The last time anybody saw Jose Reyes at Citi Field, he had just bunted for a hit and promptly exited the game to preserve his lead in the NL batting race.
He will return tonight with the Marlins and perhaps finally receive the ovation he missed last Sept. 28 when he chose to make his early departure. Or, the former Mets shortstop could get booed for taking the Marlins’ money — $106 million over six years — and leaving town.
“It stung after he signed with Miami,” David Wright said yesterday. “But I think all and all, he should receive a positive response, just [for] what he meant to this organization and what he meant to this franchise for so long.”
The Mets, who never made a concrete offer to Reyes during the off-season after it was clear they had no plans to approach Miami’s offer, will salute Reyes’ accomplishments in a pregame video. It’s a similar tribute players such as Mike Piazza, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden received upon returning.
Wright said Reyes should avoid trying to bunt on him.
“Unless he wants an 0-fer,” Wright said. “But I think he’s smarter than that, because the last thing I’m going to do is let him get a hit over that way.”
Wright said Reyes called him last winter to say he was leaving. The gesture was clearly appreciated.
“He called and let me know about his decision and just was very classy and wanted to let me know how much it meant to him playing together for so long,” Wright said.
“I thought that was a real nice move on his part and I consider him one of my closest friends in baseball, and that’s no different now.
“Obviously we’re going to go out there and try to beat him as badly as possible, and then hopefully he doesn’t get any hits against us, but as soon as he leaves here, you always look at the box scores and you hope he does well.”
* Ronny Cedeno was placed on the disabled list with a strained rib cage muscle, retroactive to April 21. Manager Terry Collins said Cedeno had felt soreness in recent days, but the injury worsened yesterday, necessitating the move. … Andres Torres (calf) and D.J. Carrasco (ankle) both began rehab assignments last night for Class A St. Lucie. Torres went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases, and Carrasco pitched a perfect inning.