When I got to work this morning, my twitter (@213MFS, by the way) was blowing up with messages about the Jose Reyes video tribute the Mets are planning next week. After thinking about at various points about it over the day, I’m not upset at the Mets for doing this, but I don’t understand why they are doing this. I’m not angry, I still like Jose Reyes and I completely understand why he went to Miami.
However, there really is no reason for the team to honor him, because that’s what a video does, it honors him coming back to the ballpark If he stays healthy, he will be coming back to the ballpark a lot in the 6 years.
The best I can rationalize about the Mets decision to make a video is that he was key player of the Mets and an icon in Queens for the last 9 years. However, he left in his prime, and even though the Mets never offered him contract, the Mets wanted him back (at the right price).
With Piazza it was different. Piazza was a generational player (Jose is borderline) and Piazza left the Mets at the end of his career. It was known throughout the season that it was a separation that was needed for both Piazza and the Mets. When he came back, he wasn’t on a division rival thus it was the only time he would be back in Queens. In addition, at that time it wasn’t known yet if he would play another season, so it was a unique opportunity to honor Piazza.
With Reyes in his prime and playing on a rival team that plays in New York between 9 and 10 times a season, a video tribute doesn’t fit. Piazza had an opportunity to play in 3 games in New York (maybe 4, I don’t know how long the series was), Reyes will have about 60 chances + a contract after those 6 years.
I’m not angry or upset they are honoring Reyes, I just don’t get it.
