race, making Jose Reyes the first Mets player in the 50-year history of the franchise to take home the batting crown.

Fans of Cleon Jones (third in 1969 NL batting race; .008 behind Pete Rose, .005 behind Roberto Clemente), Dave Magadan (third in 1990 NL batting race; .007 behind Willie McGee, .005 behind Eddie Murray) and John Olerud (second in 1998 NL batting race; .009 behind Larry Walker) can now breathe a sigh of relief, as they no longer have a deal with another near-miss for one of their beloved Mets in the batting race.

With his thin margin of victory (.00491), Reyes won the closest National League batting race since 2007, when Matt Holliday (.340) beat out Chipper Jones (.337) for the batting title.  Prior to Braun's oh-fer in the season finale, it looked as if the Reyes-Braun battle would be the closest race since 2003, when St. Louis' Albert Pujols (.35871) edged Colorado's Todd Helton (.35849) by .00022.  Both Pujols and Helton collected two hits in their team's final game of the regular season, with Helton being walked intentionally by the late Rod Beck in his final plate appearance to give Pujols the title.  A hit by Helton in that final at-bat would have given him the batting title at .35959.

Reyes probably wouldn't have taken himself out of Game No. 162 after his first inning bunt single had it not been for Bobby Parnell's "effort" in Game No. 161.  Parnell came into Tuesday night's penultimate game in relief of Manny Acosta needing just one out to protect a 4-3 Mets lead in the ninth inning.  However, Parnell slipped into his "Bobby being Bobby" persona and allowed a game-tying double by Reds' no-name Juan Francisco, who is the proud owner of 48 base hits over parts of three seasons in the big leagues.

The game then went into extra innings, with Reyes going 1-for-2 over the final four innings.  Without that extra hit, Reyes would have finished the season with a .33645 batting average instead of his final .33706 mark.  He also might have continued to play after his first inning hit, and perhaps would have lowered his batting average even more (or not - we'll never know).  Still, Reyes probably owes Parnell a Rolex for giving him the opportunity to collect that extra base hit, a Rolex that Reyes will certainly be able to afford after signing his next contract this offseason.

Jose Reyes came into the 2011 campaign with a .286 career batting average, never hitting above .300 over a full season (minimum 100 games).  No one could have expected him to win a batting title this year, but Reyes got off to a hot start, hitting .354 during the first half of the season.

Despite two trips to the disabled list, Reyes continued to hit in the second half, although not nearly at his blistering first-half pace.  That allowed Ryan Braun to make the NL batting race a two-horse field.  However, Reyes channeled his first-half self during the Mets' final homestand, finishing the season by going 10-for-18 (.556) against the Phillies and Reds, including hits in nine of his final 13 at-bats.

Braun also finished the regular season at home, but "only" went 7-for-17 in the six games, batting .412 during the homestand.

Congratulations to Jose Reyes on becoming the first Met to win a National League batting crown.  The Mets still can't claim an MVP or a no-hitter, but at least one of their 50-year-old monkeys is now off their backs.

Eet's A Race! I Hope Reyes Wins!

Jose Reyes knows it.  Ryan Braun knows it.  Mets fan know it.  Even Rowan Atkinson knows it.

Even with the Mets not involved in a pennant race (although they can have plenty to say about it with this week's series against the Cardinals), there's a race involving a Met that should keep the fans' attention over the final week of the season.

Jose Reyes has led in the National League batting race for most of the season.  However, after Sunday's games, Milwaukee's Ryan Braun took his biggest lead in the race, going 3-for-4 to raise his average to .336, five points ahead of Reyes' .331 average.  But when Braun took an oh-fer last night, his average dipped to .333, opening the door for Reyes to retake the lead.

The Mets have never had a batting champion in their first half-century of existence.  In fact, prior to this year, no Met had ever led the batting race past September 3.  (John Olerud paced the NL in batting on September 3, 1998 before succumbing to Colorado's Larry Walker.  Olerud did become the first Met ever to finish second for the batting title.)

Jose Reyes might be playing his final games in New York.  In 2008, the Mets couldn't give their fans something to celebrate on the final day of the season.  The Shea Goodbye ceremonies were bittersweet once the Mets were eliminated by the Marlins as Brewers fans cheered their team's clinching of the wild card berth.

Three years later, it's the Mets that can close the season celebrating something while a Brewer finishes second.  It's not a playoff spot (Milwaukee pretty much has their second-ever full season division title wrapped up - they made the playoffs during the strike season of 1981, but that was as the division champion of the second half of the season.  Yeah, it was pretty quirky that year.) but it's something the Mets have never had before.

As Rowan Atkinson's character so eloquently stated in the movie Rat Race, "Eet's a race!"  Let's hope Jose Reyes can win.  The Mets and their fans need something to celebrate.

With Or Without Reyes, Ruben Tejada Is A Keeper

In today's 7-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves, Ruben Tejada filled in for Jose Reyes both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot.  Tejada reached base three times (walk, double, single), stole a base and drove in four runs.  His two-out, three-run double in the fourth inning broke a 1-1 tie and his two-out, RBI single in the eighth inning gave the Mets a 6-5 lead, a lead they never relinquished.

Ruben Tejada was once viewed as a light-hitting, slick-fielding middle infielder, similar to Rey Ordoñez, although not as flashy.  However, this season he has shown that he can handle the bat better than anyone expected him to, and has handled pressure situations like an established veteran.

Tejada has been a model of consistency at the plate, hitting .281 vs. RHP and .276 vs. LHP.  He is also hitting .272 at Citi Field and .287 on the road.  His .356 on-base percentage ranks second on the team behind Jose Reyes for players currently on the active roster.  Tejada has also struck out only 47 times in 339 plate appearances.

But what sets him apart from the Tejada we saw in 2010 is his ability to hit under pressure and in RBI spots.  This year, Tejada is batting .304 with men on base and has a .377 OBP in those situations.  With runners in scoring position, Tejada is a .286 hitter, but has reached base at a .383 clip.  But those numbers are nothing compared to what he does when there is a runner 90 feet away from scoring.

In all situations when he has stepped to the plate with a runner on third base, Tejada is hitting .375 and has a .425 OBP.  These numbers improve when Tejada bats with the bases loaded.  In today's game, Tejada came up to bat twice with the bags full.  He cleared the bases when he doubled in the fourth and drove in another run with a bases-loaded single in the eighth, with a potential fifth RBI cut down at the plate on a fine throw by Jason Heyward.  Therefore, with his 2-for-2 performance in bases loaded situations today, Tejada is now hitting .500 this season with the bags full and has a .538 OBP.

Clearly, the stat sheet proves that Tejada is quite valuable as a hitter.  Although he doesn't hit for power, he collects base hits as a consistent pace and picks them up with more regularity when the Mets are close to scoring a run.  There is one thing that doesn't show up on the stat sheet that Tejada is also good at.  He's a master at working the count and making the opposing pitcher throw numerous pitches.

Take today's game, for example.  In the first inning, Tejada flied out, but did so on the sixth pitch of his at-bat.  In the third inning, Tejada worked out a walk on the tenth pitch of the at-bat.  By seeing 16 pitches from Braves' starter Brandon Beachy in his first two plate appearances, Tejada saw his opponent's entire repertoire and was able to make adjustments the third time he faced him.  Sure enough, Tejada hit a long double in the fourth inning off Beachy (on the second pitch of the at-bat), driving in three runs.

Ruben Tejada will never produce the numbers that Jose Reyes does when he's healthy.  In addition, no one will ever confuse the professional Tejada for the effervescent Reyes.  But don't say that Tejada can't be a key member of this team.

In only his second year on the Mets, Tejada has improved by leaps and bounds.  He makes up for his lack of power by working counts and making the pitcher throw him his pitch.  He's a fantastic situational hitter and amps up his game in tight spots. (Did I mention Tejada's a .310 hitter when he comes to bat in a tie game?  In case you were watching football and not the Mets game, today's two bases-loaded hits by Tejada came when the score was 1-1 and 5-5.)

Simply put, Ruben Tejada knows how to play the game and plays the game to win.  At the young age of 21, he has played like a ten-year veteran.  With continued development and the opportunity to play, there's no reason to think that he can't become one.  Even if Jose Reyes isn't a Met in 2012, Ruben Tejada has proven that he belongs on this team.

Two Ways For Mets Fans To Remember This September

September has rolled around and the Mets will almost certainly be left out of the postseason party. Going into the final month of the season, the Mets find themselves 22 games behind the first place Phillies and 14½ games behind the wild card-leading Braves.



But although October is only a rumor at Citi Field, there are two events that are still visible on the horizon for the Mets and their fans - a winning season and a batting title for Jose Reyes.



The Mets have a 65-69 record as they begin play in the month of September. Although the climb back to (and hopefully over) .500 could be daunting, it's not an impossible task. In fact, the Mets have twice before entered September with a losing record, only to turn things around and finish of the bright side of .500 at season's end.



In 2001, the Mets began the month of September with a 64-71 record, seemingly out of contention in the NL East after winning the National League pennant the year before. But an 18-9 mark in September and October (the season was pushed back a week due to the tragic events of 9/11) kept Mets fans hopes up and more importantly, gave them a winning record for the season (82-80).



Similarly, the 1973 Mets appeared to be going nowhere fast in the NL East. With a 62-71 record after their final game in August, the Mets were on a one-way ticket to disappointment just one year after finishing ten games above .500. But all it took was a little "ya gotta believe" and a 20-8 mark in September and October, and the Mets found themselves in the playoffs (albeit with an 82-79 record), finishing one win short of their second World Series championship.



Both the 1973 Mets and the 2001 Mets were more games below .500 entering September than this year's model. A 17-11 record this month would make the 2011 Mets the third team in franchise history to achieve this feat.



Now, let's talk about Jose Reyes and his personal quest to become the team's first batting champion.



Entering September, Reyes was leading the National League with a .336 mark, just slightly ahead of Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and his .333 average. However, Braun went 1-for-5 in his first September game (a day game against the Cardinals this afternoon), lowering his batting average to .331.



Prior to this season, only three Mets players had ever finished within ten points of the batting title. Cleon Jones (.340) finished eight points behind Pete Rose (.348) in the 1969 National League batting race, with Roberto Clemente (.345) sandwiched between them. Dave Magadan (.328) finished seven points behind 1990 NL batting champion Willie McGee, with Eddie Murray's .330 average sliding in between the two. Finally, in 1998, John Olerud became the first Met to finish second in the league in batting, with his franchise-record .354 average. (Larry Walker finished nine percentage points ahead of Olerud with his .363 batting average.)



Of the above batting title contenders for the Mets, only John Olerud entered the month of September with the lead in the batting race. Prior to the games of September 1, 1998, Olerud's .344 mark was two points higher than Walker's .342. But an 0-for-3 performance by Olerud coupled with a 2-for-3 game by Walker on the month's first night caused a shift in the race, with Walker taking a two-point lead over Olerud (.344 to .342). Olerud retook the lead the following night, but Walker took it back on September 3 and never gave it up for the rest of the season, hitting .640 (16-for-25) from the 3rd to the 12th of September. Even Olerud's .621 average (18-for-29) over his final ten games wasn't enough to help him claim the franchise's first batting title.



Editor's note: In 1969, Cleon Jones was hitting .351 going into September, eight percentage points ahead of eventual batting champion Pete Rose (.343). But Roberto Clemente was the league leader in batting with a .354 mark on the morning of September 1, 1969.



In 1990, Willie McGee's batting average was frozen when he was traded from the Cardinals to the Oakland A's. Since he did not bat again in the National League following his trade, his .335 mark at the time of the trade remained intact. Dave Magadan's batting average never reached McGee's mark in September, peaking at .333 on September 5.







If Jose Reyes can keep his lead in the batting race past September 3, he will be the first Mets player ever to lead the league in batting that late in the season. Of course, should he manage to hold off Ryan Braun, he would become the team's first batting champion in their 50-year history.



So what if the Mets aren't even in the Phillies' and Braves' rear view mirror? There are still two reasons to root for the boys in orange and blue (especially if they wear those sweet "Los Mets" alternate jerseys). The Mets can finish with their first winning mark since the days of Shea Stadium and Jose Reyes can finally provide an answer to the decades-old question, "what will happen first, a Mets' no-hitter or a Mets' batting champion?".



Instead of thinking that there's only one month left to the off-season, think that there's one more exciting month of baseball to be played at Citi Field, a month that could give Mets fans a winning attitude and an unprecedented individual achievement for one of their heroes. You gotta believe, right?

Things are more bleak for the Mets than the Dodgers

There were more players in uniform than fans in the stands in Dodger Stadium yesterday.

The team is a bankrupt embarrassment with a tabloid divorce looming over the team along with the Bryan Stowe beatings and its grotesque aftermath and MLB taking control of the team.



It sucks to be a Dodger fan.

It's worse to be a Mets fan.



I'll say it. The Dodger mess will be easier to fix.

If a new owner can be put into Los Angeles this off season, the good will in Dodgerland will come around the nanosecond the owner says "My name is NOT Frank McCourt."



The new owner will have a huge fan base eager to put their support behind the team.

AND they have a young MVP candidate in Matt Kemp and a young Cy Young candidate (and probable WINNER this year) in Clayton Kershaw.



Plus he plays in a Division where the Giants can pitch but can't hit, the Diamondbacks are great one year and bad the next, the Padres are great the other years and bad the next and the Rockies forget to contend before September.



In other words, the idea of being a power in the NL West isn't so far fetched. Just add competent ownership!



As for the Mets... well, their problems haven't featured obscene divorces and people in comas. But they HAVE had the biggest Ponzi Scheme in American History hamstring them.



And oh yeah, playing in the biggest media market in the country probably won't help them stumble to their third straight losing season.



And today we found out that David Einhorn, their great knight on a white steed, who was going to buy $200 million worth of the Mets and probably eventually take over the team and lead them to their greatest days ever, is saying "No Thanks."



The Wilpons are still in charge. The Phillies and Braves are still VASTLY superior. The Marlins have talent and will move into a new ballpark next year. The Nationals are developing talent and have the combination of Strasburg and Harper looming on the horizon.



What do the Mets have?

They have Jose Reyes' impending free agency where, once Albert Pujols comes off of the table, he will be the biggest available name.



They have David Wright who is a nice player but no longer a franchise player.

They have nice players like Dillon Gee, Ruben Tejada, Jonathon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Daniel Murphy.



All nice players.

Not exactly franchise players. Not exactly great building blocks to go past the Phillies, who seem hell to win their 5th straight Division Title and 3 pennant in that same period of time, or the Braves who have stockpiled amazing young talent.



If the Dodgers and the Mets could combine like Voltron, they would be a terrific team. Kemp, Kershaw and maybe Reyes with some nice complimentary players.



But they aren't one team. They are two big budget flops for 2011.

For 2012 and beyond, things are brighter in LA.

The Batting Title Is Slip Slidin' Away For Reyes

A little over a week ago, I wrote a piece on the Mets' pitching staff needing to be able to keep Ryan Braun at bay when the Brewers visited Citi Field. Jose Reyes' batting average was stuck at .336 since he was placed on the disabled list in early August and Braun was beginning to creep up on the Mets' shortstop.



Of course, since they're the Mets, they failed, allowing Braun to hit .400 in the three-game series (in addition to scoring six runs, driving in three more, cracking a home run and stealing three bases, which I guess contributed more to the three-game sweep than the 4-for-10).



Since that series ended last weekend, Braun has continued to do everything offensively. In five games, he's ripped five extra-base hits (four doubles, one home run), crossed the plate four times, driven in five and stolen an addition four bases. Oh, yeah. He also hit .389 (7-for-18) over the five games, including last night's 2-for-2 performance that raised his average up to .333.

Don't slide, Jose! Just keep running! Ryan Braun is on your tail and he's gaining fast!

When Jose Reyes was placed on the disabled list for the first time in early July, he was hitting a robust .354. That number stayed unchanged until he returned to the Mets on July 19. When Reyes came back from the disabled list, Braun was only hitting .315, nearly forty percentage points behind Reyes.



In the time between his first and most recent DL stint, Reyes played in 18 games, hitting only .256. From July 25 until the day he re-aggravated his hamstring injury (August 7), Reyes hit a Mario Mendoza-like .208. The multi-hit game, which had become a staple for Reyes during the first half of the season had all but vanished, as he collected three multi-hit games (never getting more than two hits in any of those games) in his final 12 games before he checked back in to the DL Hotel. Over the same time period, Reyes was held hitless five times.



Since July 19 (the day Reyes returned from his first DL stint), Braun has taken off, hitting .374 (49-for-131). In addition to challenging Reyes for a batting title that appeared to be his in early July, Braun has transformed himself into the National League's leading MVP candidate. For the season, the Hebrew Hammer has a .333/.404/.592 split. That .592 slugging percentage leads the National League, as does his .996 OPS. He also leads the league in runs scored (91) and is in the top ten in hits (160), total bases (265), doubles (33), home runs (25), RBIs (86), stolen bases (30) and extra-base hits (62). With the Brewers opening up a commanding lead in the NL Central, Braun is clearly forging his way to the top of the MVP consideration list.

Ryan Braun lets David Wright know that he's about to pass Jose Reyes in the NL batting race.

Unfortunately for Jose Reyes and the Mets, that's not the only thing Braun is forging his way to. Reyes' lead in batting race, which was once formidable, is now precarious. By the time Reyes comes back from the disabled list on Monday, he might be looking up at Ryan Braun on the batting race leaderboard rather than looking for him in his rear view mirror.



The Mets have never had a batting champion in their history. If Reyes is going to become the first player to do so, he's going to have to earn it, as Ryan Braun appears to be slump-proof. With the Mets out of postseason contention, a batting title for Reyes is all the fans have to cheer for over the final month of games at Citi Field. It's time for Jose Reyes to come back off the DL, stay off it for the rest of the season and become the multi-hit machine he was in the first half of the season. It might be the only way for him to keep Braun at bay and claim that long overdue first Mets batting title.

Why I am standing by my "Mets will lose 90 games" pick

At the beginning of the season, I picked the Mets to lose 90 games... and man oh man Met fans HATED me for saying that.

I was called stupid, a Boston fan (which I can't deny) and my sexuality was questioned. And I still felt that the team that lost 83 games last year was worse.

Throughout the year, I would e mails from Met fans and some of my friends who are Met fans asking me if I will eat my words about the Mets and if I would admit that I was wrong.

The Mets were playing better and some fans were upset that Beltran was dealt because the Wild Card was in reach.

Calm down everyone.

90 losses remains a real possibility.

For all the talk about the Mets playing better than expected this year, let's keep a few things in mind.

They are a sub .500 team in late August. A $118 million payroll should be a contender. Being above .500 is a given.

They are on pace to lose 85 games this year, making this year a step backwards.

After tonight's loss to the Phillies they are 8 games under .500 with 34 left to play.

Just to reach break even they would have to go 21-14 the rest of the way... a .600 clip.

And with Beltran gone and Reyes injured, the team has no spark.

The Mets have lost 15 of their last 20 games. This is their third 5 game losing streak since July 30th and their next four games are against the Phillies and Braves.

In order to lose 90 games, the Mets would have to go 12-22 the rest of the way.

So nope. I am standing by my pick. Besides, part of my rationale was that they would unload some players at the deadline and the weakened team would play some legit contenders. And that's kinda sorta exactly what happened.

They were last above .500 on August 1.

They are 5-14 since.

Mets Pitchers Can Help Jose Reyes Win A Batting Title

Jose Reyes has been on the disabled list for a week and a half now, his batting average frozen at .336 since injuring his hamstring on August 7. Despite this being his second trip to the DL, he has managed to maintain his lead in the National League batting race, although he is facing fierce competition from Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, who is hitting .329 entering tonight's series opener at Citi Field.



The Mets have never had a batting champion in their first 49 seasons. John Olerud had the highest single season batting average for the Mets, hitting .354 in 1998, but he finished second to Colorado's Larry Walker (.363) in the batting race. Cleon Jones and Dave Magadan also came close, but fell just short of the crown. Jones hit .340 in 1969, finishing third behind Pete Rose (.348) and Roberto Clemente (.345). Magadan hit .328 in 1990, also finishing third in the NL batting race behind Willie McGee (.335) and Eddie Murray (.330).



So with Reyes clinging tenaciously to his slim NL batting lead, his teammates might be able to help him out this weekend. Ryan Braun, who has hit .375 (48-for-128) over his last 34 games, dating back to June 29, will be facing Mets pitching this weekend. If Mike Pelfrey, Chris Capuano and the Tweeter-rific R.A. Dickey can shut Braun down over the next three games, Reyes will increase his chances of becoming the first Met to win a batting title.



Braun is probably licking his lips with the knowledge that he's facing Mike Pelfrey tonight. Over his five year career, he is hitting .500 (3-for-6) against Pelfrey. (Then again, who isn't hitting .500 against Big Pelf?). However, he has yet to collect a hit against Capuano (0-for-3, 2 strikeouts) and Dickey (0-for-7). Against all Mets pitchers currently on the roster, Braun is hitting .245 over his career with only one home run in 56 plate appearances. The Mets will need to continue this trend against Braun if Reyes is to maintain his lead in the batting race before he comes off the DL.



Note: For a player to qualify for the batting title, he needs to accumulate 3.1 plate appearances for every game played by his team. Therefore, if the Mets play all 162 games this year (barring any rainouts not made up), Reyes would need 502 plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. At the time of his injury, Reyes had accumulated 462 plate appearances, leaving him 40 short of the magic number for batting title qualification, a number he should easily reach within the first week to ten days following his return from the disabled list.



Over their first half-century of existence, no Mets pitcher has ever been able to throw a no-hitter. At least if they can't pitch a no-no, they can help a fellow Met achieve something that no other Met has ever done. Holding Ryan Braun off the bases this weekend will go a long way towards making that a reality.

Why is Jose Reyes still a Met?

Seriously. What the hell?

Do the Mets think they have a shot at the Wild Card? If so, why did they deal Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran?

They are in rebuilding mode... then REBUILD!

They got a quality chip in exchange for Beltran. Imagine what they could have snagged from the Cardinals for Reyes. From the Angels. From ANY team that needs a spark in the shortstop position.

(I thought the Giants should have packaged for Beltran AND Reyes.)

They could have at least 2 players who if they aren't big leagues ready now, they will be by 2012 or 2013.

And THEN when Reyes hit the open market, out bid everyone for him there. You could even say to him before the trade "No matter what happens this year, nobody is going to out bid us." Wink wink.

They get the prospects AND they get Reyes for next year.

And yet here he is. Still with the Mets. I give the Mets tons of credit for keeping their nose above .500 and if they have a winning season, then color me impressed. There is NO WAY they are passing Atlanta or Philadelphia this year.

But they COULD be building a team for when Philadelphia's age catches up to them (which could be in a year or 2.)

Reyes, Wright and Wheeler would be on that team. But for the love of Sid Fernandez, so could have a few other players!

Someone help me. Someone explain it to me.

I'm at a loss.

17 Games To Decide The Season

In 2007, the New York Mets were sitting pretty atop the National League East, owners of a seven game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies with 17 games to play. They failed to make the playoffs.

The following year, they held a 3½ game lead in the division when the season was down to its final 17 games. Once again, the Mets did not advance to the postseason.

Everything changed for the Mets in 2007 and 2008 during those two 17-game stretches. Hopes were dashed as seasons crashed. Now the Mets are heading into another critical 17-game stretch. Although this one won't decide the outcome of an individual season, it might end up determining the direction of the entire franchise for years to come.

Beginning with tonight's second-half opener against the Phillies, the Mets play 17 games between now and July 31, the date of the trade deadline. The Mets have already traded away closer Francisco Rodriguez and have numerous teams interested in rightfielder Carlos Beltran.

Sandy Alderson has publicly stated that whether or not the Mets trade Beltran by July 31 rests on the performance of the team between tonight and the trade deadline. Should the team do well and inch closer to the Braves in the race for the wild card, Beltran might remain with the Mets past July 31. Should the team falter over the next two and a half weeks...well...you get the picture.

The Mets have already failed on two occasions when all they needed to do was play decently over a do-or-die 17-game stretch. Had the Mets gone 6-11 over the last 17 games of the 2007 season, they would have won the division title. Instead, they went 4-13 and found their way into the darkest pages of the history books. If they had only gone 8-9 over their final 17 games in '08, Milwaukee would have come to Shea Stadium for a one-game playoff to determine the NL Wild Card. Instead, the Mets went 7-10 and we Shea'd Goodbye earlier than we would have liked.

Failure over the next 17 games won't end the season. The Mets will still be playing baseball over the next two months. But losing over the next 2½ weeks would be tantamount to raising the proverbial white flag. If the Mets don't do well, Carlos Beltran will be traded for a prospect who may or may not be a part of the Mets' future, Jose Reyes might entertain thoughts of packing his bags once the season ends, and fans will come to Citi Field in August and September dressed as empty seats.

The Mets haven't had a winning season since they moved to Citi Field. They haven't won when the games have mattered the most for longer than that. Isn't it time for the Mets to scratch that 17-game itch?

Halfway To Sanity: First Half Recap

The Mets lost to the Detroit Tigers today by the score of 5-2, ending their four-game winning streak, a streak that pushed them over .500 for the first time since the fifth game of the season. With today's loss, the Mets dropped to 41-40 at the midway point of the season.

While some people expected the Mets to be right around the .500 mark, including yours truly, the fact that they've achieved their record without Johan Santana throwing a single pitch and with their corner infielders and leading power hitters (David Wright, Ike Davis) disabled for a good chunk of the first half is all the more Amazin'.

Now that the Mets have reached the 81-game plateau, let's look back at the first half and dig up some interesting stats on your fav'rit men in blue and orange.

By pitching the final inning of today's loss, Francisco Rodriguez reached the season's midway point with 30 games finished, putting him on pace for 60 such games, or five above the 55 needed for his contract to vest for 2012. Even if K-Rod doesn't get traded to another team, he might have difficulty reaching 55 games finished, and it might be his own fault. Here are his stats before and after his team's 81st game over the past few seasons:

• 2010: First half - 1.99 ERA; Second half - spent most of it either disabled or in handcuffs.
• 2009: First half - 1.59 ERA; Second half - 6.67 ERA.
• 2008: First half - 1.88 ERA; Second half - 2.70 ERA.
• 2007: First half - 2.27 ERA; Second half - 3.41 ERA.

Historically, Frankie Rodriguez has performed extremely well in the first half of the season, only to come back to Earth in the second half. If 2011 becomes his fifth consecutive season with a sluggish second half, he might be taken out of games he would normally finish, due to a rough outing or twelve. So far this season, he has finished 30 of the 38 games in which he has appeared.

Jose Reyes. What else can we say about him that hasn't already been said ad nauseum? After today's 2-for-3 performance, his batting average is up to a lofty .352, with an on-base percentage hovering around .400. He leads or is among the league leaders in batting average, hits, multi-hit games, runs scored, doubles, triples and stolen bases. But there might be some things you didn't know about his historical season.

Did you know that Reyes is also the toughest player to strike out in the National League, fanning 26 times in 374 plate appearances? Did you know that Reyes is sixth in the National League in slugging percentage (.529), despite having only three home runs? Did you know that Reyes has more triples (15) than eight National League teams do? (For the record, here are the other teams and their total number of triples: St. Louis (13), Los Angeles (12), Florida (11), San Francisco (11), Washington (11), Pittsburgh (10), Cincinnati (9), Atlanta (6).)

For our final stat, let's look at the team as a whole and compare them to the Philadelphia Phillies. No one will confuse the Mets for the Phillies, the team with the best record in the National League and one of the favorites to represent the NL in the World Series. However, statistically speaking, the Mets are better than the Phillies in a number of unexpected categories.

The Mets are "up top" in many offensive categories that the Phillies used to dominate.

The Mets are second in the National League in batting average (.264). Where are the Phillies? All the way down at No. 10 with a .246 average.

For all the great sluggers the Phillies have, it is the Mets who have the higher slugging percentage (.388), while the Phillies are 11th in the league with their .375 mark.

The Phillies have a number of players who might receive an intentional walk or two. However, it is the Mets and their singles-hitting lineup who lead the National League in walks, drawing 293 free passes over their first 81 games. The Phillies have 272 in the same amount of games.

As expected, the Phillies have more home runs than the Mets, leading New York in that category, 67-52. But for all those balls leaving the yard, it is the Mets who have crossed the plate more often, and it's not even close. The Mets have outscored Philadelphia over their first 81 games, 369-327, showing that small ball can be just as effective in the run-scoring process as looking for the three-run homer.

Alas, despite the unexpected offensive superiority of the Mets over the Phillies, they still trail Philadelphia by 9½ games in the NL East. Why is that? Well, the Phillies happen to lead the major leagues with a 2.98 ERA, while the Mets are near the bottom of the league with their 4.06 ERA through 81 games. As the old saying goes, pitching wins championships. It also does a good job of hiding the fact that the Phillies are a very flawed team offensively, while negating many of the fine hitting performances by the Mets.

As much as it pains me to say it, the Mets' pitchers have to bow down in front of the great Phillies' staff.

If the Mets are going to compete for the a playoff spot in the second half, they'll need to improve their pitching. Their starters have been decent, for the most part, but decent equals mediocre. They'll need to step it up on the mound if they're going to go far enough above .500 so that they don't even see it in their rearview mirror. And if they can do that, they'll also lose sight of various National League teams in the rearview mirror as well.

The second half of the season will be very interesting indeed. The team that finishes the second half might not be the same team that begins it tomorrow against the Yankees at Citi Field. David Wright, Ike Davis and Johan Santana may or may not be back in the second half (let's cross our fingers and hope for "may" instead of "may not"), but at the same time, players like Carlos Beltran and Frankie Rodriguez might be trying to help another team get into the postseason.

To paraphrase one-time Mets' nemesis, Joaquin Andujar, the baseball season can be summed up with one word, and that word is "you never know". With the 2011 Mets, you never know which team is going to show up. Will they be the team that scored 52 runs in four games or will they be the team that mysteriously forgot how to use their home field to their advantage?

You never know with these Mets. That's why they're so much fun to watch.

I've got to give the Mets credit...

I've been brutal on the Mets both on my blog and the podcast.

I wondered how a team in New York could be losing money, putting a non contender on the field and be an absolute mess.

And I predicted that they will have a firesale and lose 90 games.

Now I stand by most of those statements.
But I have to give Terry Collins some credit.
He has been handed a crappy hand (and the aftermath of the Omar Minaya years) and has the team over .500.

He doesn't have David Wright nor Johan Santana at his disposal. And the line up and bullpen has been patch work.

Just last night the Mets had Willie Harris at DH, Lucas Duda at first base, Justin Turner at second base and Josh Thole at catcher. That's a lineup you'd expect at a split squad spring training game.

And they throttled Detroit to the tune of 14 runs. And that's not a chump team. That's a first place team they blew out of the water on the road.

I don't know how much longer this will last. I still think Reyes and Beltran and Rodriguez are going to be dealt in a month (and why not? They could get three valuable and cheap building blocks for them.)

And it is unlikely that they will leapfrog five teams for a playoff spot.
But if they split the next few games, they will be at the official half way spot with a winning record... and that's more than I was expecting.

And if I can give the Pirates, Nationals, Diamondbacks, Indians and Mariners all credit for exceeding expectations, then I suppose I should for the Mets as well.

Things could be worse for the Mets. They could be the Dodgers.

Carlos Beltran Campaigns For Jose Reyes' Return

According to Mike Puma in today's New York Post, Carlos Beltran has expressed his desire to see Jose Reyes in a Mets uniform in 2012 and beyond.

After the Mets scorched the Pirates for seven runs over the final three innings of yesterday's 7-0 victory, Beltran had this to say about the front office and his teammate:

"They should make the effort and try to sign him, for sure. He grew up in this organization. I don't know what's in his mind, but players like him, they don't come too often. He's had nothing wrong with him. He's playing the game and having fun every day, so you want to have a player like that."

Carlos Beltran has always been a quiet leader on this team. His words are few and far in between, but when he says them, they're meant for people to listen. Beltran has been in the league for many years and knows a good player when he sees one. But Jose Reyes is more than just a good player. He's a great player, the type of player you build a team around, the type of player you win with.

Although Carlos Beltran might not be patrolling the outfield at Citi Field next season, he knows that the Mets shouldn't part with Reyes. Supposedly, Jose Reyes' agents have not been contacted by Sandy Alderson as of this time. It would behoove the Mets' GM to begin the conversation with Team Reyes soon. Any time wasted is time ticking away towards Reyes' departure from the only organization he's ever known.

Alderson might shy away from long-term deals, but we're not talking about D.J. Carrasco and R.A. Dickey here, who both got two-year contracts during the off-season. This is Jose Reyes, the "real" face of the franchise. (Sorry, David Wright, but this team is winning right now without you. The same would not be the case if Jose Reyes were on the DL.)

Carlos Beltran can see it. I can see it. Heck, Stevie Wonder could probably see it. Hopefully, the Mets' front office will see it as well. Jose Reyes should be a Met in 2012 and beyond.

Tom Seaver will always be known as "The Franchise". But Jose Reyes is "The Franchise" for a new generation of Mets fans. If the front office truly wants to do what's best for the team, they must re-sign the new version of "The Franchise". The Mets already had a dark time from 1977-1983 after Tom Seaver was let go. Re-signing Jose Reyes would ensure that the light of hope will continue to flicker at Citi Field for many years to come.

8 Since 7 Played 1

Eight years ago today, the Mets were playing the Texas Rangers in an interleague game. The Mets fell short in that game, losing by the final score of 9-7. It was just another game on the schedule for the Mets, who were on their way to a 66-95 season under first-year manager Art Howe. But one significant thing did happen on June 10, 2003, for that was the day Jose Reyes made his debut for the New York Mets.

On the day before his 20^th birthday, Reyes became the first teenager since Dwight Gooden in 1984 to take the field for the Mets. The charismatic shortstop was one of the top prospects in the Mets’ minor league system and was called up to replace Rey Sanchez, who was placed on the disabled list with a thumb injury. Although Reyes started his career with a bang (he hit a grand slam for his first major league homer five days after his debut), injuries sidelined him over his first two seasons in the big leagues. His second season with the Mets (2004) saw Reyes move to second base to accommodate Kaz Matsui, who never lived up to expectations after signing a three-year deal to become the team’s new shortstop.

Finally, in 2005, Jose Reyes stayed healthy for the first time. He moved back to shortstop, displacing the oft-booed Matsui, who moved over to second base. Reyes played in all but one game that season, hitting .273, while banging out 190 hits. He also led the National League with 60 stolen bases, becoming only the second Met to steal as many as 60 bases in a season (Roger Cedeño stole 66 bases in 1999). Reyes’ run of excellence and good health continued over the next three years, when he stole an average of 66 bases per season, including a franchise-record 78 in 2007. He also added power to his game, racking up extra-base hit after extra-base hit. From 2006-2008, Reyes hit 103 doubles, 48 triples and 47 home runs.

Then the injury bug victimized Reyes again, as he was limited to 36 games in 2009. Reyes did come back to play in 133 games in 2010, but without a strong supporting cast around him, his play suffered. He finished the season with 83 runs scored, 10 triples and 30 stolen bases, all of which were career-lows for a season in which he played at least 100 games.

Now comes 2011, a year in which Reyes once again has had to play without a strong supporting cast. Last year, he couldn't rise to the occasion (although in his defense, an assortment of minor injuries did slow him down a bit). This year, he's surpassed all expectations and is carrying the team with him. Through the Mets' first 62 games, Reyes has already surpassed last season's total for triples. His 11 three-baggers lead the majors, and he also ranks at or near the top of the league leaderboard in batting average, hits, multi-hit games, runs scored, doubles and stolen bases.

Jose Reyes has been special for many years and is now just entering his prime. However, just as he's in the midst of his best season in the majors, he may also be nearing the end of his Mets career, as free agency is looming for Reyes after this season. Perhaps Sandy Alderson will find a few extra million dollars in Fred Wilpon's wallet at the end of the season to give to Reyes. Whether or not he accepts the offer is up to him.

However, regardless of what happens to Reyes in the next few months, let us not forget the dynamic player he has been for the Mets. As Reyes goes, so goes the team. If the Mets are involved in a late-inning rally, Reyes is usually involved. If the team needs a spark of life, Reyes will provide the charge.

Since the days of Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, no homegrown player has provided as much excitement to the Mets' fanbase as Jose Reyes. We've watched him grow from an energetic teenager to a sometimes immature superstar to the leader he has become this year.

The team may have changed dramatically since Jose Reyes played his first game eight years ago today, and Reyes has changed quite a bit as well, but one thing hasn't changed. Jose Reyes plays the game to win. He plays the game to have fun. He plays the game, period. We should be thankful that we've been able to watch Reyes play for the past eight years. Talent like that doesn't come along very often.

Could Jose Reyes Follow In Willie McGee's Footsteps?

The year was 1990 and the world was a different place. The Mets said goodbye to Davey Johnson and Darryl Strawberry. The Yankees really did suck (and not just because Mets and Red Sox fans said so). Al Gore had not yet invented the internet. The Ramones were still together (and still breathing). And Jose Reyes was seven years old.

It was also a banner year for Willie McGee, who won his second National League batting title and played in the World Series with the Oakland A's. Yes, you read that correctly and no, you did not just enter a parallel universe where the A's played in the senior circuit.

So how in the world did Willie McGee become a batting champion in the National League while playing in the American League? Let me tell you a little story, and trust me, we'll get around to Jose Reyes faster than he can leg out a triple.

In 1990, Willie McGee was leading the National League in batting with a .335 average, but his performance was not helping his team, as the Cardinals were mired in last place in the NL East. Choosing to rebuild, St. Louis traded away the former NL MVP (1985) to the Oakland A's on August 29. However, since Willie McGee switched leagues in the deal, his American League numbers would not be combined with his National League numbers, meaning his NL batting mark of .335 would remain unchanged despite his .274 batting average with Oakland in 113 at-bats.

During his time in St. Louis, McGee made 542 plate appearances, or 40 more than the 502 required to qualify for the batting title. When the season ended, no National League player had been able to surpass McGee's .335 average (Dodgers first baseman Eddie Murray finished second with a .330 batting average and the Mets' Dave Magadan finished third at .328), so McGee was awarded the National League batting title, despite finishing the season in the American League. Eddie Murray won nothing but some lovely parting gifts despite leading the major leagues in batting, as his .330 mark was higher than McGee's combined .324 average with St. Louis and Oakland.

So why am I boring you with this history lesson and what does this have to do with the Mets?

Well, my fellow Mets fans, Jose Reyes is batting .337. That leads the National League entering tonight's game against the Brewers (Joey Votto is second with a .336 average). Jose Reyes' name is also being bandied about in trade rumor after trade rumor. You can probably guess where I'm going with this. What if Jose Reyes continues his hot hitting, ups his trade value, and gets dealt to an American League team at the trade deadline (July 31)?

Barring any rainouts, the Mets will be playing their 108th game on July 31. Jose Reyes has played in all but three of the Mets' 59 games. He has 265 plate appearances in those 56 games, an average of 4.73 PA per game. If Reyes plays in all 49 games left before the trade deadline, he would need 237 plate appearances (an average of 4.84 PA per game) to qualify for the National League batting title. So you see, it could happen.

Everybody clap your hands! (And while you're at it, don't trade Reyes.)

The Mets have never had a batting champion in their history. John Olerud came close in 1998, finishing second to Larry Walker. Cleon Jones and Dave Magadan also fell short, finishing third in 1969 and 1990, respectively. Could you imagine if Jose Reyes won the 2011 National League batting title after being traded to an American League team, a la Willie McGee over two decades ago? Stranger things have happened in Mets history, but this would probably be as strange as it gets.

Mets fans would have no problem with Jose Reyes becoming the team's first batting champion. But I'm sure they'd like to see him do it in a Mets uniform.

Terry > Jerry

Last night, the Mets scored five runs in the seventh inning to defeat Jair Jurrjens and the Atlanta Braves, 5-0. The big blow was provided by Jose Reyes, whose bases-loaded triple stretched a 1-0 lead to 4-0. Reyes later scored on a sacrifice fly by the current National League Rookie of the Month, Justin Turner.

Reyes has been the team's best hitter all season. He currently owns a nine-game hitting streak, batting .462 over the nine games (18-for-39). Over that stretch, Reyes is slugging .744 and has an otherwordly 1.231 OPS. Those numbers are more common for a middle-of-the-order hitter than a leadoff hitter.

So of course, during last night's post-game interview session, Terry Collins was asked if he'd consider moving Reyes down the batting order into the three-hole, especially since Reyes has been one of the team's top run producers, to which Collins responded,

"He's going to stay where he is. I don't think you ask those kind of players to do things they're not comfortable with."

That's the perfect response by a man who clearly knows how to get the best out of his players. Jose Reyes would not be a good third-place hitter, even with the injuries to David Wright and Ike Davis. The Mets have been there and done that with Reyes already.

Last year, Jerry Manuel (a.k.a. Dead Manuel Walking) attempted to bolster the offense by moving the speedy Reyes from the leadoff spot to the three-hole. In 20 games as the Mets' No. 3 hitter, Reyes was not exactly the answer, as his .207/.253/.280 line in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage were not exactly what the Mets wanted from that spot in the batting order. In fact, R.A. Dickey's offensive numbers (.255/.296/.294) were better in every category. Dickey even had a better eye at the plate than Reyes did as the No. 3 hitter, as the knuckler drew three walks, while striking out eight times last season. Reyes, on the other hand, walked once and whiffed 11 times in 20 games batting third.

Jose Reyes should not bat third. Ever. Jerry Manuel failed to see that and it showed in Reyes' performance on the field. Terry Collins knows how not to mess with a good thing. Perhaps that's why Terry has a job now and Jerry doesn't. When a player like Jose Reyes is on fire, you can't mess with a good thing. Jerry Manuel played with Reyes' fire and he got burned.

Maybe Brandon Crawford WILL be needed!

Yesterday I wrote about why the Giants should make a trade for Mets shortstop Jose Reyes. And I suggested in the trade package they include shortstop prospect Brandon Crawford because, and I quote, "slick fielding young shortstop Brandon Crawford won’t be needed."

Well today, Crawford made his big league debut and hit a go ahead grand slam that made a winner out of Tim Lincecum.

If he can keep hitting like that, maybe the Giants can save their prospects.
Then again a grand slam in your first game a star does not make.

Just ask Daniel Nava.

Either way, a nice "welcome to the big leagues" for Mr. Crawford. You will notice in this picture, Miguel Tejada looks really happy for Mr. Crawford.

Look out Miguel. He might have your job before long.

Jose Reyes should replace Buster Posey

The Giants lost their young budding superstar catcher Buster Posey to injuries for the rest of the season? Naturally the Mets shortstop should take his place.

I do not literally mean take Posey’s position of course. The Giants need to fill the catcher’s position but that is a short order. Eli Whiteside is a capable catcher and Bengie Molina, the man who Buster Posey made expendable, can be signed as a free agent. Both can split time behind the plate and call a good game. Maybe even Fresno’s Jackson Williams can catch a few games for the parent club.

Getting someone to squat and tell the pitchers what to throw is not an issue. His bat will be sorely missed. A team this offensively challenged can’t afford to simply remove Posey from the lineup. The combination of Molina, Whiteside and Williams can’t make up for his production.

But Jose Reyes can.

The Mets shortstop is healthy and contributing in the lineup. He leads the league in hits and triples. He has 17 steals and his OPS is in the .800s. And he is doing it in a miserable situation. If he could do that in the poisonous Mets culture, imagine how he could flourish in the positive environment of the defending World Champions!

The Mets are imploding, sinking in the standings, infighting with the management and selling off chunks of the team.

When a team is trying to find new investors (or maybe a new owner) and losing tens of millions of dollars, wouldn’t it behoove them to start cutting payroll? Especially when the team is a losing team in an empty stadium. Hell, Wilpon has already said his team stinks. Why not start dumping the bodies?

If the Mets can get two good prospects for Reyes, whose contract expires at the end of the season, then it makes sense for them. Getting two players who have already passed much of the minor league gauntlet might be a surer bet than the two draft picks the Mets would get after Reyes’ inevitable free agent departure. (Why would he want to come back to the Amazin’ Mess.)

The Giants are in a position to trade from strength. It is always risky to deal pitching, but with a rotation of Linecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sanchez and even Vogelsong, the Giants have depth in the rotation. Wilson, Ramirez, Lopez, Romo and Mota give them the deep bullpen. If ANY team can trade a pitching prospect or two, it is the Giants.

Maybe dealing top prospect Zack Wheeler would be a stretch. And maybe lefty reliever Alex Hinshaw, who has some big league experience, might not be enticing. But first baseman prospect Brandon Belt could be intriguing for the Mets. 23 year old control artist Eric Surkamp could be spared. And slick fielding young shortstop Brandon Crawford won’t be needed. I am sure a package could be slapped together.

And it could even be easier if the Giants ever agreed to take on any more of the Mets payroll. Jason Bay is owed $35 million over the next two years. Johan Santana is owed $50 million. Send one of those contracts to China Basin and the accountants in Queens would be much obliged. Granted, the only stadium worse for Jason Bay’s talents than CitiField is AT&T Park. But imagine if Santana comes back to form? But I digress. This discussion is about Jose Reyes.

And the Giants have a spot waiting for him. Sorry, Miguel Tejada. The experiment to capture lightning in a bottle again after the post season success of Edgar Renteria and Juan Uribe simply isn’t happening for the 2011 Giants infield. The bat speed is not there. The power is not there. The range is not there. He is aging the way 37 year olds USED to age.

Replace the lumbering Tejada with the spark plug of Reyes, rejuvenated after his parole from Queens and suddenly the Giants line up is a little more electric. He has gap to gap power and can stretch doubles into triples, making San Francisco the ideal park for his offense.

And playing for a potential post season run could not hurt his free agent prospects.

Deal a little of tomorrow for a chance to repeat today, Giants. You don’t need a catcher who can hit. You need a player who can hit.

Make the call. The Mets are DYING to shed some payroll.

Freddy Got (Middle) Fingered

The Mets didn’t have a game scheduled for today, but they’re still all over the back pages of the tabloids. No one threw a firecracker in a crowded parking lot. No one threw bleach on anyone. No one shouted homophobic slurs at anyone. In fact, no players were involved in the controversy. But the man who pays them is.

Mets’ chief cook and bottle washer Fred Wilpon made some interesting comments recently that were published in this week’s edition of the New Yorker magazine. In particular, he singled out four of the team’s best players. But perhaps the article may have been edited before it went to print.

The Studious Metsimus staff believes we may know what Mr. Wilpon really said to the New Yorker. After all, we once got an e-mail from him that started with “Dear Mets Friend”, so you could say we know what makes him tick. (Never mind that thousands of other people received the same e-mail. He sent it to us with love!) Here is what was printed in the New Yorker followed by what he really meant to say:


What He Said:
“(Jose Reyes) thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money. … He’s had everything wrong with him. He won’t get it.”

What He Meant:
“I wish I had Carl Crawford’s money.”


What He Said:
“We had some schmuck in New York who paid (Carlos Beltran) based on that one series. He’s sixty-five to seventy percent of what he was.”

What He Meant:
“He hit the Cardinals so well in the ’04 NLCS. Why couldn’t he take the g*dd*mn bat off his shoulders against them in the ’06 NLCS? Adam Wainwright’s got a good curve, but it ain’t no Sandy Koufax curve.”


What He Said:
“(David Wright is a) really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”

What He Meant:
“David Wright is a really good kid. A very good player. But he’s not Sandy Koufax.”


What He Said:
“(Ike Davis is a) good hitter. … Sh**ty team – good hitter.”

What He Meant:
“Ike Davis is a sh**ty hitter on a good team. No, wait. Ike Davis is a good hitter on a team with a sh**ty owner. No, that can't be right. Ike Davis took a sh*t today. Ah, f**k it! Ike Davis is Jewish like Sandy Koufax - that makes him good.”






Fred Wilpon has been alive for three-quarters of a century. He’s been collecting Social Security for over a decade now. (Hope he’s saving it.) In other words, he should be retired already! If Julio Franco could walk away before he was half a century old, than why can't his former employer do the same?

If Fred Wilpon truly loved the Mets, he’d sell the team and quit while he’s behind. The Mets have a long way to go before they can hand out World Series rings. Hopefully, the next time they do, none of them will say Wilpon on it.