the Mets’ mercurial shortstop, José Reyes

First time I've heard mercurial used on someone other than Carl Everett or Manny Ramirez.

Rollins is a very fine player but the implication that he is what Jose Reyes should strive to be is silly.

Rollins - 2001-2003
OPS+: 89, SB%: 75%, K/PA: 1/6.52

Rollins - 2004-2007
OPS+: 104, SB%: 86%, K/PA: 1/9.68

Sure, the idea that he should strive to be exactly the same player as Rollins is silly. However, if we go with the idea of the article, that Reyes should emotionally mature like Rollins did, and then reap the rewards of improved performance, that sounds excellent. A 17% jump in OPS+? A 15% jump in SB success? A 48% improvement in K/PA? Plus enhanced clubhouse presence? Surely that sounds good?

When I saw the headline, I assumed that the other shortstop was Garry Templeton.

I was hoping for Barry Larkin. Obviously, I was terribly disappointed.

I agree with CFiJ that those kinds of improvements coming as Reyes matures would be great, but I don't think that is Shpigel's point. He really seems to be saying that Rollins is, right now, the better player. That position is absurd on its face. To cite just one of the glaring inconsistencies in the article, he calls Rollins one of the best leadoff hitters in the game but notes that Reyes gets criticized for not getting on base enough. Jose's OBP was 10 points better than Rollins's last year (when Rollins was elected MVP) and is about 15 points better over the past three years (including 2008). I'm not saying that OBP is everything, but it is certainly a huge part of the leadoff hitter's job. Yes, Rollins has hit for more power lately, but that is probably a combination of reaching the 27-28 year old stage at which hitter's often peak and moving into a bandbox. In his age 23-25 seasons, when playing in a park that was very similar to Shea, Rollins hit fewer HRs that Jose, and hit for a lower SLG. According to baseball-reference, Jose's OPS+ was 118 to Rollins's 98 so far this season, and, as we all know, the bbref calculations undervalue OBP and overvalue SLG. Reyes is also, by any objective measure, a better defender. So, yes, it would be very nice if Jose could mature into a clubhouse leader, raise his OPS+ by 17% and improve his SB% by 12%. But, even if he does not do that, he is already a better player than Rollins.

On edit: Through their age 25 seasons (which is 2008 for Jose), Reyes's career SB% is 4.1% better that Rollins's (79.7 to 75.6)

It really is remarkable how Reyes has transformed from a player who was wildly overrated by the media to one who is wildly underrated in little over a year. A poorly timed slump last season has really caused people to completely lose track of how good he actually is. Hanley's pretty clearly Reyes' superior at this point, but Jose is better and much more projectable than any other SS in the league, and Reyes' recent defensive struggles aside, the consensus seems to be Reyes will have the longer stay at SS. He hasn't taken the big step forward that I and other Mets fans are hoping for, but without really thinking about it, I doubt there are more than 10-15 players I'd prefer to have on my roster going forward.

I agree with CFiJ that those kinds of improvements coming as Reyes matures would be great, but I don't think that is Shpigel's point. He really seems to be saying that Rollins is, right now, the better player.

Well, I've read the article twice now, and I guess we'll have to disagree. I just don't see that. The only comparison I see him making between Rollins and Reyes is in terms of maturity.

Jimmy Rollins stole his 36th consecutive base without getting caught in the fifth Monday, dating to Aug. 31, 2007. He is 22-for-22 this season.

Only 14 to go. :)

I don't see how Rollins is any standard of maturity to strive to. At least Reyes has improved his walk rate steadily over his development phase. Rollins is not great at getting on base and seems content with that.