There's either a dark cloud with a silver lining or a silver lining with a touch of grey over the heads of the Mets. Wednesday brought good news on the injury front with the announcement that Carlos Beltran was in Wednesday night's lineup against the Pirates, but any cheer was tempered shortly after that when the team announced Jose Reyes had left extended Spring Training to return to New York to have his calf re-examined.
Reyes left Wednesday's game with pain in his right knee, which is different than the calf tendinitis which originally placed him on the disabled list. His return is up in the air at this point, but trying to figure out the way the Mets handle injuries is a maddening experience.
On WFAN, Jerry Manuel said that he could still be back for the Phillies on Tuesday. That's obviously the best case scenario, because the doctors will be looking to see if there's any structural damage, according to David Lennon of Newsday. It would seem unwise, regardless of what the doctors find, to rush Reyes back if he's still experiencing discomfort.
On a more positive note, Beltran's return should put to rest any thought that the Mets need to go to work in hazmat suits to avoid swine flu. He told reporters that he lost five or 10 pounds during his stomach illness, leaving him feeling "very skinny," but getting his bat back in the lineup should help a Mets offense that hasn't shown much life in the last few days.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
