In the most amazing, successful stretch in a month and a half... funny how things look once you lower your expectations... the Mets Spring Training Split Squad broke even at 3-3, even taking a series from the Astros in the process.  As for the low, and even occassional, highlights...

- The series against the Nationals was truly pathetic, with the NYM STSS scoring three runs in two losses

- On the flip side, the bats came alive against the previously streaking Astros, getting 38 hits and 22 runs in 3 games!

- Rookie Jon Niese was solid on Saturday, allowing one run and 4 hits over 7 innings, hopefully finally earning a permanent spot on the rotation.

- The oddest aspect of the week though was the Gary Sheffield saga, who's been out for close to a week with a leg 'cramp'... then arrived on Saturday and pronounced himself ready to play... only to find out that he had been put on the deal... only the Mets...

This latest saga is the perfect example of the continued, apparent, ineptitude of the team in handling injuries.  Once more, they keep a player out with a 'minor' injury that can be addressed through 'rest', play shorthanded for days on end just for kicks... then end up putting the player on the DL anyway.... what?!!!....

Right now, Alex Cora is 'resting' his re-injured thumb, so the NYM STSS was actually playing 2 short for fun... Be careful Alex, you'll likely require surgery and/or amputation.

The team kicks off a 10 game homestand today  against the wild card leading Rockies, standing 10.5 back of the Phils in the NL East and 7.5 behind in the WC race.

While these last couple of games where very enjoyable to watch, we will not put the blinders back on just yet... And with Sheffield out, we are on the verge of downgraded to Extended Spring Training team. 

It does sound like Jose Reyes might start playing some rehab games soon and his return might not be until 2011 as some of the others seem likely to. 

So let's keep our fingers crossed and Let's go Mets STSS!

(updated 7/28 - 6:00am)

Did we say anything about drama, weirdenss and games being 'enjoyable to watch'?  Well the last 16 hours have brought plenty of it and then some...

- First, the Mets fire VP of Player Personnel Tony Bernazard, he of the shirtless fight challenge... no big surprise there, particularly as it was rumored this was not his first clash with players, including one with closer Fransisco Rodriguez earlier in the season....

- To announce this, the NYM calls a press conference... still normal... in which GM Omar Minaya gives the details of the firing and then... goes on a bizarre rant, basically accusing Daily News Mets beat writer of Adam Rubin of basically plotting the whole thing, from supposedly lobbying for a job with the Mets which he did not get to exposing Bernazard's actions... what, what, what?.... Minaya tops it all off by blaming Rubin for forcing him to fire 'his friend Tony' and saying to Rubin 'if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me'... huh? Again, only in the dysfunctional Mets does this sort of stuff happen... publicly at least.  Early returns are that this has been so poorly perceived, that Minaya might not survive it....

- Then to boot, the Mets STSS rallies from a 3-1 defecit... Ollie, Ollie, Ollie can you please go more than 5? .... to beat the Rockies on a pinch hit grand slam in the 8th by Fernando Tatis! .... what, what, what?!  ... for the team's third straight win.

And July is not even over... stay tuned because the soap opera will get more interesting... unfortunately, that is both funny and sad...