Reyes on a tear since Wilpon's comments

Whether it winds up being true or not, Fred Wilpon certainly got everyone's attention when he said Jose Reyes won't get "Carl Crawford money" as a free agent.

Reyes was listening, too.

Forget that the shortstop said all the right things in the wake of last week's Wilpon-created tempest in The New Yorker. Reyes stood at his locker at Wrigley Field and repeated virtually the same answer: "He's the boss."

That's because this is no longer personal between Reyes and the Mets, the only organization he has ever known. It's strictly business now, and Reyes is showing he also can play that game -- extremely well.

On Sunday, Reyes outshined Jimmy Rollins, the 2007 MVP, with four hits, including two triples, in the Mets' 9-5 win at Citi Field. It was Reyes' sixth straight multihit game, matching his 2003 career high, a stretch that began when Wilpon's comments reached the newsstand.

Coincidence? Maybe. But Reyes is batting .519 (14-for-27) with three doubles and two triples in those six games, which feels an awful lot like a man on a mission. He's raised his average to .335, and as for his personal kryptonite, on-base percentage, that's up to .382.

"When Jose is on the field with the likes of Jimmy Rollins and other great shortstops, he picks his play up immensely," Terry Collins said. "When you leave the stadium, he's talked about."

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These days, Reyes already is off the charts. He tops the majors with 76 hits, eight triples and 19 stolen bases (tied) and leads the NL with 17 doubles. How can there possibly be another level?

"There is for all the stars," Collins said. "There's a time when they can raise their game to where others can't."

Sounds like something that could be useful for a contender, such as the Giants or Reds, and there's not much point to keeping Reyes beyond the All-Star break if the only benefit is to temporarily soothe a bitter fan base.

If the Mets don't plan on having the money to re-sign Reyes, and there's little to suggest otherwise, is it better to say your goodbyes over a four-month going-away party or make a clean break for the start of a painful rebuilding project?

Count on this, though: Reyes has checked his emotional attachment to the Mets at the clubhouse door. As much as he loves playing in New York and feeding off the energy here, he is not going to get all nostalgic about it.

That was clear in the offseason when Reyes said he had no intention of talking with the Mets about an extension before the end of this season. Sandy Alderson, concerned about Reyes' medical history, then did him a favor by saying the same thing.

Reyes couldn't feel much better about that decision, and the Mets' serious financial issues will keep them away from the negotiating table for a while.

"I've told you guys a million times, if it comes, it comes," said Reyes, who emphasized there's been absolutely no discussion between the two sides. "I'm just going to continue to play."

That leaves the Mets with the nightmare scenario they dreaded before the season. The better Reyes performed in his walk year, the less chance they would have of re-signing him, and that's exactly what has happened.

It's still early, but Reyes quickly has worked his way into the MVP discussion, just as he did in 2006, when he finished seventh. That was a long time ago, but Reyes, who turns 28 June 11, is 22 months younger than Crawford.

"At this age, 27, 28, they say that's when you put it all together," Reyes said, "so I know I can be better."

Better? Reyes might not get the $142 million Crawford received from Boston. But if the Mets sell him short and he plays like this for another team that puts up the cash, he'll have something money can't buy: the satisfaction of proving Wilpon wrong.