Replacing Jose Reyes
With Jose Reyes out for an indefinite period, it’s time to discuss the possible replacements. Read more
Reyes Out with Hyperthyroidism
If you haven’t heard by now, Jose Reyes may be out of action for anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. Or longer — there’s really no way to determine just yet.
The issue with his thyroid is not one to be taken lightly, and you have to credit the Mets’ medical staff for spotting the problem — they may have saved his life. Additionally, you have to credit the Mets’ management for taking the cautious route and immediately shutting down Reyes. We don’t want to see Reyes out when Opening Day rolls around, but we DO want to see him happy and healthy over the next several years — the long-term risk is not worth the gamble of one or two months activity.
Yes, the issue could have been handled much better from a PR standpoint. But over the past two years, it has become crystal clear that the Mets have a major flaw in their communications. Over and over again, we receive multiple, incongruous messages from various official sources — in other words, no one is “on the same page”. A few days ago, Omar Minaya stated to the US press that Jose Reyes had an overactive thyroid, while Reyes simultaneously denied he had any issue with his thyroid to ESPN Deportes. This is the latest in a long line of conflicting quotes from the Mets, and perpetuates the image of the organization as a “Mickey Mouse operation”.
You have to wonder how much this public ineptitude affects the thoughts of opposing ballplayers — in particular, those who will be part of next winter’s bumper crop of free agents. The Mets’ reputation has gone backward over the past few years, and as a result the team will have to continue to overpay players to convince them to come to Flushing (see: Jason Bay, Bengie Molina).
It would be easy to blame Jay Horwitz for the problems, but based on what we’ve seen from the Mets as a whole, I’m not so quick to identify a scapegoat. Everything filters from the top, and my gut feeling is that Horwitz has little control over the outgoing communications — despite his title of “VP, Media Relations”. He can’t muzzle players (or the GM) without someone “from the top” giving him the power to do so. As a result, you have an organization that resembles the Wild West, littered with gunslinging cowboys in sheriffless towns who shoot their guns — or in this case, mouths — off in every direction.
One need only look to the other side of town for an example of how external communications should be handled. In the Bronx, there are only one or two sources from where the official, high-level messages flow. Very few Yankees fans can name the teams’ PR person, the VP of Player Development, the Assistant to the GM, or the team doctor. In fact, I’d bet that few casual Yankees fans know the name of the team’s trainer, the pitching coach, or the batting coach — these people as a rule do not speak to the media, and when you do hear from them, it is with information that is barely newsworthy, rarely controversial, and never in conflict with whatever the team’s “main” message. There is consistency across the board, from every Yankees quote — whether it is someone’s sprained finger, Joba’s pitch count, or a PEDs accusation.
But I digress … next post we’ll discuss the possible replacements for Jose Reyes.
Jose Reyes is Not Pregnant
Good news, Mets fans: Jose Reyes is NOT pregnant.
Steve Popper was the first to report that news on Twitter early yesterday, and further blood work evaluated last night confirms it.
Whew! That would have been a major issue for the Mets, who already are without Carlos Beltran for the first few months of the season.
Though, I imagine Jose would have been able to stay on the field for the first trimester … but almost certainly would have been out of uniform by June. Even if he felt great, you’d have to think that his belly would have gotten in the way of reaching down for ground balls — not to mention the weight gain putting a strain on his already suspect legs.
In other good news for Mets fans, Hisanori Takahashi has cleared up his visa problem and can now take the mound in exhibition games. No word on whether he’ll be wearing Ken Takahashi’s old jersey.
Additionally, the Mets signed Kiko Calero — full post coming soon.
But there’s still more to cheer about — Ike Davis hit a grand slam and David Wright hit a homerun in his first at-bat as the Mets pounded the Cardinals 17-11.
Finally, things are looking up for the New York Mets!
Jose Reyes is Happy and Healthy
For the past few weeks, it seems that every Mets media outlet is covering something “new” about Jose Reyes every single day — so I didn’t want to be left out.
The conspiracy theorist inside me thinks that the Mets’ internal spin doctors have launched some kind of Jose Reyes campaign in an effort to deflect all the negativity surrounding the team. But the Mets fan in me wants to remain positive and upbeat, since, after all, pitchers and catchers officially report today.
So, drink in that photo of Jose, and let’s all keep our fingers crossed that we’ll see him play a healthy 150-162 games this year!
Judging F-Mart’s Debut
For once, I agree with Marty Noble. And it’s unfortunate. Read more
If Steve Phillips Succeeded
BlueandOrange.net discusses what might have been had Steve Phillips succeeded in trading Jose Reyes and David Wright so many years ago.
John Delcos speaks from eyewitness testimony while supporting Marty Noble’s bombshell that some Mets didn’t mind losing
Delcos also sees a missed opportunity with Davey Johnson. I have to agree.
Roy Halladay “smells like a Yankee” to BrooklyMetFan
2009 Analysis: Jose Reyes
Obviously, Jose gets an “incomplete” for the 2009 season.
Reyes played in 36 games and was “day to day” for nearly a month before finally being placed on the 15-day disabled list — and was never seen again.
In the few games he played, Reyes hit .279 with a .750 OPS through 166 plate appearances It was a slow start for Jose, but no one was particularly concerned — he had similarly rough beginnings in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Eventually, Jose would “get it going”, and take the Mets with him.
So much for that thought. As it turned out, Jose Reyes was grounded for the season — as were the Mets.
Perhaps a better idea is to analyze the Read more
2009 Analysis: Anderson Hernandez
It’s hard to believe that Anderson Hernandez was the Mets’ starting second baseman on Opening Day 2006. Harder to believe that his stock sunk so far that he was traded for Luis Ayala at the tail end of 2008. And yet even more difficult to believe the Mets were so desperate for a middle infielder that they traded a nondescript A-ball suspect to bring him back to Flushing.
Three years ago, A-Hern was a slick fielding, weak-hitting second baseman with enough arm and range to impress at shortstop in a pinch. In 2009, A-Hern was a Read more
Newsflash: Jose Reyes Has Torn Hamstring
No, this isn’t regurgitated news from months ago. This is a NEW tear in the back of his leg.
From The New York Times:
Before the game, the Mets said that Reyes, out since May, had torn the hamstring itself while working out Tuesday. He had already sustained a torn hamstring tendon, for which surgery appeared increasingly likely. The new injury further complicates the situation and raises questions about whether Reyes will be ready to participate when spring training begins in February. The Mets disclosed the new information after Reyes was examined Wednesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.
If you remember, Jose Reyes was removed from a game on May 20th and listed as day-to-day. At the time I made the outlandish suggestion that Reyes could be out for the year (one person said the headline was “irresponsible”), and wondered if the Mets kept Reyes off the DL to keep the revenues flowing. Me and my crazy conspiracy theories.
Though, I must admit I thought for sure it would be his achilles tendon and not the hammy that would be Jose’s, um, achilles heel. As it turned out, the achilles was fine — it was more the complete and utter mismanagement of his recovery that did him in.
Mets Injuries: Not Bad Luck
After having his knee examined, Oliver Perez has been shut down and scheduled for season-ending surgery because of patella tendon tendinosis. No word on whether he will have his head examined.
Johan Santana will have elbow surgery.
J.J. Putz has been shut down for the season, due to new fraying in his elbow near the ulnar collateral ligament and a slight tear in his right forearm. He will NOT have surgery to correct the condition.
No word on Carlos Beltran , Carlos Delgado, John Maine, nor Jose Reyes.
There are others on the DL and/or lost for the season, but I mentioned the above for a specific reason. Can you find the common thread?
If not, I’ll make it plain and simple: in each of the above cases, the player’s original injury was misdiagnosed and/or rehab was mishandled.
In other words, all this talk about the Mets being “unlucky” because of all the major injuries suffered is a bunch of bull. Maybe some of it is luck, but at least half of it is due to incompetence.
Though, I tend not to fault the Mets’ medical staff — I have a hunch they know what they’re doing, and making the proper recommendations. In the end, the doctors and trainers have no control over whether a player goes back on the field or to the disabled list — that decision is made by the front office.
If you’ve been paying attention since spring training, you don’t need me to re-hash each individual case and point out where the team went wrong. And it goes back further than the spring — last year’s handling of Ryan Church and Billy Wagner are the most obvious examples from 2008 (you can put Maine in there as well).
In every case, a player continued to play despite an injury. Now, we know that all athletes have to learn to play with pain, and can often play through injuries without causing further damage. But over the past several years, the Mets have been grossly negligent in the evaluation and assessment of injuries.
We know this because:
- the manager, general manager, and player are rarely ever on the same page in terms of information
- the general manager cannot “remember” serious injuries to vital players
- the manager has admitted to allowing injured players to talk him into letting them on the field
- the team has admitted to hiding injuries and allowing players to continue to play through them
- the team has consistently waited too long to place players on the DL
- cortisone shots have been administered so frequently and easily it has become an industry joke
- more than one player has sought a second opinion from outside doctors, without the team’s recommendation
- Maine, Putz, Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, and Church all experienced failure in the rehab process
The only successful injury rehabilitation in the past year was Billy Wagner’s recovery from Tommy John surgery. Is it any coincidence that Wagner, for the most part, rehabbed on his own, at his home in Virginia?
Yes, there is some luck involved in a player becoming injured, and recovering from injury. But bad luck is not a valid explanation for this level of medical failure. In addition to personnel moves, the Mets need to make sweeping changes in the way they a) prepare and condition their ballplayers; b) evaluate and assess all injuries; and c) make determinations based on the recommendations of their medical staff.
** UPDATE **
David Lennon at Newsday has written a similar, more in-depth piece. Good thing to see the professional journalists are seeing things similarly to the fans and bloggers.
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