Too Much Talk About Trading Jose Reyes

Let’s get Tuesday’s game out the of the way:

The Mets lost to the Giants 7-6 in ten innings. R.A. Dickey had another poor outing, Josh Thole had a rough time behind the plate and grounded into a crucial double play with the bases loaded in the ninth, Ike Davis continues to rake, as does Jose Reyes.

Speaking of Reyes, there was far more talk Tuesday about trading him than I was comfortable with. Joel Sherman continues to write in the New York Post about a summer fire sale including Reyes. Both ESPN.com’sBuster Olney and the website for San Francisco TV sports network CSN Bay Area said the Giants could be interested in trading for Reyes. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark mentioned Reyes as a possible trade target as well.

Here’s the thing — if you trade Reyes, who replaces him? Who can spark this team like he can? The answer is no one.

And how much do the Mets think they can get for Reyes, considering he would amount to a half-season rental? Can they net at least one blue-chip, can’t-miss prospect? And even if they could, would he be as good as Reyes? Probably not, on all counts.

I don’t remember where I read this, but someone said Reyes is the type of player around whom you build, not the type of player you trade away. You could make the argument that the Mets already tried building around Reyes and David Wright, and that failed. But obviously Omar Minaya didn’t do it the right way. Perhaps Sandy Alderson can.

Before the Mets even entertain trading Reyes, they should find out exactly how much it would take to sign him. Remember when the Mets traded away David Cone because they didn’t think the could resign him? They never asked how much he wanted. It was likely a similar situation with Cliff Lee and the Phillies.

Of course Reyes will ask for the world, and many people say he is hoping to get a Carl Crawford-like $140 million deal. If that’s the case, the Mets will not and should not give him that much. I don’t seeing him getting more than a five-year, $75 million deal. And that type of deal should come from the Mets.