There had also been a debate last year about keeping Reyes and shopping Wright. When I would hear these conversations on talk radio here in New York, I wanted to scream at the announcers. How could you keep Reyes and not keep Wright?
Well, we all know how that turned out now. Reyes is in Miami now and seems happy, and Wright is having a career year. At this time he is hitting .411 with 4 homers and 22 RBI in 35 games. He has an on base percentage of .513 and a slugging percentage of .621. Yes, some have said his home run numbers are down, but look at all the rest of what he is doing. He is leading the way for this young Mets team, and that is one of the main reasons for their early success this season.
That is why I say that owner Fred Wilpon and GM Sandy Alderson have to make two very salient and expedient decisions now: They must extend Wright's contract and they must name him team captain. Respectively, one shows Wright a vote of confidence and says that the Mets will be built around him for years to come; the other makes official what is already apparent to everyone else. David Wright is not just a leader on this team; he is the leader of this team.
Of course, it is a long season, and many things can happen between now and October, but the time is now to show David Wright some love. The fans love him, his teammates obviously do, and so does his manager Terry Collins. The Mets organization must make these moves now to solidify their relationship with Wright for the long haul. Because when October comes and if the Mets are still in the mix, a happy David Wright will mean a great deal in those games beyond number 162.
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