Juan Lagares feeling as good as gold

Juan Lagares wanted to congratulate his friend on winning the World Series. So on Tuesday night, he stopped in on Giants outfielder Juan Perez.

It was while watching television with Perez in New York that the Mets centerfielder learned that for the first time in his career, he had won the Gold Glove Award.

"I'm excited, it's great," Lagares said. "A lot of people called me and texted me. That's a great feeling."

Lagares held a replica of his newly earned Gold Glove Thursday, when he dropped in on the 11 a.m. gym class at PS/MS 57 in Harlem, where he coached students during a Wiffle ball game.

In a week or two, Lagares hopes to participate in baseball activities for the first time since spraining his right elbow in mid-September.

"The most important thing is I feel better," Lagares said. "I feel good."

In addition to solidifying his standing as the best defensive centerfielder in the National League, Lagares, 25, hit .281 with four homers and 47 RBIs in 116 games. But he missed time with hamstring, oblique and elbow injuries.

Lagares hopes his offseason work will help keep him on the field.

"You can't control what's going to happen, because like I said, I like to play my game hard. You never know," he said. "But I want to work very hard in the offseason to try to stay healthy the whole season."

After attending Friday night's Gold Glove Award dinner, Lagares will leave on Monday for Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he will attend the Mets' offseason conditioning program.

Notes & quotes: The Mets signed catcher Johnny Monell to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. Monell, 28, hit .238 with four homers in 68 games last season, which he split between the Triple-A affiliates of the Dodgers and Orioles . . . Reliever Bobby Parnell and shortstop Wilmer Flores have been working out in Port St. Lucie. First baseman Lucas Duda was there earlier in the offseason.