If Omar Minaya and Michael Weiner held a news conference to defend the Mets' playoff chances

Omar Minaya, Mets general manager: Earlier today, a list was leaked that shows the Mets eleven games out in the National League East Division.

We are concerned that some in the media may use the presence of the Mets on this list, which was not supposed to be made public, to conclude that the Mets season is over.

Michael Weiner, Players' Association general counsel: But we are here today to inform you of the presence of a second list. This list is entitled "National League Wild Card Standings."

Unlike the first list, in which the Phillies are generally conceded to be on their way to the division title, there are several teams on the second list that are considered to have a strong chance to win the wild card.

Since the Mets also appear on the second list, we believe that gives them plausible deniability that their season is over.

Omar Minaya: A local reporter has been writing that the second list shows that the Mets are ten games out in the wild card race and in eighth place. When I saw these stories, I scuffled a bit, because this same reporter has been trying to get a job in the Mets' organization as a statistician.

But that is ultimately beside the point. I'm not here to make excuses or anything.

I want to assure everyone that the Mets have always done everything possible to stay off of lists. Even when one of our players is injured, we often refuse to put him on the disabled list.

Michael Weiner: Given the uncertainties inherent in these lists, we urge the press and the public to use caution in reaching conclusions based on leaks, particularly from sources whose identities are not revealed, that suggest that it is time for the Mets to give up on 2009 and start bringing up prospects.

Omar Minaya: I want to apologize to the fans for the distraction, ownership, my manager. This season has been a nightmare for me.

I definitely was a little careless back in the offseason when I was signing players like Tim Redding. I never thought that trading for J.J. Putz and Sean Green, it was going to hurt anyone's feelings.

And I should have paid more attention to what I was putting in my farm system.

Photo by wallyg.

Mets' version of 'Takin' Care of Business'

The Mets play "Takin' Care of Business" after every win. But this song is no more appropriate for this franchise than former eighth-inning singalong "Sweet Caroline." Especially not today.

At least the Mets did not let Tony Bernazard fly out with them to California only to fire him at 3 a.m. New York time, as they did with Willie Randolph last year. Then again, Omar Minaya would have been better off holding his news conference at a time when hardly anyone would be watching.

Only in the world of the Mets could the team finally start turning it around, thanks in large part to Jeff Francoeur, only to have Jon Heyman start twittering possible new GM candidates. Minaya's trade for Francoeur could turn out to be one of his best - and his last.

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There was a time when winning three in a row while scoring 25 runs was routine for the Mets. Now it's worthy of curtain calls for the entire team.

Call me Eeyore, but I'm not ready to treat signs of life as pennant fever. Especially when the Mets won despite more questionable moves on the field.

In the sixth inning, with Luis Castillo on second and David Wright on first and none out, Daniel Murphy singled to shallow right. Third base coach Razor Shines held up Castillo, but Castillo ran through the stop sign.

Shines' eagerness to wave everyone home whatever the odds of success has been one of the most frustrating aspects of the 2009 Mets. It has not always been clear that he even has a stop sign. Finally, he uses it, only to have Castillo ignore it.

And Castillo scored standing up.

What Castillo noticed was right fielder Brad Hawpe throwing to second to prevent Wright from advancing to third. So Castillo alertly raced home and scored easily. Castillo was able to steal a glance at Hawpe despite the fact that Castillo's back was to the play.

What exactly was Shines looking at? The out-of-town scoreboard? Why was Castillo able to see what Hawpe was doing, but not Shines?

Back when Shines was waving everyone home, it sometimes seemed as if that was his instruction, to send runners regardless of the actual circumstances of the play. Perhaps he had the opposite instruction in the sixth - hold the runner regardless of what else is happening on the field.

Fortunately, at least Castillo was paying attention to what was actually going on.

In the eighth, the Mets again had Castillo and Wright on second and first with none out and Daniel Murphy coming up. But this time, Jerry Manuel decided to have Murphy bunt. At least Murphy now knows how to lay one down - the runners advanced to second and third.

Now the Mets had their biggest RBI threat, Jeff Francoeur coming up. And, thanks to Manuel's maneuvering, first base was open. So Francoeur was walked, leaving the Mets to rely on the dregs of the lineup.

As it turned out, pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis hit a grand slam to win the game for the Mets. But the Mets won despite Manuel's strategy, not because of it. Manuel took the bat out of the hands of both cleanup hitter Murphy and five hitter Francoeur, leaving things up to the weak second half of the lineup.

If Manuel does not trust Murphy to hit in that spot, Murphy should not be hitting cleanup. In fact, why not bat Francoeur fourth and Murphy fifth? The righty-lefty back and forth works a lot better with names like Beltran, Wright and Delgado. Managers are not going to worry about bringing in a righty to face Wright and Francoeur just because lefty Murphy is between them.

But despite the dubious decisions and the off-the-field circus, the Mets were able to take care of business. What a wonderful world!