MLB

Buck’s clutch bat kept Mets afloat in April

ATLANTA — John Buck will take the increased expectations that are sure to come if he can continue anywhere near this pace.

The Mets catcher just concluded one of the great debut months in franchise history and doesn’t believe it was a fluke. So if you now expect the 32-year-old Buck to deliver a big hit on a regular basis, go ahead, he says.

“It’s more positive energy in my favor,” said Buck, who will bring his nine home runs and 27 RBIs to Turner Field tonight against the Braves.

His latest important contribution came Wednesday, when Buck delivered a two-run double in the seventh inning as part of a 3-for-5 performance in the Mets’ 7-6 victory over the Marlins that snapped a six-game losing streak.

The Mets never saw this coming. Buck had been an All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2010, but after two mediocre seasons with the Marlins, he was hardly considered a significant component in the December deal that sent R.A Dickey to Toronto and returned an elite catching prospect in Travis d’Arnaud.

Buck’s nine homers last month tied a Mets record for April, and he was the NL leader in RBIs as yesterday’s play began. The Mets are 11-15, but realize without Buck’s great start, the season might already be completely flushed.

“I can’t begin to tell you where we would be if he didn’t get off to the start he got off to,” manager Terry Collins said. “We could be five-and-whatever.”

Buck hit .192 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs in 343 at-bats for the Marlins last season and was traded as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Jose Reyes to Toronto. Almost immediately, he was informed by Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos there was a good chance he wouldn’t be staying, as the team would seek to trade either him or J.P. Arencibia.

“A lot of players like Alex Anthopoulos so much because he is so upfront, which helped me realize right away going into the offseason I’ll be playing every day, whether it’s in Toronto or someplace else,” Buck said.

“So when I got moved again, it wasn’t that big of a shock. Plus, when I got here I knew it was a good opportunity with the staff and where the team was, I knew there would be ample time for me to play and kind of redeem myself after last year.”

Collins doesn’t discount the idea Buck was motivated knowing the organization’s plan to install the 24-year-old d’Arnaud as the starting catcher eventually this season.

D’Arnaud, who was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin the season, has since broken his left foot and likely won’t resume baseball activities until at least next month.

“You spend all spring thinking you’re only going to be here a little while until d’Arnaud is ready,” Collins said. “Maybe [Buck] is saying, ‘I’ll show everybody. I’m going to be here a little longer than that.’ There’s nothing wrong with letting some of this stuff motivate you and saying, ‘I’m pretty good, too.’ ”

But Buck credits his focus on process instead of results for his success.

“My first at-bat, I may strike out, but I see eight to nine pitches,” Buck said. “That carries over into me having better at-bats, maybe something I didn’t do a good job of last year because I was too worried about doing well. I’ve been real good on staying focused on that and having positive at-bats.”

* David Wright, who has battled neck stiffness in recent days, said he was sore after playing Wednesday, but expected yesterday’s day off to rejuvenate him for tonight’s game. Wright had three hits, including a homer, in his last game. … Wright was asked what makes the first-place Braves tougher than last year. “They’ve got a couple of guys from Virginia in the lineup — that’s always a good thing,” said Wright, who grew up with B.J. and Justin Upton in Norfolk, Va.