MET NOTES

FORT LAUDERDALE – Masato Yoshii started last night’s game against the Orioles looking to go about his business as he would in the regular season. Yoshii has had a rough spring so far, going 0-1 with a 9.69 ERA in four previous starts.

But Yoshii was usually working on specific things like throwing repeatedly inside, or throwing nothing but changeups for an inning. Last night began the process of simply trying to get hitters out.

“Now we’re close to the end of the [exhibition] season,” pitching coach Bob Apodaca said. “The experimentation ends and the focus is on getting hitters out. It’s no longer working on the slider or pitching down in the strike zone.”

During much of spring training, a pitcher might not use the normal sequence of pitches he would use in a real game, or may throw a fastball to a dead fastball hitter because that is what he is working on.

Apodaca said he wanted Yoshii to work on a few mechanical things, as well, to “get his mind and body ready for the regular season.” He also said he wanted him to go at least six innings, depending on the pitch count.

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Bobby Bonilla said his tornright knee ligament was feeling much better and that he hoped to be ready to play soon. But he said it was in the hands of trainer Fred Hina. Bonilla has been taking batting practice and has done some work in the field.

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Mike Piazza hit a couple of mammoth home runs in batting practice before yesterday’s game with the Orioles. One of them had to go at least 500 feet, but never got higher than about 15 feet off the ground.

“You know,” Bobby Valentine said, shaking his head. “I never hit a ball like that before in my life.”

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The Orioles say Cal Ripken Jr., who has gone to be with his seriously ill father, probably will not accompany the team to Cuba for Sunday’s game and may not be back the rest of spring training. *

The Mets’ game against Baltimore has been moved up an hour to 12:10 on Saturday to allow the O’s to leave earlier for Havana.