NL Update: Mets overcome gaping 1/2-game deficit; Manuel's job safe for now

CINCINNATI--Behind a strong performance from opening day starter Johan Santana, the Mets topped the Reds in their season opener, 2-1. It was a clutch win for the struggling Mets, who began the day a half-game behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, and a victory that many Wilpon-watchers believe saved the job of manager Jerry Manuel. "The front office was getting restless, the fans were getting restless, and rightfully so," said one Mets ballboy, who asked to remain anonymous lest he jeopardize his own place in the line of managerial succession. "After all, without playing so much as an inning, Jerry had managed to let the Braves pull out a lead, and it's hard not to think of the last two Septembers when that happens."

Manuel might not be out of the woods just yet. Most sources have listed the Mets last among the three teams currently tied at 1-0 in the NL East, owing to the fact that they come last alphabetically whether the teams are listed by their cities or their nicknames. "[Mets GM Omar] Minaya has been a little antsy about that since he saw SportsCenter this evening," the ballboy explained. "He's trying to give Jerry time to turn it around, but unless Jerry gets to work sewing #1AAAAAAMets logos onto the uniforms or starts working the phones for a name-trade between New York and Albany, it's hard to make the case that he's doing all he can to keep this team ahead of the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins in that NL East table."

The embattled manager responded to the criticism, telling reporters "I can't help it if the Atlanta Braves have stacked the deck. I mean look at that, an A and a B...this club just isn't ready to compete for alphabetical priority with the likes of that. That's not on the manager, it's on everyone."

Met fans will no doubt recall the team's miraculous turnaround after Manuel's predecessor, Willie Randolph, was fired last summer. The club Randolph had mismanaged through a September collapse to a disappointing and playoff-missing 88-74 record in 2007 was expertly steered into a quiet September free of the distractions of winning and playoff preparations in 2008, as the team improved drastically to 89-73.