Darryl Strawberry: Career Counselor?

ICMYI Jose Reyes was suspended recently until May 31 for violating MLB’s domestic abuse policy. The ugly details of the “alleged” incident last Halloween involving Reyes and his wife (interestingly enough the same night the Mets hosted Game 4 of the World Series) are just a Google search away.

It was the latest in a steady downward spiral of his career path for Jose since he departed the Mets after the 2011 season. A path which has included two trades, several stints on the DL and a steep decline in both his slash lines and his WAR. He is likely on the move again, as the Rockies have a budding superstar at short and Reyes is owed a ton of money through next year. It is a sharp decline for the guy who less than a decade ago was one of the top five offensive players in team history.

And, there is another member of that somewhat diminutive club who predicted it.

Back in September of 2011, when Jose was trying to be the first Met to win an NL batting crown, Darryl Strawberry surfaced and warned Reyes to stay in New York. Darryl was uniquely qualified to give that advice has his nearly surefire hall of fame career went up in smoke (and probably his nose) after he departed Queens for his hometown of LA after the 1990 season. Instead of listening, Jose took a houseboat-sized load of cash from the new-look Miami Marlins, beginning an odyssey that has taken him from Miami to Toronto and now Denver and the suspended list.

Reyes was a mere sad shell of his former self during Colorado’s visit here last August. He has deteriorated since. It’s hard to say what might have happened if he stayed here, but as one of the more beloved figures in Met history, he might have at least been given some compassion and direction. Look at how the Mets have worked with David Wright as his injuries have curtailed his effectiveness and most likely, his career.

Reyes meant something to this town. Now, he is just another unwanted, over-the-hill mercenary with apparent behavioral issues. It’s just another precautionary tale about choosing money over a good situation, one that will no doubt be discounted by the next homegrown superstar in his walk year. **cough**cough**Matt Harvey.

And no, I am not advocating a trade back here.