LAKELAND, Fla. — Angel Pagan and Carlos Beltran have adjacent lockers at the Mets’ spring-training complex, which should make it convenient for manager Terry Collins today when he stops in that area and asks “How you feeling?”
Collins is optimistic he will get positive responses on both counts.
Though Pagan was removed from yesterday’s 7-4 exhibition victory over the Tigers because of back stiffness, the center fielder said a 2½-hour bus ride was the culprit, and that he expects to resume workouts today.
Beltran had no bus ride to consider — he remained in Port St. Lucie and was the designated hitter in two minor-league games. Beltran finished 2-for-8 with a homer batting left-handed and double right-handed.
Nevertheless, Beltran did not run full speed, and was removed for a pinch-runner following his double, as he attempts to shake the tendinitis in his left knee.
As Beltran tries to beat the clock and get into a game as the right fielder for the first time this spring, Collins is operating under the assumption he won’t have to find a replacement for the opener at Florida on April 1.
“I’m very encouraged,” Collins said. “The fact [Beltran] got out there and felt good at the end, I’m not concerned about what he really does offensively, just the fact that each and every day he feels as good at the end of the day [where] he can take another step forward.”
Beltran indicated he had no soreness yesterday.
“But at the same time, I have to be smart,” he told reporters. “Because I feel great doesn’t mean I’m healed 100 percent.”
The next step could be scheduling a Grapefruit League appearance for Beltran. The Mets have eight exhibition games remaining, but Collins wasn’t ready to say what number of appearances he would like Beltran to make.
Collins said GM Sandy Alderson has said nothing to him that would indicate Beltran needs to be withheld from Grapefruit League action for a possible backdating of a disabled-list stint.
Pagan singled in his first at-bat against the Tigers and played the field for one inning, but when the soreness he felt on the bus ride persisted, he alerted trainer Ray Ramirez and was removed from the game.
Jason Bay shifted to center field — the first time he has played the position since the World Baseball Classic two years ago — and Lucas Duda was inserted as the left fielder.
“I wanted to play the whole game, but they
just didn’t let me,” Pagan said. “We just try to
be cautious.”
Pagan is scheduled to have today off and expects to resume playing tomorrow. If yesterday’s game had counted, Collins likely would have inserted Scott Hairston in center.
But Hairston didn’t make the trip, and another reserve outfielder, Willie Harris, already was in the game as the DH. That made Bay the natural choice to play center.
But Harris, who is batting .317 this spring, continues to impress the Mets and would be a consideration during the season. Yesterday Harris, the DH, hit his third home run of the spring, a grand slam against Brad Penny.
“I’m just trying to battle and make a team, and hopefully that helped me out a little bit,” said Harris, who is close to a lock for a roster spot.