I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night, and DH Every Day

Lucas Duda and Justin Turner have taken turns as the DH in Minnesota.  That could also stand for designated high-fiver. (Photo by Tom Lynn/AP)

With the Mets playing interleague games on the road this weekend, the designated hitter has found its way into New York's lineup.  Baseball purists might loathe the DH, but the Mets seem to be enjoying it quite a bit.  Out-of-shape scoreboard operators, not so much.

Over their last 16 games played in American League parks, the Mets have poured on the runs with the extra hitter in the batting order.  Take a look at the scores of all interleague road games played by New York dating back to June 25, 2011.

• June 25, 2011:  Mets 14, Rangers 5
• June 26, 2011:  Mets 8, Rangers 5
• June 28, 2011:  Mets 14, Tigers 3
• June 29, 2011:  Mets 16, Tigers 9
• June 30, 2011:  Tigers 5, Mets 2
• May 18, 2012:  Blue Jays 14, Mets 5
• May 19, 2012:  Blue Jays 2, Mets 0
• May 20, 2012:  Mets 6, Blue Jays 5
• June 8, 2012:  Yankees 9, Mets 1
• June 9, 2012:  Yankees 4, Mets 2
• June 10, 2012:  Yankees 5, Mets 4
• June 12, 2012:  Mets 11, Rays 2
• June 13, 2012:  Mets 9, Rays 1
• June 14, 2012:  Mets 9, Rays 6
• April 12, 2013:  Mets 16, Twins 5
• April 13, 2013:  Mets 4, Twins 2

For those of you too lazy or mathematically-challenged to score at home, that's 121 runs scored by the Mets in the 16 games - an average of 7.6 runs per game.  And that's including four games in which the Mets failed to score more than two runs.

National League baseball is wonderful for those who believe in the importance of strategy.  Double switches and decisions on when to pinch hit for the pitcher require a manager in the Senior Circuit to use his brain more often than his counterparts in the American League do.  But clobbering the tar off the ball is pretty fun, too.  The Mets have been doing just that over the past 16 games they've played in American League parks.

Those out-of-shape American League scoreboard operators might want to do an extra push-up or two the next time the Mets come to town.  It's amazing what a DH can do to a team's confidence and performance at the plate.

We May See R.A. Dickey Again Sooner Than We Think

Mets fans have expressed their love for R.A. Dickey since the news of his trade to Toronto broke last week.  Although fans understand the business aspect of the game, which dictated that Dickey should be traded while his value was at its highest, it was still difficult to see such a beloved member of the team go.

Those same fans have taken to Twitter, with many of them wishing Dickey the best of luck in Toronto and hoping he wins the 2013 A.L. Cy Young Award.  But for all those fans lamenting the fact that they might not see Dickey on the field again, especially since the Mets played Toronto in 2012 and are not scheduled to play them in 2013, you may get to see him sooner than you think.

Since his renaissance as a major league pitcher began in 2010 with the Mets, Dickey is 7-0 with a 1.77 ERA against American League opponents.  Who will he facing the most as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays?  American League opponents!  So if he continues his dominance over the junior circuit, it would seem to make sense that he'd represent his new league in the 2013 All-Star Game.  And where is that All-Star Game being played?

This patch may be on R.A. Dickey's All-Star Game jersey this coming July.

R.A. Dickey was denied the start in this year's Midsummer Classic by National League manager Tony La Russa.  But if Dickey continues to pitch like he did in 2012, would Jim Leyland dare deny Dickey of the start in the 2013 All-Star Game in front of the sellout Citi Field crowd?

Imagine the outpouring of love for Dickey during the pre-game introduction.  Can you hear the roar of the crowd when he takes the mound on July 16?  It could happen.  And if Dickey continues to mow down American League lineups like he has since 2010, it should happen.

You don't have to make any special trips to Toronto or - heaven forbid - the House That Juice Built in the Bronx to see R.A. Dickey pitch in 2013.  If all goes well, you may end up seeing Dickey at the park he called home for the past three seasons this coming July.  The ovation he received after his 20th victory last September will pale in comparison to the one he'd get at next year's All-Star Game.

If Not New York, Where Should Jose Reyes Play?

The Tour de Reyes is underway, with Jose making his first stop earlier today in Miami to tour the Marlins' new ballpark. According to Joe Frisaro (Marlins' beat reporter for mlb.com), the free agent shortstop had lunch with Marlins' team officials at Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach, but did not sign a contract with the newly renamed Miami Marlins.

John Harper of the Daily News believes the Marlins are only going to offer Reyes a three-year deal with an average annual value exceeding $20 million.  Although the Marlins are willing to increase their payroll this year, the length of the deal is probably not enough for them to have a realistic shot to sign Reyes.

Other teams said to have an interest in Reyes include Milwaukee, Detroit and...oh yeah...any team who wants to improve their chances of winning and put extra fans in the seats!

If you were Jose Reyes, what would you do?  Could you imagine yourself being Ryan Braun's teammate, just months after you sat yourself down after one at-bat in the regular season finale in order to improve your chances of winning the batting title?  What about playing for strict disciplinarian Jim Leyland, who tells it like it is, even if it's not something you want to hear?

Never mind those two teams.  Could Reyes really see himself wearing this hideous jersey (see photo below, right) for the next few seasons?  He'd have to get his eyes checked if he did that.

So let's say Jose Reyes doesn't re-sign with the Mets.  Where would the best place be for him if he wants to continue to be an elite player?

With a career batting average of .292, Jose Reyes has always been an above-average hitter.  Obviously, as a member of the Mets, most of his games have come against National League teams.  However, have you seen his numbers in interleague play?

In 447 career at-bats against American League teams, Reyes has hit .304.  He has also been exceptional at making contact, striking out only 44 times in those 447 at-bats.  However, some of those 447 at-bats came in New York.  What has Reyes done when he's played in an American League park?  How about a .331 career mark in AL stadiums.  Did that get your attention?

Over his nine-year career, Jose Reyes has hit over .400 in five different stadiums.  Four of those ballparks are in the American League (Angels Stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Comerica Park, Rogers Centre).  The other stadium in which Reyes holds a career batting above .400 is Olympic Stadium, a ballpark Reyes will never play in again regardless of which team he chooses to sign with.

If Reyes wants to go where the money and long-term security is, then the American League is the place for him.  He has thrived in interleague play, especially when the Mets were wearing the road grays (or alternate black jerseys, which are still better looking than those new Marlins unis).

However, there's one other ballpark we haven't looked at.  What about Citi Field?  A quick check of the numbers reveals that Reyes has had his fair share of success there as well.

This looks like a good fit to me.  Isn't that right, Jose?

Jose Reyes has played approximately one full season's worth of games at Citi Field (153 games).  In 626 at-bats in the Mets' home ballpark, Reyes has batted .319, picking up exactly 200 hits.  Reyes has excelled in the extra-base hit department at Citi Field, lashing 29 doubles, 20 triples and 13 home runs.  Just as he has done against the American League, Reyes' contact rate has also been exceptional at Citi Field.  The shortstop has struck out a mere 55 times in 626 at-bats.

One more thing about Reyes at Citi Field.  As any Mets fan knows, Reyes' game is in his legs, and at Citi Field, no one is better at stealing bases.  In 153 games there, Reyes has stolen 44 bases while being caught only four times.  His 92% success rate at Citi Field is his highest in any ballpark.  Reyes has been successful in 79% of his stolen base attempts at venues other than Citi Field.

If Jose Reyes chooses to leave the Mets, it would benefit him to move to the American League.  But why would he want to do that?  He could play 81 games a year at Citi Field, where he has performed well both at the plate and on the basepaths.  Besides, blue and orange will always look better on him than tangerine.