The big top is in Pittsburgh this weekend. No, I'm not talking about the annual disgrace known as the Pirates. They'll get theirs in a minute. It's the Mets. One big circus, day after day after day. Buffalo's first up-front connection with the Mets was last season, when the debut in Citi Field was a disaster and the debut in Coca-Cola Field had fans here howling about why the UnAmazins' were brought in.

     In 2010, you can do nothing but give props to the Mets at the minor-league level. Great signings, great promotions from within -- Lucas Duda has become the best in-season upgrade since Jeff Manto, circa 1997 -- and another solid job from manager Ken Oberkfell and pitching coach Ricky Bones with strong work from new hitting/outfield/third base coach Jack Voigt.

But what in the world is going on with the big boys?

The Mets have some of the craziest stats you'll ever see. They lead the majors with an astounding 18 shutouts. Big problem: They are just 44-61 in games in which their pitchers allowed even a single run! That's in part because the team batting average since the All-Star break entered the weekend at an MLB-low .211.

The Mets did clinch a series win on the road within their own league for the first time this season with Saturday's rain-shortened 5-1 win in Pittsburgh. They avoided becoming the first team since the 1909 Washington Senators to go a whole season and not win a road series in their league. Before Saturday, the Mets' road series wins were in Baltimore and Cleveland during interleague.

And those things are just numbers. There are the continually goofy decisions of manager Jerry Manuel, who labeled his offense "pathetic" Thursday night. The short roster, which includes three catchers as well as a pitcher (Oliver Perez) the manager refuses to use and ownership won't buy out of his $36 million deal. Jason Bay's concussion, which Manuel said prior to Friday's game would be season-ending and then said after the game might not be. Oops.

But in yet another season of black eyes, nothing can be worse than the Francisco Rodriguez saga.

The Mets have a major question hanging over their heads regarding their ace closer, who is done for the year with thumb damage apparently caused when he tried to rearrange his future father-in-law's face outside the Citi Field family room.

after a game.

The Mets placed K-Rod on the disqualified list, meaning they won't pay him the $3 million he's owed this season because they feel his injury is not baseball related. They also converted his contract to a non-guaranteed deal, meaning they can cut their cord for a small price next spring.

They owe K-Rod $11.5 million in 2011 and there's a $17.5 million club option for 2012. The players union, of course, quickly filed a grievance on K-Rod's behalf. Small issue. Rodriguez is facing third-degree assault and second-degree harassment charges for the incident.

He pitched one time after it following a two-day suspension that the union claims is the Mets' determination of punishment. Then K-Rod admitted he was hurting and the Mets went back for more. They might even look to void K-Rod's contract entirely, although that would be a tough fight with the union.

"We're going to reserve our rights," said Mets Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon. "It's not something we have to determine now. It's not something we have to make a decision on now."

Rodriguez is going to anger management and that seems fair enough. He's had issues before, the bus showdown last year with executive Tony Bernazard, the batting practice confrontation last year with Yankees pitcher Brian Bruney, now on the Bisons' disabled list.

GM Omar Minaya said last week that "right now" the Mets want K-Rod back in 2011. They don't really have much in the way of a replacement. They'd have to go the free agent route because they haven't really developed any closer. They haven't needed to because they owned a locked-up choice in the big leagues.

'Painful' Pirates

Before the season, Pirates President Frank Coonelly foolishly called 2010 "the beginning of the next dynasty" for the beleaguered franchise. Guess not. Consecutive losing season No. 18 was clinched Friday night and the Bucs are on pace to lose 109 games, which would be their most since 1953.

So what did Coonelly say Friday? Plenty.

"This year has been more painful than anything I've experienced," he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Our performance this year has been an embarrassment, to the city, to the Pittsburgh Pirates and to our fan base."

Manager John Russell certainly seems to be on the firing line and time may be running out on General Manager Neal Huntington as well, although a change in GMs and thus philosophy could set the team back even more.

"I do still have confidence in Neal and JR," Coonelly said. "But we need to figure out why we're underperforming the way we are."

At least Coonelly did say the Pirates will spend. Their payroll this year is $39 million, last in the majors. It figures to get around $50 million next year as the Pirates look to trades and free agents.

Rangers will spend

The new Rangers ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg and Hall of Fame pitcher and team President Nolan Ryan scored some immediate brownie points with fans when they officially took the reins last week. In the middle of the pennant race, they announced lower prices for concessions, parking and merchandise and said they are prepared to prop the payroll.

The Rangers are only at about $55 million this year and will have to pay arbitration-eligible Josh Hamilton far more than the $3.25 million he's making. And they'd like to have a shot at keeping Cliff Lee, although the Yankees will have something to say about that.

"We feel like we have a pretty good handle on how to keep this team together with Cliff as a part of it," Greenberg said. "It's nothing that frightens us, and we'd be real happy to go into next season with that group and the cost that we project."

Around the horn

-- Credit where credit is due: Old friend Brandon Phillips mouthed off too much, the Cardinals responded with a three-game sweep in Cincinnati and the NL Central race was over, right? Not so fast. The Reds have quickly seized control again and it's yet another example of how Dusty Baker can take the temperature of his clubhouse and get results.

Baker hasn't survived the postseason yet (think '02 Giants and '03 Cubs) but there aren't many better over 162 games.

-- Newsday columnist Ken Davidoff has a running gig on Twitter where he picks the Yankees' and Mets' season record and spends the season reminding folks of his predictions -- which are usually very close -- through the news of the day.

In true Russ Hodges Giants-win-the-pennant fashion, Davidoff tweeted last week: "The #Yankees go 97-65, and the #Mets 80-82! The #Yankees go 97-65, and the #Mets 80-82!' RIP, Bobby Thomson, a class act. #Giants."

-- Oh, Rays fans. Where are you? There were just 18,319 in Tropicana Field for last week's David Price-Cliff Lee showdown. The three-game series of potential playoff opponents drew just 55,888. Yet, they'll all bandwagon in with their cowbells come October. Boo.