In the course of interviewing Mets hitting coach Rick Down about Jose Reyes, Down stated flatly, “Jose is the best shortstop in the National League.”

I wondered what Rafael Furcal and Jimmy Rollins would say about that statement. But that was not the most provocative item that popped into my brain at that second. So I followed up with this question:

“OK, he’s the best shortstop in the whole National League, but is he the best shortstop in New York?”

Down laughed and paused for quite a while. He has been the hitting coach for both Reyes and Derek Jeter, and admires both. But it was obvious, to me, from the pause that he was searching for a diplomatic way to give the nod to Reyes. Down went through a lot of verbal gymnastics about now and the future, citing Reyes’ age before I said, “OK, just for 2007, who would you take?”

I got the laugh again and then he said, “With neither one are you going to be wrong. They both have the talent and the great mindset that they want to be up at the big moment. But if you took Jose, you are not going to be wrong.”

Mets bench coach Jerry Manuel, who actually uses Jeter all the time as a representative of the kind of team-first mentality he wants from all of his players, also laughed when the question was asked. He also said he was comfortable picking his guy, but added “I am including Jose Reyes in the same sentence with Derek Jeter, which means that Reyes has reached pretty special company.”

I actually think I would give the slight nod to Reyes at this point, as well; not just for the future, but even for 2007. Jeter’s on-base component will still be advantageous over Reyes, but I believe Reyes makes up for that with greater speed and more extra-base hits. Overall, I think Jeter and Reyes will be roughly worth the same on offense. It is on defense that, to me, Reyes gains the edge because his range, in particular, is so much better than Jeter’s.

But, hey, let the debates begin. What do you think?