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Coleman: The Reasons Why Jose Reyes Is On The DL

By Ed Coleman
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Now we know what we had thought all along - that Jose Reyes would he heading to the Disabled List after tweaking his left hamstring against the Yankees back on July 2 at Citi Field. And we also know what we had suspected all along - that Reyes is going nowhere this season and will likely finish 2011 wearing a Mets uniform. G.M. Sandy Alderson made that abundantly clear on Thursday in Los Angeles.

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As for the injury, Alderson and Mets manager Terry Collins went over all the options, and it really basically boiled down to one thing according to Collins.

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The three games Collins was referring to were against the first-place Phillies coming out of the All-Star break. The thought was that the Mets could continue to play a man short through the Giants' series in San Francisco leading up to the break, have Reyes first rest and then rehab the hamstring without going on the D.L., and then be ready to go next Friday July 15. It was a viable option, said Collins, but it had a flaw.

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Can't really argue with that logic. Alderson recounted that the final decision really came down to two things.

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That's a wide variance of time, so how long will it take to heal and get Reyes back? Not even Jose knows.

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So what actually changed to go from hoping to avoid the D.L. altogether to actually doing it and not having Reyes available until July 18 at the very earliest? Alderson explained.

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Yes, indeed, Reyes will be attending the All-Star game in Arizona - unfortunately, for the third time in 4 appearances, he won't be able to play.

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Reyes also missed playing in the 2006 and 2010 mid-summer classics because of injury. More importantly, the Mets are facing two of the toughest pitching staffs in all of baseball going into and coming out of the break - the Giants and the Phillies - and Reyes is very disappointed he's unavailable to help his teammates.

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So does Reyes' injury increase the chances that he could remain a Met beyond this season? Possibly, but it's hard to tell. It might make some teams reconsider his injury history now that it's happened once again during this superb season that he's putting together. It might lower years and money in some G.M.'s minds. But more than likely, how Reyes bounces back once he's off the D.L. and whether he can back up a stellar first-half with a strong second-half will go much further towards determining his market value.

As for Jose, he's not thinking about the ramifications that this injury might have on his next contract or free agency.

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Onwards - to the break.

C U soon
Eddie C.

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