Devin asks…
So Sandy Alderson said that he signed Jose Reyes because he was willing to accept a utility type role but isn’t it true that if we fail to sign a second or third baseman that Reyes will be playing every day again? His contract even includes bonuses for 500 and 550 plate appearances.
Joe D. replies…
Theoretically, yes, it’s possible that Reyes would very likely get an increased role should the team fail to sign a significant bat to play second or third. However, there is still two weeks left until spring training begins so let’s give Sandy the benefit of the doubt.
You know, one of the things that gets overlooked regarding the Reyes deal is his versatility and how there’s a very good chance that the Mets go with a eight man bullpen for large chunks of the upcoming season. So having a player like Reyes, who can play three infield positions as well as the outfield, gives Mickey Callaway the option of setting up his lineup in several different ways.
My guess is that the offseason may be shaping up in the Mets’ favor the longer it drags on the way it has. So maybe they end up getting a Todd Frazier or a Mike Moustakas for a whole lot less than everyone had projected.
That would force the Mets to slide Asdrubal Cabrera over to second base and ultimately give the the team a four man bench consisting of Wilmer Flores, Jose Reyes, Kevin Plawecki and Brandon Nimmo. They’ll have a big decision to make once Michael Conforto returns sometime in May.
Incidentally, Reyes released a short statement about his return to the Mets.
“I’m glad to be back,” Reyes said in a statement. “This is my home. I’m excited to be back with a great group of teammates. I will do everything I can to help us get back to the postseason.”
Reyes, 34, hit .246/.315/.413 with 15 HR, 25 doubles, seven triples, 24 stolen bases, 75 runs scored, and 58 RBI for the Mets in 145 games last season while primarily playing third base and shortstop.
However, after a brutal first half, he batted .288/.356/.472 in the second half and was one of the most productive players on the team posting a .828 OPS.
Reyes is just nine hits away from 1,500 as a New York Met, only David Wright has collected more hits. He is also the franchise leader in stolen bases and triples.
