Perrotto: Bryan Reynolds Doesn’t Seem Like Disgruntled Employee (+)
BRADENTON, Fla. – Maybe it’s the sunshine. Perhaps it’s the sound of the ball hitting the mitt. Could even be the remnants of Valentine’s Day romance still in the air.
Spring training has begun and it’s a time for optimism in camps throughout Florida and Arizona. It is also a time to be romantic about what used to be the national pastime until the NFL swallowed Major League Baseball whole and the NBA is trying to follow suit.
I am unable to escape the good vibes of spring training. One day of sunshine has melted a layer of my cynicism.
So maybe I’m crazy but I still think center fielder Bryan Reynolds and the Pittsburgh Pirates can reach an agreement on a long-term contract.
Reynolds addressed the media Wednesday for the first time since he requested the Pirates trade him in December. He certainly didn’t sound like someone ready to put the Pirates and Pittsburgh in his rearview mirror.
Reynolds did not badmouth the Pirates even remotely other than to calmly say the sides disagree on his value as a baseball player. When I asked Reynolds point blank if he would be willing to resume negotiations, he said yes without hesitation and added that signing a long-term deal with the Pirates remains his top priority.
There are also some other clear signs that Reynolds isn’t quite as eager to leave the Pirates as his trade request suggests.
Reynolds reported to spring training Wednesday on the day pitchers and catchers began workouts. Position players are not required to show up until Sunday. A disgruntled player wouldn’t come to work four days early.
Reynolds also spent the winter working out regularly under the tutelage of Pirates hitting coach Andy Haines in Nashville. Someone looking to leave town wouldn’t maintain that strong of ties to his team in the offseason.
Reynolds also revealed that he had a bourbon room added to his home in the Nashville area. That has nothing to do with the trade request, but I’ve never known anyone with a bourbon room.
Even though I don’t drink, it seems like a cool thing.
Bryan Reynolds’ trade request certainly didn’t cause a distraction Wednesday as some had theorized over the last two months. He addressed the issue head-on with the media and his teammates seemed genuinely happy to see him.
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Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes certainly doesn’t think Reynolds’ situation will become an issue.
“I don’t think it’ll be a distraction. He’s here to play baseball,” Hayes said. “I’ve known him since we were in Double-A, and I know he’s gonna come in the same person every day, whether he’s going through those talks or if he’s not. Since I’ve been here talking to him, he’s the game Bryan Reynolds. I think he’s gonna be the same player that he’s always been, show up every day and try to help his team.”
Hayes signed an eighth-year, $70-million contract last April, the richest in Pittsburgh Pirates’ history. He sounds like a guy who wouldn’t mind Reynolds breaking that record.
“Obviously, we want him to be here because he’s in the heart of our lineup and what he’s able to bring on the defensive side and all those things,” Hayes said. “He only makes our team better. I’m sure everyone here wants him on our team.”
As they should.
Reynolds is a good player, and the Pirates need as many as they can get following four straight last-place finishes in the National League Central. He is also a professional, which he showed again Wednesday by reporting to Pirate City early.
Reynolds can be hard to read at times because of his low-key demeanor. However, Reynolds certainly sounded sincere – his body language confirmed it – when he said he wants to work out a contract with the Pirates.
A deal is there to be done. Do it.
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