SF Gate: Jenkins: Giants passed on Casey because he didn’t fit at China Basin

and other happiness cocktails from Bruce Jenkins…

Brian Sabean made a comment in passing the other day, regarding Sean Casey, that reflected the Giants’ stance in a post-Bonds world. He said he briefly considered Casey as a first-base option on the free-agent market but that he’d prefer letting Dan Ortmeier take a shot.

By customary standards, Casey is by far the better option. He’s a .301 lifetime hitter with a distinctive, entertaining stroke. He plays the game with an endearing combination of fury and joy. People rave about his clubhouse presence, including former teammate Aaron Boone, who said, “He’s just really good at life. He has this way of making everyone around him feel important.”

Mets: The acquisition of Johan Santana has everyone excited, but the real story will be told on the left side of the infield, where David Wright and Jose Reyes were once considered among the most promising combinations to surface in recent years. Wright fought bravely during the team’s epic September collapse, hitting .397 over the final 17 games and standing up to every clubhouse interview. Reyes rarely spoke, didn’t hit, didn’t steal bases and, shockingly, didn’t hustle. There was no sign of his ebullient personality and nobody was able to help him snap out of it.