REYES SLATED TO RETURN SATURDAY, BUT DOES IT MATTER?

The Mets are expecting their star shortstop Jose Reyes to return on Saturday. Unless Reyes learned how to pitch during his extra stay at Minor League camp, his return shouldn't make too big of a difference considering the runs they've scored so far without him.

In the first two games of their series against the Florida Marlins the Mets have scored 13 runs. You can't expect a team to average 6.5 runs-per-game over a 162 game season, and you shouldn't expect that number to increase a whole lot even with Reyes' return.

 In fact, the Mets should have probably installed Reyes in the opening day lineup. Why? Well as far as his health, there wasn't a problem. Reyes' thyroid levels were back to normal and his hamstring was almost 100%. He played in a couple of minor league games while the Mets were in Port St. Lucie on the back fields.

The question concerning Reyes' delayed return has to be, what was the reason? Was it the fact that the Mets wanted to show they are taking care of their injured players more than last season, when they had one player after another go down to injury? It could be that they wanted to tell the Mets faithful that they will go out of their way to not rush players back. If that was the case, this was taking it alittle too far. If your star player is fine health-wise and is the engine to your offense, he should be in the opening day lineup.

The Mets have to depend on their pitching. The reason they lost last night's game is because of a lack of bullpen depth, having to bring Hinsinori Takahashi into a tie game in the 10th inning. They didn't lose because of a lack of runs scored. 

There is no doubt the Mets are a better team with Reyes' presence in the lineup. He wreaks havoc on the basepaths, uses his speed to cause opposing infielders to commit errors as they try to rush to throw him out at first, but how many more runs can a team score to outscore their own pitching?

The same will apply to when Carlos Beltran makes his return in mid-May. Although the Mets will be glad to have Reyes back this weekend, just how much of a difference will it really make?