PORT ST. LUCIE — Carlos Beltran’s trade to the Giants last year signaled the beginning of the Mets’ rebuilding effort that was only accelerated when Jose Reyes left for the Marlins without a contract offer from his old team.
Despite the dire outlook for his former team, Beltran, who ultimately signed with the Cardinals, understands the strategy.
“Every team has a different mentality,” Beltran said when asked about the Mets’ payroll drop before going 1-for-4 in the Cardinals’ 7-1 win yesterday. “Right now, I think, they’re going in a different direction.
“I don’t know if that’s something the Mets fans want to see, but that’s where they’re heading right now. … But I don’t think they’re going in a bad direction. They’re trying to develop their own players.”
Among those is Lucas Duda, whom Beltran mentored last season.
“I think he’s going to be a great, great player,” said Beltran, who received a smattering of boos before his first at-bat. “I think he has the potential to go out there and compete and put up good numbers.
“It will depend on him, how he approaches the whole year playing in the big leagues and making adjustments.”
When reminded he also tutored Andres Torres with the Giants last year, Beltran said: “Wow, I’ve been helping a lot of people.”
Beltran said his knees are completely healthy and he played into the seventh inning yesterday, to the surprise of Mets manager Terry Collins.
“You’re getting four at-bats?” Collins said he asked Beltran. “You were here 3 1/2 weeks before you got four at-bats last year.”
* Mike Pelfrey gave up a pair of homers through 4 1/3 innings. He had trouble commanding his fastball, although he said he “felt a lot better” than in his last start. “But I wasn’t very good last week,” he said, “so I don’t know how much that says.”
* Johan Santana threw his normal bullpen session yesterday and is on schedule to make his next start Friday in Port St. Lucie.