There are 10 players eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame who have the Mets on some portion of their resume. Next up is another first-timer on the ballot who’s arguably the most exciting player in franchise history.  

Watching him was all about anticipation—edge-of-your seat anticipation—eagerly awaiting what would transpire at the plate or on the base paths.

With gazelle-like quickness, José Reyes could turn ground balls into singles, singles into doubles, and doubles into triples. Any base ahead of him was there for his taking. By the time he left the Mets after 2011, he had shattered every meaningful speed merchant record.

It took until his second full season—following hamstring injuries, position switches, and base running technique adjustments—before Reyes was off and running. He led all National Leaguers in stolen bases with 60 and all of baseball in triples with 17. The ascent continued in 2006, when Reyes topped both leagues by tallying 17 triples and 64 steals. He developed even further as a hitter as he raised his average to .300, drove in 81 runs, and hit 19 homers.

Over the next five years, Reyes would be the majors’ best in three-base hits two more times and set a career-high for stolen bases with 74. The 2011 season would end up with Reyes holding the batting title and a bunch of leverage once his Mets’ contract expired.

Sure enough, the Miami Marlins had the money to lure him away from New York. He’d be back by July 2016, and in between showed that his best days were behind him. He never hit .300 or higher, he never had an OPS+ better than 113. When he returned to New York, it was not without baggage. A domestic violence charge was trouble he couldn’t outrun. With a damaged past and an uncertain future, some now didn’t even want him there—and justifiably so. The Mets signed him anyway.

That second stint was far less exciting than the first, and a lot less productive. He stole 38 bases over 315 games and had an OPS+ of 90. It’s tempting to put aside a rather forgettable second stint in New York and choose to remember the greatness of his initial nine-year stay—particularly, the recollection of an extra-base hit in the gap or a daring steal of third. Reyes might not have fulfilled every promise, but there’s no regret when it comes to the thrills he supplied for the better part of a decade.

The Case For

If dynamism was a statistic, Reyes would’ve been the leader in that for a stretch of seven years. not only was there not a more exciting player in Mets history during its 60-plus seasons, there wasn’t a more exciting player in the game in that period. That seven-year peak coincides with his prime as a Met (2005-11).  He made each of his four All-Star appearances, was the triples leader four times (averaging 13 a season), won the stole base title three times, and averaged 166 hits. He reached or exceeded 175 hits in a season seven times.

If we’re going on bold type, Reyes has plenty and more compared to a lot of people who are already in the Hall of Fame. His career WAR of 37.4 is higher than 21 Cooperstown, including Lou Brock, Jack Morris, and Harold Baines.

The Case Against

For as great a baserunner he was, the other offensive production wasn’t there. During that seven-year portion, his OPS+ was just barely above league average (109). Because of his lack of longevity, his final totals don’t measure up well in big-league history even in the categories he dominated for a short time: in triples, he’s 78th and in stolen bases he ranks 33rd all-time.

Comparing others at his position, that WAR which is higher than some Hall of Famers is lower than all shortstops. The next closest is Phil Rizzuto (42.1). While Reyes was a decent fielder, especially while he was a Met, it’s not a skill that would boost his resume.

On top of all that, the domestic violence charge certainly doesn’t help his cause—and deservedly so.

Final Thoughts

José Reyes has similarities to Kenny Lofton (aside from defensive position) in the sense that they were exiting game-changers who could do a multitude of things on the field. Lofton has the edge on longevity, accumulating 622 steals while Reyes had 105 fewer. Lofton somehow got less than five percent on his first try with the Hall and the feeling is that Reyes will get similar treatment if not staying on for at least one more year.