Mets Morning News: Secret Negotiations, K-Rod Believes Parnell Can Close

If you missed it, Jose Reyes was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with a grade 1 hamstring strain.

Sandy Alderson told reporters on Thursday that it is likely that Jose Reyes will remain a met for the rest of the season. He also said the team was not in secret negotiations with Reyes' agents to try and re-sign the shortstop in-season. That's exactly what someone who was having secret negotiations would say.

Alderson had announced last month that he approached Reyes' agents to initiate extension talks and the shortstop's side preferred to have no in-season conversations.

"I'll give you a secret signal when the secret negotiations start," Alderson quipped.

More seriously, Alderson added about the June conversation: "We reached out. They respectfully declined, which I think was an appropriate response on their part. And so we honor that. There's nothing going on otherwise."

Even secretly?

"Even secretly," Alderson said. "Even super-secretly."

Francisco Rodriguez believes that Bobby Parnell has what it takes to be a successful closer one day.

"He can do it, and he knows it," said the man who own MLB's single-season saves record (62). "I love that kid. I talk to him a lot, and I love him. He's a guy who comes here every day trying to improve himself to get better and better. He definitely has the tools."