MET NOTES
MIAMI – John Franco’s comeback progressed again yesterday, as the 42-year-old lefty threw 25 pitches during an early afternoon batting practice.
Franco threw to Joe McEwing, Tony Clark and Vance Wilson at Pro Player Stadium five hours before the Mets-Marlins game. He also threw 27 pitches before facing hitters.
“He looked great,” McEwing said. “His velocity was very good, his movement was very, very good. His ball didn’t stop moving until it was over the plate.
“His changeups were outstanding. I believe it’s a huge stepping stone for him.”
Manager Art Howe wasn’t sure if this outing meant Franco was close to returning, saying, “It’s all in the hands of the trainers right now.”
The pitcher told Howe yesterday he didn’t like his command on the inner half of the plate to righties.
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Shane Reynolds threw in front of scouts of eight or nine teams in suburban Houston. Special assistant to the GM Bruce Benedict scouted the outing for the Mets.
General manager Steve Phillips said an Internet report Monday night that Reynolds and the Mets had agreements voided by the commissioner’s office was “not completely accurate.”
“I don’t want to get into what the negotiations were,” Phillips said. “I’ll clear it all up if at some point this all gets resolved.”
Reynolds told a Houston paper he was deciding between the Mets, Rangers and Red Sox.
Phillips was in Port St. Lucie for Pedro Astacio’s second rehabilitation outing. Astacio was scheduled to throw 60-70 pitches over four innings, and he’ll pitch again on April 13, 18 and 23. The Mets don’t know where those rehab outings will be, but that would have him in line for a return at the end of the month if his biceps tendinitis doesn’t return.
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Bullpen coach Rick Waits and hitting coach Denny Walling rejoined the team. Waits, who underwent triple bypass surgery during spring training, watched five of the first six games from his home in Arizona. Walling underwent an angioplasty last week. “I’m full and ready to go, but I’ll take it easy on the pregame stuff,” said Waits, who must wait a few more weeks before throwing BP.
