As David Einhorn walked out of Citi Field last night, surrounded by a gaggle of children and looking like just another Mets fan, I asked the club’s new prospective minority owner the $200 million question.
“Will you re-sign Jose Reyes?”
Einhorn let out a chuckle and said, “Today’s not the time for that.”
That day is coming though. Reyes might be worth more than Carl Crawford money.
Reyes was the Mets offense last night in their 5-2 loss to the Phillies. The team the Mets can’t beat ran over them again as Reyes was the Mets only highlight. He scored both Mets runs.
Watching it all was Einhorn. The Mets are 0-3 since he has been welcomed to the club.
“It was a lot of fun,” Einhorn said, as he carried a box of Mets treats out the door, surrounded by about 15 children and 10 media types.
Looking a little stunned by it all, Einhorn managed to fend off most questions even as he made a wrong turn before leaving via the Gil Hodges Exit.
When I asked if buying into the team was a dream come true his face brightened, “Of course it is,” he said. “Way beyond.”
He then excused himself, saying he wanted to go home with his family as a sea of Mets fans engulfed him.
Reyes was the reason for last night’s fun. The shortstop led off the bottom of the first with a double to the right field corner, stole third and scored on Justin Turner’s single. In the third Reyes singled, stole second, moved to third on a fly ball and scored on Jason Bay’s single. Reyes is hitting .324.
Einhorn might not be a minority owner for long, considering his hedge fund success, and could wind up being the man who calls all the shots.
Crawford landed a seven-year, $142 million contract with the Red Sox after leaving the small-market Rays as a free agent. The Mets are not a small-market team but sure are acting like one when it comes to their stars.
The Mets need stars. Reyes plays well at Citi Field, a ballpark built for sprinters not sluggers. Fred Wilpon has said Reyes is not worth Crawford money.
The Wilpons have a way of turning gold into dust, and Reyes could be the latest example. Maybe Einhorn has a different viewpoint. He grew up a Dave Kingman fan, how can he not love Reyes?
One of Reyes’ agents Chris Leible met with Reyes before the game outside the Mets clubhouse. If the Mets let Reyes walk, you can be sure he will steal second, third and home in the hearts of his new team.
He is the Mets all-time runs leader with 669 runs. He has 72 hits in 51 games and has five straight games with two or more hits. He leads the majors with 25 multi-hit games and has 19 stolen bases. He is batting .406 over the last seven games.
Those numbers say it all. In so many ways, Reyes is all that is right about the Mets. He’s their best asset. If the Mets really care about their fans Reyes has to remain a Met, it’s really that simple.
You don’t let players in their prime who are at the top of their game and so unique at what they do walk away. Building a baseball team isn’t rocket science as much as so many people want you to believe.
If Jose Reyes is on your team and he wants to remain on your team, you sign him. You don’t have to run a zillion dollar hedge fund to understand that.
At this point, Reyes is the only reason for Mets’ fans to come to the ballpark.
The Mets have to remake their team; not change their shortstop. Put better players around Reyes and maybe the Mets can put an end to the nightmare of being a Mets fan.
David Einhorn, the fan, got to see all that last night.
Imagine how much fun he will have when he sees the Mets actually win a game.