MLB Free-Agent Rumors: Where Will Jose Reyes Land in 2012?

Jose Reyes is going to be one of the biggest free agents on the market in 2012. The fleet-footed shortstop has had some injury problems this season, but he is still putting up some very good numbers at the top of the New York Mets' lineup.

He is batting .335 with five home runs and 35 stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .376, so he is getting on base a little bit less than two out of every five ABs.

Many teams are surely going to want his services, so let's take a look at some of these rumors.

New York Mets

The New York Mets are in a slightly difficult position right now. The team has a very unstable financial situation now because of the Bernie Madoff-involvement lawsuit being brought against their owners.

According to an article in the New York Post, the Mets may need to have a payroll of $100-110 million next season.

Obviously, if they do re-sign Jose Reyes, he would take up a substantial portion of this payroll. However, in that same article I mentioned above, Reyes does not rule out a return to New York.

It is probably too early to tell what the Mets' financial situation will look like next season, but of course the Mets could use him.

Boston Red Sox

Jose Reyes would be a very interesting fit with the Boston Red Sox if this rumor comes true. Right now, they're using a platoon of Marco Scutaro and Jed Lowrie with a moderate level of success.

However, imagine a lineup with Jose Reyes, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford running the bases. That trio could steal well over 100 bases and provide a lot of RBI opportunities for Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz (assuming that he re-signs in Boston).

The Red Sox have a lot of money, so they will be able to probably put together a very good offer for him if they want to.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are predicted to be in the hunt for Jose Reyes. Currently, Erick Aybar is playing the position, and he has been doing a good job. He is however about to enter his prime, so perhaps his numbers will rise.

I am not sure if this would be the best move for the Angels to make. They have a young shortstop who should only continue to improve, so I do not think that shortstop is their biggest need.

Obviously, Reyes would be an upgrade for the Angels as he would for any team. However, I think they can spend their money in a more efficient way.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals made a splash last winter by signing Jayson Werth, and they are rumored to be in a potential target for Jose Reyes. Ian Desmond is having a difficult year for the Nationals, so it does make sense that they could be at shortstop.

However, I personally worry if the Nationals would have the money to pull it off. According to this article on thenatsblog.com, the Nationals only had a payroll of just over $63 million this year.

If the Nationals are willing to expand this payroll, then I assume that this deal could be possible. However, the Nationals also need to be careful that they do not load up on long-term contracts that will eat up the money they need to re-sign their young stars.