PORT ST. LUCIE — Don’t just stand there, do something.
If new Mets manager Terry Collins has a rallying cry for spring training, it’s to keep active. To that end, he wasn’t thrilled with the logistics yesterday that led to players standing idle for stretches of time when they should have been participating in drills.
Collins didn’t blame the players as much as a breakdown in communication.
“You don’t see me standing around very much — I can’t stand it — so when I see people standing around I want to know why,” Collins said following the first mandatory workout for pitchers and catchers. “This morning I saw people standing around for a while, and that will be adjusted. That’s just a matter of making sure we move when we’re supposed to move.”
Collins’ solution?
“We’re actually going to get a horn [today] to move at the right times,” Collins said.
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Collins addressed his pitchers and catchers before they began workouts. He also had pitching coach Dan Warthen and general manager Sandy Alderson say a few words.
“I hope [the players] understand that I care about them and I care about this organization and how we are going to do things, hopefully I got that across,” Collins said. “There is going to be some energy involved. I respect the game enough that I want some effort when I’m out there. That is all you can give back is your maximum effort, and if you do that you are going to get yourself prepared.”
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Catcher Ronny Paulino has not arrived at camp as he deals with visa issues in the Dominican Republic. Collins said he is hopeful Paulino will be in camp tomorrow, the reporting date for the full squad. … Former Mets pitcher John Maine signed a minor league deal with the Rockies. Maine missed most of last season with the Mets because of shoulder problems. The Phillies also had interest in Maine. … Yorvit Torrealba lost his grievance against the Mets that dated to 2007. The catcher was seeking undisclosed damages after the team voided a three-year, $14.4 million deal that was subject to a physical. The Mets had concerns about Torrealba’s throwing shoulder. An arbitrator ruled yesterday that the Mets were within their rights not to complete the deal.