Santana is back on schedule

DENVER -- Johan Santana will face the Rockies Sunday. That's not news. What is news is that he will be pitching on four days' rest for the first time this season.

"I'm fine," said Santana, who will oppose Jamie Moyer, 49.

Asked if he is curious to see how his surgically repaired shoulder responds, Santana said: "No. I have to go back to spring training. That's what I was doing. I was coming back on five days every outing. Even though [the outings] weren't as long, I was able to come back and do all my stuff between starts. I think that right now, I'm fine."

Of Moyer, who is 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA, Santana said: "Amazing. Everything that he has done is unbelievable. A lot of respect for him . . . But at the same time, we have to compete tomorrow."

Santana, (0-2, 3.00 ERA, four starts, 18 innings) never has pitched at Coors Field.

Baxter time

Mike Baxter would have been the position player to pitch if the Mets needed one in Friday's 18-9 loss to the Rockies. In fact, Baxter thought he was getting the call in the eighth and started jogging in from leftfield before Kirk Nieuwenhuis alerted him that Tim Byrdak was coming in. Asked if he was disappointed not to pitch, Baxter said, "No."

Torres gets closer

CF Andres Torres went 1-for-3 with a walk for Triple-A Buffalo and should rejoin the team Monday in Houston.

Ike's in

Manager Terry Collins said Ike Davis will start the rest of the games on the road trip even though three will be against lefthanded starters. "We've got to get the guy going," Collins said of Davis, who is batting .141. "Not playing him is not helping."