Manuel toying with idea of batting Reyes third

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - As if the Mets don't have enough hurdles to clear, it took Jerry Manuel only a few minutes Friday to discuss moving Jose Reyes out of the leadoff spot.

The subject dominated Manuel's state of the team media conference. No other questions involved messing with such a high-profile player, a two-time All-Star coming off a series of leg injuries that limited him to 36 games last season.

That Manuel intends to name Daniel Murphy the starting first baseman over Mike Jacobs and wants Jon Niese to win the fifth starter's job also were significant developments. But the impact of moving Reyes prompted most of the questions and overshadowed the iffy job status of Manuel, a lame-duck manager coming off a 70-92 season.

After his October surgery to clean up scar tissue from a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee, Reyes returned to baseball activity during the past month. Just as he is getting comfortable on the field again, Manuel is thinking about putting him in an unfamiliar place. Reyes has hit below the top spot in only 20 of his 791 career games. He also has never batted third in a major-league game.

Manuel used him in the No. 3 slot a handful of times during spring training a year ago - something that Reyes didn't particularly like - but switched him back in time for Opening Day. In a tempting display of his potential from the third spot, however, Reyes homered from each side of the plate, including a grand slam, in only his second game of spring training.

"We toyed a little bit with that last year," Manuel said. "And the reason for that is that in his evolution as a player, I think he's ready for that. If it's something that we need, if it's something that fits for us, I think he's ready for that. And I think he can handle that."

When asked about it Friday, Reyes did not seem to have a problem with the possible move.

"I'll do it," he said. "If they say that's going to be better for the team, I'm going to do it. Whatever is best for the team, I'm going to be open to do it."

Reyes also knows that Manuel has plenty of time to change his mind, just as he did last year before the season began.

"Let's see what happens," Reyes said, "because last year, [Manuel] said something, and then I hit two or three games in the third spot, and then he said, 'No, it's not a good idea.' So let's see."

Manuel is revisiting the plan again this year because of the absence of Carlos Beltran, who is likely to miss the first two months of the season after right knee surgery.

"Reyes, in my opinion, has evolved so that he could be a legitimate No. 3 hitter on a good team," Manuel said. "I think there will be more emphasis on driving in runs than, say, accumulating a high number of stolen bases. I would love to see him as a third hitter - assuming all the other parts fit."