On the Mets beat

Update - 7:28 p.m. - Aaron Heilman pitches an easy ninth and the Mets are 1-0.

I don't know if this will become a tradition or not, but here are my three stars of the game, NHL-style.

1) Johan Santana -- He was one bad pitch away from a flawless first start. He threw seven impressive innings, striking out eight. Not sure what more you could want.

2) David Wright -- Mets never looked back after his bases-clearing double in the fourth inning. Finished 2-for-4 with a walk.

3) Willie Randolph -- I liked the way he used his bullpen and managed the game. He didn't waste Heilman in the eighth inning; he bunted for an insurance run that put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth.

Update - 7:17 p.m. - Players can make analysts look pretty smart too. After Ron Darling calmly argued in favor of Jose Reyes bunting Marlon Anderson over to tack on an insurance run -- "sometimes when you're playing for one run, it turns into a big inning" -- Randolph did exactly that, and the Mets got a gift run when Anderson scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error. Mets lead 7-2 with Aaron Heilman coming in to pitch the ninth.

Update - 7:04 p.m. - - Aaron Heilman, who hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with Mets management regarding the way he is used, seemed to be a little confused about not being brought into the game with runners on second and third with two outs. Instead, Willie Randolph tapped Jorge Sosa, who struck out Josh Willingham on a full count to end the inning. It's amazing how good performances can make a manager look smart.

We had our first Scott Schoenweis sighting. Schoeneweis had some groan-inducing moments last year, but he did his job tonight. He came in with one out and runners on first and second after Matt Wise allowed a single and an infield hit and got lefthander Mike Jacobs to ground out to third.

Gary Cohen is usually dead-on with his commentary, but early in the inning he questioned Randolph's decision to use Wise to start the bottom of the eighth inning. I had no problem with the move. Why waste Heilman -- who you know you're going to need sixty-plus times this year -- in a four-run game? You've got to give others a chance to prove they can get outs. Maybe Wise will be a valuable contributor this year -- maybe he won't -- but you're never going to have a good sense of his mettle by pitching him only in blowout games.

Update - 6:50 - - The Mets go quietly in the top of the eighth and it remains 6-2. Maybe I'm ignorant, but who the heck is Giuseppe Franco? Someone needs to tell him that Gary Busey is no longer a celebrity -- the best word to describe him is 'spectacle.' We need to get to the bottom of this, because you know we're going to see this commercial thousands of times this year.

Update - 6:42 - Santana's pitches darted all over the strike zone -- I mean that in a good way. He threw fastballs, changeups and sliders and moved them all over the plate. The Marlins hitters looked as confused in the bottom of the seventh as they did in the first. It seems that as long as Santana has good drop on his changeup, no one's going to touch him. After 100 pitches, he's probably done for the day. Here's his pitching line: seven innings, three hits, two runs (both earned), two walks, eight strikeouts, one home run, 100 pitches, 68 strikes.

Update - 6:31 - Another Mets season first: The first trademark opposite-field double for David Wright, who is now 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs. He followed it up with a silly, and telegraphed, attempted steal of third. He seems to get suckered in by Ricky Nolasco's pickoff attemps at second, which dared Wright to run.

Update - 6:25 - I think Santana got mad after allowing a couple of baserunners in the last inning. He struck out the last two in the fifth and the first two in the sixth, then got Josh Willingham to bounce out to short on one pitch. 88 pitches for Santana and it's 6-2 Mets through six.

Update - 6:17 - Johan Santana flew out to lead off the inning... should be interesting to see how Willie Randolph handles him from here on out. He's thrown 76 pitches through five innings so far. Mets still lead 6-2 after Jose Reyes is caught stealing at second to end the inning. If you're scoring at home, Reyes is 0 for 1 in stolen base attempts this year.

Update - 6:10 - More trouble for Johan Santana this inning. First and second with one out but he gets out of it with strikeouts of Jason Wood and Hanley Ramirez. The strikeout is a great weapon to have, and Mets fans should see a lot of them. Nothing like be able to get outs without the ball being put in play. Between Santana, Pedro Martinez and John Maine, they have three pitchers who should be able to rack up the backward K's this year.

Keep an eye on Brian Schneider's defensive play this year. Mets fans were really upset when Omar Minaya settled on the light-hitting Schneider to replace Paul Lo Duca. For those obsessive fans out there (we know you're reading), keep a tally of how many runs he saves. I bet if you add that number to his RBIs at the end of the year, it will be shockingly close to Lo Duca's RBI total of 54. Schneider made a nice hustling play to keep Luis Gonzalez at first when an errant Luis Castillo throw came close to going into the Marlins dugout.

And speaking of Gonzalez, I don't know if it's just seeing him without his goatee -- or maybe it's those slimming Marlins pinstripes -- but man does the Florida rightfielder look thin. Gonzalez, 40, who hit 57 home runs during the peak of the Steroid Era in 2001, certainly does seem to have lost some bulk. Ah well, maybe it's just a coincidence...

Update - 5:55 - The wind really seems to be wreacking havoc on Marlins centerfielder Cody Ross. For now it shouldn't be too much of a factor, but if this game gets close, Marlins manager Freddy Gonzalez is going to have to think about getting someone else out there. He misjudged a looping shot to left center and had to be bailed out by Willingham. The Mets go quietly in the top of the fifth. Mets 6, Marlins 2.

Update - 5:48 - No sooner did I type the flattering remarks about Santana below than Santana allows a two-run home run over the big teal scoreboard in left field. The pitch, a hanging 78 mph change up, probably could have been hit out by a good high school player. It's 6-2 Mets after four.

After a remarkably bad ball call by umpire Rick Reed on a 1-2 fastball which I'll generously say was on the inside corner, Santana allowed his first baserunner of the game -- a walk to Hanley Ramirez. The next batter, Dan Uggla hits a nubber up the first base line and Santana covers for the out. You have to love Santana's quickness off the mound -- we've already seen it twice today. The first time was on a nice pickup and throw on Cody Ross' grounder to the right side. Santana's changeup has made a couple of batters look silly already. He is going to be murder on young teams with batters who like to swing for the fences.

Update - 5:35 - Mets lead 6-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth. Big inning. Six runs, highlighted by David Wright's three-run double. In fact, the Mets batted around. A six-run lead with Santana on the mound!

Interesting situation. Runners on second and third with no outs and Angel Pagan up. Key moment. Moises Alou is hurt, there was speculation about adding an outfielder during spring training. No worries. Pagan doubled down the third-base line to score Carlos Beltran, who started the top of the fourth with a double to leftfield, with the first run. And one of the new guys - Ryan Church - singled to right to score Carlos Delgado. Pagan, Church and Santana. All is good in the Mets' world.

I understand the strategy by Willie Randolph to have Santana bunt with runners on first and third and one out. Moving Church to second puts runners at second and third with Reyes up. But the whole thing looked bad from the start. Johan, who is supposed to be a decent hitter, ended up striking out. If Johan lays down a good bunt, it's 4-0. Oh, well. The guy is here to pitch - and he's doing great today. Reyes singled to score Pagan, making it 3-0.

Update - 5:10 - It must be nice to be a Met and trot out onto the field knowing Johan Santana is pitching for your team. He continues to look solid. He just got his second strikeout, taking care of counterpart Mark Hendrickson. Nine up, nine down.

Update - 5:03 - Luis Castillo certainly looks good. He walked in the first, then reached on a nice bunt single down the third-base line in the third. He then stole second base. But he didn't score. By the way, Johan flew out to center. No score.

Update - 4:56 - Johan Santana looks very comfortable out there. He's retired the first six Marlins. Johan's batting in the top of the third.

Update - 4:51 - I think the wind is definitely helping Mark Hendrickson. A lot of pop-ups. Angel Pagan and Brian Schneider popped up to the catcher. No score heading to the bottom of the second.

Update - 4:43 - Johan looked sharp, including striking out leadoff hitter Hanley Ramirez. Three up, three down. Still scoreless.

Update - 4:41 - Why didn't Luis Castillo score? What is he doing looking back at the outfielder with two outs? Carlos Beltran was credited with a double on the fly to shallow centerfield. Nice try by Florida's Cody Ross. He had it, but it popped out of his glove, putting Beltran on second and Castillo, who walked, at third base. But Carlos Delgado couldn't get it done, popping up to shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Real windy there. Plenty of adventures in the first inning, including a ball boy stumbling and bumbling on a foul ball by Beltran. Scoreless in the middle of the first. Here comes Johan!

Update - 4:22 - First pitch is almost here. Stay tuned.

It's not raining here at Dolphin Stadium - for now - but it is very, very windy. The flags along the top edge of the stadium are whipping around and it appears the strong gusts are blowing in toward home plate. The Marlins are taking BP at the moment and their fly balls are dying in the shallow outfield.

That could be good news for a fly-ball pitcher like Johan Santana, unless it somehow affects his changeup. We'll have to see if the wind shifts closer to gametime.

Is Omar Minaya a genius or what? Trades Lastings Milledge and L-Millz goes 0-for-4 in his debut Sunday night for the Nationals. Lets Paul Lo Duca walk, primarily because of his defensive shortcomings, and Washington's new catcher spits up the passed ball -- with two outs in the ninth inning -- that allows Martin Prado to score the tying run from third.

And on top of all that, the Braves STILL lose when Ryan Zimmerman takes Peter Moylan deep in the bottom of the ninth. When the Mets take the field today for their 4:10 p.m. start at Dolphin Stadium, they'll already have a half-game lead over Atlanta, even if they now trail the Nats by a half-game.

If you still haven't had your full of hype -- there's only eight hours left before first pitch -- you can read all about the Mets finally getting their chance to exorcise the demons from 2007 this afternoon. Also, check out the final roster moves, along with yesterday's not-so-surprise announcement that Mike Pelfrey is the Mets' fifth starter.

(Drum roll please ...)

Reyes (ss)
Castillo (2b)
Wright (3b)
Beltran (cf)
Delgado (1b)
Pagan (lf)
Church (rf)
Schneider (c)
Santana (lhp)

In other news, Brady Clark will wear No. 44 (sorry Lastings).

Ramon Castro will start the season on the DL, retroactive to March 21, so Raul Casanova is the backup catcher.

Mike Pelfrey just emerged from a brief meeting in the manager's office and relayed the news that he is indeed the fifth starter. Orlando Hernandez will start the season on the 15-day disabled list.

Asked about this morning's chat in the office, Pelfrey said, "They told me to make it happen."

Kind of an upset here. Brady Clark was just told this morning that he's on the team, too, which means no Fernando Tatis.

As for the No. 5 job, Orlando Hernandez is now back in Randolph's office for the second time.

The Mets haven't announced their roster yet - the deadline is 3 p.m. - but Joe Smith just emerged from the manager's office and confirmed that he's on the team. Smith was told around 11 this morning.

"It feels good to finally get the word," a smiling Smith said. "When you wait until this late, everybody gets a little nervous."

The countdown continues ...

In the meantime, I thought I'd cut and paste five questions about the Mets that ran in Newsday's 2008 preview section. Check 'em out:

Just who is the leftfielder for this team, anyway?

Ideally, the plan is for Moises Alou to return from hernia surgery and reclaim his job by early May. But this is likely to be an area that's in flux for most of 2008. Alou played only 87 games last season because of a severe quadriceps strain that cost him 2½ months, and given that he's 42, it's a good guess that the hernia will not be his only injury this year. The Mets do have insurance there, with reliable backup Endy Chavez and spring standout Angel Pagan, and they can always make a move at the trade deadline if Alou is on the shelf at that time.

Can Pedro Martinez be relied on from here to October?

Martinez says he can, and there's no reason to suspect otherwise after watching him in spring training. Sure he's old (36), has logged more than 2,600 innings and is only 18 months removed from rotator-cuff surgery. But Martinez is smart enough to realize he has a finite supply of bullets left and is pitching accordingly. If handled conservatively, he could make it.

Is it possible that manager Willie Randolph could be in the hot seat?

Um, yeah. I'd consider Randolph already there. The temperature is not to the point that the manager is sweating, but after last season's unprecedented collapse, Randolph knows he's a poor start away from things really getting uncomfortable. He's entering the second season of his three-year, $5.65-million deal, which is dangerous territory when it comes to job security.

Will Carlos Delgado's hip be a problem?

I'm no doctor, but from what I've seen and heard from Delgado himself, I'd have to say yes. Anything involving a body part as major as a hip joint is worrisome, and his condition, diagnosed as an "impingement," often is the precursor of arthritis. He appeared to be in great shape when he arrived for spring training. But the amount of stress that hip is going to absorb from hitting and the grind of playing every day suggests he's going to need more anti-inflammatory injections than the one he received at the beginning of March.

Is this the year David Wright wins the MVP?

I'm always a big proponent of Jose Reyes for this award because he's a shortstop, a leadoff hitter and the best base-stealer in the game. But Wright, the team's best hitter, has the ability to carry the Mets from the No. 3 hole. He tried to put the entire team on his shoulders at the end of last September, when he batted more than .400 during the slide, but couldn't do it alone. Wright could have a career year numbers-wise, and if the Mets get to the playoffs, he might be the biggest reason.

Here's the boxscore from today's game.

Here in Memphis, at the Civil Rights Game, the Mets are using what likely will be their regular lineup:

Reyes SS
Castillo 2B
Wright 3B
Beltran CF
Delgado 1B
Church RF
Pagan LF
Schneider C

So far, through the top of the fourth, John Maine looks as good in the cool, damp weather as he has all camp in the Florida sun: No runs, three hits, no walks, five strikeouts. Not bad for a no. 4 starter.

--mh

(From Mark Herrmann, in Memphis)

So are you a Bon Jovi kind of person, or a Billy Joel fan? Or are you old school enough to be a believer in the Monkees?

In any case, you get to make the call. The Mets on Monday will begin online voting to determine what should be the Eighth Inning Sing-A-Long Song for the final season at Shea Stadium. "Sweet Caroline" is on the list, but that's so 2004 and so Red Sox. You can vote for it if you want, or you can even place a write-in nominee.

Anyway, here is the ballot (song, artist):

"Brown Eyed Girl" Van Morrison
"Build Me Up Buttercup" The Foundations
"I Love Rock N Roll" Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"I'm a Believer" The Monkees
"Land of 1000 Dances" Wilson Pickett
"Livin' on a Prayer" Bon Jovi
"Movin' Out" Billy Joel
"Sweet Caroline" Neil Diamond
"Theme from `Friends' (I'll Be There for You)" The Rembrandts
"Waitin' on a Sunny Day" Bruce Springsteen
Write-in...................................

Getting anxious? The Mets still have some fine-tuning to do with their roster, and the Civil Rights Game left to play today in Memphis (5 p.m., ESPN), but the 2008 season is nearly upon us. I handled a couple of the remaining issues in today's Newsday, and at the top of that list is the fifth starter's job.

Judging by the results, Orlando Hernandez definitely looked better yesterday than Mike Pelfrey -- and how about the leg kick? But this is likely to be a situation where the Mets leave El Duque in Florida to build arm strength. He's only had two Grapefruit League starts and, in their thinking, would benefit from two more while on the disabled list. That would make it Pelfrey's job by default.

Everyone cool off yet about the whole Ruben Gotay fiasco? I'm getting the sense here that Gotay became a huge fan favorite for his performance last season. But he just didn't fit on this year's Opening Day roster because of his weak hitting from the right side and the Mets didn't consider him a suitable backup at shortstop. If anything happens to Jose Reyes (knock on wood) the call will go to Anderson Hernandez at Triple-A New Orleans.

Enjoy this afternoon's game on ESPN, but remember: after today, they all count.

Here's the boxscore from today's game.

Well, what did you expect? It's not like manager Willie Randolph was going to pop out of the dugout, gather up his reporter pals and proudly name his No. 5 starter. We all know better than that.

Orlando Hernandez looked much better than he had in his previous two starts and reverting backto a version of his old leg kick definitely helped him. Remember, though, this was the Orioles, on the last day of spring training, so it's tough to get a very accurate read. As for Mike Pelfrey, he was inconsistent -- again -- but I wouldn't say he bombed.

The hunch here is that Pelfrey winds up with the fifth starter's job. He didn't do much to win it, but with Hernandez still trying to get comfortable with his delivery, the Mets probably want to give him a little more time. Two weeks on the DL to start the season should be plenty to bring him up to speed.

Mike Pelfrey just walked the first two batters he faced, Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora, on a total of nine pitches. David Wright visited the mound after he fell behind, 2-0, to Mora but it didn't help.

***** UPDATE: Nice recovery by Big Pelf. He whiffed Nick Markakis by blowing a fastball by him and then got Kevin Millar to bounce into a tidy 6-4-3 double play. It's on.

Have to take a break from blogging. Time to talk to El Duque.

Heading into the fifth inning, I figured it was 50-50 that Orlando Hernandez would wrap up the No. 5 job before Mike Pelfrey even threw a pitch. But now, after he just breezed through the fifth, I think El Duque just improved his odds.

Hernandez needed only 11 pitches -- eight were strikes -- and he looks nothing like the wounded pitcher that labored through his first two starts of the spring. El Duque got two easy grounders to first base, and even hustled over to cover on one of them. He also whiffed Adam Jones on a sidearm change that was vintage El Duque.

Hernandez's pitch count is up to 70.

***** UPDATE: Duque's done. Pelfrey just trotted in to the mound. The line on Hernandez: 5 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 BB, 2 SO. Not bad. He also retired the last seven straight.

Figures. The Braves claimed Ruben Gotay off waivers today, so now he's headed to Atlanta.

In other news, Steven Register was returned to the Rockies and Anderson Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans.

First Lastings Milledge, now Gotay. How many revenge-minded youngsters can the Mets handle in the NL East this year?

Kind of an uneven performance for Orlando Hernandez, but what else is new. Through three innings, El Duque has thrown 46 pitches -- including 26 in the third alone -- and 28 for strikes. He's allowed four hits (1 BB, 0 Ks) and the lone run is the result of Brian Roberts' two-out double in the third inning. Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo combined for another nifty double play when Reyes made a running catch of Brandon Fahey's sinking liner in shallow center and rifled a throw to Castillo as he slipped behind Adam Jones, who was caught napping off second base.

OK, so Aubrey Huff is only the fifth batter. But in case you hadn't figured it out yet, today is a big deal. Huff stroked a lazy single into shallow centerfield on the first pitch, but was soon erased when Ramon Hernandez bounced into a 4-6-3 double play. Luis Castillo made a nice backhanded grab behind the bag before flipping to Jose Reyes. Pretty smooth for a guy on two bad knees.

Gulp. The Mets just got a major scare when Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera nailed Jose Reyes under the right arm with a fastball. Reyes flopped to the dirt in obvious pain, causing manager Willie Randolph and trainer Ray Ramirez to rush out and check on him. Reyes kept holding the spot, but eventually trotted down to first.

More good news. He just headed back out to shortstop and is currently joking with David Wright. It looks like the crisis has been averted.

Looks like Orlando Hernandez is pulling out all the stops for today's duel with Mike Pelfrey. After ditching his signature leg kick for his last two starts, El Duque has reverted back to his old windup. Same knee up around his face, same hiding the ball until the last second. So much for the experiment. Now let's see if this works.

So far he's retired leadoff man Brian Roberts on a grounder to second after an eight-pitch at-bat. He just got Melvin Mora on a pop to second.

Here's the Mets lineup for today's game vs. the Orioles:

Reyes (ss)
Castillo (2b)
Wright (3b)
Beltran (cf)
Delgado (1b)
Church (rf)
Tatis (lf)
Schneider (c)
Clark (dh)

The Orioles' spring training facility here in Fort Lauderdale is old school. Not just because it's a decrepit structure with peeling paint, faded plastic seats and weathered aluminum bleachers in the outfield. When I strolled in a few minutes ago, the sound guy here was cranking tunes from Led Zeppelin IV that blared throughout the empty stadium. You just don't hear "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Stairway to Heaven" at ballparks anymore. Thankfully, no more "Who Let the Dogs Out" either, so we'll call it a push.

The Mets plan to make their final roster decisions after tomorrow's Civil Rights Game in Memphis, but we should find out what happens to Ruben Gotay, Steven Register and yes, maybe the fifth starter's spot, by the end of today.With that showdown now less than two hours away, maybe the Mets should heed the words of the immortal Robert Plant:

"Yes there are two paths you can go by
but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on."

So long for another year, Port St. Lucie.

I know today is the big showdown between Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, but it also marks the unveiling of Newsday's 2008 Baseball Preview. The theme is pitching aces, and at the center of it is a Q & A I did with Johan Santanta.

The Mets new ace has kept a fairly low profile in spring training between starts, and for that reason, I was surprised when Santana opened up on a number of topics during a 35-minute interview at his locker. One of his favorite subjects involved playing baseball as a little kid in Venezuela -- he started throwing righthanded -- and it struck me how down-to-earth he is despite being arguably the best pitcher on the planet. Anyway, check it out here.

The Mets wrap up their Grapefruit League season this afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, then fly to Memphis for Saturday's Civil Rights Game against the White Sox. Somewhere in between, Ruben Gotay will find out if his fate after being placed on waivers.

Check back here for updates later in the day.

Here is the boxscore from today's game.

There was a slight air of defiance in Mike Pelfrey's tone this morning when discussing tomorrow's mano y mano duel for the No. 5 job in the rotation. Pitching coach Rick Peterson just said on the ESPN broadcast of today's game at Disney that it will be a "photo finish" between Pelfrey and Orlando Hernandez. The dueling duo will split tomorrow's Florida finale against the Orioles in Fort Lauderdale -- say that 10 times fast -- but is it truly going down to the wire?

The job belonged to Hernandez when camp opened. But bunion issues and post-op problems involving his right foot then forced him to drastically alter his delivery -- and, as a result, limited him to one Grapefruit League start to this point. As for Pelfrey, he made his full allotment of five starts, including a simulated game on March 18, and split a game with El Duque last Sunday. But the numbers have been underwhelming (8.31 ERA, 29 hits in 17 1/3 innings).

Now, faced with a do-or-die game tomorrow, Pelfrey is realistic about his chances.

"I've felt like I’ve been working on things, I’ve gotten better," Pelfrey said this morning. "The only thing that really kind of sucks about the way it came down is that you don’t know anything. You don’t know if you need to turn your keys in to your place or come back here. That’s the one thing that’s frustrating. But I can’t really say I’ve gone out there and distinguished myself from anybody else, you know? That’s the nature of it."

The safe approach for the Mets would be to take Pelfrey for the No. 5 spot and place Hernandez on the disabled list with the explanation that he's still adjusting to his foot problems. The downside to that is El Duque would no doubt be annoyed -- and just how long can they keep him in Florida on rehab? While the Mets may be leaning toward Pelfrey, he does have minor-league options, and a sharp outing by Hernandez against the Orioles would prove that he's healthy and sway the team's decision-makers in the other direction.

Not sure who was the first to come up with that 'Stache nickname for Jose Valentin. But for the person out there who did? Well played, sir (or madam).

Anyway, Valentin was floating around the clubhouse today amid a few of his teammates packing up and he's still waiting for the anti-inflammatory shot in his neck to kick in. A bit of not-so-good news for him: the doctor he visited in New York earlier this week "didn't like what he saw" after peering over the MRIs of his inflamed discs and pinched nerve.

Valentin is headed back to NYC tomorrow for a follow-up exam before he tries to resume baseball activities. Apparently, his right shoulder/arm is very weak because of the pinched nerve and it could be a bigger problem than the shot can solve.

"If I have to have surgery, I might have to do it," Valentin said. "I don't want to deal with pain for the rest of my life."

Well, Valentin tends to be a little melodramatic, so he may not be at that point quite yet. The plan now is for him to stay in Port St. Lucie for extended spring training and then maybe start playing for the Florida State League team. Valentin can become a free-agent if he's not on the major-league roster by May 15, but he's not looking that far ahead at the moment.

The Mets informed Ruben Gotay this morning that he is indeed on waivers and now must wait until later today or tomorrow to see if he is claimed.

Gotay was supposed to be on today's trip to Orlando, but with his duffel bag in front of him, he sat on his stool with tears in his eyes as he talked on his cell phone.

"I thought I did a good job last year," Gotay said. "I didn't think I deserved this. "

No Space Mountain, though. The Mets make their only trip to Orlando to face the Braves this afternoon, and lucky for you, ESPN is carrying the NL East showdown live at 1:05 p.m. This won't be much of a ratings grabber, however, because, most of the Mets regulars are staying home for a final break before their last two exhibition games (Fort Lauderdale, Memphis).

The Mets are still getting their roster into shape -- the front office huddled after Wednesday's game -- and it looks like the fifth spot will be officially decided after seeing Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey pitch on Friday against the Orioles. With Hernandez struggling to master his new delivery, there is a strong possibility the Mets will roll the dice with Pelfrey and give El Duque more time to fine-tune.

The good news is that Pedro Martinez looks ready to roll after zipping through his six-inning intrasquad game yesterday. And -- surprise! -- might be time to run out buy those No. 17 jerseys now that Fernando Tatis is closing in on a roster spot. Or maybe just get some duct tape, put it over HERNANDEZ and scribble on TATIS. Bingo. I just saved you $100.

Here's the boxscore from today's game.

Pedro Martinez just wrapped up a six-inning intrasquad game and looks more than ready for the Marlins next Tuesday. Martinez used a dizzying repertoire during the 80-pitch performance, with a fastball that maxed out at 86 and a changeup that dipped as low as 67.

Unlike his previous outing, in windy, dry conditions, Martinez was back to throwing breaking pitches that looked like wiffle balls. As a result, there was plenty of head-shaking and frustrated smiles from a lineup that included Anderson Hernandez, Ruben Gotay and Angel Pagan.

"Well, I’m getting better," Martinez said. "I’m improving day-by-day and my pitches are going to do the same thing. If I’m healthy, and I’m able to make adjustments from one outing to the other, things are going to happen. I hope I can get the same reaction against the real team in the real game the next time out."

Martinez is looking forward to the favorable conditions in Miami -- he is 5-2 with a 1.89 ERA in 10 career starts at Joe Robbie-Pro Player-Dolphin Stadium. Martinez also is scheduled to start the April 8 home opener at Shea, which is always a must-see event.

"I’m pretty sure they’re interested in seeing Johan, too," Martinez said. "Before Johan gets to the mound, they’re going to have to settle for the old goat, and a very familiar face. Even though I’m pretty sure they’re going to enjoy it as much as I will."

In addition to his stabilizing presence on the mound, Martinez said he will assume more of a leadership role now that he's going to be with the Mets from Opening Day this year.

"If I feel something that I need to say, I’m going to be more vocal about it," Martinez said. "And if there’s something I can suggest and not feel like I’m getting in anybody’s way, I think I’m going to be able to say it because right now I feel like I’m old enough and I've earned enough respect from my teammates and from everybody else. If I say something they might stop to listen, if I have to call in a meeting where I see something wrong I’ll just do that. If I’m here and I'm healthy for the whole year."

After trying to earn a spot in the Mets' bullpen, Steve Register is now in a holding pattern to see if another team claims him before the waiver-window closes by Friday morning. Register left the facility here a few minutes ago because, according to Rule 5 stipulations, he's not allowed to participate in team workouts as long as he remains on waivers, which usually is for three business days. Stay tuned.

Startling new evidence this morning of just how old Pedro Martinez is. Brian Schneider brought in a photograph this morning, recently discovered by his mom, of him standing next to Martinez at Dodgertown -- as a grinning 15-year-old wearing a Northampton (Pa.) Baseball t-shirt. Martinez has on a satin blue Dodgers warm-up jacket and it is believed the photo was snapped in 1992. By the way, Schneider is catching Martinez in a minor-league game later this morning.

"That's how you know you're an old goat," Martinez said. "Normally I take a lot of pictures with young kids, so they have a memory like that to take home."

The Mets face the Marlins this afternoon (1:10, SNY) in their final Grapefruit League game at Tradition Field for 2008, but you won't see Pedro Martinez on your TV screen. In order to keep Martinez under wraps -- he'll face Florida next Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium -- the Mets will pitch him in a minor-league game this morning on one of the back fields, just as they did with Johan Santana on Tuesday.

Moises Alou is hoping to return sooner rather than later from hernia surgery and Santana seems anxious to hit against the Marlins on Monday. Just take it easy on the basepaths, Johan. Three games left after today -- tomorrow against the Braves at Disney, Friday vs. the Orioles at Fort Lauderdale and Saturday's Civil Rights Game against the White Sox in Memphis.

I admit I didn't watch much of the game. But I can tell you this much: the Mets beat the Braves, 5-4, on Rafael Arroyo's one-out single in the ninth that scored Brady Clark.

Also of note...

Raul Casanova homered off Tim Hudson. Endy Chavez and Carlos Beltran had doubles. Jonathon Niese started for Santana (more in a bit) and allowed two runs, two hits and six walks (!) in 4 2/3 innings. Ricardo Rincon got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Santana threw in a minor-league intrasquad game today: 81 pitches, 56 strikes and six innings. But it wasn't exactly game conditions, so hard to take anything from that except for the fact he got a workout in. Which I plan to do later in the hotel gym.

Here is the boxscore from today's game.

See ya.