The Jose Reyes free-agent tour stopped in Miami yesterday, long enough to receive a second pitch in less than a week from the Marlins. The next stop could be Milwaukee.
According to a source, the All-Star shortstop remains high on the Brewers’ wish list — in the event first baseman Prince Fielder isn’t re-signed — and may visit team officials, perhaps as soon as next week, after Major League Baseball general managers conclude their meetings in Milwaukee.
A league executive last week put the Nationals and Brewers atop the list of favorites to sign Reyes, but the Marlins have stormed into serious contention after yesterday’s meeting between team officials and the shortstop. It included a tour of the Marlins’ new ballpark, slated to open in March.
The Marlins view Reyes as the potential centerpiece to revamping the team before moving into their 37,000-seat facility in Little Havana, built on ground previously occupied by the Orange Bowl.
Marlins president David Samson said on MLB Network Radio yesterday that his team wouldn’t be afraid to spend money for a player such as Reyes.
“Now we have more resources, so the payroll is going up,” Samson said. “But with that comes the danger: You could spend a lot of money and win fewer games, and we have seen a lot of teams do that, too.”
Incumbent shortstop Hanley Ramirez likely would shift to third base with Reyes on board. Ramirez, who is godfather to Reyes’ daughter, has made it known he gladly would switch positions to accommodate Reyes.
Marlins brass previously met with Reyes and his agent, Peter Greenberg, last Thursday in New York — reportedly some time after midnight. The Mets’ exclusive window to negotiate with Reyes closed at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, with no offer extended to the shortstop. The Mets will instead wait for Reyes to come back with his best offer.
Though Reyes’ camp has said there could be a quick resolution to the process, it remains unlikely anything will be finalized before next month’s Winter Meetings in Dallas.
That’s because the biggest fish in the free-agent pool — Albert Pujols and Fielder — will likely have to fall into place before Reyes can receive his best offer.
But the Brewers may already be convinced they don’t have the money to re-sign Fielder, and could quickly move past their franchise first baseman and make a substantial offer to Reyes.
The Nationals aren’t squeamish about spending big on free agents, as evidenced by the $126 million they gave Jayson Werth last offseason, and are thought to be lurking in the weeds, with Reyes in their sights.