PORT ST. LUCIE – Much has changed since Angel Pagan flipped over a rail at Dodger Stadium last May, and none of it appears good for Pagan.
The switch-hitting prospect was the Mets’ spring-training sensation last year, coming out of nowhere to win the starting job in left field before that fateful flip in Los Angeles wrecked Pagan’s left shoulder and ended his season.
The impressive combination of Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy emerged at Pagan’s position in the meantime, then the Mets added backup outfielder Jeremy Reed from the Mariners in the offseason.
The result: Pagan faces a very steep climb just to make the Opening Day roster this year.
“That’s a challenging situation,” Jerry Manuel said yesterday, when asked about Pagan’s prospects.
Manuel indicated the choice for the final outfield spot could come down to Pagan or Reed.
Manuel hasn’t decided whether defense or Pagan’s ability to hit from both sides of the plate will be the deciding factor.
Pagan, who said his shoulder has been healthy enough for him to hit without problem since last November, doesn’t mind fighting for a spot all over again.
“Whatever happens, happens,” he said. “The only thing I can control is my performance.”
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Alex Rodriguez‘s news conference had a sizeable audience in the Mets’ clubhouse, with most of the team’s prominent players watching the broadcast closely.
Carlos Beltran applauded what he described as A-Rod’s candor.
“What I admire from that is that he’s been able to come through, talk to the media, let fans know what he did it for,” Beltran said. “He’s basically one of the best players to ever play the game of baseball. He made a bad choice and every time you make bad choices you have to deal with the consequences.”
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Manuel is bracing himself for his first spring training as manager to be disrupted by the departure of more than a dozen Mets to the World Baseball Classic for up to three weeks next month.
“Yeah, that’ll be tough,” Manuel said of the WBC. “But I do think with those two weeks left [after the WBC ends], I think that’s enough time. I just hope that when I do get them back, they’re not really emotionally drained.
“That’s going to be the real challenge of the staff, to make sure we get them focused back into winning a championship.”
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Jose Reyes‘ arrival in camp was pushed back another day to this morning because of travel issues and the birth of his daughter in the Dominican Republic last Saturday.