Davidoff: Mets always seem to be stuck in reverse

You know the old joke about the guy who tried to swim the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean but got exhausted halfway through - so he turned around and swam back?

That's pretty much the Mets right now.

With yesterday's announcement that Jose Reyes will be shut down for two to eight weeks to treat his thyroid condition, on top of what we already know about Carlos Beltran, the Mets become an even greater long shot to make the playoffs.

Worse for Mets fans, this news only magnifies the bigger picture: The team, like the aforementioned swimmer, is directionless and tired. Stuck in a weird limbo between playing for now and playing out the clock.

The Mets have a payroll of $135 million and a very angry fan base, and they're entering this season with:

1) A manager, Jerry Manuel, who has as much room for error as a bomb squad.

2) A general manager, Omar Minaya, who possesses nothing near the "full autonomy" he received in September 2004.

3) A second baseman, Luis Castillo, whom they have tried to unload each of the last two offseasons.

4) A starting pitcher, Oliver Perez, who if he has another season like last year, is en route to becoming one of the worst free-agent signings in baseball history.

A lack of roster depth results from the Castillo and Perez signings and the money they tied up, as well as from a refusal to pay top dollar to amateur draft picks.

The Mets entered the offseason believing they needed a starting pitcher, and the free-agent market proved buyer-friendly after some initial high prices (John Lackey to Boston and Randy Wolf to Milwaukee). Yet after signing Jason Bay - a good signing, but not necessarily the best use of their resources - they essentially folded their hand, deciding to go with what they had on the pitching side.

They tried to appease their fans with slogans such as "Do you believe in comebacks?" and, down in Port St. Lucie, "Prevention & Recovery" signs. And players talking enthusiastically about their chances of reaching the postseason. All that does is further upset the paying customers, who prioritize actions over words.

The Reyes situation appears to be nothing more than bad luck, a freakish condition hoisted upon a player who was poised for a great rebound campaign. Maybe youngster Ruben Tejada can play capable defense and pick up a few hits while taking Reyes' place. Then again, if he can't, the overpaid Alex Cora will work his way toward vesting a $2-million option for 2011 (if Cora makes 80 starts).

Look, the Mets aren't a complete train wreck. It has been a good camp for youngsters Ike Davis and Jenrry Mejia as well as Japanese newcomer Hisanori Takahashi. If Reyes returns in April, perhaps they still can make a playoff run.

Yet the much more likely scenario is that they'll teeter around .500. They can't rebuild, not with so many in-their-prime veterans locked up to long-term deals. They can't fully go for it either, though, not as long as they refuse to suck up their losses and spend more on talent.

They are trapped under their own mistakes and misfortune, and there's no sign of a clearing anywhere in the vicinity.