The images dovetailed with how New York Mets fans imagined Citi Field would look like in 2015: Jose Reyes, sprinting from foul line to center field, warming up. Reyes, spraying batting practice fastballs into the gaps, spectators projecting Reyes racing from home to third with each line drive. Reyes, taking grounders while a huge image of the Mets' number seven appeared on the scoreboard in center field.
But that seven belongs to Travis d'Arnaud now, the contending team in Queens employs Ruben Tejada at shortstop, and Reyes plays for the Colorado Rockies.
For a man who clearly feels his baseball mortality — Reyes turned 32 in June, and he's brought that fact up, unprompted, in the last several interviews he's done with USA TODAY Sports — the chance to win with his hometown organization disappeared a few years ago.