from centerfield............Goodbye To the First Mets Batting Champion: Jose Reyes

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It is certainly the passing of another Mets era, the end end of the Jose Reyes era. Reyes has spent nine seasons in New York, leaving as the Mets All Time Leader in stolen bases (370) runs scored (735) & triples (99). He has 1300 hits (second on the Mets All Time list) with 81 HRs 222 doubles (third on Mets All Time List) 333 walks 423 RBIs 911th on All Time Mets list) & a .341 on base % in 1050 games played (10th on the Mets All Time list).

He is the first Mets player to ever win a batting title (2011) he led the league in triples four times, led the league in steals three times, at bats & plate appearances twice & hits once. He made four All Star appearances & his presence will certainly be missed. He must be remembered as an All Time Mets great.

On the other hand he has only batted over .300 three times, as good as a fielder he is said to be, he never led the league in any defensive categories except games played & errors. His on base percentages were good but nothing like they should be if he was a patient hitter. He only walked more than just seventy times once in his career. He has a long history of injuries & missing lots of time. He has been lax on the field & sometimes a thorn in the side of the team. When he did win the batting title, he took himself out of the game in his first at bat. That day he showed the fans that he was done here. I feel for the fans & kids who came to see him play that day.

The Mets are going in a new direction, because of the Wilpons they are dragging us down with them once again. I don't think the Reyes departure is all about that though. I said it in 2007 & 2008; that the core of that team had to go. They were lax, lazy always injured for the slightest boo boo & didn't play the game fundamentally the way it should be. Those guys are all gone now, except David Wright who plays hard & seems to care. More importantly, the Mets only went to one post season since he arrived. One player can't carry a team to the playoffs. It's time to move on................

http://www.centerfieldmaz.com/2011/06/all-time-mets-base-stealer-jose-reyes.html

Good Luck to Bobby V. in Boston, I wish he was in the dugout or owners box at Citi Field instead.

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