MLB

Matthews Jr. to start in center for Mets on Opening Day

Gary Matthews Jr. was named the Opening Day center fielder yesterday by Mets manager Jerry Manuel, but that doesn’t mean he has won the job. Life is never that simple with the Mets. Manuel said the race is still on between Matthews and Angel Pagan in the battle for the position until Carlos Beltran returns, but Matthews is going to get first crack.

“Right now I’m going to give them the opportunity to play with some consistency and then evaluate and then see what’s the best for us,” Manuel said. “Let’s determine a win of the job at the end of this month or May, rather than spring training.”

So much for evaluating in spring training.

“They’re going to get a chance to put together some things and to go through some things and then evaluate and see where we are,” Manuel said. Without Jose Reyes in the lineup Manuel said the Mets were better off with veteran Alex Cora batting leadoff than Pagan, so it sounds like Matthews has the job while Reyes is out. Reyes will return this weekend.

“I felt that with the absence of Jose, and Alex is a very cerebral player and with him leading off, when he did lead off for us [last year], I thought it was a period when we played our best baseball,” Manuel said. “He sets a nice tone for us.”

In a perfect world the Mets are hopeful Beltran returns healthy and that Matthews plays well so he can be dealt for pitching. As for the bullpen, Manuel said he will not use rookie Jenrry Mejia in an eighth-inning role today.

“I will not give him the ball [Monday] in that situation,” Manuel said.

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Johan Santana said he is fired up for his first home Opening Day start.

“We’ll be ready for it,” said Santana, who is 5-1 lifetime against the Marlins. “My first two years here we opened on the road. I like being at Citi Field this time.”

The Mets and Manuel need a quick start and have a break, because of the schedule. The Mets play 16 of the first 22 games at home, and spacious Citi Field is just what this pitching staff needs.

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When doing an interview for the fans during yesterday’s workout and asked about home runs and other personal hitting numbers before the small but enthusiastic crowd of diehards, David Wright answered with his own question: “How about 100 wins?”

Yes, he was caught up in the excitement and sunshine of the day, and the anticipation of the opener.

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Manuel said the best thing about spring training was that the starting pitchers came through it healthy.

But Manuel also said he knows there are no more excuses for his pitchers.

“Our starting pitchers, it’s definitely time — after Johan — for those guys to step up,” Manuel said.

Those guys are John Maine, young left-hander Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and, of course, the No. 1 step-up candidate Oliver Perez.

Said Santana of the four, “Guys are more mature.”