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It’s a tough time right now in New York for the Mets. Low attendance, financial problems and injured players have hurt this team for a couple of years and it hasn’t shown any signs of letting up. One more thing. The one bright spot for this team could be gone in a few months.

Jose Reyes has had a good career so far. His play has made him a fan favorite in New York. He brings energy to the team and the fans when he is playing. There is no doubt that he is one of the most exciting players in the game.

But all of this could leave New York and move somewhere else in a matter of weeks. Reyes’s contract will expire at the end of the year. If he is not traded, it is almost certain that he will leave New York. It is being said that he wants “Carl Crawford-type money” and this doesn’t fit the Mets situation. With Reyes’s injury, one would think his value would go down. But with his amazing play this year, his value has gone up from what it was.

Reyes could be one of the biggest free agents in the upcoming offseason. Many teams would be interested in an All-Star player that is entering the prime of his career. Reyes is the type of player that can make a team go from a good team to a great team.

One problem with Reyes leaving New York is it could have a devastating impact. Reyes has been a fan favorite ever since he was brought to the organization in 2003. Trading him or letting him walk could ruin this team for years. An already low attendance begins to drop even more.

Wins start to become rarer and losses become an almost everyday occurrence. More and more fans stop supporting the team. Less and less money to spend. If this sounds like an apocalyptic scenario, it is. This could be a decision that could make or break the franchise. That’s the type of impact that Reyes has to this team. It has been shown that when Reyes is in the lineup for the Mets, they win many more games then when he is out.

Now let’s flip the coin and look at what could happen if he were to stay.

If Reyes stayed with this team, it would give the Mets a cornerstone player to build around. Financial problems would most likely still be there, but if the team wins, they will draw more fans. Fan support improves and fans are excited that the Mets kept the fan-favorite Reyes.

Put that together with good drafts and possible free agent signings and you have yourself a possible contender. Right now, the Mets need something exciting for their team. Reyes brings excitement every time he is on the field. It would only make sense for them to resign him. The Mets will at least offer him an extension, but will it be enough?

Every team in baseball would have interest in Reyes. He is a player that draws fans to games and can carry a team on his back for a good length of time. But honestly, I don’t think it will or even could be done. I hope I am wrong. So what will happen with Reyes? We will all find out in the upcoming months.

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Living in New York, the debate about whether the Mets should trade Jose Reyes has been talked about since the end of last year. 

While most Mets’ fans are in favor of signing Reyes, I disagree for the team’s long-term success. 

There is no doubt Reyes is one of the most exciting players in the majors, and he alone sells a lot of tickets for the Mets. I know I turn on Mets’ games just for the chance at seeing Reyes fly around the bases for a stand-up triple. 

The Mets will do everything possible to keep Reyes, but is it the right thing to do? I don’t think so, and here’s why.

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It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

The Mets were supposed to play the first half of the season, find themselves far out of contention, and start trading off players.

Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran were supposed to be traded because the Mets simply had no reason to hold onto them. After all, why resign players for big money when there are so many reasons to start a rebuilding process?

Contending teams pick apart the basement dwellers for spare parts. That’s how baseball works.

But now the Mets find themselves at the .500 mark (22-22) for the first time since they were 4-4 on April 9.

Even with Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Johan Santana on the DL, and a roster comprised mostly of Buffalo Bisons, this Mets team finds ways to win baseball games.

This Mets team comes from behind, wins games in spite of poor pitching, and isn’t intimidated by seemingly superior teams.

Even Mets fans have to feel comfortable when guys like Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy come to the plate with runners in scoring position and the game on the line.

Last night, the Mets got a go-ahead solo home run from Murphy and a two-out RBI double from Turner as the Mets took the Subway Series opener against the Yankees, 2-1.

It’s not the high-priced talent making the difference; it’s the youngsters taking advantage of the opportunities provided to them by injuries.

If this inspiring play continues, Sandy Alderson may have to rethink his plans for this season.

With their farm system in need of an overhaul and an inability to spend big money, Alderson was faced with a difficult task: Trading off his popular players for an infusion of prospects, and hoping that an already disillusioned fanbase keeps showing up to games afterwards.

But will Alderson still trade Reyes or Beltran or Francisco Rodriguez if the Mets are actually contending?

Given the team’s performance over the last few weeks, it’s not unreasonable to think a Wild Card berth might be in their future. Heck, even the division isn’t out of reach.

The Phillies, despite their powerhouse rotation, isn’t without their flaws; the Florida Marlins are playing their best baseball in years, but always seem to fade down the stretch and they just placed Josh Johnson on the 15-day DL; and the Atlanta Braves have been up and down all season.

Can the Mets take advantage at this point in the season and make a quick push up the standings?

They’re only five games out of first place and three and a half in the Wild Card standings.

For now, the Mets are contenders.

If it’s the same (or even better) when the trade deadline rolls around, will Alderson still shop his players or will be convince the Wilpons that opening their wallets to resign Reyes or allow K-Rod’s $17.5 million option for 2012 to vest is a good idea?

Watching guys like Turner and Jason Pridie come up from the minors and have a positive impact on the team makes you think that perhaps the Mets would be successful if they gave more of their prospects a chance to play.

And they do have promising pitchers like Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia making their way towards the major leagues.

There are reasons for optimism within Mets Land.

But just like it would be a good idea to keep this team together if they’re contending, the opposite is true.

The Mets are winning games without their best players, meaning that it’s possible to put a winning product on the field even without their All-Stars.

Wright would fetch the highest haul of prospects in a trade since he’s under team control through 2012.

The Mets can win without Wright. They’re 3-1 since Wright landed on the DL.

Could it be Wright, and not Reyes, who gets traded this season?

No matter what the standings say, Alderson has some tough decisions to make.

He can ignore the Mets’ record and still trade off his most valuable pieces to build a winner for the future, not keep one for the short-term.

He can spend what little money the Mets have and keep this group together, letting the chips fall where they may, and Reyes and Beltran walk away at the end of the season.

Who would’ve guessed that the more the Mets win, the more likely the might lose in other ways?

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In 1959, New York’s other team, the New York Yankees, finished a disappointing third, 15 games behind the American League Champion Chicago White Sox.

The Yankees best players were Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Bill Skowron, Elston Howard and Tony Kubek. In those days, teams didn’t trade key players for youngsters, hoping that some of the youngsters would fill the void and, of greater importance, reduce salary.

Hank Bauer was old, Norm Siebern was in the doghouse because he lost three fly balls in the sun during the 1958 World Series and Don Larsen never lived up to his potential after his perfect game.

The Yankees sent them, along with Marvelous Marv Throneberry, whose batting stance resembled that of Mickey Mantle but whose production was closer to Juan Miranda, to their Kansas City cousins in exchange for Roger Maris.

Today, it is different.

There have been constant rumors that New York’s most beloved team, the financially strapped New York Mets, will trade the city’s best shortstop, Jose Reyes before the end of July.

The thinking is that the Mets will not be able to meet Reyes’ contract demands and should get as much for him as possible. That thinking may be wrong.

Jose Reyes may be the best shortstop in the game today. Hanley Ramirez and his .202 batting average, along with Troy Tulowitski are the top two among shortstops, but Reyes is right up there with them.

Reyes puts people in the seats with his exciting, thrilling, Jackie Robinson-type approach to the game. It is not being claimed that Reyes is as dedicated as Robinson was, that he hustles as much as Robinson did or that he is even as good as Robinson, but he brings the same excitement to the game. Fans pay to see that.

Shortstop is a difficult position to fill. Reyes has all the defensive tools, although it must be admitted he sometimes loses his concentration.

He already leads the league this season with five triples. He has stolen 12 bases in 14 attempts, is hitting .326, and despite hitting but one home run, is slugging .500. Reyes is an “igniter.”

Reyes is only 28 years old. He is at his peak, and using New York’s other shortstop as an example, Reyes should be productive for another seven or eight seasons.

Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez, who is a better escape artist than Houdini, should be allowed to leave, which will free up the money to sign Reyes. Of course, this may be a naive statement considering the Wilpons’ financial situation, but as recently as yesterday, controversial hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen was named the front runner to purchase a minority share of the team.

If Cohen knows anything about baseball, he must realize that keeping Reyes in Mets orange and blue should be a priority. According to reports, he certainly can afford the price.

It is ridiculous to allow a key player in a key position to walk away. Think of it this way. What are the chances that any youngsters they receive in a trade or any compensation picks they get if he signs with another team would be as great? Assuming they receive some outstanding young players, how long will it be before they pay off in performance?

You don’t improve your team by trading your best player.

When the Mets were building a contender during the early 1980s, they traded for Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Ron Darling and Bob Ojeda. They didn’t use key team members Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson or Dwight Gooden as trade bait.

The Mets have some outstanding young players, including Ike Davis and Josh Thole. The left side of the infield has been the Mets’ strength the last few seasons. With David Wright and Reyes, it should remain just that.

There is no question that Jose Reyes must remain with the Mets.

References:

Baseball ReferenceMets Minority Owner

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The New York Mets had their six-game win steak snapped last night in a 4-3 loss to the Washington Nationals. They still showed the same fight and clutch pitching that had brought them to this point, but fell a bit short.

Now the Mets will look to start a new win steak when they head to Philadelphia for a three game set with the Phillies.

But no matter how well the Mets play, they have some tough decisions ahead.

Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran headline the list of players the Mets may look to trade if they fall out of contention. They’re not in contention now of course, and general manager Sandy Alderson has stated that he’s contacted several teams already to discuss their potential interests, but no one is willing to talk this early.

The Mets shouldn’t be either, but Alderson is just doing his due diligence, and rightfully so.

Beltran is most assuredly going to be traded at some point this season, it’s just a matter of to who and for what. He has shown an ability to play every day, something even the Mets weren’t expecting when the season began, and he’s been hitting well. For a contending team looking to add some pop, Beltran would be a valuable piece.

But Beltran’s value pales in comparison to that of Reyes.

The Mets have quite a quandary on their hands. The better Reyes plays, the more valuable he becomes in a trade, not to mention the more expensive he becomes to resign. But he has the most value to the Mets, who have enjoyed his lead off services since 2005.

It’s unknown whether Alderson and the Mets have both the desire and financial wherewithal to keep Reyes in Flushing.

But here are five reasons for and five reasons against resigning Reyes. The first five are pro-resigning, the last five are against.

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The Milwaukee Brewers farm system has been talked about all spring, but for all the wrong reasons.

After unloading a boatload of young talent to acquire two top-tier starters before Christmas, a common thought has been that the Brewers have the worst system in all of baseball. Yes, in order to acquire Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, the Brewers had to shell over their top prospects in Brett Lawrie, Jake Odorizzi and Alcides Escobar, among others.

First of all, saying that one team has a better farm system than another is like saying both teams are playing the lottery, but Team A has five tickets while Team B only has one. Just because one team has more tickets doesn’t mean they’re going to win.

For the last 10 years, the Kansas City Royals have been regarded as having one of the league’s best farm systems. When was the last time the Royals made the playoffs? Their roster is filled with “top prospects,” yet they’ve been lucky to reach 70 wins over the last decade. Don’t let their fast start this season fool you–they will be in the cellar of the AL Central by early-June at the latest.

With prospects, it’s either hit or miss. Some will get hurt and never make it, while others will tear it up in minor league ball but flame out in the majors. There is no such thing as a “sure thing,” especially in baseball.

To acquire the services of Jose Reyes or Rafael Furcal the Brewers would have to deplete their system even further, but it is definitely possible. Both are in the final year of their contracts and would give the Brewers a legitimate two-hole bat while removing the defensive liability currently at shortstop in Yuniesky Betancourt. With Furcal expected to be on the disabled list until mid-May, the Brewers may even be able to snag him for a discount.

It just so happens that both the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are off to sluggish starts in top-heavy divisions, and both the Mets and Dodgers owners’ are in the midst of financial uncertainty and may be looking to unload payroll of players who may not be back in 2012.  

Shortstop and bullpen help are the only glaring needs for the Brewers at this point, but they have three arms on the disabled list that should all return to action in the near future. Knowing that Brewers GM Doug Melvin likes to get his work done quietly and well before the actual trade deadline, this means he could be on the prowl for a shortstop beginning in mid-June.

Do the Brewers have the pieces to get a deal done for Reyes or Furcal?

Believe it or not, the Brewers still have plenty of prospects that could make an impact on a major league roster sooner rather than later, including a plethora of young pitching prospects.

RHP Wily Peralta, a first-round pick in 2005, opened plenty of eyes with a solid spring and is ready for a chance in the big league’s. Then there are RHP’s Eric Arnett, Cody Scarpetta, and Kyle Heckathorn who are all a a year or two away from being ready to pitch in the majors, depending on the situation. Out of the four, Arnett may be the only one with whom Melvin would be reluctant to trade. 

On the offensive side the Brewers top prospect could be OF Kentrail Davis, who is projected to be ready for the majors as soon as 2012. Davis has speed and power, and he’s shown the ability to be a strong defender in both center-field and right-field.

They also have middle-infield prospects in second-baseman Eric Farris and shortstop Scooter Gennett, both who are still a few seasons away from making an impact on a major league club.

When dealing with two of the largest MLB markets in New York and Los Angeles, the Brewers won’t necessarily need to ship away major league ready talent in return for Reyes or Furcal, although Peralta could be expendable at this point since the Brewers rotation is locked up through the 2012 season (at a minimum).

Fielder leaving after the season as a Type A free-agent will net the Brewers two draft picks to help replenish the system, so they can afford to send a few prospects away in return for “proven” talent. The organization is already in a “win now” attitude, so why hold back at this point? 

Plus, an NL Pennant would look great on the mantle next to the Lombardi Trophy. 

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Even just 17 games into the season, it is fairly clear that the Mets are in big trouble. The team is sitting at 5-12, already 5.5 games behind the Phillies. It is not as if the Phillies are even playing their best baseball of the season yet. They are still without Chase Utley.

The Mets have already jettisoned their Opening Day second baseman, and the team has placed Chris Young on the disabled list. It appears that Bobby Parnell may also need to be placed on the DL.

There is a lot that must be done for the Mets to be competitive this season,but it seems like that is not a possibility. It is very early, but the team may need to look towards the 2012 season. At just over a tenth into the season, it is not too early to begin to look to the future.

The first thing that the Mets need to do is allow for Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner to have a competition for the second-base spot for the rest of the year.  It may turn out that one of these two players is the Mets’ long-term solution at second base. Turner is once again having success in the minors as he is currently hitting about .300. Murphy has struggled a bit in the majors this year, but his defense looks improved.

It is important that Terry Collins actually gives both players time to try to prove themselves. The Mets made a mistake giving up on Brad Emaus so early. Emaus was only allowed to have 37 at-bats with the Mets. If Emaus had just three more hits in those at-bats, he would have been hitting .243 as opposed to .162, and he would still be on the Mets roster.

Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson need to make sure not to make this same mistake again and get rid of a player too early. They should allow for Murphy and Turner to get at least 120 at-bats a piece before they make any decisions.

The concept of trading Jose Reyes and even David Wright will be floated around a lot during this year. This cannot be done.

There is talk that Reyes is not valuable enough to the team right now because he struggles to post a high on-base percentage. Take a look at the Mets lineup right now. There are many holes offensively. If Reyes were moved, then who would replace him? It would likely be Ruben Tejada. He is outstanding defensively, but he is a black hole offensively. That is not something that the Mets can afford to have. The team should look to re-sign Jose Reyes this year because he is a valuable asset.

David Wright obviously has a massive amount of trade value and could bring the Mets back some outstanding prospects. The problem is that Wright is still young and is a top-five third baseman. It is incredibly difficult to justify trading him unless the Mets get an incredible return. He is part of the core with Jose Reyes and Ike Davis that Sandy Alderson should keep together for the next few years.

The Mets need to evaluate the assets that they have that could actually bring back value in a trade. These assets include Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez. The Mets should look to move these players and bring back young major league-ready pitching prospects. The Mets rotation is currently one of their biggest weaknesses.

In addition to making these moves, the Mets should call up some of their younger players starting around early June and give them significant playing time in the majors this year if they have proven that they can hold their own in at least Double-A. If this year is lost, then the team should look forward to next year. Players tend to struggle a bit in their first season. By giving players that can help the team in 2012 some MLB experience, this will help prepare them for the 2012 season.

Players such as Jenrry Mejia, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Zach Lutz, Fernando Martinez (if healthy) and Josh Satin among others have the potential to play a role on the Mets roster in 2012. They should be given a chance to compete against major league competition if they have proven that they can handle the minors. If the Mets are still playing this poorly in June, the team has nothing to lose.

The season is still young, but if the first few weeks have been any indication, it will be another long year for the Mets. There was hope coming into the season, but it has quickly faded. Changes will need to be made this year, but it is just a matter of when. The team should look to prepare itself for 2012 and the future if its early struggles continue.

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Every baseball season, at least a few “name” players switch teams via trade.

These players are known to even the most casual of fans because they have appeared in All-Star Games and competed for major awards in the past.

At the time of the trade, their level of skill can fall into any number of categories.  

Many are former stars and heroes who now find themselves in the fading light of their careers; still in search of that elusive World Series ring. Lance Berkman and Kerry Wood were dealt separately to the Yankees last year in an attempt to reach that goal.

Some are players still in the primes of their careers whom rebuilding or poor teams can no longer afford to hold onto. Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, Matt Holliday and Victor Martinez have been traded recently for similar reasons. 

Fewer are rising stars who likely have their best years in front of them, but are players that generate polarizing opinions and are valued differently by different clubs.

Still, what all of these players have in common is that, through some combination of talent and experience, they are expected to make their new teams better.

After the jump is a list of 10 former All-Stars, each more talented than the last. Look for any number of these players to make a midseason switch and help a contending club in their chase for a pennant. 

Sources:

Cot’s Baseball Contracts: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/

Fangraphs.com

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One could make a great argument that New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is the heart and soul of the Mets, both offensively and defensively.

Unfortunately, due to many outside issues pressuring the club financially, you can also make a great case that Reyes will more than likely not be on the squad in 2012.

Whether it’s the Mets’ financial woes dealing with the Madoff ponzi scheme, or GM Sandy Alderson’s statement that, “it makes good sense to see him play a time or two before we make decisions”—either way, it seems like Reyes is more than likely a goner.

Quite depressing, to say the least.

However, as Reyes continues to return to the vintage form that we’ve seen thus far in 2011, he will at least command a decent amount of compensation on the trade block.

Here are the seven teams that will more than likely get in on the Jose Reyes bidding war come the July 31st MLB trade deadline.

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View From the Rockpile: Musings From a Mile High Along the Journey to Rocktober

There’s no bigger stage for a middle-market club than the sparkling new sandlot just a skip, hop and a seven-train jump from Broadway.  Do it here, and media, critics and fans will take notice. 

America, meet the 2011 Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies entered this season demanding better from themselves away from the friendly confines of Coors Field.  Road warriors, they need not be; but 31-50 on the road (as they were in 2010), they cannot be, not if they aim to make their NL West championship dreams come true.

After taking three of four from the Pirates in PNC Park, the Rockies looked to continue to exorcise their road demons at Citi Field against a struggling New York Mets squad. 

Yet, having lost eight straight series in the Big Apple and 22 out of their last 27 in old New York, New York, the Rockies still had their work cut out for them.

Consider those dragons tamed, at least for the moment.  With the Herculean efforts of team leader Troy Tulowitzki, the Rockies fought their way through wind, rain, daily deficits and a doubleheader to an amazin’ four-game series sweep against the Mets.

Just how did the Rockies manage to turn the Mets into the Mess?  Take a look inside to find out…

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