We are not Free Agents

So much talk about the Mets ability to re-sign superstar shortstop Jose Reyes has me thinking: Are average working Americans free agents?

Quite honestly, no. As much as we like to think we have the freedom to switch jobs, unless you possess extraordinarily uncommon skills, like a Jose Reyes, you are probably going to have to settle for whatever job you can get just to make ends meet. Employers know this; that’s why they know we will put up with their silly furlough days and years with no raises and doing the work of three people. Our options are limited in terms of employment.

Not so for a guy like Jose Reyes. As a Mets fan, I hope they re-sign him. A talent like Reyes comes along once in a generation. True, he’s not perfect. I sometimes think he has the hamstrings of an 80-year-old. Still, when he’s healthy, he’s a game-changer.

That’s why I think the Mets will make him a good offer, probably an above-market offer. But if some dumb owner comes along and offers an astronomical contract…well, Jose can’t be blamed for taking the money. He has to think about the financial security of his family over the loyalty to a team that has played poorly the past four years and shows no signs of turning into a contender anytime soon.

A more apropos situation to what average working Americans go through is how the Yankees treated Derek Jeter when he became a free agent before this season. Let me be clear: I hate the Yankees and Jeter reminds me of robot, a cold fish. But the way the team treated him made even this Yankee-hater cringe.

The Yankee hierarchy pretty much told him to take a hike. Why? Because his agent asked for too much money in the opening rounds of contract negotiations? Hey, that’s what agents do. Because he was getting old? At age 37, he’s no spring chicken, but he’s kept himself in shape and is now playing much better after a rough start at the beginning of the season. And did the Yankees have anyone to replace him? (And, no, Yankee fans, we are not giving you Jose Reyes for A.J. Burnett.)

It was just a reminder of how employers know they have the upper hand with employees these days. Get too old? We’ll get rid of ya. (A lot of that going around.) Make too much money? Buh-bye.

Would the Yankees have won all those championships without Jeter? Probably not. I think their winning had more to do with Mariano Rivera, but Jeter was a big part of it. He’s been a good soldier for the organization and has never embarrassed himself or the team (something I cannot say about quite a few Mets). Yet the team publicly dissed him. He did sign, but for less than he wanted just to stay with the team he’s worked so hard for and that apparently has very little respect for him despite his years of loyalty. I know the feeling, DJ.

Back to the other shortstop in town: To be fair, Jose hasn’t been a jerk about his impending free agency (for that, see LeBron James). He has said numerous times that he loves playing for the Mets and playing in New York. And why wouldn’t he want to stay? There’s no better stage for an athlete than NYC and it has a large Latino population.

I would hate to see him go, but my gut feeling is he will not stay with the team.

That’s his choice. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had the same opportunity?