Reyes cashes in

by anonymous on Aug 3, 2006 4:58 PM EDT

According to the Daily News, the Mets and Jose Reyes have agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension for $23.25 million dollars. The contract would run through 2010, with an option for 2011. Here is Rotoworld's analysis, since the Daily News story itself is a one-liner:

Reyes would have been eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season, and he would have been a free agent after 2009. This sets him for life in case he resumes having leg troubles, but he may be costing himself a fair amount of money, especially in his first two years of free agency. As a free agent at age 26, he could have received one of the biggest contracts in baseball history, even if he didn't get much better than he is now.

While I think they're being a little hyperbolic to say Reyes was necessarily in line for "one of the biggest contracts in baseball history," I think there's little doubt that Reyes has traded some potential 2009-10 dollars for the long-term security provided by having a multi-million-dollar contract now. And I'd have to say that makes it a good deal for him (he's set for life now!) and for the team: they can afford to trade some up-front dollars and injury risk against the security of wrapping up the shortstop spot for the next five years with a good player who may yet become a great one.

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Smart move by the Mets to lock him up. Barring injury, this is money much better spent than the comparable dollars they gave to Rey Ordonez around the same time on his arbitration clock.

by Eric Simon on Aug 3, 2006 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

Neyer

In his chat today, Neyere called Beltran and V Wells the 2 best all around players in the game. With Reyes and Sizemore moving up quickly. How opinoins have changed at the WWL.

by whynot on Aug 3, 2006 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

Absolute jaw-dropping bargain

They got an easy steal on the guy that gets them easy steals.

E-Agent.

by peeder on Aug 3, 2006 5:32 PM EDT reply actions

I'm really happy to see that.

Hope they take care of D-Dub soon as well.

"The Mets with the bases loaded: Chavez, great speed, Reyes, great speed, Lo Duca, good guy."

by Mr. Met on Aug 3, 2006 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

Reyes has longer tenure

DWright has one fewer year of service time, so locking him up is less urgent. Of course, Wright is liable to cost significantly more than Reyes, considering Jose's injury risk and the fact that this is really his first good season.

Of course, considering what SS cost in this town (I still am bewildered by Yankees fans crapping on A-Rod for his contract, when Jeter's contract is far more insane, considering how much of A-Rod's contract is paid by Texas), Reyes' deal seems like a big bargain.

Keep Maine in the rotation!

by Greenpoint Ian on Aug 3, 2006 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions

The Contract

I was listening to WFAN today and there were fans who were actually mad at the Mets for "short-changing" Reyes, or they were upset, including host "Mad Dog" Russo, that he gave up a chance for a big free-agent payday. What I found interesting about this is that it seems you can't please anyone-- people complain when players sign for mega-bucks and they complain when a player doesn't sign for mega-bucks. I find it refreshing to see something like this Reyes signing. This helps keep some money around just in case they need another outfielder, or they decide to go after a free-agent pitcher like Zito, for example. Seems to me that Reyes likes being a Met. I like knowing that. I wonder how David Wright will handle the same situation. That should be interesting. Looks to me he likes being a Met, too. We'll shall see, won't we?

"We praise or blame as one or the other affords more opportunity for exhibiting our power of judgement." Friedrich Nietzsche, "All Too Human" (1878)

by wgarrett on Aug 3, 2006 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

Wright

I've heard DW say something to the effect that he is looking forward to "being a Met for a long, long time." I should think that it will be no problem for the team to get him under a similar contract when the time comes. Given his lack of an injury history, however, he might have more leverage when it comes to bargaining. Regardless, I'm sure both sides are interested in making the deal.

by kingcritical on Aug 3, 2006 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions