Could Reyes be auditioning for Giants?

Jose Reyes reported to work at Citi Field Tuesday night. So did Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy.

Juan Uribe, on the other hand, went to Dodger Stadium.

And that's why Reyes could be playing his home games at AT&T Park come July. A night like this will only enhance that possibility.

The Mets' shortstop and fan favorite produced a double, two singles and three walks (one intentional) and stole a base in the Mets' 7-6, 10-inning loss to San Francisco. In short, Reyes looked like the electric player capable of parachuting into a pennant race and serving as a game-changer.

"I feel good. I'm seeing the ball good," said Reyes, who raised his on-base percentage to .377. "I'm not swinging at too many bad pitches. I'm swinging at strikes."

The Giants? The defending World Series champions looked like the sort of team that just might need such a jolt, particularly at shortstop.

Now, we're admittedly getting ahead of ourselves. A deal of this magnitude wouldn't occur until June at the earliest. The Mets (12-17) have to make sure that they're not meant to contend in 2011 before they start auctioning off Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez.

However, we're not quite making an immense, two-month leap, either. The Mets don't look like they can hang in there. The Giants (14-15), dragged down once again by a grisly-looking lineup -- this game notwithstanding -- possess an elite pitching staff that should keep them in the race for the National League West title and the NL wild card.

Uribe left for the Dodgers last winter, signing a three-year, $21-million deal, and the Giants believed Uribe didn't give them a full shot at retaining him.

San Francisco signed veteran Miguel Tejada (one year, $6.5 million) with the idea that he could serve as a stopgap shortstop. Tejada has been predictably awful, and even slid over to third base as Pablo Sandoval is out through the month with a right hamate bone fracture. Veteran Mike Fontenot started at shortstop.

The Giants arrived here as a mess, having lost eight of 11. Sabean, the general manager, asked his new special assistant Lou Piniella -- looking tan and relaxed -- to fly here from his Tampa home and watch the Giants play for three days, just to get another set of trusted eyes.

The club held a pregame team meeting to discuss its lack of fundamentals at the plate. The Giants entered ranked 15th in the NL in runs (99) and on-base percentage (.295).

"We're better than we're doing right now," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Because the Giants didn't re-sign Uribe to a multiyear contract, they have added financial flexibility to make a trade during the season; their ownership always has supported such efforts, regardless.

Baseball America ranked San Francisco's farm system 23rd overall, three spots below the Mets, so they aren't quite teeming with talent. But the Giants usually operate aggressively, so if they think a player such as Reyes can put them over the top -- particularly as they try to repeat -- they could surrender one or more of their better prospects in return for a Reyes rental.

The Giants, like many teams, possess concerns about Reyes' past health issues. So Reyes' next few weeks will play a considerable role in his future. If he keeps performing like his 2006-08 self, then he can alleviate those concerns.

As Reyes' current manager Terry Collins said, "I've been so impressed with him since the season started."

You also can include the Milwaukee Brewers, Anaheim Angels, Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds in this early parlor game of where Reyes might go. The better he plays, particularly in front of his suitors, the better off the Mets should be.