(
)
PORT ST. LUCIE — Next.
Late yesterday morning, as Team Venezuela stretched in front of the visiting dugout near first base, Zack Wheeler and Johan Santana played catch, side-by-side down the left-field line.
Wheeler threw to pitching coach Dan Warthen and Santana to Pedro Feliciano on an otherwise empty field.
On the surface, here were two starters trying to distance themselves from physical issues, attempting to ready their bodies to finally get into spring games.
But it was hard to ignore the passing-the-baton symbolism.
The Santana Era already feels over, even with one year and $31 million still due the lefty. He was obtained to be a finishing piece, to take the Mets from contention to champions. And, of course, it just hasn’t transpired.
Santana has performed brilliantly in stretches, nearly winning a Cy Young in 2008, authoring the lone no-hitter in franchise history last year.
But his time here is marked mainly by the deterioration of both his body and the Mets — to the point that in Year 6 of Santana’s six-year contract the Mets are mostly wishing it were over. They could use the money more than Santana these days, especially because they know there is no Canyon of Heroes happy ending awaiting them together.
In 2013, the Mets’ hope is Santana has enough left to bring respectability to the proceedings. To be a placeholder.
Enter Wheeler.
You can imagine a scenario in which Santana goes as long and as hard as his dubious shoulder allows, say to the All-Star break, and Wheeler takes his spot from there.
But whatever the date, there is clearly a transition plan afoot. The Mets front office is not populated by dolts. The executives see the roster and recognize it is going to take a combination of the Amazin’ plus Ya Gotta Believe to contend at the highest levels. Instead, this is a year in which they want Santana’s contract to lapse and Matt Harvey and Wheeler to establish themselves as the cornerstones of a serial contender.
If Santana was the last gambit of the Omar Minaya administration to get it right, then Harvey and, especially, Wheeler are the barometers of the Alderson regime. Harvey remains Minaya’s most favorable parting gift to his successor, his final first-round draft pick before dismissal.
Wheeler, though, exemplifies what Alderson has been attempting: To stuff the organization with as much young, high-end, inexpensive talent as possible; trying to assemble a critical mass that U-turns the Mets away from this torturous period.
And Wheeler is atop that pyramid, the 11th-best prospect in the majors, according to “Baseball America.” That Wheeler was obtained for another Minaya pricey piece gone wrong, Carlos Beltran, merely adds more symbolism.
“He has stuff well beyond even this level,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said. “Now, we have to find out if he can use the stuff. He doesn’t lack confidence and ability. There is no reason he can’t be a frontline starter for many years.”
“Electric” is the word most often repeated about Wheeler. He has that Mariano Rivera trait of releasing the ball easy and having it go very hard toward the plate.
Plus, he has an advanced curve and a work ethic lauded by the Mets. In fact, Terry Collins said Wheeler was told one area he was weak at was hitting. He has responded by being in the cage early daily to work on helping himself when he pitches.
The downside is that he injured his oblique swinging earlier this spring. Yesterday was the second time he threw from flat ground since then. Warthen said Wheeler worked at about 80 percent without pain and that the ball was jumping. Wheeler reported he was fine. The progression would have him pitching in a game in about a week without hitches.
Though Wheeler says his aim is still to make the team out of spring, that is not happening. Instead, the Mets will send him to Triple-A to further refine his craft and also make sure he does not begin his arbitration/free-agent clocks prematurely. For now, he is a talented coming attraction. A promise of a better day.
“What’s not to be excited about?” said J.P. Ricciardi, a Mets special assistant to the GM. “He’s got great stuff. He has a great arm. He is a nice kid. And he has a good work ethic. If you aren’t going to get excited about him, who are you going to get excited about?”
Indeed, this is where the Mets are now. Santana no longer excites, his Mets days feel over even with him still in uniform. For the organization now there is only this:
Next.
joel.sherman@nypost.com