Jose Reyes' Timo Perez Impersonation Helps Mets Fall to Braves in 12 Innings

After allowing Jose Reyes' leadoff double in the 12th inning and Luis Castillo's sacrifice, the Braves' Mike Gonzalez struck out Carlos Beltran and froze Gary Sheffield with a called third strike, preserving an exhausting 8-7 win over the Mets.

Yes, the Mets should have won this game. Yes, they gave another one away. Yes, Ken Takahashi is no Hideo Nomo,and yes, Jose Reyes is good friends with Timo Perez (perhaps the worst decision-maker in all of baseball history). But the team is generally winning and all seems good in Met-land.

Fernando Tatis hit a fourth inning grand slam and Gary Sheffield went "field" with his second homer of the season and number 501 for his career, 3 shy of Eddie Murray for 24th on the all-time list (including juiced steriod users).

Jose Reyes had three doubles but again cost the Mets with foolish baserunning. A day after he was thrown out at third trying to stretch a two-run double that pulled the Mets within a run in the eighth, Reyes was out trying to cross to third on a grounder to shortstop with the score tied and one out in the seventh. Then, he admired his 12th-inning drive, thinking it was a home run and failing to run hard out of the batters' box. It missed being a home run by about 1½ feet.

I think Reyes needs some "rest", don't you? Perhaps a fake injury to keep him off the field for a few games?