MET NOTES
PORT ST. LUCIE – The consensus throughout baseball is that the more Gary Sheffield opens his roaring mouth, the less interest clubs have in trading for him.
Steve Phillips agrees with that, but said yesterday he hadn’t reached the point of no return . . . yet.
“There is always that risk it goes too far and you decide it’s not worth it at any price,” Phillips said of trading for the disgruntled Sheffield. “I’m not there yet. I think a comparable situation would be with Rickey [Henderson] last year. We weren’t quite at that point, then again, I wouldn’t have anticipated him hitting a single off the wall, breaking into his trot and saying he would do it again.”
Once that happened, Phillips decided to release Henderson on May 13.
Phillips said he will continue to talk to the Dodgers about Sheffield via phone.
Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone’s decision to come to Port St. Lucie on Saturday, yet not meet with Phillips puzzled the Met GM.
“It wasn’t what I anticipated when I woke up in the morning,” Phillips said. “I thought we’d at least exchange pleasantries. . . . It’s not the conventional way to make a deal. I think at some point [Malone will] explain.”
Phillips reiterated he will not budge from what he is willing to surrender in a trade based on any other club entering trade talks for the disgruntled slugger.
*
Mike Piazza has decided to use today his one spring training day off granted by manager Bobby Valentine. Piazza will be in Miami filming a commercial for MCI.
Mets will have an intrasquad game today to compensate for the innings lost by yesterday’s rainout. Valentine said he likely will have left-hander Bobby Jones, a candidate for the bullpen, start against the Orioles. Steve Trachsel and Glendon Rusch likely will pitch in a camp game.
Grant Roberts tossed lightly here yesterday, but was held out of all other drills.
After taking a cortisone shot Saturday, Roberts, 23, still feels a little pain in the upper left portion of his back. After getting rocked for six runs in 1 2/3 innings in an audition for Malone Saturday, Roberts, in full uniform, was taken to the hospital. X-rays were negative.
Roberts – considered one of the Mets’ top two pitching prospects – said he hopes to participate in A full workout today.
“I don’t see any problem,” said Roberts, who has felt pain for two weeks.
*
Don’t rule out Jorge Velandia eventually making an impact as the backup shortstop this season.
Velandia, who would’ve been the favorite coming into camp if he hadn’t broken a finger on his throwing hand, is scheduled to have X-rays this week and could be back on the field soon.
“If it was for me, it would be tomorrow,” Velandia said.
It would still seem unlikely that Velandia could make the Opening Day team, because he won’t be able to do full drills until March 20, he said.
The timetable will be determined by his X-rays. He doesn’t think he will lose any mobility and is keeping in shape by running with the pitchers.
Keeping active also helps so Velandia doesn’t have to keep asking himself, “Why now?”
How many times has he asked himself this?
“I lost count,” said Velandia, who has a good glove, but an untested bat.
*
Bubba Carpenter was in the Yankee system for nine years, and never made it to New York. He left before last season and finally made it to the majors with the Rockies. Now, he is trying to make it in New York.
“I knew I would get an opportunity here,” said Carpenter, who homered Saturday.
After hitting .222 in 14 games with the Rockies last season, Carpenter is trying to hook up with the Mets. The task for the 6-foot-1, 185-pound lefty will not be easy.
