PORT ST. LUCIE — As good as he’s been defensively this spring, Matt den Dekker realizes he won’t fulfill his dream of opening the season with the Mets unless he shows something offensively — and fast.
“It’s got to come around,” said den Dekker, who has been perhaps the Mets’ most impressive rookie position player this spring.
Den Dekker has made at least four highlight-reel catches in center field since the start of the Grapefruit League season, but as one team official said yesterday, “We already knew he could do that.”
The implication was den Dekker’s .222 average — with 10 strikeouts in 27 at-bats — will spell an assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas to start the season.
Defensively, he likely is ready for the major leagues.
“From the first day I saw him he reminded me of [Jacoby] Ellsbury, body types, the way he can go get the ball,” Mets outfield coach Tom Goodwin said. “He has a stronger arm than Ellsbury has. Both of them can run, and he’s a difference-maker out there in center field.”
* Manager Terry Collins remains impressed with Collin Cowgill, who is batting .400 this spring. In Monday’s game against the Tigers, the manager inserted Cowgill in the ninth inning as a test of sorts. Cowgill responded with a leadoff single.
“I wanted to see him off the bench,” Collins said. “I wanted to see him sitting there all game long and walk up and see what he can do as a pinch-hitter. This is how we decide who is going to be on this team.”
* Though players had yesterday off, Johan Santana reported to the complex, but did not throw. Santana said he expects to throw today, but not from a mound. The lefty is working from his own schedule as he attempts to regain strength in his shoulder.
* Michael Fulmer, the Mets’ first-round supplemental pick in the 2011 draft, was scheduled to undergo surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. Fulmer went 7-6 with a 2.74 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings last year for Single-A Savannah.
* Matt Harvey is scheduled to face the Nationals today in Viera, Fla.