Time Traveler Tuesdays: Rey Ordonez and Jose Reyes: The 'Kings' of the 2000s Mets Shortstops
- Manny Fantis
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
The 2000s Mets' shortstops story was the end of an era and the beginning of something even better for fans in Queens. The beloved, hot-shot fielding shortstop, Rey Ordonez, was on the decline, and the team needed to find a reliable replacement for his super range and super glove. Well, the decade ended up producing a fruitful upgrade for years, Jose Reyes.
Ordonez, in 2000, suffered a catastrophic forearm injury really early in the season. The injury happened on May 29, on a defensive play while Ordóñez was attempting to tag out Santangelo of the Los Angeles Dodgers at second base. After a wide throw from first baseman Todd Zeile, Ordonez leaped and whirled around to apply a backhanded tag; Santangelo’s helmet collided with Ordonez's exposed forearm, fracturing his ulna bone.
Ordonez had won three straight Gold Glove Awards from '97 to '99 before that injury early in the season. The broken arm also broke that streak. He was only batting .188 when his season ended after 45 games. So, it didn't really affect the team negatively on offense.
Later in the season, the Mets traded for the hot-hitting Mike Bordick from the Baltimore Orioles. Bordick was having a career year up until that point, before the trade. He got cold really quickly after the trade, however. He was batting .297 that year before the trade and batted .260 on the Mets afterward. His .OPS in the first 100 games of the season with the O's was .831. With the Mets, in 56 games, his OPS dropped to a paltry .685. Bordick was part of the World Series run for the team, but he only played that half-season with the Mets. He re-signed with the Orioles in 2001.
In 2001, Ordonez was looking to bounce back into his defensive dominance over the National League. He played 148 games in his bounce-back season, and he provided solid fielding and consistent play at shortstop. He was noticeably not the same player he was before the injury, but he was still better than most players at the position in the entire league. His fielding percentage was actually higher than his '98 Gold Glove season. His 2001 fielding percentage was .980, compared to his .975 percentage in 1998. He only made 12 errors in 2001, five fewer than in 1998.
Ordonez remained consistent at the plate, with another low offensive output in 2001. He batted .247 with 3 HR and 44 RBI.
Ordonez's final year with the Mets was a quiet one for the once-flashing fielding team legend. He was down in almost every defensive category, and his hitting didn't improve enough to make up for the difference. His fielding percentage dropped below .970 and he made 19 errors. He batted .254 with 1 HR and 42 RBI, and he ended up finishing the season with -0.5 WAR. Ordonez would sign with Tampa Bay in 2003, but he didn't really play a lot, and his career also ended quietly in 2004 with the Chicago Cubs. Ordonez will always be a Met, and he'll always be one of the most spectacular fielders any Mets fan has ever seen.
It was time to start the clock on a new legend at shortstop for the team, and in 2003, in early June, Reyes filled in for an injured Rey Sanchez and stuck around to climb the statistical leaderboard for the Mets. Reyes finished 8th in Rookie of the Year voting in 2003. He only had 292 plate appearances that year, but he left quite the impression on the team and in the league. He batted .307 that year, with 5 HR and 32 RBI, showing some pop and reliable fielding as well.
Reyes's second year sputtered to a slow start because of a severe hamstring injury that forced him to miss the first 66 games of the season. When he returned, he didn't last very long before injuring his ankle.
He only played 53 games in 2004, but he somehow managed to steal 19 bases and score 33 runs, even with all the injuries.
Reyes's hamstrings didn't hold him back in 2005. He actually had learned to adjust the way he ran so he would put less pressure on his chronically bad hamstrings. Whatever he did, it worked.
Reyes led the league in plate appearances, steals, and triples in 2005. He put together a season that could be seen as one of the best years in Mets history. He batted .273 with 7 HR, 58 RBI, 60 stolen bases, 24 doubles, 17 triples, 99 runs scored, and 190 hits. Reyes actually had some voters tally him for MVP that year, as he finished 30th in the voting.
The next few years were more of the same for Reyes; in 2006, he tore up the league with speed and timely hitting. This time, he batted .300, with 19 HR, 81 RBI, 30 doubles, 17 triples (led the league again), 64 stolen bases (led the league again), 122 runs, and 194 hits. It was an incredible year, earning him his first All-Star nod. Reyes finished 7th in MVP voting this time, while winning the Silver Slugger award.
More of the same in 2007 for Reyes, he batted with 12 HR and 57 RBI, with 78 stolen bases (led the league again), 12 triples, 30 doubles, 119 runs, and 191 hits. It was another All-Star season for the 24-year-old, who was putting up some incredible numbers for his age.
The 2008 season was the last full season in the decade for Reyes. He didn't disappoint. He led the league in hits, with 204. He hit 16 HR, drove in 68 runs, stole 56 bases, and hit a whopping 19 triples that season, while scoring 113 runs. Somehow, Reyes did not make the All-Star team in 2008. Hanley Ramirez on the Marlins was having a great year, but there's still no real explanation that makes any sense as to why the team didn't also include Reyes.
Reyes's hamstring hamstrung his 2009 season in late May. His hammy finally gave way, and he missed the rest of the season after tearing the tendon that held it together.
The decade began with arguably the best fielding shortstop to ever play the position for the New York Mets, and it ended with one of the best offensive players in all of baseball playing the position for the Mets. Ordonez and Reyes are both team legends for completely different reasons, but they'll always hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the most diehard Mets fans.
I'd love to read about your Rey and Reyes memories. Please leave some in the comments ! And if you want to keep the conversation going join our Kiner’s Korner Facebook group. It’s the perfect place to share stories, photos, and of course, a little healthy Mets debate.
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