MET NOTES
SAN JUAN – Roberto Alomar and Rey Sanchez returned to Puerto Rico as favorite sons yesterday, and you couldn’t hide the pride on their faces.
The Mets’ double-play partnership came back to play competitive baseball on their native island for the first time since 1995, when they won a championship in winter ball. Alomar is a native of Ponce whose family still lives in Salinas. Sanchez was born in Rio Piedras and resides in Trujillo Alto. Both players mentioned the pride in returning in a major-league uniform.
“Those two fit together like a glove,” manager Art Howe said before the four-game series with Montreal began last night. “It’s going to be exciting for them to be playing here.”
The games were expected to be near-sellouts, and Alomar addressed the issue of his island being a permanent home to Major League Baseball.
“If Puerto Rico wants to have a team here later on, it’s important to sell out these games,” Alomar said. “This may be one opportunity, and that’s it.”
An overzealous boy fell head-first into the dugout trying to get Alomar’s autograph. After a few minutes of medical attention, he appeared to be OK.
During pregame introductions, both Alomar and Sanchez were given standing ovations, as were the Expos’ Puerto Rico natives Jose Vidro, Wil Cordero and Javier Vazquez. Alomar took off his cap and bowed to the fans.
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Howe called Puerto Rico “a home away from home.” He played four years of winter ball for Bayamon and managed four years, three in Bayamon and one in Ponce.
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John Franco throws live BP to Mets hitters again today. He threw 25 pitches in Miami earlier in the week. Grant Roberts threw 29 pitches in an extended spring training game in Port St. Lucie yesterday.
Mike Piazza was given the night off, with Vance Wilson batting seventh.
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According to USA Today, Mo Vaughn is the highest-paid player in the NL this season.
The average annual value of his contract is $17,166,667. Piazza is fifth in the NL at $15,571,479. Neither of those figures is actual a salary, however. Vaughn will earn $15 million, Piazza $14.5 million.
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RHP Jae Seo (0-0, 5.79) faces RHP Livan Hernandez (0-0, 5.40) today at 7:05 p.m.
