Besides being loyal, David is smart. He could go try the FA market or request a trade, then he's just a guy with a decent glove and a pretty good bat. No foundation or structure to his career.
He stays here, he has identity with this franchise for good and bad. If he never sets foot in Cooperstown, he'll have a plaque in Queens. Will Reyes? I don't know. Will Beltran? Probably not. I'm not saying these guys left for the almighty dollar and should be forgotten but they are simply ball players now, not Mets. While it's known that Reyes wasn't given an offer and Beltran was traded I will wonder that if it wasn't well percieved that if someone offered a dollar more, Reyes was gone.