The Reyes Factor

By Shari Forst
Posted Saturday, September 1, 2007

With Jose Reyes, now around 0 for 10 in the Phillies series, and the last game of the Dodgers series, SNY posted a very interesting stat during the course of Tuesday night's game in Philadelphia.

When Jose Reyes does not get on base at all for the duration of the game, the Mets are 5-13,make that 5-14 after Tuesday night's extra innings loss. It's amazing how much Reyes means to the Mets offense now when you consider how people were carrying on when he didn't walk alot a few years back.

Reyes is no doubt a catalyst, when he gets on base he manufactures runs. If he walks or singles it's a good as a double, especially since he has now shattered Roger Cedeno's club record of 66 stolen bases. He can make a pitcher balk from second or third base, he gives a jump start to this team. When he doesn't reach base the team falls flat, and that at times is a problem.

The mets got Luis Castillo now, and hopefully he can pick where Reyes has left off lately, but even he followed Reyes' lead on Tuesday popping out to the infield in most of his at bats.

What was so great about the 2006 Mets was that if one hitter was slumping the other guys were able to pick him up. If Reyes on rare occasions didn't reach base, someone like David Wright or Beltran did and Delgado was able to drive them in. Thats not the case with the 2007 Mets. If one guy slumps it seems as if most of the team follows suit.

The Mets may not have done as well if Reyes didn't reach base during the course of the game, but they certainly did not roll over and die. I don't expect this slump to be prolonged with Reyes. His average had dipped a bit below .300 one other time this season and it barely lasted a week.
I expect this is just a late season swoon, and he will pick it back up very shortly. Perhaps a day off is in order, put Ruben Gotay or Marlon Anderson or Anderson Hernandez if he is a September call-up in at short stop for one day. It's not as if Reyes is getting on anyway, and I really think he just needs a day off.

We all know how important Reyes is, not only with his bat, but with his glove and his smile and love of the game, but I think Willie Randolph needs to be smart here and take care of his lead off man. He should give him a day off during one of the remaining Philly games so he is fresh and ready to beat on the Braves this weekend.