Carlos Beltran believes his rehab is over.
Beltran played last night for A-ball Brooklyn, going nine innings for the second consecutive day. He went 1-for-5, striking out three times. Afterward, the All-Star center fielder declared he thinks he’s set to return to the Mets tomorrow.
“I feel good. I played nine [innings] back to back and everything feels good. I feel like I’m ready to go,” Beltran said in comments provided by the Mets. “I haven’t spoken to Omar [Minaya] or the trainers yet about coming back Tuesday, but I feel like I can come back and play then. I am ready.”
Beltran has been on the disabled list since June 22 with a right knee bone bruise, so he has missed approximately 2½ months. Yesterday when Minaya was asked about having Beltran back tomorrow against Florida, the general manager — speaking before Beltran’s game last night — said, “There’s a good chance.”
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Jerry Manuel said Gary Sheffield is extremely unlikely to play again this season. Sheffield, 40, who’s suffering from back spasms, has been out since Aug. 28, missing the Mets’ last eight games.
“I don’t foresee him playing,” Manuel said. “I would say he’s pretty close to being out.”
Sheffield batted .279 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs in 265 at-bats this season, but didn’t hit a home run after June 29.
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In the ninth inning of the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Cubs, Manuel and assistant trainer Mike Herbst headed to the mound to check on Francisco Rodriguez, and Manuel later said that K-Rod has “kind of had an issue with maybe his quad.” But Rodriguez insisted, “I’m fine. Just a cramp.” Rodriguez stayed in the game and closed out the win.
Manuel said Carlos Delgado‘s chances of returning this season are “very slim.” Minaya said that this week Delgado is going to run and they will evaluate how he comes through that.
