About Last Night: Let’s talk Reyes
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- April
- 10
Jose Reyes was speaking cliche yesterday.
When he said “really” important the first thing that popped into my mind was “what if they don’t?”
That’s why I don’t go overboard this early. That was his thinking when he said he wasn’t concerned about his slow start (stolen bases and on-base percentage mostly).
He’s stinking up the place now, but in the end I think he’ll have a good year.
And you guys?
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on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 8:14 am by John Delcos.
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Reyes still seems different…subdued might be the right word. It’s as if he’s trying to reign in the very thing that makes him so dynamic in the first place.
I think we saw over the first half of last year that, when he’s on, he could be the best all-around player in the game. He certainly isn’t emoting that distinction these days.
Why are you justifiying what you said the other night? You don’t need to. Reyes sucks right now, his fielding, batting, wimpy, attiude, the whole package. Someone has to give that kid a kick in the ass and say, “Welcome to the Big Leagues, start playing like one!”
Wow, I don’t seem to remember people being this hard on David Wright when he had a poor April last year. Everyone take a deep breath.
Yes, Reyes is struggling. Yes, he struggled in the second half of last season. But maybe people in baseball aren’t giving him a “kick in the ass” and saying, “Welcome to the Big Leagues, start playing like one!” (Which doesn’t even make sense, btw—you want him to start playing like a Big League? What does that even mean?) because other people understand that it’s a tough job and there are going to be difficult stretches like this.
I don’t have a problem with Reyes’ saying that yesterday’s game was “really important.” He didn’t say the season would be over if the Mets lost or that everything was hanging in the balance. He just said it was “really important.” If the Mets had lost, they would have lost a “really important” game. What is the big deal about saying that? Come on, people. Get a grip and lose the sense of entitlement. Stop acting like Yankees fans.
Good post, Simon. We’re 7 games into the season, for God’s sake. Give Jose a break.
If we get to June and he’s still struggling, I’ll panic but we’ve played 7 games, David Wright struggled all of April and the entire second half of 06 but he put up a great year, so Reyes has plenty of time to get it together.
Simon: You are right…. about the reaction
However, last year there was no collapse to make the fan base base angry like there is this year. People are a lot more forgiving about losing a playoff than blowing the regular season like they did.
This team can’t win with either the media or some of the fans.
One of the big complaints from both parties at the end of last year was that they seemed to not realize that games were important. They stayed “even keel”, and didn’t say much about games being important. They got killed for it.
Now, someone asks Jose the question, he responds that it was important, and he gets little jibes from John, and some fans kill him for it.
I bet that if he had said “it’s not important”, John would have made a snarky comment about that, and fans would have been annoyed as well.
Every game is important. A loss in April counts the same as one in September. Hence, the “even keel” feelings from Willie et al.
Would I like to see some “fire”? Sure. But that doesn’t guarantee anything.
I mean, its quite simple with Reyes, he’s off to a bad start. That’s why he’s not his usual exciting, exuberent self. If he were hitting, making plays, we wouldn’t be saying he looks down. But what reason does he really have right now to be happy? I really do’nt see this as some sort of big “problem” with Reyes, like he’s lost his “reyesness”, he’s a different player/person, he’s just not playing well, and that’s it. If he were still acting all happy, and jumpy and whatever, I’d question that, because at this point, what has he done to put himself in that mood? Nothing. Having said all that, I fully expect him to turn it around, its 7 games, he’s just way too talented, anyone can have a bad 7 games, he just needs to settle in and he’ll be back.
Simon
That doesn’t make sense? Let me explain: Well, If Reyes is in the Big Leagues (MLB), then he needs to play like a Major League Baseball Player (MLB). His work does not appear to perform to a comparable level of other shortstops in MLB.
So far with his errors, his long batting slump that has carried over to this season, and his mundane attitude he has not proved really anything this season other than he can show up to work on time.
I will not compare D-Wright who plays third base with a Jose Reyes who plays Shortstop. They are two different positions.
Simon and Tiffany, have said it best. I think Reyes is subdued, but I think it’s more from complying with his manager’s philosopy, than anything else. Willie has put in Reyes’ head that the “extra’s” (celebrating/dances/and other antics) are not how a “professional” is suppose to conduct himself during a game. It has Reyes questioning himself after a slow finish last year and I don’t think anyone is more dissatisfied with the results more than Reyes himeself. I believe that all of his extra stuff was what made him an exciting player. It has helped him be arguably one of the most exciting players in the game today, because he was having fun. I don’t see him smiling as much, and I believe that the “reining in” of Reyes has kinda handcuffed him in the way he approached the game previously, and he has added pressure on himself to produce. Now I agree if your not hustling or don’t have you head in the game, it is a manager, coach, or team leader who should take a player and help him get past that and improve on the things that make him successful. Not completely make over someone. However, I don’t think Reyes is dogging it, and I am sure we shall see him back on his game and this April slump will be forgotten. I just want the old Reyes back, joking, dancing, and hitting line drives. Get off his back Willie!
What Reyes and other Mets need to stop doing is making excuses.
Rather than explaining the importance of a game (which everyone already knows about) or say why they failed that game (which most people know why), they should rather say something along the lines of:
“You know what? I messed up and I and going to take corrective action fo fix it, so that I can prevent it from happening again. Everyone makes mistakes, and I made one tonight”
Really what we should hear is more accountability.
I only have noticed that few players take this similar approach.
METS Starting to sound like (Making Excuses Today at Shea)
To put it as plainly as it can be put, until he starts producing like the Reyes from 06 and first half of 97, the questions will continue to follow him.
Lenny won a world series and had attitude while doing so.
Wackman did too.
Reggie Jackson as well.
Baseball is a game. Reyes has went completey to the other end of the spectrum, players are not in a office.
Fans want to see that type of energy.
He’s been hitting the ball pretty hard lately, I think the hits will start to fall. I think his low batting average so far has a lot to do with bad luck.
Reyes will be fine in the end.
However I doubt we will ever see a prolonged stretch of production like the one Reyes had from the middle of 2006 through the middle of 2007. It was his career ‘year’ and he will struggle to match that. But coming close will still be a good year.
Whatever he needs to do to get his head back in the game because it’s not there.
He would hate to know everyone is talking about him – wouldn’t you? We all know about the chemistry of the team changing when Milledge left, it could be as simple as that. Or, it could be something that is none of our business.
maybe I am naive, but I think this whole debate about his “reyesness” is a bunch of bunk.
So what he toned down the clown act in the dugout? It does not IMO explain why he is not hitting well. Just acting a little more mature shouldn’t make you forget how to play baseball.
If anything, he is too anxious right now (not being patient, swing at bad first pitches, et.). IOW, pressing.
Now, if he was turned into some sort of Yankeetron robot, wouldn’t he be less active at the plate (take more pitches, etc.?)
I couldn’t care less about the handshakes and general silliness. If he needs that back to get focused, then by all means, go for it!
I think everyone is looking into things too much. Reyes will be fine. We’ve played 7 games.
Seven.
It is 7 games. Relax.
It is funny how what JD got us involved in and now everyone is completely off track. Trying telling the Tigers to relax after their record. Just like them, the Mets seem to have a lot more to live up to than other teams this year.
It is also nice to know that players explain themselves on how they improve their game throughout the season whether it is more BP, more running, more practice on the DP ball or whatever makes their game better.
So maybe Reyes needs to take PR notes from D-Wright, Schneider, Santana and some other guys on the team because what Reyes said has no real meaning for the fans.
Even though it is “the walk” that gets the job done, at the end of the day, there is always some explaining to do. The press makes that clear.
Met mantra Early Sept 2007: “We have a 7 game lead. Relax.”
Met mantra Apr 10 2008: “Its 7 games. Relax”.
I know this has been said numerous times…but JD, you do a great job and we all really appreciate it.
Keep up the good work.