‘I’M COMING HOME’
Mets bring back repentant Reyes Jose to play third today in Brooklyn
It’s been a bumpy ride for Jose Reyes since he left the Mets via free agency following the 2011 season — from the Marlins to the Blue Jays and eventually cut by the Rockies after a domestic dispute suspension. Now, Reyes is back with his original organization, and set to play Sunday for the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones.
ATLANTA — Yes, you can go home again. Just ask the Mets and Jose Reyes. There will be an expected backlash because of the 33-year-old veteran’s offthe-field problems that led to a 52-game MLB-imposed suspension for domestic abuse, but as expected the Mets moved quickly and signed Reyes to a minor league contract Saturday. Reyes was in the Mets organization from 1999-2011. But after he cleared waivers with the Rockies at 1 p.m., the Mets pounced.
General manager Sandy Alderson said Reyes will report to Single-A Brooklyn and play there Sunday, likely at third base. His stint in the minors should be in the neighborhood of sevento-10 days, Alderson said.
“I don’t expect he will spend a lot of time at the minor league level,” said Alderson, who stressed that in his conversations with Reyes, he found a player who was remorseful for his actions and deserved a second chance.
“Jose was a member of the Mets organization for 12 years. He was signed at 16 years of age. He was a solid citizen during all of that time, so if you think of it in those terms as not just an organization but where Jose grew up almost as a surrogate family, we felt he deserved a second chance and that second chance was most appropriate with us, a place where he spent a lot of his formative years.”
Reyes, who left the Mets for a six-year, $106 million deal with Miami after winning a batting title in 2011, was arrested for domestic violence in October in Hawaii, but his wife refused to go forward in the case. The league, however, slapped him with the suspension then the Rockies cut ties. Reyes, who went from Miami to Toronto then to Colorado in trades, issued an apologetic statement Saturday.
“As I have expressed in the past, I deeply regret the incident that occurred and remain remorseful and apologetic to my ffamily,” Reyes said. “I have completed the counseling required by MLB, have been in ongoing therapy, and will continue with counseling going forward. I appreciate the Mets organization for believing in me and providing the opportunity to come back home to New York.”
Not everyone believes Reyes deserves another chance.
“It’s outrageous how little women’s lives seem to matter when someone can throw a baseball really hard, wins Super Bowls or has a good jump shot,” City Council Speaker Melissa MarkViverito said in a statement. “Domestic violence kills thousands of women every year, and it’s time professional sports actually takes it seriously.
“The Mets should be ashamed. We need to be better.”
Alderson said Reyes will continue counseling as part of his agreement to reunite with the team. Based on a prorated deal, he will receive roughly $277,000. The Rock- ies will eat about $38 million still owed to Reyes.
“I did meet with Jose personally,” Alderson said. “We talked for about an hour. Obviously this domestic abuse issue was the focal point of that conversation. I came away feeling he had taken responsibility for this mistake on his part, that he was remorseful.
“He, I believe, is committed to on-going counseling and support of organizations working against domestic abuse. And obviously in addition to this personal meeting we had a lot of internal conversations. [COO] Jeff Wilpon was directly involved with this every step of the way,” said Alderson, who acknowledged there will be negativity by some toward the team for the move. “We were aware of the possible controversy this would generate.
“We fully understand there will be differences of opinion on this that some people will feel strongly and differently. We accept that. We respect that … both Jose and the organization will be held to a standard going forward that realizes the seriousness of domestic abuse.”
Alderson acknowledged Reyes, who is viewed as an ultra-utility guy to play the infield and outfield, is not the hitter who once claimed a batting title. But manager Terry Collins was elated over the reunion.
“I’m excited,” Collins said. “He brings something to our team obviously we don’t have: that foot speed, that athleticism.
“Play some third, take some balls in the outfield, and he’s all for it. He said, ‘I’ll play any place you want me to play.’”
Because Reyes discovered you can go home again.
“It’s outrageous how little women’s lives seem to matter when someone can throw a baseball really hard, wins Super Bowls or has a good jump shot. ... The Mets should be ashamed. We need to be better..” — Statement by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito