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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Mates say Mets overprotecting Jose Reyes

Even though ZiPS lock bags meet all USDA, FDA, and MLB requirements?

Except that many Mets players aren’t laughing as the organization tries to decide whether Jose Reyes should be part of the team’s Opening Day roster.

On a day Reyes appeared in a minor league exhibition game against the Cardinals — his most extensive action since returning last Wednesday from an overactive thyroid — one Mets player told The Post there is a prevailing feeling in the clubhouse that the shortstop is being “babied” because the organization fears a potential public relations hit should the shortstop reinjure his hamstring.

The player said Reyes belongs in the starting lineup for Monday’s season-opener against the Marlins.

“It’s kind of silly,” the player said. “You play the game. You can get hurt as easily playing [a minor league exhibition] as playing on Opening Day.”

The Mets hierarchy might disagree as it continues to take the safe route in Reyes’ recovery after he spent 2 1/2 weeks on his couch resting until his thyroid levels returned to normal. The team’s greatest fear is Reyes will rush back and suffer a recurrence of the right hamstring problems that shelved him for most of last season.

Repoz Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:28 PM | 29 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: mets

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1. Marcel Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:42 PM (#3489395)

Does this player saying that Reyes is being babied realize that the Mets season is basically over if Reyes is out for any significant amount if time?

2. Infinite Yost (Voxter)

Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:50 PM (#3489401)

Teams should definitely make this kind of decision by polling the clubhouse in future.

3. Fancy Pants is braggadocious about his Handle Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:51 PM (#3489403)

“It’s kind of silly,” the player said. “You play the game. You can get hurt as easily playing [a minor league exhibition] as playing on Opening Day.”

Is this even true? Can't you dro example, tell the player to not go all out on the bases, which would lessen hamstring injury risk signicantly. I asuume the objective is to get Reyes to face some pitchers, not to see if he can leg out choppers...

4. Chico Lind(and the Man) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:52 PM (#3489404)

I'm going to go ahead and nominate Frenchie as "Most likely to be a mole for the Post". He does seem like the type to trade provocative quotes for good press.

5. bunyon Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:03 PM (#3489416)

The source went on to say that it was a shame that Reyes frequently chooses American over Delta.

6. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:19 PM (#3489431)

Does this player saying that Reyes is being babied realize that the Mets season is basically over if Reyes is out for any significant amount if time?

He almost certainly does, and that's probably why he's so desperate to have Reyes on the field as soon as possible.

When you factor in that he was out the final three quarters of last season and there is a common attitude among many players of "I'm playing hurt; he should be too", it definitely makes for a pretty tough situation for a team under such high pressure to perform.

7. SoSH U at work Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:20 PM (#3489432)

I'm going to go ahead and nominate Frenchie as "Most likely to be a mole for the Post". He does seem like the type to trade provocative quotes for good press.

I'd caution against this. Past history suggests that sometime down the road it will become known here that Frenchy was the guy who was anonymously ripping Reyes to the press, based on such speculation.

8. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:26 PM (#3489440)

This is clearly someone in the Red Sox front office.

9. GEB4000 Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:30 PM (#3489445)

Yes, we wouldn't want to sully Francoeur's reputation.

10. SoSH U at work Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:33 PM (#3489450)

Yes, we wouldn't want to sully Francoeur's reputation.

I think it sullies BTF's reptutation.

11. Chico Lind(and the Man) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:36 PM (#3489452)

Past history suggests that sometime down the road it will become known here that Frenchy was the guy who was anonymously ripping Reyes to the press, based on such speculation.

So we are in agreement then? Or is there someone more likely to be a mouthy rat?

12. There are no words... (Met Fan Charlie) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:39 PM (#3489455)

Remember, we're talking about that bastion of journalistic integrity, the New York Post. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that the "quote" was...um...manufactured, shall we say?

13. PreservedFish Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:40 PM (#3489457)

I don't see Frenchy as a mouthy rat type. He seems like a genuinely good guy that doesn't want controversy and will always have his teammates' backs.

14. Cowboy Popup Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:41 PM (#3489460)

Or is there someone more likely to be a mouthy rat?

It's probably David Wright.

15. Randy Jones

Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:46 PM (#3489467)

I'm going to go ahead and nominate Frenchie as "Most likely to be a mole for the Post". He does seem like the type to trade provocative quotes for good press.

Nah, Frenchy seems to get good press regardless of anything he does. He wouldn't need to do this. Not saying it isn't him though.

16. Double-Spin Mechanic Posted: March 31, 2010 at 04:10 PM (#3489497)

They didn't say NEW YORK Mets player. Maybe the author's kid plays for the Saugatuck Mets 11U.

17. Karl from NY Posted: March 31, 2010 at 05:41 PM (#3489611)

I agree with Randy, it doesn't sound like Frenchy. He's no backbiter or caller-outer.

My first thought was Billy Wagner, but he's gone. Maybe Castillo, who has the most to lose if Reyes' defense isn't next to him.

18. Walt Davis Posted: March 31, 2010 at 05:45 PM (#3489616)

Well, it's a bit of an improvement. Last year the heat was put on Reyes, questioning whether he was working hard enough to get back into the lineup and was babying himself. At least this season (for the moment), the press is blaming team management, not Reyes.

But I loved this little "journalistic" gem:

The Mets hierarchy might disagree as it continues to take the safe route in Reyes’ recovery after he spent 2 1/2 weeks on his couch resting until his thyroid levels returned to normal. The team’s greatest fear is Reyes will rush back and suffer a recurrence of the right hamstring problems that shelved him for most of last season.

Now, that first sentence. Do Minaya and Manuel not speak to the Post? Could the reporter not find out whether the Mets' hierarchy disagrees or not? Note also of course the use of the loaded term "hierarchy" as opposed to, oh, "management" or the positively loaded "leadership" (although clearly this one doesn't apply to the Mets :-).

But what I like is the switch. Not having gotten the hierarchy's opinion, the reporter does at least only say they "might disagree." However, by the second sentence, all uncertainty is gone and the team's "greatest" fear is stated as a fact.

Don't worry, reporters are trained to be objective.

19. bunyon Posted: March 31, 2010 at 05:51 PM (#3489628)

It's probably Lenny Dykstra.

20. Chico Lind(and the Man) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:19 PM (#3489650)

Nah, Frenchy seems to get good press regardless of anything he does.
I agree with Randy, it doesn't sound like Frenchy.

He's already won.

21. Win one for Agrippa (haplo53) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:36 PM (#3489672)

Poor Mets. They get criticized for rushing players back and they get criticized for not rushing players back.

22. JJ1986 Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:44 PM (#3489678)

It might have been Gary Matthews so the Mets should probably release him just in case.

23. Leroy Kincaid Posted: March 31, 2010 at 10:36 PM (#3490030)

My first thought was these "mates" were friends of Reyes', not his teammates. Then I thought, wait, he's not Australian...

24. Something Other Posted: March 31, 2010 at 11:50 PM (#3490096)

“It’s kind of silly,” the player said. “You play the game. You can get hurt as easily playing [a minor league exhibition] as playing on Opening Day.”

Is this even true? Can't you dro example, tell the player to not go all out on the bases, which would lessen hamstring injury risk signicantly. I asuume the objective is to get Reyes to face some pitchers, not to see if he can leg out choppers...

This was my thought, too. Plus, if you're feeling a little tender, it's got to be a hell of a lot easier to run down the line at 85% speed just to see how it feels in ST than on Opening Day.

Perhaps management would do well to give the team a short course in WAR (never happen, but still...): "Having Reyes in the lineup adds something like one win per 32 games. If we give him another week before he's in the regular season lineup, we're risking at most about one-fifth of a win. We think that's a risk worth taking in order to have Jose at 100% throughout the long season blahblahblah..."

It might have been Gary Matthews so the Mets should probably release him just in case.

All Metdom salutes your prophylactic suggestion!

25. Downtown Bookie

Posted: April 01, 2010 at 12:25 AM (#3490125)

If you're a firm believer in karma/sowing & reaping/what comes around goes around, then the Mets player behind the quote would be the next Mets player to be injured.

So what do you have to say for yourself now, Daniel Murphy?

DB

26. AJM Posted: April 01, 2010 at 12:32 AM (#3490130)

They should rush him back just like last year, that worked out great!

27. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: April 01, 2010 at 12:43 AM (#3490138)

My first thought was these "mates" were friends of Reyes', not his teammates. Then I thought, wait, he's not Australian...

I just assumed he's a polygamist.

28. bobm Posted: April 01, 2010 at 01:59 AM (#3490173)

From the NY Post:

<u>Mets' Reyes will start season on disabled list</u>
...
retroactive to March 26. He would be eligible to play game five, April 10 against the Nationals

29. Something Other Posted: April 01, 2010 at 03:07 AM (#3490192)

@29: Good for the FO. It looks like the right move to me, and it suggests at least a modest change in approach to injuries along with a willingness to take some tabloid heat.

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Mates say Mets overprotecting Jose Reyes

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