MILWAUKEE — Fred Wilpon wasn’t tipping his hand about Jose Reyes as he departed the Pfister Hotel yesterday at the conclusion of the MLB owners’ meetings.
Asked if it was important to re-sign Reyes, the Mets’ principal owner didn’t break stride.
“What kind of question is that?” Wilpon asked before passing through a revolving door.
At least Wilpon didn’t ask if the sun would come up tomorrow, as he did last year when questioned about general manager Omar Minaya’s status.
Current Mets GM Sandy Alderson said he’s unsure when he’ll next speak with Reyes’ agent, Peter Greenberg. But Alderson expects there will be contact within the next two weeks, before the start of the winter meetings in Dallas.
Reyes has a preliminary offer of six years and $90 million from the Marlins, but his market value likely will increase in the coming weeks. All indications are the Mets are unwilling to give Reyes more than five years.
Alderson met with the representatives for reliever Frank Francisco at the GM meetings here, but indicated most of his serious negotiations with agents will come in the next two weeks before arriving in Dallas.
“I actually think more takes place over the phone than in the course of meetings like this where there is a pretty stiff agenda,” Alderson said. “The next couple of weeks over the phone is probably more important as a platform for the winter meetings.”
* Wally Backman was introduced as the new manager of the Buffalo Bisons, the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate. Backman spent last season managing Double-A Binghamton after guiding Single-A Brooklyn in 2010.
Backman recently indicated he considered leaving the Mets organization. The Post first reported last month Backman was under consideration for a spot on former Mets manager Davey Johnson’s staff in Washington.