Reyes may return Tuesday if all goes well
Jose Reyes takes batting practice before taking on the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. ( Aug 6, 2011) Credit: David Pokress
SAN DIEGO -- Jose Reyes' next hurdle in his comeback from a second left hamstring strain will be Friday, when the Mets expect him to try running for the first time since he was injured Aug. 7.
If that goes off without a hitch, Terry Collins went as far as to suggest before Wednesday night's game that Reyes could return on Tuesday, the first day he is eligible to be activated from the disabled list.
"It's conceivable," Collins said. "I know it wasn't as bad as the first one and he said he's been feeling good and ready to go, which is a good sign."
Reyes has been back to baseball activity this week, doing everything from hitting to fielding drills at his training facility on Long Island. While there have been no issues so far, running is another level of rehab, and this is Reyes' second go-round with the same injury.
Earlier this week, Collins stressed the need for some sort of Reyes Rules going forward as the Mets try to figure out how to keep him on the field. The manager will be cautious with his use of Reyes for the remainder of this season, and if the Mets are successful in their efforts to re-sign him, they'll have to devise a plan for subsequent years as well.
As for the next six weeks, look for Collins to sit Reyes on selected day games, especially now that the Mets are no longer in contention.
Slow going for Santana
Sandy Alderson said that Johan Santana is not expected to get back on a mound "for another week or so," which should put to rest any hope of him pitching in the majors this season. Santana is in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and has not progressed beyond his long-tossing program.
