Reese Havens' Back Surgery Would Change Everything

Adam Rubin wrote last night that Mets infield prospect, Reese Havens, might have to have back surgery in the off-season.

On the surface, he's just one of many names that have been thrown around regarding who will someday be the future Mets second baseman, as well as shortstop.

Players like Josh Satin, Justin Turner, Ruben Tejada, Jordany Valdespin, Wilmer Flores, and Wilfredo Tovar have all been written about this year as possibly being the future savior at one of these two positions.

The good news is the level of talent depth here. Frankly, it's something I 'm seeing not only at second and short, but also in the outfield. Prospect depth by position has been rare the past five years, but, I gotta tell ya, there's a lot going on down on the farm right now.

The bad news is the fact that all the names listed above are very talented minor league prospects trying to fit into a system.

Havens is the opposite. He is a special talent that a system would adjust itself to.

Defensively, Tovar and Tejada are da bomb.  Offensively, Satin is a pure hitter. But Havens is the one guy that has the potential to be the first consistent 30+ home run hitting second baseman for the Mets... ever.

It's scary how much this is mirroring Shawn Bowman, the prospect who David Wright had to take a back seat to when they both first came to the Mets. Bowman had back surgery twice and lost close to 2 1/2 years of critical play time. He finally did heal 100% in 2008 and 2009, but the dye had been cast... Wright had become the third baseman, and the Mets moved on to developing others. Add to that the fact that no other team would consider a trade for someone that broke his back... twice... and, well, you get the picture (BTW... Bowman hit 22-HRs this year in AA ball for Toronto and he turns only 26 this December).

Havens looks to be going down the same road now, and, if surgery does happen, the organization is going to have to move on without him. 2011 will be lost and who earned these two jobs in Queens for the 2012 season must be solved before Reese rehabs a season.

Sad.

My guess... this changes everything regarding what the Mets plans are regarding the resigning of Jose Reyes. Havens was thought of the person that would take second base away from Tejada, and become the full time Met in 2012. That won't happen now.

Frankly, the first decision the Mets have to make is regarding Valdespin, who would have to be given a 40-man roster position to prevent him from being scooped up in this year's Rule V. Trust me...  I sit with the scouts.  "Spin" will be taken by a new team, regardless what a pain in the ass they think he is.

Right now, Tejada can relax a little. Without the Havens threat, he will become the new Mets second baseman.

But, if Satin keeps pounding ball like he has the past two years, this might not be a bad time to consider trade baiting Jose... playing 2011 with Arias and Tejada... and replacing Arias in 2012 with Satin.

On the surface, the Mets will survive the loss of Havens, but the future of this team in this decade would have been much more solid with Reese on the field. Let's pray this whole posting is moot.