Don’t try telling R.A. Dickey he will be making his first start of the season for the Mets today.
After a rough six-week stretch to begin last season, Dickey wants to be in the correct frame of mind when he faces the Braves at Citi Field.
“I really want to pretend like it’s Oct. 3 and I’m about on my 33rd start,” the veteran knuckleballer said. “That’s in my mind. I just want to be consistent and pick up where I left last year and where spring training left off.”
Dickey was 8-13 with a 3.28 ERA last year, but had a rough stretch early. He was 1-5 with a 5.08 ERA after losing to the Astros on May 14.
Dickey doesn’t have an explanation, other than he believes it’s easier for him to throw his knuckleball in warmer weather.
“I’m not saying that’s a crutch for me to start off the season poorly,” Dickey said. “But I do think that sometimes with a knuckleball when it’s really cold and there’s not a lot of humidity, it can be tough.”
But Dickey said he will take the same weather the Mets had Thursday for the opener. Temperatures were in the high 50s for most of the game.
“It is true that sometimes when it’s cold it’s tough, but this weather was really good,” Dickey said.
* Ruben Tejada said he won’t put extra pressure on himself when he shifts to the leadoff spot today in Andres Torres’ place.
“I’ve led off before here, so this is not a big deal,” Tejada said. “I’ve hit leadoff, second, eighth, so I’m ready for everything.”
Tejada hit eighth on Opening Day. The Mets’ only other option for the leadoff spot with Torres injured would be Daniel Murphy, but manager Terry Collins prefers having the lefty bat in the No. 2 hole to keep the lineup right-left-right-left-right-left until late in the order.
“It’s the same [mentality] for me,” Tejada said. “Anywhere you hit, you have to go in there and do your job.”