Mejia, Beato impress Collins
Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia throws in the bullpen as Francisco Rodriguez looks on during spring training. (Feb. 18, 2011) Credit: Newsday / Alejandra Villa
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Jenrry Mejia's rebirth as a starter began anew Saturday with two solid - if unspectacular - innings in the Mets' 5-5 tie with the visiting Braves at Digital Domain Park. Mejia struck out three but also had a pair of wild pitches, the second of which allowed Freddie Freeman to score in the second inning of the Grapefruit League opener.
"I tell you, I think this guy is going to be really good," said manager Terry Collins, who was impressed with Mejia's breaking pitches. "A guy that strong, and those guys with those great, big thick hands, sometimes they have a little trouble getting a little feel for a changeup. That's why he's been making sure he works on it in the bullpen. His curveball is what's really gotten better."
Pedro Beato, coming off Friday's tutorial with Francisco Rodriguez, allowed three hits in two innings, including a homer by Eric Hinske. But he also had five ground-ball outs, and Collins sees promise in him as well. Beato, who attended Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, badly fooled Nate McClouth with a breaking pitch in the third inning, as McClouth's bat sailed into rightfield.
Harris in a wreck
Willie Harris was involved in a car accident Friday night when his Range Rover was rear-ended on I-95. The SUV was wrecked, but Harris insisted yesterday morning that he was OK - and didn't take long to prove it. Harris, who didn't start, smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to gain a tie for the Mets. It was his second homer in as many days. "Nothing's wrong with me," Harris said, laughing. "I'm just trying to get it going, trying to focus on having a good spring."
Extra bases
The Mets have asked teams in advance to use a designated hitter through the games of March 10, but Collins had no plans to rush Carlos Beltran into the lineup. Beltran still is concentrating on his running program to get his legs in shape. "I'm not going to put him out there until he's ready to go," Collins said. "I'm not going to embarrass him because he's not ready to run the bases." . . . Oliver Perez will make his exhibition debut Sunday in relief against the Braves.
