Collins worked to earn players' respect

Terry Collins convinced the Mets to guarantee his 2013 option year, but the key to that was winning the hearts and minds of the clubhouse first, something he had not done in stops in Houston and Anaheim.

Eventually, that should pay better dividends than the Mets' final 77-85 record for this season. But after Wednesday's 3-0 victory over the Reds at Citi Field, it was evident that Collins has made a positive impact on the organization. David Wright even took Collins aside in the dugout during the game and told him things "will get better."

"I mean it," Wright said. "I think there's a lot of optimism moving forward. We had some young players come up this year and really make a name for themselves. I think that you like the feeling that's in this clubhouse every day because you do have younger players that are bringing that energy."

For Collins, it was about earning the trust of his players, and included honoring Reyes' request to come out of the game after his bunt single.

"If I don't follow that, I could possibly lose the one thing that I helped create all summer long in one instance, and I wasn't going to let that happen," Collins said. "I can understand anybody in this room, or anybody in the stands, being offended by it or being upset by it. But when I now walk in that room and say something, they know I'll stand behind it, and down the road, that's going to mean a lot."

Batista in the 2012 mix?

Miguel Batista, in one of the season's most improbable performances, pitched a two-hitter Wednesday to beat the Reds in a tidy 2 hours, 15 minutes. It was the sixth shutout of his career and first since July 19, 2006, with the Diamondbacks. Afterward, Batista said he'd welcome a spring-training invite from the Mets at age 41.

"Why not?" Batista said. "I don't know what else I can do, throw a perfect game? At least I showed I'm not too old to pitch a shutout."