PORT ST. LUCIE – The Mets have this new star that no one is talking about. No, not Mike Cameron, Kazuo Matsui or Jose Reyes. He’s a big outfielder. His name is Cliff Floyd and you might have forgotten about him. He’s a difference maker.
Sure, the Mets had a Cliff Floyd on their roster last year, but that Cliff Floyd was saddled by an Achilles’ injury that required surgery at the end of August.
They are getting a healthy Floyd this season and he will bring thunder to the lineup. Listen to center fielder Cameron, “Man, he hit .290 and 18 jacks with one foot.”
“We got a lot better and people don’t know it,” Floyd said of these 2004 Mets, who have quietly added defense and stability to the mix. “I want everybody to keep the hype going with A-Rod and the Yankees. We’re going to do the little things better this year. If you do the little things right, you are going to win.”
Everything, of course, looks brighter in the sunshine of spring training. The cold reality of September is another story, but there is no denying that Floyd has an explosive bat. In the early days of spring training, he has been impressive.
He also is one of the most honest athletes you could ever meet, and is deeply respected by his peers for that. “I would have booed our butts last year, too,” he said of the 2003 last-place Mets.
Who did A-Rod call when he wanted to get the lowdown on playing in New York and Boston? He called Cliff Floyd.
“Last year was crazy,” Floyd said. “Roberto [Alomar] was beat up, [Pedro] Astacio was broke down from spring training, Mo [Vaughn] was done in spring training, [Mike] Piazza blew out for four months, I played hurt. You just can’t take a hit like that as a team.
“This is a bounce-back year, that’s why I can say this division is wide open and be serious about it. It makes sense. I’m not just blowing smoke.”
At that point Cameron, in his Sunday-best preaching voice, loudly proclaimed, “And the Lord said, ‘You’ve got to rise up.’ “
That is the Met clubhouse these days. It is a passionate place.
In a strange way, Floyd, 31, admitted his injury made him a more focused hitter. He did not take the game for granted last season and tried to make the most of every swing.
“Each swing could have been my last because my foot could have blown out,” Floyd said. “There were literally some days where I had to run on the side of my foot. That’s not the way you are supposed to play baseball.
“But I enjoyed every minute and that is what New York is all about, the fans are so passionate,” said Floyd, one of the few Mets to live in Manhattan. “It’s a privilege to put this uniform on and go out there every day and do something you love.
“I think management understands now that it takes a certain kind of player to play in New York,” Floyd added. “Last year, I’d be walking down the street and fans would yell, ‘Yo, what’s going on?’ They all got their opinion and that’s great.
“Fans make you better. Every once in a while you get that brain lapse and one time I forgot to run and they let me have it. And they were right and I said to myself, ‘You know what, if you don’t want to get booed, do what you’re supposed to do.’
“I had this will last year to go out there no matter what. I don’t know if it was a pride thing or what, but I just wanted to try and get it done.”
That was, as Cameron said, with one foot. If he stays healthy this year, you can be sure everyone will know that Cliff Floyd is a star again.
