MET NOTES
LOS ANGELES – Carlos Beltran doesn’t remember the head-smashing collision that put he and Mike Cameron in the hospital. But that’s OK with him.
“The only thing that I remember was me going for the ball. After that I don’t really remember what happened that day,” Beltran said yesterday. “And being honest with you, I don’t want to remember. I want to move forward.”
Beltran, who had been away from the Mets for the previous two days, began to move forward yesterday, rejoining his teammates and actually watching the game in the dugout while in his uniform.
The question now is when Beltran will be able to rejoin his teammates on the field. The Mets should have a clearer answer today.
Beltran, who was set to fly back to New York with the Mets yesterday, is to be examined at the Hospital for Special Surgery to find out whether his minimally displaced facial fracture needs surgery. “What happened is, I have a little fracture and that fracture is moving inside like six millimeters, so they want to see if it moved more or it came back to place,” Beltran said. “If it came back to place they don’t have to do the surgery.”
If Beltran needs surgery on the area (which is close to his left ear), it would likely occur today. If he doesn’t need surgery now, he won’t need it at all, as the fracture would heal naturally.
Beltran said his left shoulder, which had been sore, is now OK. His left biceps also is sore, but nothing serious, and his face is sore. The crash also gave Beltran a slight concussion. He did not remember talking with reporters after the accident and said that on Thursday he “asked the trainer the same question over and over and over like 50 times,” trying to find out “where I am, what happened.”
Beltran did see Mike Cameron (who again spent yesterday in the hospital) at the hospital, and said, “He didn’t look good. I was very sorry for him.”
Beltran said Cameron had a lot of swelling on his face.
Beltran, who said he saw the replay of his collision “like 25 times,” said trainer Ray Ramirez recommended that he not show up yesterday until later but Beltran said, “I just feel like being here. I feel good. I just want to be around the guys. I want to see the game.”
When Beltran does come back and play, it will be interesting to see whether he has any hesitations. Beltran, though, insisted he’d be OK because he doesn’t recall much about the accident anyway.
Said Beltran, “I think when I get back I’m going to go out there and play the game without the fear of diving for the ball or having another collision with another guy.”
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Doug Mientkiewicz (bruised lower back) plans to see a team doctor today. …
Jim Duquette, the Mets’ VP of baseball operations, said that the two rotation options the Mets are looking at are using six starters or putting Steve Trachsel in the bullpen. … If the Mets need minor-league outfield help, Duquette said, possible options include Eric Valent, Angel Pagan and even Double-A gem Lastings Milledge. Milledge, though, is a longshot.