Should the Giants acquire Jose Reyes?

New York Mets’ Jose Reyes signs an autograph before their MLB spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida March 12, 2011. REUTERS/Scott Audette (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

For those who have had the misfortune of watching Miguel Tejada play on a nightly basis, the answer to the question in the title should roll off the tongue: “Yes. Yes the Giants should acquire Jose Reyes. Please God, in all your holiness, allow the Giants to acquire Jose Reyes so that I don’t have to continue to endure Miguel Tejada.”

But the question becomes a little more convoluted when you consider the many factors that would go into trading for Reyes. For starters, the Giants would have to accommodate his $11 million salary this year. That may not be a big deal in the short term, but there are rumors that the 27-year-old will be looking to match Carl Crawford’s seven-year, $142 million deal when he hits free agency this winter. Would the Giants be willing to give up a top prospect in order to acquire a rent-a-player for a couple of months? Furthermore, should they?

The Mets will probably ask but it’s doubtful that the Giants would part with either Madison Bumgarner or Brandon Belt. Either of those players would be too much to give up to acquire a player that New York is looking to dump anyway. The Giants could pitch (pun definitely intended) Jonathan Sanchez in a deal, although that would leave a gapping hole in their pristine rotation. They could probably get by with a starting five of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Bumgarner, Barry Zito and Ryan Volgelsong, but why weaken the pitching staff when the point of acquiring Reyes is to win now?

The more likely scenario for the Giants is to center a deal around former first rounder Zack Wheeler, who was taken sixth overall in 2009. He is one of the top 55 best prospects in the game and while it would deplete the Giants’ already thin farm system, they could stomach that blow much easier than they could if they dealt someone like Sanchez.

But again, it all comes back to whether or not the Giants should make a deal like this. Yes, Reyes would be a massive upgrade over Tejada and once Pablo Sandoval returns in 4-6 weeks, their struggling offense would like rather potent. Assuming Reyes stays healthy and continues to hit as well as he has over the first month of the season, he could lift the Giants back into World Series contention. That said, does a team like San Fran make a move like this for a potential rent-a-player? It’s a tough call, although a few more weeks of watching Tejada flail at pitches and try to play ground balls to his side could force the Giants’ hand.

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