JUPITER, Fla. — Jose Reyes was asked if he could name every second baseman he has played next to in his career and the shortstop laughed.
“I’ve had years when I’ve played with three, sometimes four guys over there,” Reyes said. “It’s been crazy. I don’t want that again.”
He then tried to rattle off as many as he could think of before stopping after he came up with eight.
“I’ve never played a whole season with one second baseman,” Reyes said. “Hopefully this is the year.”
That seems unlikely, given the mess that is the Mets’ current situation at the position — where Luis Castillo, Brad Emaus and Daniel Murphy continue to struggle to stand out for the starting job.
“When you come to spring training, you always want to know who you’re going to play with,” Reyes said before going 0-for-3 against the Marlins in a 9-4 split squad win at Roger Dean Stadium yesterday. “But that hasn’t happened this year. It doesn’t happen very often for me. Right now, I’m ready to play with anybody because I’ve played with so many.”
There was Miguel Cairo and Kaz Matsui in 2005; Matsui, Jose Valentin and Chris Woodward in ’06 and Castillo, Damion Easley and Ruben Gotay the following season.
Not much has improved in the ensuing years.
Manager Terry Collins said that “it’s not early, it’s getting late” in the second base competition this spring training and he’d like to narrow the group down to two next week.
“We’ve gotta figure it out,” Collins said. “The more time they have together, the better, but I know Jose will be terrific. You just wind him up and throw him out there. He’s proven that over the years.”
Collins and Reyes said they are confident the 7-10 days at the end of spring training will be enough time for the shortstop and the winner of the second base competition to learn each other’s tendencies.
“Jose, he knows how to adapt,” said Collins, who was a middle infielder during his career. “He’ll be fine.”
Reyes played alongside Emaus yesterday, but he has made a point to take as many grounders with his other teammates as possible.
“I hope we’re not messing him up,” Murphy said. “I’d like to think we can get consistent enough that he can put the ball where he wants to at second and we’re all there on time when he’s throwing to us. We know how important he is, and you don’t want him hurt by our presence.”
Reyes said he doesn’t expect the carousel of infielders to have an impact on him by the time Opening Day rolls around.
“I’ve been through so much in my career with different guys, it’s pretty easy for me now,” Reyes said. “The guy I’ve played with longest is Castillo, but I can play with anybody at this point.”
Nevertheless, it’s not ideal.
“You’ve gotta have chemistry over there,” David Wright said. “I think as long as we get it sorted out soon, Jose will be OK. . . . But I’m not a shortstop.”As for Reyes, he waits to see who his middle infield partner will be.
“I don’t have a favorite,” Reyes said, referring to this year’s competition. “I know too much can happen, so I just wait and see who ends up next to me.”