Mets manager Terry Collins met with reporters before Friday’s exhibition game in Arlington against the Texas Rangers. Here’s what he had to say…
Eight relievers possible.
It’s possible that the Mets could have eight relievers, rather than what was believed to have been seven, on their Opening Day roster. Adding an extra reliever to the mix, according to Collins, is a possibility because Mets starters will be on limited pitch counts early in the season. This could also mean Buddy Carlyle, who has an opt-out if he doesn’t make the team, could make the team. As consequence, the team would only have four bats off the bench to start the year, leading me to believe that Eric Campbell would be the odd man out for the time being.
The fifth starter spot still isn’t official.
While it’s been presumed that Dillon Gee is going to be the guy, the Mets fifth starter spot still has yet to be officially decided, Collins said. While Terry may say nothing’s set in stone yet, Rafael Montero is pitching out of the bullpen in Friday’s game in Texas, and I’d expect him to stay in that role once the regular season roles around.
He’s optimistic about Daniel Murphy.
There’s been a lot of chatter about Daniel Murphy’s status over the past couple weeks. While it didn’t look promising at all for awhile, there’s been a lot of optimism lately, as Murphy is expected to meet the team in Washington DC. Collins told reporters that he expects Murphy to be active on Opening Day.
Just Mets 