As Jose Reyes warmed up before last night’s return to Citi Field for his first game against the Mets, an angry fan behind the Marlins dugout yelled to Hanley Ramirez, who was alongside Reyes near home plate.
“Hanley, don’t stand in front of Jose,’’ the irritated fan screamed. “He’ll stab you in the back. He’s a traitor!’’ Ramirez laughed and turned to Reyes and gave him a friendly boo. “You’ll be the shortstop in a month, Hanley,’’ another fan yelled, “after Reyes tears his hamstring.’’
Welcome back, Jose.
The night got worse for Reyes and the Marlins as the Mets beat Miami, 2-1.
During the short video tribute to Reyes before the game, there were more boos than cheers and some indifference from another small crowd, 20,192. Reyes watched from in front of the Marlins’ dugout with Ramirez at his side. The video was not announced. It was a 70-second montage of Reyes. At the end of the video, the Mets posted a Bob Hope-like: “Thanks for the memories.’’
When Reyes was introduced as the first batter a few minutes later, it was 95 percent boos from the crowd. Reyes immediately drove a shot to center off Johan Santana, but Kirk Nieuwenhuis made a leaping catch at the 385 sign, sending him to an 0-for-4 night and dropping his average to .215.
When it was over, Reyes, who was booed the rest of the night, had a little bit of a glazed look in his eyes, perhaps surprised he received such a reaction. But it was also clear he knew he had made the right decision to leave the Mets.
“No hard feelings, I came here to play baseball,’’ Reyes said.
Asked if the booing surprised him, he answered, “It didn’t surprise me because I play for another team now. I don’t play for the New York Mets no more.’’
As for the Mets’ decision to let him walk away, Reyes said, “This is a business, man. They didn’t offer me anything. If they don’t make me any offer, that means they don’t want me to play here. That’s why I play for another team now.”
He’s right. The Mets didn’t want him. The Marlins did. Now Reyes is in the Marlin’s shark tank.
The pressure is on Reyes. He will have to deliver now that he took that six-year, $106 million contract. He is the enemy. No. 7 got what he wanted moving to a new baseball life, a gorgeous new ballpark and all that sunshine. But his new team is struggling.
During spring training, Reyes dyed his hair orange. Three hours before last night’s game, he was asked what happened to the orange hair.
“I changed it last night,’’ Reyes said with his trademark smile. “Going to Citi Field, man, I have to be different. I got my color back, black.’’
He is the villain.
Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen was surprised by the reaction to Reyes. Before the game he said the Mets’ fans should be appreciative of Reyes.
“You’re in New York, some people are going to love him, some people are going to hate him. I like when people boo,’’ Guillen said. “That means they are into the game. But I think Jose gives them everything he had in his career, and whoever cheers for him, God bless them. If not, they got a reason, too.’’
“I don’t feel too good with the way I’m playing right now,’’ Reyes said, “but I don’t worry about that; 162 games, I’m going to be fine.’’
Reyes did offer the Mets some free advice: Re-sign David Wright.
“That’s good if they can bring David back, he’s a symbol of the game,’’ he said.
Ramirez joked Reyes would cry on this night.
“Hanley was talking to me since the first day we got to New York and said I was going to cry today,’’ Reyes said at the end of his long night. “That don’t happen.’’
No it didn’t. Jose Reyes will shed no tears for New York.
kevin.kernan@nypost.com