Rockies Year in Review: Jose Reyes

Today, we are featuring Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes.

Here at Rox Pile, we are starting a player review for each and every player that suited up in a Colorado Rockies uniform this season. This series will be going all the way up until Dec. 16 with player profiles posted every day.

Before the 2015 season Jose Reyes was playing baseball in the American League East with the Toronto Blue Jays and had a fairly high reputation within baseball circles. Both of those things changed for Reyes when he joined Colorado at the 2015 trade deadline as a part of the Troy Tulowitzki trade. The Rockies are now Reyes’ fourth team in the last 4 years, and his future in baseball is in doubt.

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Speaking strictly on performance, Reyes played in only a total of 47 games for the Rox in 2015. In that time, he posted a mediocre batting average of .259, and an even less impressive on-base percentage of .291. On the defensive side of things, Reyes is far removed from the Gold Glover who used to occupy the 6 spot at Coors Field. Although Reyes only had 3 errors in 47 games for the Rox, he did post a barely measurable DWAR of 0.3. Anyone with the capability to think knows that Reyes isn’t half the play Tulowitzki is, but I also don’t think the Rockies front office ever intended for Reyes to be (I certainly hope not anyway). In my view the acquisition of Reyes was more about his soon to be expiring contract and to keep the seat warm until Trevor Story is ready.

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Based on talent alone, Jose Reyes was once regarded as one of great shortstops in the game. Reyes was extremely entertaining to watch as he would routinely stretch singles into doubles, and steal bases in the blink of an eye. Off the field, Reyes was a guy that was regarded as someone who could keep a clubhouse together, especially among Latino players. Those days are long gone however; Reyes didn’t have the fundamentals or the baseball IQ to sustain his star status. Today we just see a below average shortstop smiling his way through loss after loss.

Next: Year in Review: Tyler Matzek

In sum, Reyes isn’t the player his contract suggests he is, and now with his Oct. arrest for domestic violence, he comes with more unwanted baggage. I strongly believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty, and we still don’t know the legal ramifications of Reyes’ case, but there are a few things we do know.

Firstly, we know that professional sports have only taken domestic abuse cases seriously within the last two years. Secondly, we have all seen the public relations nightmare that the NFL has gone through, and what the Dallas Cowboys are going through as we speak. To avoid a similar situation, it will be absolutely vital for the MLB to hit Reyes hard (if the evidence is there), and I hope they do. Lastly, we know that it is the commissioner’s office that will be handling the Reyes situation specifically, and not the Colorado Rockies. But if Reyes is found guilty, or settles out of court, I don’t want to see Reyes in Rockies uniform in 2016.

Overall Grade: D

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