It really pains me to write this article, but I'm doing it anyway.
If the Mets decide to trade Reyes this season, and I really hope they do not, but if they do, it is starting to look like the Giants may be a team that would look to cash in. One theme of the Giants for the past few years is that they are offensively challenged. The Rowand signing worked, but without the protection lacking in the lineup, he wasn't the same player as he was in Philly. The key in the lineup was Buster Posey who is now out for the year. Another possibility is the Red Sox, but that is for another article.
The team needs a hitter, and Reyes is the hitter. There are some whispers, mostly bloggers, who are questioning if some of the recent callups by the Giants were to show off the Major League readiness of their players, like Shortstop Brandon Crawford. If this is true, than Crawford gave an amazing audition in his first game as he hit a grand slam to give the Giants the lead.
Crawford is a 24-year old prospect who was also drafted in 2008 like Posey. He is mostly noted for his defense, which the Mets would want if they were to lose Reyes, but recently has been showing pop in his numbers. Here are his last two seasons in the minors:
2010: 309 AB, 47 R, 73 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 4 SB, .236 BA, .332 OBP
2011: 59 AB, 14 R, 19 H, 5 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, .322 BA, .412 OBP
Career: 881 AB, 123 R, 238 H, 47 R, 9 3B, 20 HR, 89 RBI, 17 SB, .270 BA, .336 OBP
He had a good year in 2009, a down year in 2010 and his short time this year, he was looking pretty good. I can't say enough that I would want Reyes on this team, but if we have to trade him, the Mets could do a lot worst than Crawford and a prospect package.
