Beltran a step closer as he makes first rehab start

Carlos Beltran officially began his journey back to the big leagues last night. When that journey ends is a little more uncertain.

In his first rehab start since undergoing offseason surgery on his right knee, Beltran played with Class A St. Lucie against the Palm Beach Cardinals. Batting third, he went 0-for-2, grounding out in his first two at-bats and walking in the fifth. He played five innings in the field, though no ball was hit to him.

"After all this work that I've been able to put in the rehab, day-in, day-out, coming to the ballpark every single day, spending like 3 ½ hours doing a lot of work, I feel like I'm in shape physically, but being out there playing for a game, you can never prepare for that. That's something that will come with time,'' Beltran said before the game. "I'm excited to be here today, my first game and looking forward to go out and having the chance to compete."

When asked about the state of his recovery, he said, "The knee's been fine right now. It hasn't given me any problems. It's been improving every single day. I hope it stays that way.''

Jerry Manuel doesn't have a firm timeline for Beltran's return to the Mets' lineup. But in what either was wishful thinking or a joke on his part, he pointed to a three-game series against the Marlins that begins Monday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"Honest feeling is that he will try to make a push to be in Puerto Rico," Manuel said. "It's home and he might end up there, I don't know."

Though that would be a nice touch for Beltran, a native of Puerto Rico, a high-ranking Mets official said there is absolutely no chance that Beltran will play in that series.

Manuel said, "He would really have to be doing well, really have to be doing extremely well for that to happen.

"A lot of things would have to go right for him, but it would be a tough, tough, tough, tough sell for him to make that trip.''

Manuel, who said he has kept in touch with Beltran through his rehab, said the centerfielder's enthusiasm about returning is palpable.

"He said he's very excited, he's ready to go," Manuel said. "I'll tell you this: If he plays well in these first couple games and what have you, he's going to be making phone calls up here. I can tell you that right now. He'll try everything he can to get here. And that's good, that's good. That's what you hope for."

Manuel said the immediate test won't necessarily be how Beltran performed on the field last night but how he feels this morning.

General manager Omar Minaya added that judging Beltran's readiness can't be measured by his performance or his health alone.

"I think a combination of both," said Minaya, who noted that he won't see Beltran in the next few days but will wait until he progresses further. "I think we'll see how he looks and how he feels. You're going to have to weigh both those things."