Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes, on the disabled list since May 27 with two strained hamstrings, could be back with the club next week.
Byrnes went through a full range of activity before Friday night's game against Kansas City to test his hamstrings.
"I squared some up, even hit a couple of home runs. I did agility drills, ran the bases . . . I even slid into third base. I don't think they expected that.
"I'm just about ready," he said. "I want to be out there, but I want to be on board with what they (management) want."
He had struggled early in the season, hitting only .219 with six homers, 23 RBIs and four steals after a breakout 2007.
Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes said Byrnes (no relation) had a "good day of running" and could return within the next week. "There's light at the end of the tunnel," Josh Byrnes said.Manager Bob Melvin has recently begun using Conor Jackson in Byrnes' normal spot, left field.
Jackson made his second start of the season there in Friday night's game against the Royals. Melvin wants both Jackson and first baseman Chad Tracy in the lineup as much as possible, so one of those two could be the odd man out (likely Tracy) when Eric Byrnes returns.
Because of Byrnes' imminent return, the Snakes traded minor league outfielder Trot Nixon to the Mets for a player to be named or cash considerations.
In 58 games at Triple-A Tucson, Nixon hit .309 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs, but never got a chance to join the big-league club.
"Obviously, we had some other opportunities to potentially put him on the roster, (but) we chose other guys,' Josh Byrnes said."Trot was great through the whole process, understanding that if we were going to give him an opportunity, it had to have some length to it. And with Eric Byrnes returning (soon from the disabled list,) we just weren't going to have that opportunity for him."
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