Reyes' 10th triple has him back to normal

Seeing Jose Reyes change the game with one swing Saturday night in the Mets' 5-0 win over the Braves stirred up visions of the ill-fated experiment to use him in the No. 3 spot a year ago.

It was Reyes' three-run triple off Scott Proctor that put the Mets comfortably ahead -- exactly the type of weapon that prompted former manager Jerry Manuel to flirt with the idea of dropping him from the leadoff spot before the start of the 2010 season.

Reyes was never happy with the concept, however, and the short-lived idea ultimately was derailed by his thyroid issues that spring. But with the Mets facing a severe power shortage these days and Reyes' .502 slugging percentage second only to Carlos Beltran's .518 on the active roster, the question again was floated to Terry Collins in his postgame news conference.

Would you consider moving Reyes to the No. 3 spot?

"He's going to stay right where he is," the manager said.

When prodded a bit further, Collins explained that it's more than just a simple switch with Reyes, a player who cannot be separated from his identity as a leadoff hitter.

"You guys were here when he went in the third spot," Collins said. "I don't think he's very comfortable with it, and I don't think you ask those kind of players to do things they're not comfortable with."

There are few things that Reyes is sensitive about, and one is batting leadoff. During a lull in his conversation with reporters, he turned to the one who asked Collins about moving him in the order and playfully said, "You told Collins I should hit third?"

Either word traveled fast or Reyes saw it for himself on a clubhouse TV, and the mere mention of switching him to third -- in theory -- conjured up some bad memories he does not wish to repeat.

Collins understands he would be foolish to mess with Reyes, who with his 10th triple has reached double-digits quicker by calendar date than any other player in Mets history. Lance Johnson held the previous mark, reaching it by June 11 in 1996.

And here's something else to think about with Reyes four months away from free agency. All 10 of those triples this season have come at Citi Field, a stadium that seems tailored for his talents. "It doesn't matter," he said. "People know through my career I've hit triples in all parks."

Reyes' 10th triple in the Mets' 58th game is the fastest by that measure since 2007, when Curtis Granderson did it in the Tigers' 58th game. He also extended his hitting streak to nine games -- Reyes is batting .462 (18-for-39) during that stretch -- and scored a run for the eighth consecutive game, tying the second-longest streak of his career.

As soon as Reyes popped up from his headfirst slide into third, he looked over at the Mets' dugout and flashed his crooked arm salute -- the Claw.

"I just saw everybody on the bench," Reyes said, "waiting for me to give them the Claw."

That's the best kind of therapy for Reyes, who's had a difficult week dealing with the death of his grandmother, Trinidad, along with the grief of his family back home in the Dominican Republic. He has spoken to his dad every day since returning from bereavement leave, and Saturday night helped in a baseball sense.

"When I'm on the field, I feel normal," Reyes said. "But it's going to be there for a little while."