Reeling in Reyes
-
- June
- 30
Coming to you this morning from the airport. Of course, the first thing on my mind is hoping Jose Reyes slept like a baby.
Afterall, he acted like one yesterday.
He does these things because the Mets let him. He loses focus because the Mets don’t do anything about it when he does.
Some players have said Willie Randolph wanted to lean on him harder, but the front office wouldn’t let him.
He’s 25 now and time is running out on reeling in his behavior.
This entry was posted
on Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 6:33 am by John Delcos.
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Why is it, that when a Met star throws a glove, a helmet, a bat they are a "babies".
But when Paul O'neill does it, he was an intense warrior.
Reyes being furious at this miscue yesterday AND SHOWING that was welcome. And some of the Mets other plastic personalities could stand to show they have a pulse.
I agree Patrick. The zombie mentality of the Mets, and apparently the beat writer(s) as well has created a very mediocre club and one that, is very hard to watch and enjoy. So lets zombie-ize Reyes so he can play like Delgado and Castillo etc. Reyes and Perez the last two to show fire. Bury both of them, and Delcos does go out of his way to criticize and make fun of both. A beat writer having a name like coin flip for a player he has to interview during the season, is very bush league.
I'm a Reyes fan, but…
When you win a few World Series rings and hit in the clutch (like Paul O'Niell), then you can throw whatever you want.
When you're 25, with a reputation of being immature, and J-Man just publicly blasted you during the last west-coast trip for a temper tantrum, then you shouldn't be throwing your glove, sunglasses, purse, highheels, and anything else.
NON-SENSE Sportslocker. Utter non-sense. O'Niell did not win and then decide he earned any right to throw things, he was always that way. Always.
Give me a dozen Jose Reyes, and I might have some running mistakes here and there, but I am going to have a team that leaves every ounce of their effort on the field 99% of the time.
I agree, I'm tired of Reyes's attitude. Yes, Delgado should have caught the ball but that was a routine play and the throw should have been on target, not high and wide. Reyes shouldn't of showed up Delgado that way. In the dugout I can see Reyes talking to Delgado and looking upset. It's time reyes starts looking at himself in the mirror because mentally he is out there I a am sick of it.
J-man???.... Jman is a jerk. This pathetic love affair with a guy who has called the fan base s**t and has called Reyes a girl is crap. He has less class than any manager we ever had. All he does is give a good story line so he's great. How's the team doing by the way with all his stupid promouncements. Oh, its doing the same. What a surprise.
Lets start a campaign to drive Reyes out of New York so we can totally suck.
Toma, if you followed the post game at all yesterday Reyes was looking in the mirror the whole time, he was not showing up Delagdo and the stupid assumptions made in the press box were wrong.
I happen to like Keith Hernandez a lot, but like most people after the age of 50, Keith has selective amnesia.
I mean we are talkinga about a guy who campaigned to sports reporters against Darryl Strawberry as MVP in 1988, and openly. And then fought with him the next spring taunting him.
Keith talks a big game about responsibility but I can remember quite a few times were a frustrated Mex threw a fit on the field and fired his helmet down or his glove at the dugout.
JD: I apologize. There is no defense of Reyes's actions this weekend. Whether it be throwing down his glove like a baby yesterday, or inexplicably getting picked off at 2b on Saturday with Wright up, something he has done too many times, it's really time for someone to sit him down and explain what is to be a professional.
i agree with patrick to an extent, reyes throwing his glove and stuff shows that he has a pulse and wants to win (something that no one else on this team ever does)
however, rather than throw his equipment down, reyes should try to be a leader for once and rally his team-mates to go out there tonight and beat that b*tch a*s kyle losche.
Throwing a helmet after a strikeout is one thing. That Display by Reyes yesterday was way over the top. I remember how much grief Greg Jefferies got for throwing his helmet after making an out. Maybe Jose is frustrated because he has been making so many mistakes this year. It sure didnt look good to me. I hope he will be made to look at that on tape so he can see how ridiculous he looked.
I'm going to repeat my same old mantra about a Mets Captain.
With the Yankees, the ownership/management name the Captain, and Derek has been a good representative for them both on the field and off. This is one area where the Mets should copy the Yankee script.
The Wilpons and Omar should rush to name David Wright the Captain NOW. He's the son of a Police Detective and a Guidance Teacher and the eldest of four brothers – think he's had some experience with tantrums etc??
Jerry Manuel doesn't seem like the kind of man who would oppose this and I'm sure he and David would work well together.
The Wilpons have made a lot of bad moves lately and so has Omar, making David the Captain would be good for everyone involved.
As long as he hits, I could care less.
Captain? Good grief.
You want to know how many titles the Yankees have won since Captain Perfect was named to his post of perfection?
Z-E-R-O…
Shocker, no titles since they have no players that are more concerned with winning over their image. Anyone can go back to the 1996 thru 2000 Yankees, and position by position tell me who you replace for a player who is the league average and this much is true, at first base, third base, catcher, right field you would not seek to replace any of those guys. For years I have had the new world dictionary definition of the word intangibles shoved down my throat, that is to say…intangibles as to describle all the things that Derek Jeter lacks that somehow makes him better than everyone else any way.
I don't give a rat about David Wright's up bringing, a special "C" stitching is not going to change the universe.
A couple of players actually admitting they have screwed up with some sense of emotion beyond the Borg like response given day to day waiting for some magical pixie dust to start resulting in wins is a welcome sign.
Frankly I'd like to see more helmets, bats and gloves flying around.
Azy: This is the Mets man. Hitting, it doesn't matter, pitching it doesn't matter. Its ok for the Wilpons and the Minaya's and Bernazard's to act like disgraces. But not Jose. He has to be perfectly behaved. Well, Minaya got rid of LoDuca and Milledge, and Randolph and Peterson so I guess the awnry Met fan base and the awnry and sickening press corp have to go after someone else. Poor Jose. Demand a trade young man because they are going to destroy you sooner rather than later. I've rooted for this team since the first loss to the Cardinals in April '62, but I'm at the point where, baseball is the lowest priority, that I'm ready to bolt.
Patrick: I'm sorry. There is no defense for what Jose did yesterday. He acted like a total baby yesterday. Throwing a temper tantrum by throwing his glove down like that in the middle of the inning is bush league. It doesn't compare at all to slamming your helmet down after you strike out where everyone knows it is you that you are mad at, or even busting up a water cooler in the dugout.
Azy: As long as he stupidly gets picked off at 2b with 2 outs and your best hitter up when you're losing by a run and a base hit is going to score you anyway, is that ok too?
Getting picked off 2nd in that situation was a bad play. He needs to understand that. As for the rest of it, that's just the way he is. As long he continues to learn its ok for him to be him. Don't get sucked in to Gary Cohen's moralizing.
Reyes is Reyes. He's fine the way he is. He doesn't need to 'be reeled in'.
By the way, nice post Sloppy. For all who don't realize it, Jose Reyes is having a terrific year. Without him they'd be 5 games below .500.
Oh but he didn't sprint back into the dugout. That's what really matters. And he looked upset and frustrated. What a bad person he is. It's really ridiculous.
Just make sure he understands why getting picked off 2nd base w/ 2 outs is especially bad and move on. Let him be him.
Taylor: See I think that is a problem with the Mets and how they handled Jose. He must have made that same mistake with Wright at least two or three other times at the end of last year, once I remember vividly against the Marlins, and once I think against the Phillies. It's almost as if they really need to give him the stop sign at 2b when Wright is up or anyone is up with 2 outs down by a run.
How could you remember it vividly, if you think it happened?
The Mets played 7 games against the Marlins last September, not once was Reyes picked off, nor did he steal a base, attempt to steal a base and as a result get caught stealing.
I think Steve – The original is referring to the Wed night game against the Phils, right before the 4-game sweep in Philly last year. He got picked off first TWICE, it was pretty blatant. He hasn't had many of those this year – true, caught stealing plenty of times, but he's been playing more conscientiously this year.
Here would be an interesting way for the rest of this veteran laden team and captain in training Wright to handle Jose Reyes.
They could come out publically and say "You know for too long now we have put this all on Jose, with As Jose goes so go the Mets, when Jose is on, the Mets are on. Some of us could stand to be on and help the team win when Jose does not score two runs a game."
Reyes never ONCE last year backed off and said he did not care, nor was he not responsible.
In fact while everyone in that locker room was packing up Reyes was the only one I recall taking the end collapse on his shoulders. Other guys talked about how it was on "us" not Willie. Reyes was the only one who said "if I played better we would have won."
Seriously JD…get over this obsession you have with Reyes. At least when he was playing poorly, you had a leg to stand on.
He's immature…fine. He's also been one of the best hitters in the league for the last 7 weeks. Instead of focusing on a nice victory, you focus on something that didn't even have any consequence on the game.
I've said it before about you and I'll say it again, you do a good job and objectivity is your job…but you seem to have a severe problem with the Mets. I don't mind reading objective reporting, but I don't open up my paper (or the click on the link in this case) to constantly read bashing of my favorite team, win or lose.
And before anyone comes back with "it's not JDs job to just be a mouthpiece for the Mets" I totally understand that.
When the team is reeling or does something foolish…call them out. Reyes' little act was stupid and childish, but THIS is what he leads off with in his blog as he sits at the airport?
A day after a great outing from OP? A day after the franchise secured a season-series win over the Yanks for just the second time ever? A day which kicks off a crucial 8-game stretch against teams currently leading in the WC and NLE?
Instead, I have to rehash about Reyes getting frustrated and tossing his glove??
In response to your first post Guv, you're right on. I called JD out back when Church was officially put on the DL, not for questioning the Mets about the way they handled it (that's his job) but his "admittedly sarcastic comment to Omar"
JD may hold his job as a Mets beat reporter, but he sure isn't going to get many exclusives with these guys because things like "coin flip" and his hard-** for Reyes are going to get back to the Mets and they'll just say "piss off"
Here here Mike, I 110% agree with your posts!!!! Let's Go Mets, big 8 game stretch here could make or break their season
What's the difference between acting like an immature baby and being a fiery personality who "cares" about the game and holds himself accountable?
People are critising Reyes for the same reason they loved Paul O'Niell. I don't ask for much in life, just consistancy. If it's bad for one person then it MUST be bad for all.
Benny…good point. If looked at in this light, Paul O'neil was the biggest baby in baseball during his career. People just need to stop…and Reyes just needs to play better defense and stop making dumb mistakes on the basepaths and on the field
JD: Generally I agree with your reporting, and the things you say, but this time I actually have to side with some of the people on here that are giving you some heat. The team won yesterday…Reyes's behavior was more of a secondary story and should not be your main topic of the day after a nice win in which Garbage Perez actually pitched well.
For the record, I still don't trust Perez in the least, and he'll have to string together 3 or 4 of these in a row for me to give him any benefit of the doubt. He's done this far too many times. Coin flip is the proper term for him
Mets were playing the Marlins in Florida in September and at the time the Mets were down by a run, with 2 outs, Reyes on 2nd and Wright up at the plate. Reyes got thrown out trying to steal 3rd base. Picked up/thrown out stealing…no different in my book. I should have clarified. Sorry.
Paul O'Neill never threw his glove down in the OF after making an error. Yes he threw helmet. Yes he threw his bat. Yes he broke a water cooler or two. If Jose did all that he wouldn't be criticized, not by me at least. If Jose would have gone into the dougout and threw his glove against the bench, no one would have said a thing. But again to throw your glove down after making an error in the field has to be one of the most childish things I have seen. Would you all teach your kids to behave that way?
Steve, how do you know O'neill never threw his glove down after making an error?
Would I teach my kids to behave that way? I wouldn't even mention it. He was just frustrated. What's the big deal? I really don't get it. That's his personality. He did no harm by throwing his glove down.
Taylor: I've watched O'Neill play. I've seen him throw helmets and the like. Never his glove in the field of play after an error.
Everyone seems to have focused on Paul O'Neil as the counter to the Reyes outburst. Is no one irked by Joba's animated fist pumping?
-SR
I agree with JD. Jose seems to wander from time to time and he is never disciplined. It doesn't have to be public. It could be quiet without a megaphone announcement to the press.
But why is it that someone like Rollins screws up and is set down for a game and Reyes keeps making mistakes? Jose has made more than his share of screw ups this year. I think he needs something to help focus him.
If his psyche is so fragile what they should do is have a vet come up behind him to talk about the how's and why's after the punishment is metted out. Do we have someone like that on this team?
Really? O'neill never did anything in the field of play? He never got angry that a ball dropped in front of him for a hit and kicked it?
If Reyes was white, this wouldn't be an issue. If Wright did this, it wouldn't be an issue. Latinos are never "scrappy" or "gritty".
Total non-story.
Call me crazy, but I care more about Reyes having the 2nd highest of any shortstop in baseball. That's just me.
second highest OPS*
Uh, Dave…Jose was pulled from the game when he didn't run out a ball last July in Houston. In fact, he didn't go back out ONTO the field when the top half of the inning was over.
Not saying one is better than the other, but Charlie Manuel let Rollins go back out onto the field and after the team came back into the dugout, he was benched.
This is a complete non-story, and again, the issue isn't Reyes being immature and prone to mental lapses (he is), the point is this was JD's LEAD story on the blog this morning.
After a Mets win. Over the Yankees. Behind a dominant OP (who he loves to blast). On the day they begin their most crucial stretch of the season to date.
But yeah, lets focus on Reyes tossing his glove/sunglasses onto the field when it had zero, no, NEGATIVE impact on the outcome of the game.
Stephan, I actually like Joba's fist pumping but it has to be the right situation. David Dellucci made a good point in May when he hit a 3 run pinch-hit homerun and then the next night Joba struck him out. Just google "David Dellucci Joba Chamberlain" it'll come up.
And regarding O'Niell and his glove throwing, ok, fine, I personally can't remember a situation when he did that but he sure as hell one day kicked the ball. That's even worse! The ball is in play! That hurts the team alot more but everyone wet their panties cause at the time it prevented the runner from scoring.
Steve (the Original) just because YOU never saw it does not mean it never happened.
Speaking with one of the biggest Yankee fans I know, and a Paul O'Neill fan, my bother, who said…
"More than once O'Neill not only threw his glove on the field, he kicked it around in the outfield in a display of childish frustration. It happens with players, the only difference is when all was said and done, O'Neill played on five world series winners between the Reds and Yankees. So he is fiesty, and Reyes is a baby."
And then the ultimate kicker.
"You Met fans, and you know this so don't argue with me, you will look at anything you can to make a bad situation worse. You make Charlie Brown and Ziggy into eternal optimists."
Patrick: If you want to condone what Reyes did, go ahead and condone it. As a matter of fact, I think everyone who makes an error should throw their glove down in the middle of the field. What a mighty fine lesson of gamesmanship that is and what a mature play that is as well.
Mike,
Last year Jose also tanked big time after that. Not sure if it is related or not but he went into a huge slump. This year he is not playing all star caliber play. The whole team sucks with the exception of Church, Santana, Wags.
Not saying Jose, Wright, Beltran don't play well overall, but both infielders have had more than their share of bad moments over the past 2 years. And right or wrong, Beltran gets paid better than he plays. He is a very good player. Plays the field very well, problem is he is not clutch at the plate.
To the other poster yelling racism. Please. you are way off base. Jose has a problem. The team hasn't figured out how to fix it, unless 06 was his career year.
As for gritty Latino's how about Valentine? He is an hard nosed player. Comes to play, plays the right way, problem is he is too old and worn out.
Dave,
I have a feeling the new poster is really an old poster named sloppy, who has used about 10 aliases on this site. His latest one was exposed last night so now hes BIG BABY, which fits. Hiya Sloppy !!!
Dave-
I will not disagree that Reyes has some immature tendencies, that's for sure…but your contention that it was the benching last year is the reason is completely unfounded.
Just like I can't say it WASN'T the reason, you can't say it WAS.
As for your comment about him not putting up AS caliber nos this year, he's on pace to put up the same nos. he did in 2006.
Mike.
You are correct. From the outside the fact that the two events happened within the same time period is no correlation. Your other point about numbers I will take your word for it. His hitting is generally ok. He is among lead leaders in sb ( I have him on my fantasy team and start him over some other ss i have simply because of the sb ).
However, it seems every time i tune in to watch a game he is booting a ball or doing something that a player of his caliber should not. He is young, yes. But I believe he is making way to many errors to just say he is young. As SS he is fundamental to a good D. Hanley, his contemporary, may be considered an all star player because of his bat but he sucks on the field.
My contention is that he and everyone else in the IF need to play fundamental baseball. He and David are too good to be making the same stupid errors year after year. Delgado has an excuse. No one ever said he had a glove. The left side of the field is supposed to be our strength.
Reyes is having the 2nd best offensive season in baseball by a shortstop, behind Hanley Ramirez. He has been producing at an awesome clip for the last 2 months. But let's all pile on him because he threw his glove in frustration, because that's what the tabloids are telling you to do.
Troy Percival threw a temper tantrum on the mound when Maddon tried to go get him after he hurt his hammy. You know what everyone said about him? Firey, passionate, winner!