Bay not expecting to get back in lineup soon

By his own estimation, Jason Bay was out the door in five minutes after hearing Friday that he has been cleared to return to Citi Field for the next step in his recovery from last month's concussion.

As for playing again this season, the preparation for that is going to take much, much longer, and Bay was unsure if it even will be possible.

When he addressed the media Friday for the first time since he was placed on the disabled list July 30, he could not provide any sort of timetable for a return.

When asked point-blank if he will be in the lineup again this season, Bay shrugged.

"I expect to, but at the same time, I'm not foolish. I know that I haven't done anything in a month," Bay said before the Mets' 2-1 win over the Astros. "I'm fighting not just to get back into shape, but also making sure that my head doesn't hurt. If the consolation is going into the offseason knowing that I don't have any restrictions, that's definitely something that I need to do."

With Bay still in limbo and Jose Reyes out again, the Mets relied on David Wright's sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk to Ruben Tejada to back Mike Pelfrey, who pitched eight scoreless innings. Pelfrey (13-7) threw a career-high 124 pitches, the most by a Mets starter this season.

Even though Bay is feeling better and finally made it through the mandatory 48-hour period without headaches, he still has obstacles to clear. The minor-league season ends next week, depriving him of a possible rehab assignment, and the Mets have only 34 games left.

Next up on Bay's agenda was riding a stationary bike, and because of the delicate nature of post-concussion symptoms, he will be brought along slowly.

"I haven't picked up a baseball or thrown or ran or anything," he said. "I don't know if there really is a mapped-out timeline for it. I'm going to do what I'm told, and if everything goes accordingly and I get out there for a week, I get out there for a week."

Bay has talked with the Twins' Justin Morneau, a close friend who has been on the DL since July 7 with a concussion.

Bay collided with the leftfield fence at Dodger Stadium on July 23, but he remained in the game that night and played the next two before he began feeling headaches on the flight home.

"It's kind of hard to fault anybody when you don't say anything," Bay said. "I don't think that we would have done it any differently. I felt fine, and then on Sunday, after the game, I didn't feel all that great. That's all we can go off."

Notes & quotes: The Mets described Reyes' condition as "status quo" after he aggravated his right oblique muscle Thursday, and the team has no plans to put him on the disabled list. Reyes was not available Friday, but manager Jerry Manuel said this was not as severe as the injury he suffered June 30. "He seems to be in a better mind-set that this won't be as long as the last one," Manuel said . . . The Mets called up infielder Luis Hernandez and optioned Jesus Feliciano to Triple-A Buffalo.