Hmm: NY Mets Affected by Swine Flu?

Considering their best player, Carlos Beltran, has been sidelined for several days by a reported stomach virus, this news could be ominous.

The Mets, undermined by persistent injuries and, more recently, by illness, now confront a potential medical issue that could have greater consequences. An SNY employee, a producer who accompanied the team on its charter flight from New York to Pittsburgh on Sunday, has been sent home because he has flu symptoms.

No fear of swine flu exists, but an awareness does. The club's trainer, Ray Ramirez briefed the team about the symptoms of swine flu Tuesday. Assistant general manager John Ricco said the club is confident that the illness bothering Carlos Beltran and John Maine is not a form of the flu but rather a stomach virus.

"Right now no one on our team feels any of those types of symptoms" -- high fever, joint aches and fatigue, Ricco said.

Ricco said the SNY producer -- the employee's name was not released -- was to be examined. But the club didn't anticipate knowing the results of any tests for about a week.

Beltran, who hasn't played since he was removed from Saturday afternoon's game, underwent more tests Tuesday and, as the club awaited results of those tests, he returned to the team's hotel. Maine, ill since Sunday when he was removed from his start, said he felt marginally better. He did some of his normal between-starts conditioning work. The club still believes he will be ready to make his next start, scheduled for Friday night in Washington.

Consdiering Queens has been ground zero for New York's swine flu cases, it's quite plausible some members of the team could be infected. For a squad already ravaged by injuries, this could potentially be a crushing blow if indeed anyone is infected.