Home » 11-12 Offseason » Jose Reyes to the Marlins: Quick Reaction
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December 4, 2011 11-12 Offseason Paul Festa

Jose Reyes to the Marlins: Quick Reaction

According to Fox Sports’s Ken Rosenthal, the Miami Marlins have agreed to a 6-year, $106MM deal with former Mets shortstop Jose Reyes.

If true, it’s a good gamble for the Marlins.  Along with Ozzie Guillen, he will bring fans of every race, creed, and color to Miami, but especially the Latin-American contingent.

Six years?  Maybe not so smart.  Reyes has had trouble staying healthy, and proved it in 2011.  The Mets, along with every other team in the majors, stayed away from Reyes this offseason, following his stints on the DL.

The Marlins seem like the 2005 Mets.  Willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money to draw fans.  Their spending may not be finished.  They have offers out to Albert Pujols and Mark Buehrle as well.  Will their spending pay off?  Recent history has suggested that the winners in the offseason (often the Mets) have not been winners on the field.  Just ask the Washington Nationals (helloooo, Jayson Werth).

What does this mean for the Mets?  More money to spend on the bullpen, and other areas of need.  A couple of more draft picks to build for the future.  And for a team at least reportedly $400MM in the red, a little more flexibility for the future.

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Paul is a freelance writer, blogger, and broadcast technology professional residing in Denver. A New Jersey native, he is a long-suffering Mets fan, a recently-happy Giants fan, and bewildered Islanders fan. He's also a fair-weather Avalanche and Rockies supporter. In his spare time, he enjoys the three Gs: Golf, Guitars, and Games.
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  1. Will Sommer December 4, 2011 at 11:41 pm
    Perfect, perfect, perfect post.
  2. Mike B December 4, 2011 at 11:59 pm
    My quick reaction…

    Uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhggggg.

    This is worse then when the Straw Man left.

    • izzy December 5, 2011 at 12:23 am
      Yes it is worse than Straw. This wasn’t an exhorbitant offer. This guy isn’t in his 30s. The Mets will never be competitive until the crooked ownership group is gone. Well Fred, don’t expect to sell any season packages for Xmas presents because city field will be known as city morgue next year. Devoid of life.
      • Steve S. December 5, 2011 at 12:46 am
        I’m with you, Izzy! The Wilponzis just lost the final battle for the NYC entertainment dollar. And it will be this way in 2013, too.

        Will the Mets use the money “saved” by not signing Reyes to improve the crappy starting rotation? No, they’re satisfied with a diminished Santana, Dickey, Niese, Pelfrey, and Gee. The last two guys should not be in the rotation. Buerhle and Jackson are free agents who will not be in NY (at least on the Mets) next year.

        • Rob December 5, 2011 at 2:13 am
          That raises another great point about this whole fiasco. The Mets are “saving” money not to spend it on other resources and rebuild. They’re saving it so as not to spend it. If they want to convince fans that this dollar “savings” is going into player development and rebuilding, then they had better account for the expediture of every dollar to prove it.

          And the team that they put on the field three to five years from now had better be killer…it had better be a perennial contender…it had better have some of the deepest set of prospects this side of the Rays. Because anything less is going to make this midnight massacre a joke.

      • Joe Janish December 5, 2011 at 1:16 am
        At least when Straw walked the Mets still had a team worth watching. This compares more to the Midnight Massacre, when Seaver and Kong were sent away.

        What reason will there to be to watch the Mets in ’12? Guaranteed to finish last, and no one with a modicum of excitement.

        Gonna be a long, dark season(s).

        • Mike B December 5, 2011 at 9:43 am
          Yeah good point Joe, Straw did leave a pretty good team behind, which in hindsite was a mistake on both parties.

          My comparison is more to the fact that I am 31 years old and been a met fan since 85. And in that time period I think the mets had 3 must turn on the tv to see what they are gonna do. Straw, Piazza and Jose.

          Jose’s attitude towards the game is second to none and even though he does get hurt when he is playing there is no one I enjoy watching play the game more. Just like I had to watch Straw after he left to see if he was going to hit a moonshot, I will prob sneak as many peaks at marlins games this year to see what Jose will do.

          I am sure I will have plenty of time being I wont be watching to many Met games.

  3. gary s. December 5, 2011 at 12:50 am
    I don’t expect much in 2012.Losing Reyes was expected.The real punch in the face to met fans will be if they do nothing to shore up the starters, the bullpen and catcher and 2nd base.They have some money to spend.If they don’t sign any good players, just don’t go to the games.I won’t.Maybe the silver lining will be if nobody shows up, the miserable franchise wrecking, ponzi scheme loving wilpons will be forced to sell.
  4. Rob December 5, 2011 at 12:57 am
    A pox on both their houses. On Jose for telling Mets fans to go to h*ll in favor of getting every dollar he can get; and on the Mets for telling Mets fans that they won’t spend money to keep their favorite and most dynamic player. I’m completely in shock right now…and my initial reaction is to say that I’m going to boycott this team for as long as the Wilpons own them. But who’s really going to do that with any seriousness. If we as Mets fans could just stop going to the park to let them know how we feel…but again…wishful thinking. Life will go on, the Mets will continue to be owed by the Wilpons, and they’ll continue to lose…because garbage at the top will always produce garbage throughout. So we lose our most dynamic player to come along in decades…to the Marlins…at the age of 28…for a price that we could have probably afforded…all in favor of what?! Of building what? What the heck are they building? They’d better be building one helluva team in the next five years.

    I’m disgusted…this is probably the most disgusting thing that has ever happened in Mets history…and I’m feeling soooo lucky to have experienced it while I’m still alive…

    I hope that there’s justice somewhere…

    • Joe Janish December 5, 2011 at 1:14 am
      David Justice is in fact available, and I believe he is working out with Manny Ramirez in preparation for the 2012 season.
      • Rob December 5, 2011 at 2:07 am
        HA! Good one, Joe. Seriously, though, I’m totally disgusted and I’m almost tempted to start organizing a boycott of the first game of the season. Alderson said that he was expecting fans to be angry. I say we show the Wilpons (Alderson is only following orders, after all) that he’s absolutely right. We’re livid…we won’t forgive and we won’t forget! Wouldn’t it be interesting to see opening day in NY and nobody…and I mean nobody…shows up. That would send a proper message. Yeah…the Marlins were crazy to go to six years…but lost in all of this was that the Mets could have probably gotten Jose for five at the start of this season.

        Anyway, I’m sick about this, but you know what…screw them both. I’m almost…not quite there, mind you…but almost ready to say I’m done with Mets. I’ll become a Nationals fan and maybe they’ll have some better leadership.

        Oh well…forgive me for venting. Take care and I’ll look forward to your comments on the blog tomorrow.

        All the best,
        Rob

  5. mic December 5, 2011 at 1:39 am
    1. not postd above, but posted elsewhere is that the Mets will receive the Marlins 3rd rnd pick. Will they still get a sandwich pick? Not sure.

    2. No way i do 6yrs. No Jose is not 30, but his legs are. The mercenary Marlins do not honor contracts, they will trade jose before 2 yrs are up.

    3. Your move Alderson.

    • gary s. December 5, 2011 at 1:55 am
      Mic, good post.Marlins nuts to go six years on Reyes.They will probably dump him in a year or 2 like you say.Mass hysteria on all the met blogs over reyes leaving.Life goes on.If the Marlins seaon ends the next 6 years in July, it’s a good deal.He will be on the dl every year by that time.Maybe Alderson will right the ship.The fan base of this team is almost always wrong.Can they be that much worse without him?
  6. Charlie17 December 5, 2011 at 1:48 am
    Well they might as well trade Wright and go full rebuild mode now. He is usless with no protection in the lineup and nobody getting on base in front of him. If you can get a top pitching prospect or two…go for it. Maybe the Mets will challenge in 3-5 years. Thank God it’s hockey season. Go Rangers
  7. mic December 5, 2011 at 5:49 am
    What MUST happen is a decision of David Wright. Extend him now or trade him. His ‘reduced’ value is most to the Mets advantage.

    On the other hand the the rocks just got Chatwell for Ianetta (????). more reason to DEAL with the rocks and get Chatwell and Drew Pomeranz for Wright.

  8. Joe December 5, 2011 at 10:36 am
    Good post — we can talk about what the Mets should have done six – twelve months ago, but facing what is done now, the Mets wouldn’t have matched this offer and it is not bothersome that they did not — it’s overextending him.

    Some are annoyed the Mets didn’t make a serious offer. Sounds nice, but really, what was he going to do? No listen to other offers? The bottom line is that the Mets would have to pay him more than this and wasn’t going to happen.

    I guess the Marlins have a lot of money. Their strategy of winning WS and having fire sales every six or so years must be on the upswing arc at the moment.

    • Mike B December 5, 2011 at 10:47 am
      Joe do you know if there is a Yankeestoday Blog? I really enjoy Metstoday and thinking now is the time to join the Evil Empire just like Luke did. For the first time in my life I dont care what they should have done, what they are doing or what they are going to do. As much as I love the Mets I can not get behind a team that operates like this anymore.

      I was thinking on my way to work that I let go of my season tickets at the end of the 07 season because I was so upset they way things were going with this franchise and they have played 4 seasons since and one was worse then the last.

      Its sickening that all our hope is vested in Ike, Tejada, Murphy Duda and a couple of piching prospects. Are you kidding do people really believe these guys are going to amount to a World series conteder. Maybe one day Ike Davis will be half the player Jose Reyes is. the others??? I doubt any of them will make 1 all star game combined.

      • Joe December 5, 2011 at 12:24 pm
        Just to make sure, I’m not Joe Janish, but yeah, there are Yankee blogs. Yeah, the team is being run lousy. Lot of deserved ire. But, even a better run team very well might not have reasonably matched (or better) this offer.

        Honestly, given 20/20 hindsight, did the Mets operate much better in the recent past? They spent more money, such as for Bay, but repeatedly did so badly. Even with Reyes, most didn’t think — w/o a lot more — they would be that good for a few years. Re-signing Reyes and not much more, would have helped to cover up the mess that remained.

        It doesn’t say much, but sometimes, raw facing of the mess is the best bet. Either way, these are your AAAA Mets.

  9. MikeT December 5, 2011 at 11:48 am
    This stings. Part of me was not ready for this, I just never believed it would happen. I chose not to think about it much.

    Reyes will get hurt. We know he will. How significantly? Enough to diminish the value of his contract? Not sure. Not rooting for it, but we all know it will happen. And the Marlins, if they fail to generate revenue and interest in their team will inevitably trade Reyes in 3 years. Part of me wants them to sign Pujols, just so these guys can be moved in a few short years and everyone feels stupid in Miami. The Pujols deal is reportedly going to have an opt-out in three years so if he signs that is their window. But unless they stay healthy they are not even guaranteed a playoff spot.

    So now that Reyes is a rival I can finally get on the Reyes -hating bandwagon. Catch up on the Jose Reyes jokes. Like I said, we all know he’s just going to get hurt.

  10. adrock December 5, 2011 at 12:36 pm
    it’s a little hard for me to get mad at jose for taking the money, especially in light of the fact that the mets weren’t even close in their quasi-offer to what the marlins eventually gave him. since alderson and his crew rolled in, they’ve kind of made it a point to show everyone how much they don’t value jose and that there was never any sentimentality felt on their part regarding him. “the fans may love you but you’re just another injury-prone remnant of the bygone era of flashy but unimportant stats. who cares about stolen bases? your qWARopsbabipkytr{gxL} isn’t even 4.5/90! psh, good riddance!” so since no equation has been written that would allow alderson/depodesta to quantify the fact that mets fans just had a damn unconditional love for him and wanted him to stay, the automatons bee-bop-booped him a “meh” offer of like $80 mil? i don’t blame jose for giving us the dueces.

    now, having said all that, i fully acknowledge that his legs are breaking down and he’s a player who relies on his speed and blah blah blah. he’s also a pretty damn good hitter who, unless he just completely disintegrates by year five of the deal, maybe becomes more of a doubles-rather-than-triples guy who hits for avg. and maybe a little more power. i could’ve lived with that to see him retire in blue and orange. i don’t think i’m alone in that regard. i mean, i’m glad we’re not in the omar minaya era anymore of throwing cash at every questionable free agent who bats his eyelashes at us, but this was, to me, one of those exceptions that you don’t let get away if you can help it. maybe they couldn’t monetarily, but i don’t think they really tried. so they can kiss my ass; they don’t care about me, screw ’em, i don’t care much about them. maybe they can do something to change that later (new ownership isn’t a bad idea) but that’s the way it stands for me for the foreseeable future. just my two cents.

    • Joe December 5, 2011 at 1:28 pm
      Let’s say they said “Reyes, we will give you 90M, five years.” He says “thanks guys, I’ll keep that in mind.” The Marlins offer him another year. Reyes signs, especially since they have a chance to win now, not three years from now.

      How much better will you feel? How much more would you think they “care” about you that they make him an offer, knowing that the Marlins or someone else would likely do better (SOMEONE was going to offer him a lot) , while still having a bad product around Reyes — EVEN IF they managed to sign the guy?

      And, unless they gave him six years, and over 100M, there is little reason to think they would. Bottom line, did you want them to sign him for the salary that Marlins signed him for, or would some polite offer, that honestly, wouldn’t be enough, suddenly make you feel much better?

      • HobieLandrith December 5, 2011 at 2:34 pm
        Forget the “what if the Mets offered this or that” crap. Bottom line is this: THEY DID NOT MAKE AN OFFER.

        How do you let the best player on your team walk away without even making an offer?

        I get that Alderson balked at the “parameters” communicated by Jose’s agent. So that means you make no offer at all? What harm would it have been if the Mets made an official, public offer of 4 years / $60M and waited for Jose to officially, publicly refuse it?

      • adrock December 5, 2011 at 3:31 pm
        @ joe–
        how would i feel? better than i do today, that’s how. for all the harping on stats and injuries and practicality that we tend to do, this is, after all, still a game. so pardon me if i indulge a little irrationality and say that reyes is a met to me. marlins uni or not, he’s a met. the same as seeing straw in a dodgers (or much worse, yankees) uni never changed my mind that he was a met. it just made the pain of seeing it that much worse. there aren’t many players i’ve felt that way about. reyes is one. so no, a token offer wouldn’t have been good enough. i’m saying that within any semblance of being realistic, i think the mets should have outbid the marlins to keep him. whether the team around him sucked or not, injured half the season or not, at least we’d still have one of our own. every time he does something great in a miami uniform it is going to sting. a lot. you don’t agree, zippity do da, good for you. i never said anyone had to feel like i do, just giving my opinion. i’ve seen people hate on the wilpons and alderson for a lot less.
        • Joe December 5, 2011 at 5:13 pm
          Double response.

          HL, why a rather cynical sounding CYA move would make you feel better is unclear to me. Everything isn’t done in the papers. He didn’t refuse to talk to the agent or anything. In effect, he “offered” that the Mets wanted Reyes, but not at what the agent was asking.

          A., it sounds like you wanted the Mets to keep Reyes and honestly wanted them to match the offer. I don’t think some token CYA move to publicly make an offer that was doom to fail means much in that respect.

          Overall, I get that many here don’t like just that — empty symbolism that doesn’t get any real results. If Reyes isn’t going to be here, I don’t get you will feel MUCH better just because some doomed to fail offer wasn’t put on the table.

      • Mike B December 5, 2011 at 5:12 pm
        They offered Jose 80 million with 20 million more with incentives. Honestly a year ago when you have no one to compete with thats a good deal, even if they had offered that deal when they had exclusive rights to deal with him would have been a good start. But the mets just ignored him and told him to go out and find out what he was worth.

        Thats just terrible negotiating. Who would stay? I cant blame Jose for leaving the mets never gave him a reason to stay. Its not always about winning and losing to fans or players. Where is the love? This is a top 5 all time Met on the offensive side. Mets brass should have showering him with how important he is to the team especially if they knew they werent going to go near 100 gaurenteed.

        Sometimes people will go the extra mile out of love and respect, but all things equal I would bring my talents to south beach too.

  11. Mike B December 5, 2011 at 1:36 pm
    adrock, I think your the first person to comment on actually finishing his career in a mets uniform and its a good point. We mets struggle for a history especially compared to our cross town rivals. And we just let a player walk that ranked in mets history

    First in Runs, Stolen Bases and triples
    Second in at bats, hits, singles
    third in plate appearances, doubles
    fourth in total bases

    All by the age of 28 even with his “injury plauged” career. I know he has gotten hurt and I am sure he will get hurt again. My question is WHO CARES? I wouldnt be mad if his next 7 years where the exact same as his last 7. How does that really hurt anyone? All you have to do is sign a really good back up infielder.

    • adrock December 5, 2011 at 3:34 pm
      thanks mike, i wholeheartedly agree.
  12. gary s. December 5, 2011 at 5:13 pm
    Nothing personal, but i have a question for all you Reyes lovers who say they will never attend another met game if Reyes was traded and knock the mets for not shelling out 100 mill plus.(not my money, i don’t care if they spent it or not),The question is will you subscribe to MLB.com and pay to see all of Reyes’s games as a Marlin?