EmpireWF
Giants in the Super Bowl
Reyes has been one of my all-time Met favorites and realizing his days are all but over here, sucks, but sports move on. Felt like taking a look back at his career and here it is.
Going into the final game of the regular season, Jose Reyes leads the NL with a .33582 batting average ahead of Ryan Braun's .33453 average. In the 49-year history of the franchise, no Met has won a batting title.
For the stat geeks...career best WAR was in 2006 (5.9), this year it's a 5.5.
In all likelihood, the career of Jose Reyes in New York City will come to an end today as the Mets play their final game of the 2011 season, once again finishing among the worst teams in the NL East division. We've literally seen him grow up from a kid to adulthood, a guy who couldn't speak a lick of English and instantly being the most charismatic player on the team to one of the voices of the team.
The four time All-Star, silver slugger award winner, two-time MLB stolen base king, three-time MLB triples king - and the franchise leader both categories - is competing for his first batting title with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun at the same time. If this week does become his final in a Mets uniform, he'll have played 1050 games with the franchise (good for 10th all-time, 36 behind fellow fan favorite Edgardo Alfonzo).
Reyes grew up in a small village in the Dominican Republic. By the time he began taking baseball seriously as a teenager in the mid-1990s, he was already a fan favorite with his traveling team. The Reyes family did not own a television so he could not even imitate any famous major leaguers. Shortly before turning 16, taking the advice of his father, Reyes learned to bat left-handed as a switch hitter to impress MLB scouts.
In 1999, he was 16-years old and barely 130 pounds when he played at a Mets tryout camp in the Dominican. Two scouts saw his big arm and range and felt he could turn into something. He worked out for other clubs but it was the Mets who were convinced to bring him aboard. The scouts went to Omar Minaya (then head of the teams international scouting) for permission to sign him and he was a bit cautious. Mets assistant GM Jim Duquette heard the Chicago Cubs had interest so he gave authorization and the scouts offered Reyes a $22,000 bonus and he signed.
Although it was normal for players signed out of the Dominican to start locally, the Mets sent Reyes to play in low short season Single-A ball in Tennessee the following season. It didn't take long before Kingsport manager Edgar Alfonzo (Edgardo's older brother) began using the teenager as an everyday starter.
He advanced to Class-A Columbia in 2001 where he earned 'Player of the Year' honors in that league for hitting .307 with 42 extra-base hits. After spending the off-season playing winter ball back in the Dominican (where he went up against better pitchers), he was invited to big-league camp in 2002 as an 18-year old. There he was able to work with his major league counterparts and learn from Rey Ordonez and Robbie Alomar. After about two weeks and rave reviews, he returned to the minors at high Single-A in Florida. There he worked with manager Ken Oberkfell to improve his hitting, widely believed to be the only thing preventing him advancing in the system. In three months work at High-A, he had a .353 OBP with 31 SB, 58 R, 38 RBI and 11 3B and was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Binghamton. In his first game, he had 5 hits and 4 RBIs before being named to the World's Team in the All-Star Futures game.
At the 2002 All-Star Futures game in Milwaukee a 19-year old Jose Reyes (already a top-ten prospect in the organization) was named the games MVP after a bases loaded triple (off Rockies prospect Aaron Cook) led the World team to a win. Before returning to Double-A, through an interpreter, he said "If they give me a chance, I will do the job." Although the big league Mets were only a .500 team around the All-Star Break, veteran Rey Ordonez was still playing every day.
He finished 2002 in Double-A and had a .333 OBP with 27 SB, 46 R, 24 RBI and 8 3B in 65 games. By most accounts, he was more advanced as a hitter then other top SS prospects Wilson Betemit (ATL), Brandon Phillips (MON) and Antonio Perez (SEA). After the 2002 season, the big league Mets fired Bobby Valentine and wanted Lou Piniella. After Seattle blocked it, he went to Tampa. The Devil Rays were willing to trade him to the Mets but they wanted Reyes. The Mets weren't that stupid (THANK GOD!). The Mets ended up hiring Art Howe from Oakland (who owner Fred Wilpon famously said, "lit up the room" during the interview process).
The winter of 2002 saw Reyes return to the Dominican as an every day player (he led the league in triples and steals despite having a strained quad). That December, the Mets traded Rey Ordonez (whose relationship with Mets fans became strained) to Tampa Bay but instead of preparing to bring Reyes straight to the bigs, they signed veteran Rey Sanchez to a one-year deal as a stopgap.
In the spring of 2003, the Mets brought in Reyes' first pro hitting coach Juan Lopez and the GM of his Dominican winter league team as a bullpen catcher. After a few weeks at big league camp, he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk where he played 42 games. He stole 26 bases, had 10 extra base hits and had a .333 OBP.
On June 5th, Rey Sanchez injured his thumb (joining Mike Piazza and Mo Vaughn as injured Mets) and they finally called up Jose Reyes to the bigs. The night before his major league debut, the Mets were 27-34 and in last place in the NL East. On June 10, his 20th birthday, Reyes made his debut at Shea against the Seattle Mariners, batting 8th and going 2-4 in a losing effort. When Sanchez came off the DL, he moved to the bench with Reyes the entrenched starter.
During an electric rookie season, Reyes sprained his ankle in the field in late August and his 2003 season was over. He finished with a .307/.334/.434 line in 274 ABs, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 13 SB and 16 XBH.
Then the Mets went out and signed Kaz Matsui from Japan. He requested the opportunity to play his native position, SS, and the Mets obliged. Jose Reyes was moved to 2B (he had played it somewhat in the minors) and with Mike Cameron in center, they figured to have a stout defense up the middle. Unfortunately, Reyes strained his hamstring early and did not come off the DL until June 19. After returning, he also endured a back issue that caused him to miss even more games. The Mets fell out of playoff contention in 2004 and Reyes hit just .255 with 14 RBI and 19 SB in 53 games. By the way, late in the season, Matsui gave up his request and Reyes returned to short while Matsui moved to second for the first time.
In 2005, the Mets fired Howe and brought in famous Yankee Willie Randolph for his first shot as a big league manager. For the first time since 2001, the team finished above .500 although they were still third in the division. However, Reyes played his first full season (at SS and as the leadoff hitter), playing in all but one game. He finished with a .273/.300/.386 line and 99 R, 24 2B, 17 3B, 7 R, 58 RBI, 60 SB but 27 BB and 18 E. This was David Wright's first full season in the big leagues and the first year for big free agent acquisition Carlos Beltran.
From 2006, Reyes with teammates Wright, Lo Duca, Beltran, Glavine and Martinez.
The 2006 season would prove to be the most exciting in since the 2000 World Series year. Entering the season, they acquired Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Delgado from the Florida Marlins (in separate trades). After acquiring Xavier Nady from San Diego for Mike Cameron (it took a horrific collision for the team to realize using Cameron in RF and Beltran in CF was a bad idea), they dealt Nady at the deadline to Pittsburgh for reliever Roberto Hernandez and starter Oliver Perez. Tom Glavine, Steve Trachsel, Pedro Martinez and El Duque made up the rotation with John Maine and then Perez becoming fixtures (Maine and Perez pitched great in the playoffs).
Reyes worked with Ricky Henderson in camp that spring to refine his base running…and it helped. Reyes had an outstanding all-star season in which he hit .300/.354/.421, scored 122 runs, with 30 2B, 17 3B, a career best 19 HR and 81 RBI with 64 SB. During the season, he also inked his first big contract extension (a 4-year, $23.25 million deal with a team option for 2011….considered a STEAL). The Mets made their first and only playoff appearance in the decade, losing to the Cardinals in a NLCS Game 7 at Shea. Reyes played 10 games that postseason and hit .250 with 2 XBH, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 SB and 7 R.
In 2007 and 2008, the Mets infamously choked and lost final games to the Florida Marlins to lose out on a playoff spot. One aspect that got a ton of local play during those collapses was Reyes' jovial attitude inside and outside the dugout which was said to have pissed off the Marlins players. Regardless, Jose Reyes put up great offensive numbers (including a career best 77 SB in 2007) and played a combined 319 games out of 324.
In 2009, his history of injuries returned to take away big playing time. He strained a calf, then tore a muscle in the calf and then tore a hamstring. Only 36 games that season he played.
2010 began for Reyes with a DL stint thanks to a hyperactive thyroid, but when he came back he ended up playing most of the year. In 133 G, he hit .282 with 11 HR, 54 RBI, 30 SB and 39 XBH. It was also his 4th ASG appearance.
2011 saw Reyes start red hot but injuries near the All-Star break began his slide. A strained left hamstring cost him some time but he'll end up playing 126 games with career bests in BA and OBP. He went over 100 runs for the first time since 2008 (4th time overall). He has 16 3B, 7 HR, 44 RBI and 39 SB entering the final game. He also earned his fourth All-Star Game appearance (well, he was voted in, but injured).
Over the years, he's made too many errors so he never won a gold glove but holy shit does he have a cannon and great range. Through 9 years, he has just 4 more errors than Rey Ordonez. Before Reyes, the best shortstops in franchise history were considered Bud Harrelson and Ordonez, but both were not offensive-minded players. Between Reyes' defense and his bat/legs, he's the best shortstop in team history.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uICGj-9WKiQ"]Jose Reyes- This is SportsCenter - YouTube[/ame]
Clockwise…David Wright, owner Fred Wilpon, Jason Bay, manager Terry Collins, Reyes
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr2RbkREhdU"]"Bate Roto", NY Mets Jose Reyes, Voltio & L.Jay (Prod. by: @SPKilla) - YouTube[/ame]
Reyes owns his own Reggaeton label. Here's one of his songs.
Here at camp in 2009, Jose is talking Spanish to someone and some old rude bitch tells him to speak English.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4mDzFYqjeQ"]Jose Reyes at Mets Spring Training - YouTube[/ame]
Game 2 of the NLCS (the bullpen would go on to blow it…:facepalm
, anyway, the JOSE JOSE JOSE JOSE chant
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73vGwoweBs0"]jose jose jose - YouTube[/ame]
Going into the final game of the regular season, Jose Reyes leads the NL with a .33582 batting average ahead of Ryan Braun's .33453 average. In the 49-year history of the franchise, no Met has won a batting title.
For the stat geeks...career best WAR was in 2006 (5.9), this year it's a 5.5.
In all likelihood, the career of Jose Reyes in New York City will come to an end today as the Mets play their final game of the 2011 season, once again finishing among the worst teams in the NL East division. We've literally seen him grow up from a kid to adulthood, a guy who couldn't speak a lick of English and instantly being the most charismatic player on the team to one of the voices of the team.
The four time All-Star, silver slugger award winner, two-time MLB stolen base king, three-time MLB triples king - and the franchise leader both categories - is competing for his first batting title with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun at the same time. If this week does become his final in a Mets uniform, he'll have played 1050 games with the franchise (good for 10th all-time, 36 behind fellow fan favorite Edgardo Alfonzo).
Reyes grew up in a small village in the Dominican Republic. By the time he began taking baseball seriously as a teenager in the mid-1990s, he was already a fan favorite with his traveling team. The Reyes family did not own a television so he could not even imitate any famous major leaguers. Shortly before turning 16, taking the advice of his father, Reyes learned to bat left-handed as a switch hitter to impress MLB scouts.
Topps Rookie Card
In 1999, he was 16-years old and barely 130 pounds when he played at a Mets tryout camp in the Dominican. Two scouts saw his big arm and range and felt he could turn into something. He worked out for other clubs but it was the Mets who were convinced to bring him aboard. The scouts went to Omar Minaya (then head of the teams international scouting) for permission to sign him and he was a bit cautious. Mets assistant GM Jim Duquette heard the Chicago Cubs had interest so he gave authorization and the scouts offered Reyes a $22,000 bonus and he signed.
Although it was normal for players signed out of the Dominican to start locally, the Mets sent Reyes to play in low short season Single-A ball in Tennessee the following season. It didn't take long before Kingsport manager Edgar Alfonzo (Edgardo's older brother) began using the teenager as an everyday starter.
He advanced to Class-A Columbia in 2001 where he earned 'Player of the Year' honors in that league for hitting .307 with 42 extra-base hits. After spending the off-season playing winter ball back in the Dominican (where he went up against better pitchers), he was invited to big-league camp in 2002 as an 18-year old. There he was able to work with his major league counterparts and learn from Rey Ordonez and Robbie Alomar. After about two weeks and rave reviews, he returned to the minors at high Single-A in Florida. There he worked with manager Ken Oberkfell to improve his hitting, widely believed to be the only thing preventing him advancing in the system. In three months work at High-A, he had a .353 OBP with 31 SB, 58 R, 38 RBI and 11 3B and was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Binghamton. In his first game, he had 5 hits and 4 RBIs before being named to the World's Team in the All-Star Futures game.
At the 2002 All-Star Futures game in Milwaukee a 19-year old Jose Reyes (already a top-ten prospect in the organization) was named the games MVP after a bases loaded triple (off Rockies prospect Aaron Cook) led the World team to a win. Before returning to Double-A, through an interpreter, he said "If they give me a chance, I will do the job." Although the big league Mets were only a .500 team around the All-Star Break, veteran Rey Ordonez was still playing every day.
He finished 2002 in Double-A and had a .333 OBP with 27 SB, 46 R, 24 RBI and 8 3B in 65 games. By most accounts, he was more advanced as a hitter then other top SS prospects Wilson Betemit (ATL), Brandon Phillips (MON) and Antonio Perez (SEA). After the 2002 season, the big league Mets fired Bobby Valentine and wanted Lou Piniella. After Seattle blocked it, he went to Tampa. The Devil Rays were willing to trade him to the Mets but they wanted Reyes. The Mets weren't that stupid (THANK GOD!). The Mets ended up hiring Art Howe from Oakland (who owner Fred Wilpon famously said, "lit up the room" during the interview process).
The winter of 2002 saw Reyes return to the Dominican as an every day player (he led the league in triples and steals despite having a strained quad). That December, the Mets traded Rey Ordonez (whose relationship with Mets fans became strained) to Tampa Bay but instead of preparing to bring Reyes straight to the bigs, they signed veteran Rey Sanchez to a one-year deal as a stopgap.
In the spring of 2003, the Mets brought in Reyes' first pro hitting coach Juan Lopez and the GM of his Dominican winter league team as a bullpen catcher. After a few weeks at big league camp, he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk where he played 42 games. He stole 26 bases, had 10 extra base hits and had a .333 OBP.
On June 5th, Rey Sanchez injured his thumb (joining Mike Piazza and Mo Vaughn as injured Mets) and they finally called up Jose Reyes to the bigs. The night before his major league debut, the Mets were 27-34 and in last place in the NL East. On June 10, his 20th birthday, Reyes made his debut at Shea against the Seattle Mariners, batting 8th and going 2-4 in a losing effort. When Sanchez came off the DL, he moved to the bench with Reyes the entrenched starter.
During an electric rookie season, Reyes sprained his ankle in the field in late August and his 2003 season was over. He finished with a .307/.334/.434 line in 274 ABs, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 13 SB and 16 XBH.
Then the Mets went out and signed Kaz Matsui from Japan. He requested the opportunity to play his native position, SS, and the Mets obliged. Jose Reyes was moved to 2B (he had played it somewhat in the minors) and with Mike Cameron in center, they figured to have a stout defense up the middle. Unfortunately, Reyes strained his hamstring early and did not come off the DL until June 19. After returning, he also endured a back issue that caused him to miss even more games. The Mets fell out of playoff contention in 2004 and Reyes hit just .255 with 14 RBI and 19 SB in 53 games. By the way, late in the season, Matsui gave up his request and Reyes returned to short while Matsui moved to second for the first time.
From 2006, Reyes with teammates Wright, Lo Duca, Beltran, Glavine and Martinez.
The 2006 season would prove to be the most exciting in since the 2000 World Series year. Entering the season, they acquired Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Delgado from the Florida Marlins (in separate trades). After acquiring Xavier Nady from San Diego for Mike Cameron (it took a horrific collision for the team to realize using Cameron in RF and Beltran in CF was a bad idea), they dealt Nady at the deadline to Pittsburgh for reliever Roberto Hernandez and starter Oliver Perez. Tom Glavine, Steve Trachsel, Pedro Martinez and El Duque made up the rotation with John Maine and then Perez becoming fixtures (Maine and Perez pitched great in the playoffs).
Reyes worked with Ricky Henderson in camp that spring to refine his base running…and it helped. Reyes had an outstanding all-star season in which he hit .300/.354/.421, scored 122 runs, with 30 2B, 17 3B, a career best 19 HR and 81 RBI with 64 SB. During the season, he also inked his first big contract extension (a 4-year, $23.25 million deal with a team option for 2011….considered a STEAL). The Mets made their first and only playoff appearance in the decade, losing to the Cardinals in a NLCS Game 7 at Shea. Reyes played 10 games that postseason and hit .250 with 2 XBH, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 SB and 7 R.
In 2007 and 2008, the Mets infamously choked and lost final games to the Florida Marlins to lose out on a playoff spot. One aspect that got a ton of local play during those collapses was Reyes' jovial attitude inside and outside the dugout which was said to have pissed off the Marlins players. Regardless, Jose Reyes put up great offensive numbers (including a career best 77 SB in 2007) and played a combined 319 games out of 324.
In 2009, his history of injuries returned to take away big playing time. He strained a calf, then tore a muscle in the calf and then tore a hamstring. Only 36 games that season he played.
2010 began for Reyes with a DL stint thanks to a hyperactive thyroid, but when he came back he ended up playing most of the year. In 133 G, he hit .282 with 11 HR, 54 RBI, 30 SB and 39 XBH. It was also his 4th ASG appearance.
2011 saw Reyes start red hot but injuries near the All-Star break began his slide. A strained left hamstring cost him some time but he'll end up playing 126 games with career bests in BA and OBP. He went over 100 runs for the first time since 2008 (4th time overall). He has 16 3B, 7 HR, 44 RBI and 39 SB entering the final game. He also earned his fourth All-Star Game appearance (well, he was voted in, but injured).
Over the years, he's made too many errors so he never won a gold glove but holy shit does he have a cannon and great range. Through 9 years, he has just 4 more errors than Rey Ordonez. Before Reyes, the best shortstops in franchise history were considered Bud Harrelson and Ordonez, but both were not offensive-minded players. Between Reyes' defense and his bat/legs, he's the best shortstop in team history.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uICGj-9WKiQ"]Jose Reyes- This is SportsCenter - YouTube[/ame]
Clockwise…David Wright, owner Fred Wilpon, Jason Bay, manager Terry Collins, Reyes
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr2RbkREhdU"]"Bate Roto", NY Mets Jose Reyes, Voltio & L.Jay (Prod. by: @SPKilla) - YouTube[/ame]
Reyes owns his own Reggaeton label. Here's one of his songs.
Here at camp in 2009, Jose is talking Spanish to someone and some old rude bitch tells him to speak English.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4mDzFYqjeQ"]Jose Reyes at Mets Spring Training - YouTube[/ame]
Game 2 of the NLCS (the bullpen would go on to blow it…:facepalm
, anyway, the JOSE JOSE JOSE JOSE chant[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73vGwoweBs0"]jose jose jose - YouTube[/ame]
