DALLAS (AP)–Jose Reyes feel the love from the Miami Marlins. And money.
When the free agency signing period began last month, the Marlins wanted to meet all-star shortstop soon-as in not a minute to spare.
So the owner Jeffrey Loria, team President David Samson and top officials arranged midnight rendezvous with baseball Reyes and his agent at the desk outside the Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle hotel in New York City is famous for hosting the President John f. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe half a century ago.
"12: 01. mad men," Reyes said Wednesday, when his $ 106 million, six-year contract was completed. "They showed a lot of love."
Leave the cash-strapped New York Mets, who signed him when he was 16, Reyes accepted the offer that pays him $ 10 million in each of two seasons, $ 16 million in 2014 and $ 22 million in each of the last three years. Miami has the choice of $ 22 million to 2018 with purchase of $ 4 million, which can increase the total to $ 124 million.