PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — With spring training right around the corner Terry Collins has spent a lot time working on the Mets’ lineup. And he’s excited about it. He really is.
“With this lineup, if we stay healthy, and we compete on a nightly basis, I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Collins told The Post. “You’ve got some left-handers, you’ve got some power, you’ve got some foot speed. I like it. We’ve got a good team.”
He also is a realist. He knows what the Mets are up against in the pitching-rich Phillies and the rest of the league.
“Somewhere along the line, somebody is going to have to surprise you,” Collins said. “Somebody is going to have to step up and have a career season.”
He has Jose Reyes back at leadoff. He sees Reyes as another Rickey Henderson. That’s high praise. Here are the first six spots in Collins’ lineup. Once he officially names a lineup, he will stick with it and not be constantly changing it:
Jose Reyes
Angel Pagan
David Wright
Carlos Beltran
Jason Bay
Ike Davis
The seventh and eighth spots will be determined by the battle at second (Luis Castillo, Daniel Murphy, Brad Emaus and Justin Turner) and catcher, Josh Thole vs. the PED suspended (for eight more games) Ronny Paulino.
“Jose can change the face of the game leading off,” Collins began. “The greatest leadoff hitter of all time [Henderson] is in the Hall of Fame because of the way he could change the way the game’s played and I think Jose Reyes can do that.”
Wright batted third, fourth and fifth last season under Jerry Manuel. “He’s a run producer, I think he needs to hit in the third spot,” Collins said. “We did it in Houston with Jeff Bagwell. In 1994, we moved him from fourth to third and he won the MVP that shortened season. I want David to be himself, go hit and have some fun. I think he’s the face of the organization and if he has something to say, he can say it.
“I think Beltran is going to have a big year. He’ll protect David and Jason Bay will protect him. I think Jason will be better his second year back in the National League. Ike Davis is a baseball player and he will continue to make adjustments.”
Only three starting pitchers are set: Mike Pelfrey, R.A. Dickey and Jon Niese.
“I want those guys to start the first day of spring training with a plan and we are not going to juggle it because someone has a good outing in spring training and someone doesn’t.”
As for anger-challenged closer Frankie Rodriguez, Collins said he expects him to bounce back from his personal problems.
“A closer is a different human being,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to get through some tough times.”
Then there is Ollie Perez, the $36 million bust. The Mets will not coddle him this time around. It’s up to Perez to perform and be a professional. Early in camp, he could be transitioned to a situational left-hander because he has the ability to drop down in his delivery. If he doesn’t succeed there, he could be dropped.