PORT ST. LUCIE — Another year, another Met predicting an NL East championship. This time around, it was new closer Frankie Rodriguez who told reporters here this morning with a straight face that the Mets — not the World Series-champion Phillies — should be the favorite in the division this season. “I don’t want to make no controversy, but with this ballclub the way I see it, with those guys, me and [J.J.] Putz and the other acquisitions in the bullpen, I think now I feel like we’re the team to beat,” K-Rod said. Oh, it’s sure to be controversial, just as Carlos Beltran starting a brushfire this time last year with his “team to beat” proclamation haunted him all season. Your move, Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels.