MET NOTES
PORT ST. LUCIE – According to his agent, Armando Benitez has explained his absence from spring training to Steve Phillips and Bobby Valentine.
Whether the general public ever finds out what Benitez, who was expected to arrive in camp last night, was doing the last four days is something agent Michael Powers quite frankly doesn’t care about.
“I don’t think he has to explain himself [further],” Powers said. “He’ll be on the field [today], as far as that goes. I don’t want to go into it any further. He spoke with Steve and spoke with Bobby and explained the situation, and that’s where it will stay. Let’s just move on.”
Powers flew to New York yesterday to help Benitez out with whatever “personal matters” the Mets closer needed to take care of. Powers was polite but firm in declining to comment on the “personal matters,” but he reiterated Benitez wasn’t involved in any legal matters with his ex-fiancee.
Powers also denied a published report that Benitez was aiding friends with visa problems.
“I don’t know where it comes from,” Powers said. “It’s not accurate. That’s erroneous.”
It is believed no concrete reason was ever given to Phillips. Powers said Benitez made a separate phone call to Valentine, who changed his tune a little after sounding a bit wary on Friday.
“I found it interesting that there was a lot of attention put on Armando. There wasn’t any on Mo [Vaughn] when Mo was supposed to be here the first day as a rehab player,” Valentine said. “But I don’t think it’s a big deal for either of them.”
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Vaughn was scheduled to arrive last night and work out today. Grant Roberts rebounded after feeling a little stiffness Sunday morning . . . Bobby Jones still hasn’t thrown in the bullpen but has played catch and appears to be in good shape . . . Jeff D’Amico and John Franco will throw every third day, because the Mets have the time to move them along slowly.