PORT ST. LUCIE – The first pitch of the Mets’ season will be thrown by Tom Glavine, not by Pedro Martinez.
Martinez, the Mets’ ace who has been battling an ailing right big toe, announced yesterday that he will not be ready to go for the season opener. Martinez does believe he’ll be ready to pitch in the opening week, just not on April 3 when the Mets kick off the season against the Nationals at Shea.
Martinez said yesterday that his first spring start will be on Sunday against the Orioles at home. That would allow him to have one more spring start before the season started but would not allow him to have two starts before Opening Day.
“I don’t think I will have enough time,” Martinez said about preparation for the opener. “I need at least two outings. You’re not going to throw me two innings in a game and then straight to Opening Day. I don’t think it’s fair to either the team, me and my teammates or anybody.”
Martinez said he was “optimistic right now” that he’d be able to throw the first week of the season.
“I just threw a simulated game, threw a little bullpen [yesterday], felt great,” he said. “So I’m looking forward to the next outing, and hopefully I’ll feel great again and on and on and on hopefully for the rest of the season.”
While the revelation regarding Martinez’ Opening Day status is surely disappointing for Mets fans, it’s really more a symbolic bit of bad news than anything else. On March 14, the pitcher asked, “If I am to be starting five games or six games in the first month and none in the last month, how good is it?”
Glavine said yesterday he had not been officially informed yet. But his schedule was altered weeks ago to set him up for Opening Day.
“I’ve been mentally preparing myself for it,” Glavine said.
Martinez started last year’s Opening Day for the Mets. He struck out 12 in six innings, getting a no-decision. Glavine had started the two Mets openers before that.
“Everybody here is capable and I trust anybody to do it,” Martinez said. “Especially that old goat [Glavine] that’s beside my locker.”
As for Martinez’ first spring start, he was eagerly anticipating it and said he’d attempt to pitch three innings. The pitcher knows people are curious about how he will perform.
“At this time, everybody has to wonder what is it going to be like,” he said. “I don’t know really. So far I’ve felt great in everything else. I need my body to be in shape, and that’s what I’m going to be looking for. Everything else, we will correct along the way.”
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The Mets reassigned three more players yesterday, including first-rounder Mike Pelfrey. Bartolome Fortunato and Jeremi Gonzalez were also in the cuts. The roster’s at 41. . . . Carlos Beltran has the flu and was sent home yesterday . . . Steve Trachsel threw six innings and 92 pitches in a minor league game yesterday.
