Reyes, the Mets, the Marlins, and Short- vs. Long-Term

Apparently the Marlins might offer Jose Reyes something like a three-year, $20 million per year deal. People are arguing that Reyes ought to accept that deal: he'd get three years to play in his prime, and would then get to hit free agency again, still (more or less) in his prime! But here's the thing: stipulate that Reyes might be interested in taking that deal. Why in the world couldn't the Mets match it? It's clear to me that they can fit the ~20 million into next year's payroll, especially if the deal is a little bit back-loaded. Most of the concern I've heard from the Mets people is over giving Reyes lots and lots of years. I'm pretty sure that if Reyes goes to the Marlins on a three-year deal, it doesn't just mean the Mets weren't interested in him, it means he's not interested in the Mets: not with a hometown discount, and not without one. If so, he's been lying, publicly, repeatedly, for the past year.

Meanwhile I'm fairly certain the statement in this article that "most people in baseball think it’s already a forgone conclusion that Reyes will take his talents to south beach" is false. It's still November, guys: nothing's a forgone conclusion. And as to his forming "one hell of an infield" with Hanley Ramirez, Omar Infante, and Gaby Sanchez, I think Wright, Davis, and Tejada/Murphy compare not-unfavorably to that group.