Jose Reyes is the National League's best player

Jose Reyes, the National League's top player,  shines

the customary spotlight after sliding into third with a triple

To invoke the words of Baltimore drug lord Avon Barksdale from HBO's masterpiece "The Wire," Jose Reyes wants his corners.

In fact, the New York Mets shortstop doesn't just want his corners, he's taking them.

Never seen The Wire? Then let me translate: Jose Reyes is the best player in the National League.

Yeah I said it.

Despite somehow trailing Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in All-Star Game voting, Reyes has played his way not only into National League MVP discussion, but also a lucrative contract in the off-season (not likely with the Mets).

In the Mets' 14-3 trouncing of the Tigers last night, Reyes went 4-4 (his second consecutive four-hit game) with a triple, double, two singles and three runs scored. That is, before he was pulled from the game in seventh inning.

Reyes, who is in a contract year, leads the National League in batting average (.349) and ranks second in the Majors in that category, trailing Boston's Adrian Gonzalez. His 64 runs scored lead the National League as well, while his 117 hits are tops in the Bigs.

He's second in the Majors in stolen bases with 29, behind only Michael Bourn of the Astros (34), and his 40-multi hit games are best in the Majors, as well.

And here's the kicker: through 79 games, Reyes has 15 triples. Fifteen.

He is the first player since 1920 to hit 15 triples in his first 79 games.

Assuming the Mets do not move Reyes before the trading deadline and the 28-year-old can play out the season in his cavernous home park of Citi Field, it's a safe bet that he will be the first hitter in the modern era to hit 30 triples in a season.

Simply put, Reyes is playing on Mars. He's producing at a level that Mets fans have never seen from him -- a level that few players in the Major Leagues ever touch. Scorching hot just doesn't quite do him justice.

On top of all his statistical excellence, Reyes is doing it as the Mets' No. 1 option. With power hitters Ike Davis and David Wright on the disabled list since May 12 and 16, respectively, Reyes has anchored a patchwork lineup, consisting mostly of singles hitters.

The fan support of Reyes has been through the roof,

as Mets supporters clamor to keep the shortstop at all costs.

With last night's win, the Mets got above the .500 mark for the first time since the first week of the season. The Mets took their weekend series from AL West leading Texas and have broken out for 36 runs scored in their last three games.

New York still trails the Wild Card-leading Braves by five games, but continues to chip away with its surprising starting pitching, recent offensive outburst and Reyes' other worldly play.

Through 79 games, the Mets' dynamic shortstop is undoubtedly your National League MVP. Sure, guys like Los Angeles' Matt Kemp and Milwaukee's Prince Fielder are having tremendous seasons. But while both sluggers are driving in runs and hitting over .300, Reyes does so much more.

He is a prototypical leadoff hitter, as dynamic as he is exciting, who's getting on base at a career rate (.394) and hitting nearly 60 percentage points above his career average. It's the stolen bases, the runs scored, the multiple-hit games that sets him apart from other MVP caliber players.

Reyes hasn't started an All-Star Game since 2007. With voting coming to a close on Thursday, Reyes may very well overtake Tulowitzki and hear his name called in the starting lineup of the Midsummer Classic next month.

More importantly, if he continues at his current rate, Reyes may hear his name called again at the end of the season -- as the league's MVP.