“Journalists” have been “reporting” that their “sources” have told them that Jose Reyes is a Miami Marlin since early last week. Even Dwight Gooden got into the act:
Yes, there has been a miasma of rumors, assumptions, and occasional facts about the free agent shortstop’s career plans lately. And every “report” raises more questions:
What exactly have the Marlins offered Reyes?
One website claimed the amount was $22MM per year for a length of 3 years. Today, Buster Olney reported the contract to be 5 years, $18-20MM per year. Does anyone actually know? And if Olney is right, it’s not an unreasonably high offer.
But all we really know is that the Marlins gave him a tour of their new ballpark and bought him a seafood lunch.
Why haven’t the Mets made an offer?
Some Mets fans are beside themselves: The Mets are a New York team! Why aren’t they spending like one? It’s because Sandy Alderson is a small-market GM who still thinks he’s in Oakland or San Diego, that’s why!
Where have these people been the last 12 months? It doesn’t matter if they play in New York or not, the Mets are broke. Do the names Madoff and Picard mean anything to them? For the first time in several years, the Mets did not spend big money on a free agent last offseason – not because they didn’t want to, it was because they couldn’t. It was because of the reckless spending of the Minaya regime coupled with the Madoff mess. The Wilpons finally had to admit that the money they lost did, in fact, impact baseball operations.
While the Mets try to get back on their feet, Alderson, a GM who is used to working with a limited payroll, is charged with making the most of what they have, while rebuilding the team for the future. And he has stated that he will let the rest of the league set the market for Reyes.
Why haven’t other teams made an offer?
Strictly going on “reports” from “journalists” with “sources,” no other team seems to have made a run at Reyes. If that’s true, what is the reason? Could it be that they, like the Mets, are waiting for someone else to make the first offer? Could it be that they don’t trust Reyes’s hamstrings, and feel that a long-term deal would be foolish? If Olney’s report is true, wouldn’t other teams begin to make counter-offers?
For the Marlins, ignoring the risks, and making an offer to Reyes makes sense. They need to draw people to their new ballpark, and given their history of pathetic attendance, they need to make a big splash (no pun intended). It seems like they are making a play to appeal to the Hispanic community. Given the demographics of Miami, and the neighborhood that surrounds the new ballpark, this is a wise move. First, they signed Ozzie Guillen to manage, and now they “reportedly” made an offer to Reyes. These are two Latin-American men with big personalities, and a history of being fan favorites, who would get people streaming through the turnstiles in Miami.
*******
So, as of the moment I push the “Publish” button, Jose Reyes is still a free agent, no matter what you’ve heard. He may end up with the Marlins, he may shop around some more, he may even get an offer from the Mets. But until ink hits paper, no one really knows what is going on with Jose Reyes.
14 comments
MetsFan4Decades
11/14/2011-8:02pm at 8:02 pm (UTC -4)
It boggles my mind the number of Met fans I’ve read commenting this has nothing to do with the Wilpons being broke and everything to do with ‘Small Market Sandy’.
It’s about money and nothing but money. If it wasn’t, everyone would be operating like the Yankees.
As I said previously, here’s hoping this current FO is just that much better at holding their cards closer to their vest than the last FO.
Maybe the reason we haven’t heard much from the Mets camp on Reyes is Sandy has a plan and he’s sticking to it. I’m just hoping that plan is not ‘well team X signed him for 7/145 and we just couldn’t top that’. Because if it turns out the highest offer is the rumored Marlins 5/18-20, it’s going to be a hard sell to most NY Met fans that we couldn’t compete with that offer.
MetsFan4Decades
11/14/2011-8:05pm at 8:05 pm (UTC -4)
And just seeing the Dodgers offer to Kemp for 8/160.
Maybe we’d be better off if the Wilpons did declare bankruptcy and were selling out. Hey, then we could have offered Reyes something like what Kemp is getting – LOL.
I can hear the collective yelling now among my fellow Met fans.
Darknova306
11/14/2011-8:25pm at 8:25 pm (UTC -4)
If the Wilpons are broke, which it certainly seems like they are if they can’t pay back a $25M loan from MLB, then they can’t compete with even a 5/18 type deal.
It’ll be a happy, wonderful day when the Wilpons are finally forced to sell. I’ll throw a big party and we’ll all get s%*tfaced and be happy.
Darknova306
11/14/2011-8:25pm at 8:25 pm (UTC -4)
If the Wilpons are broke, which it certainly seems like they are if they can’t pay back a $25M loan from MLB, then they can’t compete with even a 5/18 type deal.
It’ll be a happy, wonderful day when the Wilpons are finally forced to sell. I’ll throw a big party and we’ll all get s%*tfaced and be happy.
Paul J. Festa
11/14/2011-9:03pm at 9:03 pm (UTC -4)
I’m buyin’ the first round.
Anonymous
11/14/2011-11:06pm at 11:06 pm (UTC -4)
Intelligent, sensible, thoughtful, well-written piece. Keep up the good work.
I have my next opinion piece all ready to go as soon as Jose signs elsewhere.
As for the Wilpons being broke, they recently laid off about 15 working people to save less than 1 mil.
This is, to me, by FAR the loudest and truest indictment of the true depths of their financial disorder right now.
Their cash flow situation right now is probably in very seriously dire shape.
Anonymous
11/14/2011-11:34pm at 11:34 pm (UTC -4)
agreed about cash flow. Often an issue with real estate anyway, but right now, they are probably deep into “paper rich” territory.
but actually, their personal worth is not the issue (unless you think owners fund teams out of their own pocket). It is that sterling mets, etc. (however the corporate entity is set up ) is probably running a sea of red ink trying to make all the debt payments.
Anonymous
11/14/2011-11:46pm at 11:46 pm (UTC -4)
15 people = cost of changes to wall configuration?
Sad, really sad.
Darknova306
11/15/2011-12:09am at 12:09 am (UTC -4)
Sell. The. Team. That’s the only thing I want for Christmas.
Adam "Prismo"
11/15/2011-12:23am at 12:23 am (UTC -4)
Yeah but Sandy said today that not signing Jose has NOTHING to due with payroll constraints.
So I’m going to believe him and the Wilpons as opposed to believing EVERYTHING ELSE THAT EVER EXISTED.
And breathe.
Anonymous
11/14/2011-11:32pm at 11:32 pm (UTC -4)
nice piece.
To me, the really interesting part is not the Mets laying back (very common incumbent move as to not bid against yourself, and FAs almost always come back with a “can you top this” opportunity). It is also not the Marlins being a “playa” (new stadium, need buzz, etc.) since it could easily be a marketing ploy.
No, what surprises me the most is that there has not even been a whisper of any other team jumping into the scrum (unless I missed something, which is entirely possible)
If so, what happened to the expected feeding frenzy?
Anonymous
11/15/2011-2:24am at 2:24 am (UTC -4)
I’m starting to believe the Mets woe’s will not be over until I finally see the Wilpon’s remaining baseball assets unveiled from behind a storage unit roll up door and auctioned off on Storage Wars. It will be that difficult.
Darknova306
11/15/2011-5:22am at 5:22 am (UTC -4)
Gah! I just read ten comments deep into a Reyes article on MMO and now my brain is melting from all the ridiculousocity. See, now I’m making up words. I need a beer…
Same crap everyday. I just want this to end.
Anonymous
11/15/2011-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
I can’t take the place anymore. some good articles, and lack of activity, but the comments are just inane to the max at this point.
and some seriously mean people over there.