Jose Reyes' current deal is up at the end of this season, but there remains an option for the 2011 campaign at 11 million per year. Reyes has to hit, and he has to stay healthy in order for the Mets to pick up his option and pursue him as the shorstop for the present and the future. Let's face it, he's not the electrifying game changer he was a couple of years ago - at least not consistently enough to deal with the .232 average, low on base percentage, and questionable approach at the plate. I have a hard time thinking the Mets will have anyone else but #7 at shortstop for next year and beyond. Even so, as I mentioned in last night's game recap, it's worth questioning because of the health issues and the amount of time Reyes has taken to show any signs that he is coming around.
Until the last few games, Reyes has appeared utterly lost at the plate, and perhaps much of that can be attributed to the fact he has missed so much time. I, however, see this as a case in which a combination of player ego and false image has had huge detrimental effects. Even before Reyes was curiously inserted into the 3-hole, he would go through periods in time in which he drops his back shoulder and swings with a violent upper-cut in a seeming attempt to be a power hitter. Perhaps some of this has to do with the constant comparisons to the likes of Hanley Ramirez - a far superior power hitter. The bottom line is, the Mets are successful when Reyes is on base - and you can't beat out a pop up. Level swing + good eye = A havoc wreaking Reyes.
-Tom Greenhalgh (5/26/10)
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