Mets slow start + Reyes fast start could = Reyes exit

It’s the perfect storm many Met fans saw coming. Combining the Mets rocky (no pun intended) beginning with Jose Reyes’ nice individual start could be just the signal that the star shortstop’s run with the club could be coming to an end.

It’s a scenario that many fans don’t want to see.

Reyes came up with the Mets to much fanfare. Reyes instantly connected with an empathetic fanbase and re-energized a slumping franchise.

For his career, Reyes has batted .286, hit 75 HR’s, driven in 384 runs, scored 643 runs and stolen 335 bases.

Looking at those numbers non-abstractly, they don’t jump off the page. But make no mistake, Reyes is an electrifying playmaker who’s difference on the field goes way beyond numbers.

Speaking of numbers, this year Reyes is getting his and he is determined to go out on top. If it’s with the Mets or not, he should be in line for a hefty pay raise. Just think of productive shortstops, and by the time you are done counting, you have likely only counted with one hand.

On the season, Reyes is batting .328 with one home run, five RBI”S, nine runs and four stolen bases. His on-base percentage, granted it’s real early, is the best it has ever been at .349.

The Mets have gotten exactly the start from Reyes that they wanted. It’s too bad that bad pitching and shoddy defense has led to a poor 4-9 start. If the season starts spiraling out of control-some say it already has-you could easily see the Mets become sellers at the trade deadline.

Thus, enter Reyes and his expiring contract.

With Reyes showing great signs of health and productivity out of the gate, his stock is going up with each passing day.

With the state of the Mets in flux (in regards to ownership and the Bernie Madoff controversy) and Reyes not exactly a player that fits in Sandy Alderson’s plans, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate to broach.

Of course I’m getting ahead of myself here. The Mets still have time to right this ship, contrary to many fans’ beliefs. But it’s not looking pretty at this moment.

The Mets must look at Reyes’ impeding free agency from a business sense. As fans we always look at the situation emotionally.

Many fans are attached to Reyes. I get it. I too have a fondness for Reyes.

But like I said here, you have to detach yourself from this sentimentally and realize the economical factors. (By the way if the Mets move Reyes I really don’t think it’s about money-or the lack thereof-but more about how Reyes fits in with Alderson’s blueprints, I know some people may scoff at that notion.)

As a fan of Reyes, and for one who wants him to stay, hopefully management is seeing Reyes progress into the player they envision him to be and he can stay. However, I get the feeling that management-namely Alderson-is not thinking along these lines.

The question then is, who would become buyers, and what could the Mets expect back in return? The Reds, Giants and Red Sox at one point or another had shown some interest.

That’s another discussion for another day.

For the moment, enjoy Reyes. Hopefully the Mets can put together a streak and keep Reyes around, but realize he could be on borrowed time.