MET NOTES

PHILADELPHIA – The day after his start against the Braves last Wednesday morning, Steve Trachsel thought he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. The 31-year-old thought the back problem that popped up that day, which later was diagnosed as spasms in the right trapezius, would subside.

Treatment leading up to his Sunday night start against the Yankees alleviated the problem, or so Trachsel believed. By the fourth inning, he was getting a shot of some sort of relaxant when the spasms reoccurred.

Trachsel said he felt doped up yesterday by the treatment, and at any rate was unable to provide any new information on his status. Bobby Valentine said Trachsel would return to New York today for further examination and/or treatment.

“I would say it’s a less than 100 percent response,” Valentine said of the shot. “He feels less than perfect.”

Trachsel is concerned that it might be a nerve problem, but won’t know anything further until today. In an age of Tommy John surgeries and torn rotator cuffs, Trachsel has been remarkably consistent. He’s made at least 28 starts every season since 1995, and said he’s never missed a start in the majors due to injury.

Valentine said there’s still a possibility Trachsel could start in Florida on Friday. Bobby Jones, currently the Mets’ long reliever, is probably in line for Friday start if Trachsel can’t go.

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Mark Corey had his last test, an EKG, yesterday, but Valentine didn’t know the results before the game. Corey will work out for five days playing catch down in Triple-A Norfolk. There is no indication what the Mets will do when he is ready to be activated.

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Entering last night, rookie lefty Jaime Cerda had pitched three games in a row for the first time he can remember. Cerda usually worked two innings in Double-A and Triple-A and took a day or two off, as is the procedure in the minors.

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Roberto Alomar hit fifth last night for the 41st time in his career and first time since Sept. 24, 1998, when he was an Oriole playing in Boston.