JUPITER, Fla. — Jose Reyes was supposed to be the injured one. Four hours before Reyes played against the Mets as a Marlin for the first time yesterday, the Miami shortstop was asking for a medical update on his friend David Wright.
“How did David get hurt?’’ Reyes asked. After he got the details, the Miami shortstop was told that his Mets replacement Ruben Tejada was out with a slight groin pull. Reyes shook his head and said, “No way.’’
Reyes is gone, but injuries keep happening to the Mets. Reyes then made this prediction, telling the Post, “I think this year I am going to play a full season. I’ve prepared myself to do that. Right now there is nothing to worry about and all my focus is on the field.’’
Reyes got one at-bat in the Marlins 3-1 win over the Mets at Roger Dean Stadium, grounding back to pitcher R.A. Dickey. Rains came and Reyes was out of the game in the third. You can’t be too careful with your $106 million shortstop. He seems convinced everything is going to come up gold now that he has the gold.
The Marlins are spending money. The Madoff Mets are not.
“I’m very happy here,’’ Reyes said. “This team wants to win.’’
The Mets are just trying to hold onto the life preserver.
With this latest batch of injury news his old team is facing, Reyes noted, “I always say nobody ever wants to get hurt. Injuries just happen, especially for the kind of game that I play. I play the game hard,
and with my speed, everything I do, I do quick. Injuries are going to happen sometime.
“It’s like when you pull a hamstring when you’re just running to first base, you don’t want to pull the hamstring, that thing could happen to anybody,’’ Reyes said. “How many players in the big leagues don’t pull a hamstring?’’
Reyes has brought energy to the Marlins, who are moving into their new spectacular art-filled Miami park.
“It’s big like Citi Field. There will be a lot of triples,’’ Reyes said with a smile. He is the just latest piece of expensive art owner Jeffrey Loria has collected.
His addition has energized the team and brightened the Marlins’ world in many ways. Just read to what outfielder Logan Morrison said of Reyes: “When I’m tired, I just look at him,’’ said Morrison, whose locker sits two doors down from Reyes. “He’s like a cup of coffee for the eyes.’’
This new Marlin is fully caffeinated and fully healthy.
“I always have a lot of energy since I was a little kid,’’ Reyes said with a laugh. “It’s not something I do one day and two days, I am this way every day.’’
Reyes’ wife likes his hair short, so he is keeping it, although he has dyed the tops brown. What’s his favorite thing about being a Marlin?
“Everything,’’ Reyes said. “The way the players are, the way the coaches are, everybody has the right attitude, starting from the manager.’’ Reyes then offered this about manager Ozzie Guillen: “He has a lot of energy, bro. I don’t know if he has as much as me, but he’s there.’’
He admitted he misses the New York fans “because they supported me there when I had a lot of ups and downs,’’ but added, “I have to get used to it, I’m no longer there.’’
He’s looking forward to when the Marlins come to New York April 24-26. “It’s going to be crazy,’’ he said.
Reyes will be renting a home in Miami this season. He will continue to live in New York for at least one more offseason. He has taken over the Marlins’ clubhouse and has spent a lot of time with his new third baseman Hanley Ramirez, taking him on in “MLB 2K12” nearly every day. When they play, Reyes is the Red Sox, Ramirez is the Phillies.
“We have a very good relationship. We’re very happy to be on the same team,’’ Reyes said.
They’re happy and healthy right now.
kevin.kernan@nypost.com