Mets' Bay on 15-day DL, but fast return?

MIAMI -- The Mets' decision to put Jason Bay on the disabled list Thursday morning with a strained left rib cage resulted in the last-minute promotion of Lucas Duda, who should get a decent share of playing time in Bay's relatively short absence.

Just not on Opening Day.

Manager Terry Collins announced before Thursday's workout that Willie Harris would get the start in leftfield against Marlins' ace Josh Johnson -- and bat second.

The manager's explanation was simple. "Just look at the numbers," he said. Harris is a career .267 (4-for-15) against Johnson with a home run and seven walks. Not dominant, but enough to indicate some degree of success.

"We talked about the importance of getting out of the gate," Collins said. "[Johnson] is one of the best in baseball, and if you got a guy that hits him, seems to me you should get him in there."

As for Bay, the Mets are optimistic that he won't miss much time, but they did leave him behind in Port St. Lucie for rehab when the team buses departed at 11 a.m. Thursday. The move is backdated from March 24, so Bay will be eligible to return on April 9, which is a possibility.

Bay also received a cortisone shot in the area to speed up the process. "There was a little spot, a strained muscle in my rib cage, it's nothing big but it's the rib cage, so you're moving around and it makes it a little tough," Bay told reporters in Port St. Lucie.

"The goal is, I think it's backdated far enough that I would be eligible to come back on the 9th I believe. Things change, but in talking to the doctors they think it's very reasonable to think that I could be out there for that, which would be nice."

In spring training, Bay batted .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles in 16 games but had not played since March 24 because of stiffness in his lower back. Four days later, he suffered the rib-cage muscle strain.

Last season, Bay had six home runs in 95 games before his season was ended by a concussion in late July. This latest injury now further delays his return to the majors.

"It was devastating at first," Bay said. "You put in all that time in the offseason. You come off a concussion. And then all of the sudden you come into spring, the last week or so of spring, and you kind of felt like I was starting to catch a stride. You're getting excited -- and all of the sudden just have a derailment.

"It was a tough day Wednesday. But what's done is done. You move on. The silver lining I guess is, knock on wood, it's not that bad and there will still be a full season ahead of me."