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Updated 3/11 12:50 pm

Reyes Will Be Okay, But Needs To Completely Shut It Down For A Few Weeks…

In a surprise development to the Mets and Jose Reyes’ agent, the shortstop will remain in New York for several weeks and open the season on the DL.

Test results to determine the extent of Jose Reyes’s hyperthyroidism confirm that his levels are still too high for physical activity, according to a release by the Mets.

Doctors have told him to rest and make changes to his diet. These steps, along with medication, should allow his thyroid levels to return to a normal level. At that time, Reyes will be able to resume baseball activities. When this might happen is still very uncertain according to a conference call by Omar Minaya.

This will not be treated with medication and they do not have a specific timeframe.

The fact of the matter is that Reyes is will have to be out for weeks as opposed to days said Reyes’ agent, Peter Greenberg who is also on the conference call.

Even if he does return to physical activities, he will still have to go into some sort of extended spring training to be in condition to play everyday. For now, he has been ordered to completely shut down all activities.

Get well soon, Jose.

Thanks to Matt Cerrone for his live updates on MetsBlog of the conference call.

Updated 3:20 pm

The Reyes situation has just gotten a little more clearer and less muddled after GM Omar Minaya talked with reporters in response to comments that Jose Reyes made that he was fine.

“I had a conversation with our doctors, a conversation with his representative and we’re all in agreement that he has elevated thyroid levels.”

One of Jose Reyes’ agents, Chris Leible, confirmed the call with Minaya and said there is no communication issue.

“We’re on the same page with the Mets and we’re waiting for the test results.”

Also, according to a report by Adam Rubin, a source told him that Reyes may not even need any treatment and that just a simple dietary change could be the only course of action.

Updated 11:20 am

According to David Waldstein of the New York Times, Jose Reyes has a ‘mild and perhaps temporary case of hyperthyroidism,’ which might not require treatment, as stated by his agent, Peter Greenberg.

“We’re waiting for the final results tomorrow,” Greenberg said, “but all indications are that it’s the most minimal case of hyperthyroidism possible.  The doctor was very pleased and so is Jose.”

According to Waldstein, Reyes could be cleared to play within days.

Maybe this isn’t nearly as bad as the Mets doctors let on…

Original Post 1:30 am

Hours after the New York Mets issued a statement via SNY that said Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid, the star shortstop said “No way, my thyroid is fine.”

Here we go again…

In a story that gets stranger by the minute, Reyes told ESPN Deportes’ Enrique Rojas that he’s fine.

“The specialists who took care of me in New York have told me that I’m fine and that there’s nothing wrong with my thyroid. The test [taken to follow one conducted during his physical] showed that I’m fine. We just have to wait for the results of the additional test. The [doctors] found inflammation in my throat and no medicine to treat the thyroid or any other condition has been prescribed.”

Last week doctors cleared Reyes to play Friday, but team doctors in New York wanted to take a closer look at him and scratched him from his scheduled game and had him fly to New York for more testing. The Mets said on Tuesday that Reyes is expected to remain in New York while the results of additional blood tests are used to determine his treatment after tests confirmed he has an overactive thyroid. The additional test results aren’t expected back before Thursday.

This is the second time in as many months that the Mets and one of their players have had conflicting reports about their health, diagnosis and treatment, the other being Carlos Beltran.

It looks like this will become yet another media circus, as once again it appears that somewhere between the player, the doctors and the Mets there is a total breakdown in communication.

In a span of three hours, both the Mets and Jose Reyes have issued statements regarding this alleged thyroid condition, and each version is a complete contradiction of the other.

Why does this keep happening?

Jon Star from Bleacher Report had a well researched piece on which parks were the most difficult to homer in during the 2009 season.

He writes that PETCO Park ranks number one and remains the hardest place in the big leagues to homer in.

Star lists Citi Field as the second most difficult and writes,

Citi Field became notorious for its lack of home runs last season. Tall walls, a significant cut out in the right-center field power alley, and a deep center field limited home run totals in the park’s debut season to 1.60 per game. The Mets have since decided to lower the wall in center field in hopes of sparking some offense. We shall see.

As far as the easiest park to homer in… you guessed it, Yankee Stadium.

We watched as home runs exploded out of Yankee Stadium at a ridiculous rate in the first half of 2009. Yankee Stadium eventually cooled off, allowing 237 home runs in 2009 which was short of the 300 it appeared destined to allow last April. Nonetheless, the dimensions are not true to the dimensions of its predecessor. The straightaway left and right field fences are not only closer, but the walls are shorter.

Combine that with the fabled Yankee Stadium jet stream, and the Yankees’ new home is the easiest place to knock one out of the park.

Citizens Bank Park ranked in second to last place just ahead of the Yankees.

Check out his complete article at Bleacher Report.

Last week, manager Jerry Manual and pitching coach Dan Warthen started a mild furor in the Mets blogosphere with comments suggesting that 20-year old Jenrry Mejia could start the season in the Mets bullpen, possibly even as the setup man.

According to Brian Costa, Omar Minaya and Mets officials completely shot down any thoughts about Jenrry Mejia starting the season in the bullpen.

General manager Omar Minaya said Monday that the plan going into camp was for Mejia, 20, to begin the season as a starter at Double-A Binghamton. And despite Manuel’s comments, that plan has not changed. Minaya left the door open for Mejia to change the team’s thinking over the next few weeks, but the Mets will be reluctant to rush him.

Mejia hasn’t pitched above Double-A, and made just 10 starts for the B-Mets last season according to Costa.

According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, Kelvim Escobar has ceased all pitching activities and is still feeling weakness in his shoulder.

“When I tried to throw last week, it was weak,” Escobar said. “It didn’t feel right. … I will take my time and do my exercises.”

Escobar said he was ashamed he’s not able to contribute. He’s sure to open the season on the disabled list.

“It’s tough coming to a new team,” Escobar said. “You don’t want to be in the position I am right now. I have pride, and sometimes I feel embarrassed being in a position like this.”

It doesn’t sound like we’ll have Escobar back anytime soon if at all. Just last week, Escobar said not to count him out from returning by opening day. Obviously, that’s not going to happen now. He was reportedly throwing on flat ground, but now has stopped picking up a baseball entirely. His $1.25 million contract is guaranteed for the 2010 season.

You may have already read that even though the Mets just signed right-handed reliever Kiko Calero to a minor league contract, the Mets still remained interested in free agent reliever Joe Beimel.

The Mets already have an offer on the table for the local southpaw, but Beimel is looking for something closer to $2 million and the Mets offer is reportedly half that amount.

While looking over Calero’s numbers last season, I was immediately impressed with how well he fared against left-handed hitters. I decided to compare his performance against Joe Beimel and the results show that the mets may already have their LOOGY in Calero.

Here are their head-to-head comparisons versus left-handed hitters in 2009. (Stats provided by Baseball Reference)

What really stands out to me more than anything is that Beimel allowed four homeruns while pitching in spacious Dodgers Stadium and Calero allowed no homeruns in cozy Florida. (In fact, Calero allowed one HR all year in 2009, and that was to our own Fernando Tatis.)

Calero’s one flaw is that he walks more batters, but usually gets out of his jams. His .187 BAA ranks up there with the elite closers of the game. That’s something you look for in a LOOGY when he’s asked to get a big out with runners on base. 

Calero also gives the Mets something they have lacked in the last three seasons, and that is a cross-over reliever who is effective against both RH and LH hitters.

So is Kiko Calero a better LOOGY than Joe Beimel? Probably not…

I’m not suggesting that the Mets step on the brakes and pull their offer to Joe Beimel. But if we were to fail to sign him, this Calero acquisition may soften the blow a little.

Only 24 hours after being cleared to play in todays game against the Marlins, shortstop Jose Reyes has been scratched again because of concerns about his thyroid levels. He will be going to New York for further testing instead.

Adam Rubin of the Daily News, who has been closely following this story, gives this latest update:

It may be an imbalance in thyroid levels with Reyes. He is headed to New York. Test is Monday. Reyes said he’s had no symptoms and feels fine. He said doctors believe it’s an overactive thyroid. The test will be Monday, and result not available for 48 hours after that. Reyes will not be permitted to do physical activity until then.

Reyes was cleared to play in todays game, but local doctors were overruled when the results were reviewed in New York. Reyes as well as the Mets team doctors are very concerned.

“I have to be concerned about it and find out what’s going on. This is important. We’re not talking about my leg. We’re talking about my health, so I have to be concerned about it.”

The test results could take 48 hours to come back.

The New York Mets have confirmed that they reached an agreement with right-hander Kiko Calero on a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. The Mets announced the move in a statement this afternoon.

The 35-year-old Calero pitched for the Florida Marlins last season, going 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA in 67 relief appearances. He allowed 36 hits with 30 walks and 69 strikeouts in 60 innings, leading the Marlins’ bullpen in ERA.

Calero is 14-12 with seven saves and a 3.24 ERA in 313 career games. In 302 2/3 innings, he has surrendered 236 hits with 126 walks and 324 strikeouts.

According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, Calero is guaranteed $850,000 if he makes the team, and can earn an additional $650,000 in performance incentives.

Anyway you cut it, this is a solid pickup for the Mets. There is no doubt he will be in the bullpen and be a solid late innings reliver as long as his shoulder holds up.

Update 2:25 pm

Adam Rubin reports that Jose Reyes has been cleared to resume playing after a second visit for bloodwork. Reyes is likely to just take batting practice today, then enter the lineup tomorrow.

Original Post 10:58 am

Jose Reyes has been scratched from today’s game against the Cardinals to go see a doctor for a follow-up to his physical.
According to Adam Rubin, Reyes said that the initial physical raised a small concern with doctors, so he needed to do additional blood work this morning. He’ll visit the doctor again at noon for results. Reyes added that he has no physical problems. “I’m fine,” he said. “Nothing serious.”

Reyes, also later added that the visit has nothing to do with his surgically repaired right leg and that he is not sick and feels great.

Despite the worry-warts and sensationalists that are in full bloom today in the Mets blogosphere, this is all routine and even Mike Pelfrey had to follow-up with a second round of blood tests as well.

Get ready to settle in and enjoy the first game of the Grapefruit League Season tomorrow as the Mets take on the Atlanta Braves in game that will be televised on SNY at 1:05 PM.

Nelson Figueroa will start for the Mets, and here is the starting lineup..

1. Gary Matthews Jr. – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Jose Reyes – SS
4. David Wright – 3B
5. Jason Bay – LF
6. Mike Jacobs - DH
7. Jeff Francoeur – RF
8. Ike Davis – 1B
9. Chris Coste – C

Notes:

The Mets tuned up for tomorrow with an intra-squad game this afternoon in which Jose Reyes electrified onlookers by stroking a two-run triple in his very first at-bat while batting third. Yeah it was against Tobi Stoner, but still… The triple sparked chants of “Jo-se, Jo-se, Jo-se” from the fans who were on hand, and invoked smiles on the faces of all the Mets coaches and Jerry Manuel.

Interesting to see that Daniel Murphy will be watching from the bench tomorrow while Ike Davis starts. You might remember that on Friday, Jerry Manuel said he hasn’t eliminated Davis from the competition at first base and that he could emerge as the starter. That’s all fine and dandy. but it still sounds like a bad idea to me.

We already know what to expect from Henry Blanco and Rod Barajas, so it looks like Coste, Santos and Riggans will each get some playing time as the Mets decide who goes to AAA to tutor young Josh Thole.

Nelson Figueroa will be competing with Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve for the fifth spot in the rotation. Who ever wins the job might still start the season in AAA and then get called up once the fifth starter is need. This will buy the Mets some additional time before deciding who the 25th man will be. It could come down to either Mike Jacobs or Frank Catalanotto.