Even Ricky Henderson Thinks Jose Reyes Is Self-Centered

(That's all me dog!!  All by myself!!!)

So today Jose Reyes might have single handedly redefined the term "self centered athlete."  In case you missed it (and seeing how it was the final regular season game between two teams long eliminated from playoff contention, I'm assuming that's all of you) Jose Reyes pulled himself out of the game...after his first at bat.  He wasn't hurt.  He wasn't retiring like John Kruk (scroll down to the "Chicago White Sox" section and read about by far, the pimpest way an athlete has ever retired).  Oh no, Jose took himself out of what very well might be the final game of his Mets career (he is a free agent...did I mention it was after his first at bat??) because he got a hit in that at bat.  Before the game he asked Terry Collins, the Mets manager, to pull him out if he went 1-1 because he was trying to protect his lead in the race for the NL Batting Crown.

("Ooooooo Jose, even I wouldn't have done that homey!  Well...maybe not.)

You read that correctly.  A guy, who has been the face of a franchise for at least the last five years, and perhaps the last 10, sought out his manager before the game to tell him he wanted to be removed in his final game, after one at bat.  Forget wanting to simply play for the love of the game; we all know that goes out the window when 85% of these guys get to the big leagues.  Forget wanting to play for the money; god forbid a player wants to actually earn his enormous paycheck.  How bout doing it as a way to say thanks to all those Met fans, Jose??  Good stuff bud.  That's ok, the fans can take solace in all those championships you helped them win.  No wait, that's not right.  He is also going to throw himself a party tonight at his house so he can watch Ryan Braun of the Brewers (who is his only competition for the batting title) and see if he will fail.  And frankly, Reyes deserves it doesn't he??  A guy that gives that kind of effort, you really hope good things happen to him.  I'll wrap it up (that's what she said) on this note:  In 1941, Ted Williams played BOTH games of a doubleheader on the final day of the regular season.  Williams was hitting .39955 entering the day, an average that would have been rounded up to .400.  Williams wanted to earn the distinction of hitting .400 and didn't want it handed to him (You hear that Jose?  He wanted to EARN it).  How did Teddy Ballgame do?  He went 6-8, no big deal, don't worry about it.  Finished with a .406 average, the last time a player has hit .400 in a season.