A quick wrap-up from Port St. Lucie after the first day of full-squad workouts:
1. Moises Alou was the last regular in camp, reporting just in time for the start of full-squad workouts this morning. Alou turns 42 in July and the gray hair is definitely noticeable, but the veteran left fielder said he is excited to get going and has a goal of 500 at-bats this season. Willie Randolph didn’t seem to consider that number realistic – Randolph intends to rest his older veterans more this year – but still considers Alou an important cog in the Mets’ championship hopes.
2. Alou admitted the Mets’ epic collapse last September caused him to consider retirement, but spending the offseason hunting and fishing in the Dominican Republic refreshed him to the point that Alou wants to play at least another three years. Alou, who was limited to just 87 games last season, looks leaner and stronger, and he got off to a great start today by spraying line drives on each of his first three at-bats.
3. Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado wowed a large crowd that turned out for their first round of BP this morning. Reyes hit several hard liners, while Beltran and Delgado each belted a pair of home runs in the session.
4. Randolph was beaming about the opening day of full-squad drills, calling the effort from his players “what spring training is all about.’’ Randolph said the pitchers set the tone with their energy, and the position players took the baton.
5. Randolph singled out reliever Duaner Sanchez and potential starter Mike Pelfrey for their mound work today. Sanchez continues to make a strong comeback from shoulder surgery that forced him the past year-and-a-half, while Pelfrey could take Orlando Hernandez’s spot in the rotation if he keeps this up.
6. Randolph said he doesn’t plan to talk to his players about last year’s collapse, in large part because many who took part in it are no longer here.
7. Randolph said non-roster infielder Jose Valentin, who is trying to make a comeback from major knee surgery at age 38, will be on a very light program this spring. Valentin is an inspiration, but his chances of making the club don’t look good.
8. Reliever Scott Schoeneweis has been excused from camp for the next couple of days to resolve some personal issues that Randolph said are unrelated to his health. Schoeneweis, you’ll recall, is in the Mitchell Report and has admitted using steroids, but he said they were in small, legal amounts and acquired only to help his recovery from cancer.
9. Pitcher Tony Armas Jr. and infielder Fernando Tatis, both of whom are trying to make the club as non-roster invitees, continue to be held up visa problems, GM Omar Minaya said.