Jose Reyes spoke with WFAN’s Eddie Coleman right after yesterday’s Mets win against the Phillies.

Reyes on the win,

“Its never easy against the Phillies we got the first two games here and the series so, it’s a real good feeling for us.”

Asked about Jose’s leadoff double to start the game,

“I know I gotta get on base. So I said to myself before the game I am gonna swing at the first pitch if it’s gonna be middle in. So, I hit a double. It was great to start us off right there.”

Reyes on his home run,

“I didn’t try to hit the ball out. I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit, drive in a run.
But I have enough power to hit it out over the wall so it’s a good thing for us.”

On the Phils coming back in the game,

“Like I said before it’s never easy against the Phillies there are so tough. They have a good team but we are so happy to take the first two games of the series.”

On the celebrating:

“Yeah, it felt great. I miss that, not doing that for the first couple of weeks of the season. So now I’m gonna be back to doing the same exact thing I did last season, it’s a really great feeling for me and a great feeling for everyone in this dugout.”

When Eddie C. ended the interview saying he thinks everyone else in New York likes the way Jose celebrates, Eddie said “so keep it up,” Reyes replied, “OK Papa” …Classic.

In his column Beating the Bushes for the NY Post Tim Bontemps brings us up to date with Mets top pick from last year’s draft RP Eddie Kunz. Tim has quotes from Kunz’s old manager from Oregon St. and some thoughts from Mets brass. The Mets are obviously high on this kid, they would even think about giving him some time this season with the big club,

Mets VP of player development Tony Bernazard didn’t shy away from the possibility of Kunz being brought to Shea - even straight from Binghamton - if the need arises this season.
“It depends on the needs of the club,” he said. “The Eastern League is a very strong league, and guys have been brought straight up to the major leagues before.

After the Santana deal a lot was written about how the Mets have very little talent left in their system. So, the good news is he is impressing scouts and people within the Mets organization. Wow, at 22 there wasn’t a flat “no” to the idea raised of using him this year. Nice, I can hear the chants of Eddie, Eddie already.

After yesterday’s game Both Willie Randolph and Billy Wagner spoke about feelings and Philadelphia. Willie about about his team in terms of the Phillies and Wagner spoke about the fan reaction when Reyes was seemingly hurt on Friday night.

First Willie, he was asked about the Mets confidence against the Phillies now that they have taken five in a row from them,

“We were always confident against the Phillies. There was never a doubt in this teams mind. Ball players and teams, when a team is really on to you and you can’t beat them, you know that. We lost some games against the Phillies last year during that so called streak that everyone likes to bring up, we should have won some of those games. So, when you know that, you don’t lose confidence against that team. You just hope the next time you play against them your the one who gets a little break here and there.”

“Coming into this year we wanted to comeback at these guys and show them that last year wasn’t the way it’s gonna be. Just because that stuff, jinxes and hexes are talked about doesn’t mean the players buy into it. We didn’t have anything to prove to ourselves about beating the Phillies. We’ve played well here and we’ve played well against the Phillies during the last three or four years. It’s a new year and players understand that you have to turn the page.”

“A team may have your number for a second as far as beating you but that doesn’t mean you can’t beat them or that your intimidated by them or they dominate you, that’s not baseball. It’s a game of streaks. Even when your not playing well you can beat any team. My team is too confident to fall into any of that. We knew very well that they were just fortunate when they played us last year.”

To listen to Willie go to WFAN.

In today’s Daily News Adam Rubin tells us what Billy Wagner had to say about Philly fans cheering when Jose Reyes went down while stealing second base Friday night.

“It’s really sad when humanity comes to the point where somebody getting hurt, it’s fun to watch,” Wagner said. “It’s sad when that happens. Nobody wants anybody to get hurt. I don’t want Jimmy Rollins getting hurt. I don’t want Pat Burrell to get hurt. I don’t want none of these guys. I want to compete against these guys because they’re the best, and you want to beat the best. You don’t want excuses. When you see Reyes laying there - it’s a tough shot, a clean play - and the fans cheering that he’s hurt, that just goes and shows you volumes about where our society is headed.”

“This is about the only place I’ve ever seen somebody get cheered when they get hurt. (Shoot), they boo Santa Claus. What’s it tell you? They’ve taken it to a whole new level when you’re cheering for somebody to be hurt.”

I love the way Willie reenforces his belief that last season the ball just did not bounce the Mets way against Philadelphia. I personally think Willie is right on with that point and that is what he should stress. There are only negatives to be gained by falling into the “Phillies have your number” mantra that some in the media want to make the story. There were just too many things and too many opponents involved in last years collapse for it to be a “Philly thing”. Plus, something like a jinx or an individual team having your number plays out over time, kinda like Mets-Braves, you can find more of an argument there. So, onto tonight and lets hope that Big Pelf brings his big broom.

Marty Noble of Mets.com writes that the Mets were so worried C Brian Schneider had injured his forearm seriously (X-Rays were negative) that they started to make plans to call-up a replacement from the minors. Schneider took a foul tip off the bat of Phillies Chase Utley to his forearm and his right arm and fingers went numb. So much so that Billy Wagner said,

“I was hoping they got nobody on base, cause his throws back to me were barely getting there.”

Schneider said,

“It got me good. I can’t really grip right now, “When I got it hit, I looked up [at the scoreboard] and saw 97 [mph]. And I got all of it.”

Man, I’m assuming Brian won’t play tomorrow but I hope it’s nothing that will linger. He looked excellent behind the dish yesterday, making at least one memorable play on a ball in the dirt that saved a run, even ex-catcher/Fox Baseball analysts Tim McCarver was astonished by the play.

First things first, UHG!! no post game show, it annoys me to no end. The Mets have their own network, inexcusable.

Willie Randolph spoke to the media following the game and Wagner spoke about Heilman,

Willie on Ollie:

“Ollie was in a nice rhythm, threw hard into the mid-90’s. When he’s on like that, he’s tough to hit.”

Willie on Heilman:

“You have to be tough-minded in the bullpen, and Aaron’s as tough as they come. He did a great job. I have complete confidence in him. He understands his job and his position, that your not gonna come through every time but you have to be confident. I have supreme confidence in him.”

Willie on Reyes showing emotion today:

“Party’s always here guys. When your winning and getting hits and scoring runs you’ll see a lot of that. I like when my guys show emotion and have fun playing the game. He (Jose) got excited, hit a big home run, he should show emotion.”

Click here for video of Reyes home run and a little dance.

Willie on Wagner:

“Three days in a row now he’s been solid. Even with the new wind-up. He’s been using his change-up, his slider had good bite to it and he had hop on his fastball. Power against power with Burrell and he did a really good job. He was great today.”

Wagner on Heilman:

“He usually gets off to a bit of a slow start every season, but with his stuff he just needs to find his rhythm. I’m not surprised when he’s successful but today speaks volumes about his character.”

Injury news: According to Brian Hubbuch of the New York Post’s Mets Blog Mets C Brian Schneider has a bruised forearm and is listed as day-to-day, there was some swelling afterward, but post-game X-rays were negative.

Video: Fox Sports.com’s Ken Rosenthal prior to today’s game versus the Phillies spoke with Jose Reyes about returning to his old self.

Exciting, edge of your seat game today, Great win. Now get the brooms ready, got some sweeping to do tomorrow night.

Mets manager Willie Randolph was none too pleased with Philly fans reaction to Jose Reyes possible injury during last night’s game. Jack Curry of the NYT Bats Blog has Willie’s quote,

“That was Philadelphia, the fans, in general,” Randolph said. “We live in this culture where fans are that way. They make their feelings known and they love to hate. It was sad. It really is. The guy could have been hurt.”

On a different topic John Delcos of Lohud Mets Blog talked to a scout about Oliver Perez. Delcos asked the scout, might Perez’s value increase if Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia continued to struggle?

“No,” he said. “He’s still Oliver Perez. He’s never going to me more than a No. 3 pitcher.”

A number three starter that wins 15 games? Buy’em!

Note: Bart Hubbuch at NY Post Mets Blog says Moises Alou may rejoin the Mets within days.

In an extended spring training game in Vero Beach today, Alou went 2-for-5 and was hit by a pitch. Alou was able to play five innings in the outfield.

In his pre-game notes John Delcos of LoHud Mets Blog gives us this Willie Randolph quote regarding Pedro Martinez’s recent comments about returning to the Mets sooner than Mets brass have stated.

“He’s getting his work in. I take what he said with a grain of salt.”

Plus, John has updates on OF Moises Alou, C Ramon Castro, RP Matt Wise and P Claudio Vargas.

John Delcos of The Lohud Mets Blog reports that Carlos Betran, who was not in yesterday’s line-up due to a stiff neck is back in there tonight against the Phillies.

“I feel a lot better,” Beltran said. “It’s not great, but it isn’t as bad as it was yesterday.”

Eddie Colman who follows the Mets for WFAN spoke with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts today. Here are a few notes from their talk,

• Eddie thought the Jose Reyes story was interesting, more because of the timing. The fact that Carlos Beltran went to Reyes before his big night on Tuesday. So, it may have had an immediate impact. Also, Eddie thinks Beltan looks at Reyes as a little brother and gets a kick out of him and his antics.
• Beltran is different than when he first got here, more comfortable. Still sensitive to the boos and he knows he’s been knocked for not being more vocal.
• Half of the Mets games have been against left handed pitchers and Ryan Church has handled it well. Likes the number two spot.
• Joe Smith has been so good there is no rush to bring back Matt Wise. Last year Smith hit a wall. So far this year he has been nasty.
• John Maine has just walked too many guys. He is usually better than that. He was really angry with himself. I think your gonna see the John Maine from spring training real soon.
• Pedro Martinez, I’ll wait and see. But I do think he’ll be back sooner than people think. The Mets just don’t want to rush him and cause a set back.
• Nelson Figueroa said something like sequels are usually bad but I want to prove that wrong tonight.

I always enjoy Eddie’s reports. I feel he’s just relaxin, maybe having a brew, talkin Mets baseball. But with the extra bonus of some inside dope. Interesting take on the Reyes, Beltran little brother thing.