As usual, there’s a lot of issues floating around the Mets, and general manager Sandy Alderson touched on several this morning on WFAN.

Not all his comments can be interpreted in the positive, and for the most park he spoke in GM-speak, which means more smoke than fire and nothing definitive.

Among the issues:

Jose Reyes:

Alderson recognized the year Reyes is having, but said he doesn’t know if the shortstop intends to test free agency and hasn’t determined the parameters of a contract offer.

This seems incomprehensible. First of all, How can Alderson not plan on Reyes testing the market? He can’t be naïve enough to believe the player will take what the Mets offer in the offseason without testing the market. The only way he won’t is if he commits to the Mets now and he certainly won’t without a contract offer.

For an offer to be made, Alderson has to have limits and I can’t see how an opening offer hasn’t already been determined, even with the Wilpon’s financial troubles. The Mets must know the price keeps rising the better Reyes performs and they need to make a decision now on whether they want to keep him.

Reyes has played well enough, and long enough, so far for that decision to be made. If the Mets are waiting to see if he’ll make it through the year healthy, then they seriously risk losing him. The longer this drags on, the odds get longer on him staying with the Mets.

As far as trading him, Alderson won’t tip his hand, but must realize that with how well the team is playing he risks the fans losing interest if the Mets deal Reyes.

Joe D: You can point to Reyes as the stumbling block to a deal all you wat, but until he is given a legitimate offer, Reyes hasn’t refused any deal or even played his hand. In fact I believe Reyes is as shocked as fans are that he hasn’t even been contacted once about an extension ever since last season ended until now. You wanted to see if he was healthy first and what he can do? I believe you’ve all seen enough. Pick up the phone.

Francisco Rodriguez:

If the Mets plan on contending, they’ll need a closer and Rodriguez is pitching lights out. Quite simply, as long as the Mets play close games, Rodriguez will get opportunities to finish games and subsequently that $17.5 million option will kick in.

The Mets can trade Rodriguez if they offer a negotiating window to the new team to work out an extension instead of the option.

It was a lousy contract, but there’s little the Mets can do about it now. If they limit Rodriguez they risk losing games and having a grievance filed against them by the Players Association, which they’ll lose.

If the Mets trade Rodriguez it would be a clear white flag on the season. If that is the case and they are able to deal Rodriguez, they might as well go the whole route and move Carlos Beltran and Reyes, also.

Joe D. – We will soon learn if the front office believes in these Mets as much as they ask fans to believe. If they start moving key pieces while the team is 3.5 games out of a playoff berth, it will be clear that winning is certainly not a priority, and that shedding more salary is. It will also indicate that the rumors regarding a $100 million dollar payroll next season, are more fact than fiction. As for K-Rod’s option? I couldn’t give a rat’s behind about whether it vests or not. We are in a battle and the team is winning and great job by Terry Collins for using K-Rod as he sees fit. Lets see some of Terry’s win-first philosophy in the front office at the deadline.

David Wright, Ike Davis and Johan Santana:

Alderson said the returns of these players would be akin to making a trade at the deadline, which often is GM-speak for not doing anything.

It irks me when I hear that because it isn’t like making a trade. Had these players not been hurt, the Mets would probably be better, but how much? Maybe  it is coincidental they are playing their best ball without Wright and Davis.

Anyway, getting these players back might make the Mets whole again, but just how good would that be? Certainly not enough to win the division and maybe not enough for a wild card.

The Mets are playing well rand have reached .500, but not much was expected going into the season and it can be concluded they are playing over their heads.

Joe D. – Where have we heard this before? Omar Minaya used to play this card quite often leading up to the trade deadline. “When we get Delagdo, Reyes and Maine back it will be better than anything we could pick up in a trade.” Sadly that never happened. It never does. Those are just things we tell ourselves to keep the fans from simply staying home and not coming to the park.

Come to the park:

Alderson said he hopes people will show up at Citi Field, thereby adding additional revenue. However, the bottom line is people will show up if the product is winning, and the first step to putting a competitive team on the field is to not trade off the key parts.

That means the ball is in the Mets’ court.

Joe D. – Like the saying goes… If you build it (a championship caliber team), they will come.