Jose Reyes offered apologies and a penance in his settlement with Major League Baseball over his domestic violence case. But his return to baseball isn't predicated on just doing and saying the right things and serving a sentence.
Reyes will be 33 years old next month, and there are doubts among a lot of evaluators as to whether he is still worthy of playing in the big leagues, concerns that have nothing to do with what allegedly happened between he and his wife in Hawaii last fall.
"His skills have deteriorated," one longtime scout said. "He's a release candidate for me."
Said another: "I'm not sure what he has to offer."
Reyes will get a chance to show what he has left in the weeks ahead. Under the negotiated terms of his suspension, Reyes will be permitted to play in extended spring games at the Rockies' complex in Arizona until June 1. If all goes well and he's healthy, Reyes can then report to a minor league team for a rehabilitation assignment.
He has a limited future with the Rockies at best because, in his absence, Trevor Story has won Colorado's shortstop job with a flurry of homers and personal reliability, and even if Reyes is added to manager Walt Weiss' big league roster, this will not alter Story's long-term standing with the organization.
Sources say other teams do have interest in Reyes, to see whether he can help them, but that's only if Colorado eats almost all of the salary owed to him through the end of next season. Reyes will make about $15 million this year and $22 million next year, with a buyout of $4 million for a 2018 contractual option that presumably won't be exercised.