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Yesterday, with two outs in the seventh inning, Melky Cabrera hit a routine ground ball to Jose Reyes, who threw the ball high toward first base, over Carlos Delgado and in to the dugout, allowing Cabrera to advance to second.
The next batter, Jose Molina, popped out to 
center field, after which Reyes – still angry about his error – slammed his glove and sunglasses to the ground, while looking like a Little Leaguer.
…i’ve said it, and i keep hearing and reading the comment that states: reyes needs to grow up…he is too immature…etc…
…the thing is, if it is his immaturity that is leading to his struggles at the plate and in the field, then yes, he needs to grow up…if, however, he’s hitting, and playing well on defense, but still acting like a Little Leaguer, so what…
…if the Mets are winning, and he’s hitting and winning a Gold Glove, yet slammed his glove and glasses on the field, i’m willing to bet it would be portrayed as heart and passion, not immaturity…
…i’d like to see him act more professionally because he’s a professional, and because these sort of immature acts can reflect poorly on the team…however, i think it may be a little too preachy to pretend that one has anything to do with the other…it might, but it also might not…
…i mean, he was two years less mature than he is now when he won the starting job in the All-Star Game, so maybe he needs to be less mature…who knows…
Following the game, Reyes told reporters that his frustration was a culmination of a season’s worth of bad defense, saying he is capable of playing better, adding, “I don’t feel happy.”
By the way, Reyes is batting .328 in the 43 games since May 15, during which he has 20 extra base hits and a .383 OBP.
First people complain about the Mets being too old now we are telling our younger players to grow up?
Ok yes I know it is in a different context…
PS Reyes is no immature… he is fine… Everyone here loves to throw hissy fits at work. I might do it right now… throw my glasses to the ground… take off my belt and throw it across the office and walk very slowly to my car at the end of the day.
cool, and do you do that typically in front of 50,000 people, 90% of which expect you to get a triple every at-bat because that happened to be the day they showed up?
You know what “class” and “dignity” get you in sports, bridesmaid dresses.
It comes as no surprise to me that no matter their payroll, the Yankees have failed to hoist a trophy since Paul O’Niell, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, David Wells, David Cone and the like left.
What was the difference between the 1986 and 1988 Mets? One team played with no rules, the other tried to be an image.
Give me the guys who are outwardly furious over every mistake any day of the week when the issue is winning or losing in sports.
Yeah, god forbid the Mets play with emotion.
Last year it was he does not care. And frankly the team did not care, and Willie was clueless and they needed to show fire.
Now what we are hearing is the fire has to be reserved for special circumtances.
I am so sick and tired of the bi-polar disorder of the fan base and some sports writers in this town.
In addition, I like Keith Hernandez a lot, always have, but he has a certain flair for selective amnesia in the booth.
I’d much rather see the gloves, helmets and bats flying around the field and dugout then the collective look of empty headed oh woe is me that has existed with this team for the last calender year of baseball.
well said.
I think you speak for a lot of fans with that opinion. We want to see the emotion. The media is really taking things too far – there is nothing that this team can do right that’s going to put them in a positive media spotlight for the rest of the year…
Craig Carton said it this morning and he and you are both 100% correct — either the Mets don’t care enough or they care too much. What is wrong with some passion, furstration, emotion, personality? Yes, there is a time and a place, a proper way, etc., but showing some flair and life is not a bad thing. The question is when and how to best do it. When the manager comes to take you out because he is concerned you might get hurt — not the time. After a bad throw, while maybe not the ideal, not an inappropriate time to be frustrated and show it.
Let’s keep getting some emotion and passion and let’s go mets
There’s nothing wrong with slamming your glove down after you made a bad throw. How would hitters look if they waited until after the game to slam their bats down after a strikeout? give me a break…
I have no problem with a player showing emotion on the field, but you have to recognize what kind of emotion you’re seeing. Reyes’ display of petulance is not too far from the “look of empty headed oh woe is me” you describe, and it’s merely the flip side of his moping around at the end of last season. The end result is the same — a loss of focus and concentration. You made an error in the field? Suck it up and stay in the game — there’s another batter coming up.
Reyes has a world of talent, and I don’t worry about him too much — he’ll be fine and have his huge seasons. But I’d rather not see him pouting on the field.
I don’t know, if Eric Byrnes does this, it is fire. If Ryan Freel does it, it is because he cares. If Reyes does it, it is immature? If he was barking at Delgado, that would be one thing. But being frustrated with yourself – that is what I want. I want him to care as much as we do. He can play better defense, so I love that he knows it and cares.
My 2 cents . . .
Except for teh 2nd half of last year….he sure didn’t care much then.
If he can do it in 2007 who says he won’t do it later on in 2008?
Always glad to see certain fans doesn’t really care that Reyes is making them look bad with his antics.
How does his actions reflect on the fans?
Reyes acting like this makes US look bad? I’m sorry, did we, the fans, raise Reyes? Are we his parents? His antics don’t reflect poorly on the fans at all. The coaching staff, perhaps, but certainly not the fans.
When Paul O’Neill acted like this, he was considered intense.
Because he’s white.
LOL…u think it’s a white vs. latino thing?
I think it’s more of a media vs. mets thing than anything else. The Mets became the laughing stock of baseball with last year’s collapse – and turning things around and making others view us in a positive light will be no easy chore. If this team wins something (division, wild card or more) then next year it will be Jose’s fire. As long as these guy’s are playing down to the pressure, it will be “immaturity” and “inconsistency”. Sad, but just the way it is with the media…
Some people will find any excuse to cry “racism.” We shouldn’t even dignify it.
First of all, throwing the glove has to be viewed in context — showing up his new manager ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME, the disappearance last year down the stretch after being benched — that’s not “passion” or “intensity” of the sort shown by, e.g., Chase Utley or Johan Santana unless you’re abstracting beyond all reason. It’s childishness, and he’s setting a bad example.
Beyond that, though, should we care? Not particularly, if he’s playing well, but there’s where Matt didn’t tell the whole story. He isn’t playing well in some facets. His defense has been a bit shoddy (which is why he’s frustrated), and he’s been picked off more than once, which is way too much.
Additionally, the “maybe he should get less mature” line is a crock of stuff, and not only for the skewed logic that says that emotional maturity is necesssarily in lockstep with age. We’re looking at a player who has not progressed — statistically — since 2006, when he was only 22/ 23. The young Reyes was terrific, but he hasn’t taken that next step we’ve all wanted him to. If he gets control of himself and learns to direct the “passion” into focus and intensity, he good finally become the player we want him to be, and that he’s fully capable of being. Obviously, he’s no slouch now, but he can be better.
Nonsense. Paul O’Neill had a nasty temper. Reyes pouts. They are two different things. O’Neill might come off the field and throw his glove against the dugout wall. But you wouldn’t ever see him in the middle of an inning with his glove on the ground, walking around sulking while the next batter is coming up.
The only thing I really care about is this: Is the player’s head in the game, or has he tilted? O’Neill’s temper never affected his play. Reyes was the picture of loss of focus yesterday. It’s probably a good thing that the next ball hit didn’t require quick judgment from him.
All how you want to interpret it, all how you want to interpret it.
And you would in the middle of an inning see O’Neill with his glove on the ground, frankly he spent the better part of a moment between batters kicking his glove around the outfield after he had tossed it violently to the ground.
Or the countless times I witnessed O’Neill while with the Reds slam the barrell of his bat into the ground repeatedly after a swing and a miss, not even striking out, strike one, strike two…
so how was he to focus.
There are about 24 other players on the Mets that could stand to throw their gloves and bats in disgust for how awful they play. Usually multilple times a game.
Frankly, Delgado’s bat and glove should be buried deep into the Shea Stadium soil. And certainly Wright’s glove could stand to be not far behind.
I look at it like this (sort of) — for most players, playing with intensity and in control >> playing with uncontrolled emotion and getting picked off second multiple times >> not giving a crap >> Delgado
Them – The team.
Of course, when the team looks bad, who gets made fun of? The poor loser dumb enough to wear his Mets gear in the street
That is what you’re worried about? Being made fun of in the street? Go get some Yankees gear then, you’ll look great, and you’ll be a follower of a superb team!
well said TBlz !!!!
Look bad? How?
Did David Wright make me look bad when he fired his bat down in disgust popping out with a runner in scoring position two weeks ago?
No he showed me he had a pulse and was furious for failing in that spot.
No.
You know who this makes look bad? Derek Jeter.
It’s obvious Jeter lucked out by circumstance, and was able to capitalize on it. Now he does nothing, shows no emotion, and acts like a robot. Maybe if Jeter actually cared, showed some emotion like Reyes does, he’s actually be a leader, and actual _lead_ his team to something more than a pathetic loss to another team they dominated in the regular season.
Reyes is who Reyes is. If his teammates aren’t upset by it, then no one else should be.
Yeah…except for all those rings he has, he’s a gigantic loser!
Yeah, it is Jeter that won all those rings single handed.
Nobody else stepped for the Yankees, you go right on and swallow that myth whole.
If I was a member of the 1996 to 2000 Yankees and had to hear the fable of Derek Jeter’s leadership and intangibles I would vomit on myself.
I am sure he is a good teammate, I know he plays the game well, but this absurd New York Urban legend that Jeter was the driver for those teams is so far fetched.
Unless you actually watched those Series, in which case, you would see that he in fact WAS a driving force. Can we hate him? Sure. But let’s not deny what he did for the Yanks.
Oh, so when he had 5 hits in the first series against the Braves, and one RBI, it was Jeter that inspired them to new heights?
Or maybe it was his RBI in each of the next two world series.
The only world series he performed a crucial role in was vs. the Mets.
Of course he won a game in the 2001 WS with a HR, one of his only 4 hits in the entire series.
He was a piece in a machine, and since he has “The Man” they have been the first round exit more often than World Series participant.
Jeter is a leader because his team won…..he could have been a leader among men if he had A-Rod’s back the way he had Giambi’s back.
How come no one calls Wright immature when he kicks dirt, throws gum on the field, pounds the bench or throws his glove against the wall when he struggles? How come that is intensity and reyes’ emotions have to do with his maturity level?
Wright does that stuff in the dugout, presumably out of sight of the fans. Reyes, on the other hand, threw a fit on the field and before the ball was actually caught by Church to ensure the out.
I think the Mets will be under intense scrutiny by the NY sports media for the rest of the season because they’re pissed about the way Omar and the Wilpons handled the Willie firing (forcing them to get out of bed at 3 in the morning – the nerve!). So stuff like Reyes throwing a fit or Manuel saying the Mets are the second NY team will get even more “analysis” than usual by the petulant NY sportswriters.
I heard something that said Reyes was pissed because he initially thought the ball may go out as a HR. He was upset with himself in the moment. This racist idea is not far fetched. Wright slams his bat down at the plate how is that different from reyes? There is a bias from the media. They don’t get on Wright because he is A) White and B) a good quote. The media will rarely get on a guy who is a good quote unless he is completely awful.
seriously, why is it that whenever anybody else is criticized, some people around here feel the need to bring david wright into the conversation? you have no point, fortlee.
My point is that there is an obvious double standard.
Again, when you talk about emotion, you have to recognize what emotion you’re seeing. When David Wright takes his glove off and pouts while the next batter is coming to the plate, then we’ll see if there is a “double standard.” Until that happens, please leave him out of the discussion.
This is where you are lost in this conversation. HE DID NOT DO IT WHILE ANOTHER BATTER WAS COMING TO THE PLATE. THE INNING WAS OVER.
Um, no. He was shown pouting on the field immediately after his error, with his glove on the ground. Before the last out.
As I said elsewhere, all I care about is whether or not his head’s still in the game. He can lay on his tummy and pound the grass with his hands and feet for all I care, as long as he’s focused and ready by the time the next pitch is thrown.
I don’t think anyone who’s been watching him for the last year can deny that his moods have a tendency to affect his play on the field.
You should just change your screenname to mydavidwrightrocks.
The mere mention of his name in a negative light clearly sets off your bat signal.
because if you are a mets fan, you are a david wright fan *and* a jose reyes fan. i don’t like seeing people on here who obviously dislike the mets, such as you, playing david and jose against each other. especially when it seems to have a lot to do with the fact that wright is white and reyes is hispanic.
It drives me up the wall, too. There is not a double standard. Wright has been more consistent and has not displayed the immaturity that Reyes has displayed. Period. And I like them both. If I had to pick one that I’m more a “fan” of, in terms of whom I liek to watch play the game, it’s Reyes. But just because Wright isn’t criticized for showing frustration in the dugout, where roughly every player in the league shows frustration at some point, doesn’t mean there’s a racist double standard.
Well said.
yes! thank you.
I think what’s hard for us to understand as fans is how frustrating it really is to play on this team every single day when they are no better than .500. Sure, we can all sit here and type away with squinted eyebrows about how much they suck, but at least we aren’t put under that spotlight every night and expected to play perfect baseball.
Reyes needs to knock this crap off, obviously, but it’s just a collection of a ridiculous amount of stress on such a young player. All I hear is Rollins never does this, and Rollins never does that…Rollins is also five years older and doesn’t play in New York. Manuel just needs to discipline him just how he would anybody else, and move on. It’s not at all a big deal.
There’s no disciplining required. The kid showed emotion – great! Bring more of it…
Cry me a river with the stress…if you dont want the stress then dont accepet the MILLIONS OF DOLLARS YOU ARE BEING PAID!!!!
just so you know i do think they deserve to be paid this type of money as they generate revenues that allow for it, but dont come on here and say the stress…we dont know how it is to play under the stress….well with a guranteed contract, the stress should be somewhat relieved…no the guy with 3 kids, working two jobs, with the threat of layoffs…now that is STRESS….
I was watching the game at the gym and they were showing it on the YES network.
Their commentators were calling out Reyes saying he was showing up Delgado for not catching it, he is very immature, someone needs to talk to him about that etc….
Consider the source.
The YES network needs to get commentators that don’t make me want to kill myself… no offense.
The same clowns who pole smoke Paul O’Neill like he is a modern god.
Patrick, considering you usually say really smart things, this comes as a complete shocker to me:
can you define the action of “pole smoke”?
If the wording is rearranged to be “smoke his pole”, do you get it?
zer09, (patrick, if i may) to “smoke” someone’s “pole” is a colloquialism (sp?) meaning to “suck” someone’s “****”
Personally, I think it was a pretty funny comment. Still not 100% sure why there’s an animalistic tendency to pounce on patrick every time he posts something…
I have to actually apologize for using the profane reference, but that really and truly comes from the sickening double standard brought in the media.
And I will say this one time and one time only. In regards to Michael Kay, it is beyond a conflict of interest for this guy to have and pretend he has an objective media role as a sports talk radio host when he is a paid employeed of the Yankees.
So yesterday when he went on another of his moronic rambles on live television chastising Jose Reyes and questioning his makeup while being willingly dismissive of a frequent both partners career as an on field baby was a pure and utter disgrace.
Ahha….
Well, everything about YES is a disgrace. I think SNY did a great job staying mostly impartial. You know who else “smokes poles”? ESPN
did you hear Fatcessa between games on Fri?
Another blow to any hope for objective sports radio commentary.
I too had to watch it on YES, and it was ridiculous. They kept talking about how Reyes shouldn’t show up his teammate like that by throwing his glove on the ground, etc.
The whole time I kept thinking, how the hell can you possibly know that Reyes is upset at Delgado? In all likelihood, he is upset with himself for making a poor throw.
And then they kept bringing it up every time Reyes was at bat or made a play after that, and even when Delgado came to bat as well.
Man, the Yankees commentators suck.
People…immaturity = passion and fire. Is the whole idea behind being mature is to keep the emotions inside and sit like a stiff? Wasn’t that the problem with Randolph? Wasn’t that the issue with the team, how it lacked character, how it lacked emotion?
What’s wrong with him being upset with himself? He should be, he botched up a fairly easy throw (which by the way Del-don’t-gado shoulda had) and put a runner in scoring position. He should be pissed off. That was Reyes showing emotion, being upset with himself. That is exactly what we’ve been asking for. What’s the problem?
It’s all how you channel your fire. If you channel it- like O’Neill- into playing hardnosed, winning baseball- it’s smart. If you do it like Reyes- throwing hissy fits, constant 1st pitch popups, fielding lapses, dumb pickoffs at 2B etc….it’s immaturity.
God, some of you people defend this team too reflexively.
THEY’RE UNDER .500 PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT A TEAM THAT SHOULD BE DEFENDED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
They’re still my team, and I’ll defend them under all circumstances.
dude, please…get the f#ck off this blog…
that was for negative, not you mtslv…reaaalllly sick and tired of the antics
Don’t worry, I knew what you meant.
Seriously…go be, what you truely are…a yankee fan !!!
Well they all answered for me. All I gotta say is: what are you looking for? seriously? make your mind you bipolar fool
YOU SUCK.
What Reyes did yesterday did not upset me one bit. I could care less if he was dong it to show up Delgado too. He did not even make a bad thrown and Delgado does a little hop off of the bag and it bounces off the tip of his glove. Any other first baseman simply stretches, reaches and catches the ball.
Reyes had a right to be pissed. I’m glad he showed some emotion. Showing emotion and caring about winning is not immature. Immature is playing first base like a little leaguer. Everyone has said it already, but if anyone else does that, they are fiery, emotional, scrappy, blah blah blah. Reyes is fine. In support of him, I’m walking everywhere today instead of running.
actually, his thrown wasn’t that great.
His throw sucked that’s why he was upset, duh
Honestly, it is a non-story, being blown out of proportion by the same people to insist that Willie was fired at 3am, and who say that Manuel called us a piece of sh-t….
Reyes was clearly upset with himself after the play, and not trying to show anyone up. It is just like when a batter fails to drive a run in, or misses “his” pitch, and slams the bat into the ground. Some say immaturity, I say passion. Met fans say the team has no heart, and needs some passion. This is the excat type of emotional outburst you are looking for. Jose Reyes is in my opinion, the most dynamic position player the Mets have ever produced/had. He can make a positive impact on any particular game in every possible way. He has been the best player on this team for the past two years. He had a slump at the end of last season, and given his talent, I’d argue that was likely the first slump he has endured at any level. However, he has certainly regained his form, and back a the top of his game.
As for what the YES people say, they are probably just jealous that they don’t have this kind of player. There are very few like him, and to undervalue what he can do is ridiculous.
Plus, if you want to talk about being immature, how about Manny Ramirez shoving the Red Sox traveling secretary to the floor in the visitors club house….oh wait…thats not immature..thats just Manny being Manny.
Or Manny meeting up with an opposing player at a bar the night before a big game? (and sitting out), or Manny being late to the start of an inning, becuase he had to go to the bathroom? Or Manny giving a high five to a fan after scaling the wall to make a catch (which was pretty awesome, but how much flak dii Milledge get when he high-fived the fans?)
Nope…thats ok…still Manny being Manny.
Well I guess if after 15 seasons a player has a career 300+ avg with 500+ hr and 1500+ rbi, he’s allowed to “just be Manny”
Reyes is far away from “Jose being Jose”…
…just sayin….
I’m sorry but if you are going to criticize someone for acting a certain way, you can’t accept another person acting the same. It is hypocracy.
Not at all. There are plenty of instances when in order to perform certain actions a person needs to earn the right to do so without a negative light shown at them. This happens to everyone in many different aspects of life. Baseball is no different. I’m sure if there would be other announcers throwing lollipops out to the fans it would seem as weird and immature, but in Metland, it’s Keith being Keith. Ok, maybe not the best example, but the fact is, there are many double standards in life – and there are plenty of people who earn it through many years of proving skeptics wrong…
the point was that Manny’s actions are grossly immature, and not an issue. This “incident” with Reyes, as well as him not wanting to come out of the game in Anaheim a few weeks ago is nothing compared to that stuff, yet it is being cast in a much worse light.
Right, I understand that. My point is, with Manny it doesn’t matter because he’ll go out there and hit 35 hr’s and drive in 120… so because of that he can be as immature as he wants to.
Reyes is the second-best SS in baseball.
Where is his rope?
IM glad to hear there are other sensible fans out there. Reyes keep doing your thing.
#1. If Reyes did this while Willie was the coach all we would be reading today is how “Willie has lost this team and the clubhouse and the players hate each other”
#2. Reyes showed up Delgado…who’s bad play was equal to Reyes’. Please do not think he threw a tantrum at himself, he was probably mad at himself, but even in little league you only throw your glove down when a teammate does somehting wrong…and then that kid doesnt get a slush puppie after the game…
Gary Cohen about Shea “its a dump but its our dump”
Mets fans on Reyes “he’s a crybaby but he’s our crybaby” As a fan do I care if Reyes is a baby…not really…but don’t try to defend him saying he is not a baby.
I don’t think he was upset at Delgado, I think he was upset at himself. However, he should have thought that his actions could be percieved as showing up a team mate.
That throw was awful, if Delgado catches it he is still off the bag and its an error on the SS. Delgado was trying to catch it and sweep a tag which was his only play. Had he done it, it would have been an outstanding play and saved the SS an error.
Reyes knows that as much as anybody.
That throw was at most five feet off the bag. Delgado is the only first baseman that would have had trouble with that. Someone, very long ago, should have taught Delgado to junk that move of his (where he jumps off the base and tries to do a sweep tag) and learn how to do what every first baseman has been doing since roughly 1839 and that is STRETCH. I actually think Reyes was showing up Delgado. And while I don’t really approve of it, I understand it. Delgado is really killing the Mets and I think the Mets players know that as well. I’m glad he had a big day on Friday, but he’s still just about the worst hitting first baseman in the game. And defensively he’s simply horrible. Any groundball to the right side of the infield has roughly a 50% chance of finding the outfield (thanks also to Castillo).
It only crap stirrers who have such a problem with Reyes, and fans of rival teams.
Personally, I don’t care if he pisses off every sportswriter in NY and every fan of every other team in the MLB as long as he continues playing the way he has.
Geez Matt, what does him hitting have to do with him acting professionally? What about the bonehead play on Saturday? His continued poor play at SS? There is no pass you can give to him for his poor behavior yesterday.
There is no ‘pass’. That’s why Reyes is upset. Why should we continually send him the message that “It’s more important that you jog quietly off the field then care about the mistake”? Or it’s more important that opposing teams aren’t upset about your handshakes then you enjoying the game and celebrating with your teammates?
Or it’s more important that you say the right then and talk to the media then focus on baseball and scoring runs.
Not me. It’s irrelevant. let him play the way he’s playing, which is good. I still think he might be swinging a little two hard at times, but he’s doing well this year and this other stuff is just junk, and it’s why I don’t buy the newspapers or support these idiots.
Except that he doesn’t grow up, so when he- in his immaturity- gets down and upset, he’s more likely to channel it into a 1/2 season I-don’t-care-slump like in 2007.
And when it happens again (and with this guy it most certainly will) I don’t want a single one of you defending Reyes today to dare say anything about it.
You love it today, you better love it when the flip side comes around.
Ok, so by your logic, when he plays the rest of the year on a tear, make sure to not enjoy it, because you’re not now.
Right…because last season couldn’t have possibly been the first slump Reyes has indured, and thus taken some time to get out of it…no chance, right? Did David Wright not care when he slumped from the end of ‘06 thru May of ‘07? Did Beltran not care when he struggled in ‘05? Did Piazza not care when he slumped in ‘01?
People slump. it happens. As far as I am concerned, if Jose hits .296/.358/.485, and be on pace for 122 runs and 57 sb’s, he can crawl back to the dugout.
For the record, lets compare him to three other SS’s:
Scrappy Doo-Eckstein: .273/.364/.348, on pace for 52 runs and 5 sb’s
Cap’n Jeets: .284/.344/.393, projected 96 runs and 10sb’s
J-Roll: .264/.326/.431 (projections are invalid, since he missed some time)
Maybe it really was just a slump, and had nothing to do with “not caring”.
The notion that Reyes was not trying/didn’t care as the team collapsed last september is just ridiculous, sorry.
Thank you for showing some sense.
In fact my ONLY criticism about Reyes, is that as great as he is performing, I don’t think is is playing up to his true abilities…Right now he is in 5th gear, but we have all seen glimpses of the 6th gear. Obviously, any player can get hot, and outplay their talents, but with Reyes, I think it is real…When he gets on base, he has s better scoring rate than most others (as evidenced by his 99 runs, despite a .300 OBP)..Right now, he is a very good player, and I am ok with that. However, the kid has the ability to become great. That obviously won’t happen by toning down his enthusiasm–we saw what that led to. How he can unlock his entire potential, I have no idea, but I would love to see it.
My thoughts on this
I’d rather see Reyes amp’d up than a zombie, kid plays on emotion rather not see him toss his glove down but can live with it if he hits .300 and steals 55+ bases.
Amazes me how NY media in the past has given A-Rod a pass for bush league slapping at a ball and clemens for throwing a bat a player but seems to think this is big deal. Agree Paul O’Neil = biggest crybaby in bball history but he is considered a “gamer”
If Reyes did get mad at Delgado that wouldnt be cool (although watching the game I didnt see it that way); however Carlos should have easily had that ball. Keith covered that aspect perfectly.
Was funny right after the game on the FAN they were discussing trading Reyes, amazes me how idiotic the hosts can be. On ESPN Kaye was talking about how they needed to shake up the team by trading Beltran (who is on pace for 25 hrs and 110ish rbis).
Wonder how long it will be they figure out the real core issues:
- Left field combined for the year under .200?
- Mets pct of ground balls converted to outs lowest in baseball? (e.g. second base/first base defense tremendously subpar), this is a hidden weakness that is killing them (see starts by Pedro, Johan and Pelfrey where all have had balls at 2nd and 2st glide through on squibs in recent weeks)
You certainly have made some valid points. When Clemens threw the bat, or A-Rod bush leagued it, or Paul O’Neill showed his “intensity,” they were basically given passes, because, hey, they’re Yankees, they’re gods, fcol… but here Jose is just a pissant Met, apparently. That is galling, I agree.
I think you’ll find that ground balls even have killed Heilman. I remember one game where he gave up two runs on ground balls that all just seemed to find holes. I know our left side defense is good, so that leaves Castillo being the big culprit. I’ve always thought he was a good defender, and is this just an injury in his knees thing? I also think that stat is a little inaccurate. We have a lot of fly ball pitchers, so I’d imagine ground ball attempts are actually a lot lower, and luck is just playing it’s role.
Still, Left field is the biggest issue, and for the past month it’s been left AND right.
Matt hit it on the head. If Jose wants to slam his glove down, be angry about being pulled from a game then so be it. Why does it automatically mean he’s immature. Why can it not mean that he’s upset at his own play. That he wants to play better. That he wants to help the team. That he wants to WIN!! You dont hear anything about Jose being in trouble or anything else o/s of baseball. Leave him be.
And since when does slamming things down become synomous with immaturity. DW did that a couple of weeks ago and NOT ONE POSTER called him immature. SO NOW I HAVE TO ASK METSBLOG….WHY THE DOUBLE STANDARD? MAYBE THERE IS A RACIAL DIVIDE. I sure hope not! I would like to think we are past all this nonsense. Also, The media in NY is gifted in painting players a certain way and influencing the public’s opinion. Lets hope we can look past their shenanigans.
Lets leave Jose alone and let him finally come into his own.
DW spends alot of time every game talking with reporters (even losses), its not suprising based on his willingness to help them (see past controversaries with the Press and the Mets) that he gets treated differently.
Not saying this is right/wrong but I think there is a stronger case for this rationale than racial basis
Have you ever considered they just gravitate to him b/c of who he is. Thats one very misleading fact. Just like they GRAVITATE towards Wagner b/c he’s always talking.
Someone please check the spanish language newspapers. I am not in NY otherwise I would do it myself. Maybe they’re gravitating toward Jose. Maybe that will take care of that.
Perhaps more reports should go out of their way and ask others questions instead of giving assanine excuses.
The fact that this glove slamming is an issue is the mos pathetic thing i’ve seen. For all we know, he’s pissed off at himself for not making the play. Until he says otherwise, lets get off his back people.
Yeah I dunno you have a good point about Spainish newpapers
My point was more towards Daily News, Post, Times and Newsday; those are the ones that cause most of the “New York noise” (with the Post being 95pct of it)
Just saying DW may be getting a by on his behaviour cause he talks with these outlets alot. Again I am not saying this is a good or bad thing just that it is a possibility.
“Thats one very misleading fact.”
Hrmm, I never claimed to be making a factual claim nor did try to mislead anyone, I was raising an idea for consideration is all. I appreciate your right to disagree with it
Agreed!
When Paul O’Neill threw stuff (on field or on the way off the field or whatever), it was his legendary intensity. When Reyes does it, it is his immaturity. Whatever.
Honestly, you know what concerned me about Reyes yesterday? Not what everyone is talking about in this post, but his getting picked off of second base with two outs and Wright at the plate, and Andy Pettitte, he of the legendary pickoff move, pitching. Now THAT’S a boneheaded play.
As for Reyes throwing his glove or pitching a fit or whatever, I don’t really care; let the manager and his teammates handle it. Do I think it’s a smart or “mature” thing to do? No, not really, and especially not if it shows up a teammate, or even reflects badly on a teammate, that’s not the thing to do. But Reyes has his head up his butt in far worse ways than in showing his disgust by flipping helmets or gloves or whatever…lol.
Leave him alone, encourage him to learn, and see what happens, that’s my personal opinion. I like the show of emotion, but it’s still just that — he has to back it up with his play.
Not meaning to be too much of a Mets homer but Andy balks every time he uses his “legendary move”. I still have a ton of respect for Andy though, he is a hell of a big game pitcher
Jose was dumb though getting picked off, based on how many times I have seen teams try to get him at second over the last month the word is clearly out this is a hole in his game. Wonder when he will improve this?
Two things – Santana’s move that picked off A-Rod and was called a balk looked remarkably like Pettite’s always does. Weird. Which of course led to the decisive run.
And if, as I read below, Manuel called for a double steal at that point in the game, I ask why? Bad baseball there.
And before anyone corrects me, since I can’t edit the comment, I fully realize that the game I was talking about was SATURDAY’S game, not yesterday’s. But that pickoff in SATURDAY’S game concerned me far more than what Reyes did yesterday.
Sorry :).
Jerry Manuel said Reyes was picked off because he (Jerry) had called for a double steal.
I didn’t see the play. But my Yankee friend told me that Reyes’s antics “showed up” Delgado – or were meant to show up Delgado for not catching the bad throw.
I found that hard to believe. Does anybody here think that Reyes was showing up Delgado by acting the way he did?
I didn’t think so at all. I just thought he was mad at himself for making a bad throw (and i’m pretty sure that’s what he said after the game). I actually didn’t even really consider the posibility that he was showing up Delgado until one of my yankee fan friends told me the same thing today.
Ha. You add 2=2 and you get 4. I think the Yankee TV announcers on YES must have made that point to their viewers.
Reyes can’t get a break in this town. When he was hitting several weeks ago, no one noticed and still just ragged on him.
One game (I think it was against the Padres) he got to a lot of balls up the middle and threw guys out. He made an error and people rip him for being horrible offensively.
Against the Mariners, Beltre flipped his glove in the air when he couldn’t get to a ball. I didn’t hear anyone ripping him about it.
Is it really asking too much for a 25 year old not to act like a spoiled brat? I realize that all that matters is his performace, but seriously, can he stop acting like a retard?
Personally, I love to see this out of a player. He knows he made a mistake and he wasn’t showing up Delgado for not making the play, he was showing his anger at himself for not making a better throw. As said in earlier posts in this thread, the Mets need to show emotion to be successful.
For Example: Look at Carlos Zambrano. Now he may not be the best case study for this, but he shows tremendous amounts of emotion, good and bad. I wonder why he’s one of the best pitchers in the league.
Hernandez called Beltre “Bush” for that play.
And for the record, it looked to me that when Reyes threw his glove it knocked his sunglasses off his hat. This thing is being blown out of proportion. If we should be getting on him for anything it’s getting picked off from second for the 2nd time in a huge spot this season. Other than that, time to move on.
Yes, lets more on….until it happens again.
In a big spot.
When he flusters himself and does something stupid (we he’s prone to do)
Hey, you get the team you deserve.
“if, however, he’s hitting, and playing well on defense, but still acting like a Little Leaguer, so what”
Really? Wow.
Agreed…that’s a ridiculous thing to write. There’s a big, big difference between showing emotion and acting like a child because you’re frustrated. And Reyes is letting his frustration with one play carry over to the next. It’s certainly not a “so what” situation.
Please, oh please trade Delgado. Now is the time. His value won’t get any higher this year. LOL Doesn’t Oakland, Texas or Seattle need an aging DH? Gawd, his defense is A – W – F – U – L.
The funny thing was the Yankee Shills on YES were trying to say that Reyes was pissed at Delgado for not coming up with his throw (why he threw his glove), which was total BS. The only reason I was watching that joke of a channel was its the only one that had the game in HD in my area since I can NEVER get cw11’s feed.
The YES idiots must have spent an entire inning on the subject.
David Cone was chiming in…yeah, like he was the model of maturity duing his career…
David Cone on whom runs were scored because he argues with the umpire while the ball was still in play, having never called time out?…Reyes needs to keep his focus? I have rarely seen a worse brain fart than Cone’s in a MLB game.
I love these broadcasters who forget their own histories.
Mex was called before a grand jury in Pittsburgh to testify about cocaine use in the mid 1980s because he had first hand knowledge, as I recall
Ron Darling was arrested in Houston after an incident in a bar…during the season.
Now they’re all so sanctimonious…
After Reyes threw his glove, “The Yankees” broadcasters commented there used to be some discussion about who had the better left side of the infield, Mets or Yanks, you don’t hear that discussion anymore…smug chuckles. I’ll take Reyes over Jeter any day.
Does anybody know who will be sent down for Armas Jr.? And what abou when Nixon and Alou come back?
Nixon? Why would we need Nixon when Alou comes back?
Because we need someone who can hit left-handed pitching so well on our bench. I hear he might start pinch-hitting for Wright against left-handed pitching when he returns.
Oh please, let Reyes be mad at himself.. show some emotion!
This is not an issue. you guys are doing the work of the media and propogating/perpetuating non-issues just so mike & the mad dog have something to talk about. Reyes throwing his glove has no correlation to his performance. the glove throwing is obviously a symptom of his emotions, not the cause. you can’t change somebodies emotions.
i do believe it is a lingual problem. reyes doesn’t communicate how he’s feeling so all you see is the throwing of a glove and it comes off as immature. paul o’neil could say, “i was so mad that i let everyone down” and he comes off as a good guy.
just stfu about it and realize reyes has been playing like an all star. thats all we should care about cuz for a while it looked like maybe ‘06 was the anomally.
Anthony.velli. Good post.
Like anthony.velli posted this is not an issue at all. I do think some Met fans making it a big deal is an issue though. I expect that from YES, yankee fans, and even general media but not from its own fans, I thought we were a little better than that.
I have to disagree with Matt on this one…..
1 Reyes is not playing defense well…. Last i saw he had the 2nd most errors for a shortstop in the NL
2 Comparing his actions (throwing down his glove and sun glasses) to a little leaguer is disrespectful to little leaguers…
I would know, I’ve seen my brother and now my son play in the Little leagues for years…
Reyes really needs to grow up and show some professionalism
Can someone please write a new blog. I am getting sick of seeing this one when I come to Metsblog.
I can’t believe what I’m hearing about Reyes. It wasnt just slamming his glove to the ground. It was also WALKING back to the dugout after the inning was over like a baby. Nobody seems to be talking about that! All this talk about “OH WELL HES ONLY 25″ or “HES STILL YOUNG”…all of that is BS. At WHAT POINT do we stop babying this guy and treat him like a VETERAN and not a rookie. He’s been in the bigs for 6 YEARS now……when does it end??
This organization needs to stop making excuses for this guy, he’s very quickly wearing out his “Im a young speedy SS so I can behave however I want” status. I hear people say “Oh WELL HES BEEN HITTING GREAT SINCE MAY”?? WHO CARES?? What about LAST year where he stunk it up from the All Star break all the way to the miserable ending, in case you’ve all forgotten.
And if I’m gonna believe Jerry Manuel and his blabbering about how were “gangsta” and all this BS, Jose Reyes should be benched for tonights game, at the LEAST for his immature crybaby show he put on display yesterday. This is the big leagues, even Little Leaguers dont act this way. And as for the numbers, maybe ANOTHER reason I and other Mets fans are upset about Reyes, is that he has ELEVEN ERRORS this year, compared to TWELVE all of last year and hes on pace to make 22. THATS WHY……..
dude, get a grip. it’s a game. so jerry sits reyes down tonight and then we have easley at short. is that what you want?
what point gets proven? how much we need reyes at shortstop because it sure won’t be the opposite.
So a guy cant be pissed about an error and show it. Wow thats really killin the Mets. I think their are bigger problems than that how about the fact we dont have a productive LF, and some Met fans getting their panties in a bunch over Reyes. One of the most productive players on the team. What does a slump last year have to with a reaction to yesterday.
Why is their such a double standard. Other players around the league get pissed throw things, start fights with their own teamates and their called passionate love for the game. Look at Carlos Zambrano. Reyes does it and hes a baby.
Really. The whole fact that hes tossing his glove being pissed might have something to do with the fact he has 11 errors.
Who is making excuses for him any way?
As a Mets fan, I couldnt care less what players on other teams do. The coddling of Jose Reyes has to stop. He has to grow up soon. Because the novelty of chest-thumping Delgado after scoring runs when behind in games, and the dancing and all is wearing really thin as this team could miss the playoffs AGAIN. Reyes lacks major discipline, both at the plate and for the game itself. And people wonder why David Wright will be captain over Reyes……its pathetic..
AMEN!!!
Babies don’t walk, they crawl.
Give me a better shortstop that we are going to get straight up for Jose Reyes and then we can begin discussing the matter.
I can’t believe Reyes is getting hammered over this and hardly anyone has mentioned Delgado role.
#1 Yeah Reyes’ throw wasn’t good but it was catchable, even by a high schooler. If the throw was so bad why was Carlos so nonchalant about catching it ?
#2 As a SS you have to come up with the ground ball and throw it accurately to first base. This has a much greater degree of difficulty than simply catching a throw that is just a little off line and just a little high.
#3 What kind of pressure does it put on a SS to show him that his first baseman isn’t capable or can’t be bothered to make any play at all unless it is 100% routine?
#4 Carlos had a huge game Fri. and might be a little full of himself right now. He shouldn’t forget he is hitting .233!
Bottom line: Looks to me like losing bothers Jose a lot more than Carlos!