Luis Castillo still feels like he got a raw deal with the Mets.
The second baseman was released last week and signed a minor league deal with the Phillies on Monday. He showed up late yesterday for his first day with his new team, blaming the tardiness on a miscommunication between his agents and the Phillies.
And though he’s found a new home, he remains unhappy with how he was handled by Terry Collins.
“[Collins] wouldn’t give me a chance to play,” Castillo told reporters in Clearwater.
“I told him if he didn’t give me the chance to play that I don’t know if I have to be on the team. He decided to release me.”
The Phillies are looking at Castillo, 35, because of the uncertainty surrounding Chase Utley, whose knee problems are keeping him off the field indefinitely.
Castillo likely didn’t do himself any favors by not showing up until yesterday afternoon, when manager Charlie Manuel had him penciled in to play against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.
“If it was me, I’d have been here two days ago,” Manuel told reporters in Clearwater. “But it’s not me. I ain’t upset about it all.”
The Mets admitted the negativity surrounding Castillo’s presence on the team contributed to their decision to jettison him, and Castillo said that was difficult to deal with.
“It’s hard, man,” Castillo said. “It’s New York. You know how New York is. I had a lot of moments in New York. … I don’t want to think about the fans and media and all this stuff. I want to focus on baseball and show people I can still play.”
He’s got a long way to go, since he wasn’t able to beat out an underwhelming group at second with the Mets. But he insists he’s not finished.
“This year, I feel more in shape than five years ago,” Castillo said. “Now I’m fine. … I’ll give everything I have on the field.”
He’s confident Utley’s absence will give him a chance to stick around.
“I want to compete and I want to win the job,” Castillo said. “I have 10 days to prove it.”
Being with a new team will help, Castillo said.
“Anybody would be excited to play for the Phillies,” Castillo said. “I feel like I’m starting to play baseball again, like I’m a rookie guy. I know a lot of stuff is coming out. I’m trying to forget the past.”
That could be easier said than done, since the notion he’s washed up does affect him.
“It bothers me a little bit, but that’s the chance I have here,” Castillo said. “I have an opportunity to show I can still play.”