Ruben Tejada must bring Mets infield together
Ruben Tejada during an intrasquad game. (March 3, 2012) Credit: Alejandra Villa
JUPITER, Fla. -- Ruben Tejada inherited shortstop from Jose Reyes, but little else from the departed four-time All-Star. Jason Bay occupies Reyes' old locker -- the one that neighbors David Wright's, with an empty spot in between usually reserved as extra storage for the team VIPs.
Clubhouse real estate is all part of the growing process for a young player, even one with as much promise as Tejada. He's a little farther down the wall, nestled between Ronny Cedeño and Omar Quintanilla, which can make him easy to overlook.
But his fellow infielders insist Tejada, 22 and about to begin his first season as the full-time shortstop, makes his presence felt when outside that room. Just as Reyes did in his early years with the Mets, Tejada is still getting a better feel for English, which makes him come across as a bit shy on camera.
"He's a different person from what you see on TV as opposed to what you get behind closed doors," Wright said. "During interviews and stuff, he's very introverted, but he's very outgoing when he's around us. He's got a dry sense of humor."
Reyes was just the opposite. With flowing dreadlocks, a hyperactive personality and a distinctive laugh, he was always a magnet for attention. Tejada may have the confidence to succeed in the majors but doesn't yet have the cachet of Reyes, the homegrown star who won a batting title last season before signing a six-year, $106-million deal with the Marlins.
"I already feel like a big part of this because I've played with all these guys -- Ike, David, Murph," said Tejada, who was 0-for-1 with a run from the leadoff spot Wednesday in the Mets' 7-0 win over the Marlins. "I'm quiet, but I have a lot of fun playing the game and I know this is a big year for me."
When told that his teammates described him as funny, Tejada laughed. With the exception of Wright, he actually knows this group of infielders better than did Reyes, who was matched with an ever-changing cast during eight-plus years in Flushing. Tejada played with Davis at two levels of the minor leagues.
"I've played a lot of ball with Tejada," Davis said. "I've been used to him at shortstop more than anybody in the organization. He's pretty smart. Jose was more outgoing, and Tejada -- as a younger player -- you've got to be a little quieter."
But communication is key for a shortstop, and Tejada has to speak up when working with Daniel Murphy on one side and Wright on the other. While most of the focus has been on Tejada's double-play combination with Murphy, it's just as important for him to sync up with Wright.
Like his daily on-field tutorials with Murphy and coach Tim Teufel, Tejada is trying to get up to speed with Wright as well. It's a chemistry lesson that will continue into the regular season.
"With Jose, it was almost like we were attached by a string," Wright said. "I could tell when he was coming over to play close to me, and I would move over to the line and then vice versa. We just knew where each other played.
"Now, both of us, we're going to have to develop that same relationship because we have to play off of each other. We're going to have to learn where we like to play -- where our strengths are, where are weaknesses are. It's just getting used to each other."
