Mets fans are cautiously optimistic that the recent performance of their shortstop might represent the return of the old Jose Reyes. The Jose Reyes that dazzled with his bat, his speed, and his boundless enthusiasm. Jose is 6-for-9 with 3 singles, a double, a triple, and a home run in two games against the Washington Nationals this week.

If the Jose that fans came to know and love has indeed returned to Shea Stadium, evidently we owe it all to Carlos Beltran. No joke. Could it be that Carlos is actually embracing a leadership role on this club to go along with his $18 million paycheck? Via the New York Post:

The discussion came before Tuesday’s game against the Nationals. Carlos Beltran initiated it with Jose Reyes, and because of it things may have changed with this team.

Beltran approached Reyes on Tuesday and delivered this message - be yourself. Beltran said he believed Reyes was unhappy, and he told him that he needed to get back to being his exuberant self.

Beltran, on his message to the Mets’ young superstar:

“I tell him ‘I want you to be the Reyes that you always have been. Forget about what people say, forget about what they write about you, forget about what the fans think about it,’ ” Beltran said. ” ‘Just be you. Play the game because that’s you. And when you’re like that, we like that. I like it.’

“Because he’s a fun guy. He’s always playing around, jumping around. It’s difficult to be someone that is not you. So him being quiet, that’s not him. We like the Reyes that always is jumping around, playing around I guess he realized that and he’s changed.”

Jose, on the return of the ‘real’ Reyes:

“We talked a lot yesterday. He called me out to the ball park and said, ‘You have to do it the same way it was before, you have to enjoy the game, do your handshakes, because we like you the way you are. So, don’t change it. When you change it, you’re fake. It’s not the real Jose Reyes.’ And I realize that, and I said I’m going to be the old Jose Reyes. So, there’s nothing to worry about and I’m gonna enjoy my game, do the handshakes with every body, and keep everybody smiling in the dugout.”

I have never been the biggest Beltran fan, and it’s primarily because we don’t see enough of this sort of stuff from a guy who is supposed to be a veteran leader on this club. In fact, these quotes concerning Reyes may be the lengthiest quotes I’ve read from the guy. Open your mouth, Carlos. Don’t hold back. New Yorkers don’t like our heroes to be perfect, we just want them to have personality and guts. Whether or not this is all superfluous or actually plays a significant role in Jose’s season going forward, it’s great to see Beltran taking that initiative.