MLB

Mets outfielder Byrd rebuilds career after drug suspension

TWICE IS NICE: Marlon Byrd smiles after Wednesday night’s 10-1 Mets victory over the Nationals in which he hit a pair of home runs. (
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WASHINGTON — After Marlon Byrd belted two home runs on Wednesday night to trigger the Mets’ 10-1 romp over the Nationals, he was a grateful man. Not because of the home runs, but because the Mets gave him a chance to prove he still could help a team win baseball games.

Amid a joyous clubhouse, Byrd counted himself fortunate the Mets signed him to a free-agent contract after he served a 50-game suspension last year for testing positive for the banned substance Tamoxifen. Known as Nolvadex in the United States, the drug is used by steroid users to prevent the growth of breast tissue in men and to stop post-cycle crashes.

When the suspension was announced, Byrd admitted he used the drug after having surgery to treat a condition unrelated to baseball. Nevertheless, he accepted his suspension without complaint and spent his offseason in Mexico hoping to prepare himself to continue a major league career that began in 2003.

“I never played winter ball before but after the 50-game suspension I figured I needed to work on my game and get better,” Byrd told The Post. “The suspension started in June so I didn’t play from June until all the way to the end of the season last year. So Sept. 26 I flew down to Mexico and stayed from the beginning of the [winter] season all the way through the last game of the Caribbean Series.

“It was different there,” he added. “They don’t speak much English. But once I started learning the culture and learning the language, it got much better.”

He still needed a major league team to believe in him and sign him to a contract for the 2013 season. He remains grateful the Mets did.

“What I needed was one team out of 30 teams to believe in me and the Mets believed in me,” Byrd said. “They knew my character. [Manager Terry Collins] has known me for a long time. Sandy Alderson’s known me for a long time. They took a flyer on me and so far so good.”

He was great Wednesday night, blasting a two-run home run off Nationals starter Dan Haren in the second inning and a solo shot off Haren in the third. He also walked and scored a run in the seventh as the Mets tied a season high with 15 hits.

“Dan is tough,” Byrd said. “I know you have to be focused when you go up there. I just got two pitches to hit and didn’t miss them.”

Byrd had told Anthony Recker before the game that he was feeling good and would hit two homers. If only he was as good predicting lotto numbers.

“That’s just teammates talking trash,” Byrd said. “That it happened is something crazy.”

Heading into last night, Byrd had eight homers and 28 RBI in 44 games and has earned Collins’ praise for staying patient and ready.

“He’s a pro,” Collins said. “He’s aware of all the things that go into playing in the big leagues. If you’re a young player on this team he’s one of the guys you might need to talk to. He’s had a good career and he looks like he can play for a while.”

Byrd, who played right field Wednesday, is happy to fulfill whatever role Collins has for him.

“I’ve been around long enough where I have a routine that’s the same thing every day,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I’m on this team. TC can put me in there at any time. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had two, three or four days off, he knows when I go in there I’m ready to play. I’ve worked too hard to get back in the game, going down to Mexico. I just want to help this team win.”