PORT ST. LUCIE — L.J. Mazzilli is home again. In many ways.
The Mets minor leaguer is making the most of his second chance and has learned some valuable lessons, the most important being that family — and baseball — are there for him when needed most.
“I’m excited for a clean slate,’’ Mazzilli told The Post at the Mets’ minor-league complex this week. “Start fresh. It’s Opening Day.’’
Yes it is.
Mazzilli, the son of former Met Lee Mazzilli, a member of the 1986 world championship team, was suspended 50 games to start the 2015 season after he tested positive for a drug of abuse for the second time and had entered counseling.
That suspension taught L.J. much about himself and his relationship with baseball and his dad, the former Orioles manager and current special adviser and spring training instructor for the Yankees.
For the first time in his career, L.J., 25, decided to lean on his father for baseball help. In 86 games for Double-A Binghamton last season, the former UConn star batted .263.
“It’s been great to be with my dad and both try to get on the same page for the 2016 season,’’ said the second baseman, who owns the same good looks as his father. “I’m looking forward to just putting my head down and try to bust that door down.
“I didn’t really use my dad that much. I tried to do it on my own, and this year is a totally different approach. It was kind of an up-and-down, roller-coaster year last year for me, so this year I went to my dad and said, ‘OK, Dad, whatever you got.’
“He’s helped me tremendously.’’
Any parent can relate to that.
“L.J. is going to be a big leaguer,’’ said J.P. Ricciardi, the special assistant to Mets general manager Sandy Alderson. “It’s just a matter if it’s going to be with us or with somebody else. He’s definitely an asset for us. Our game is a game you cannot lose time in. I think he has learned from that mistake and he is going forward. I haven’t lost any confidence in him as a player, as a hitter, and I don’t think the organization has either. We’re looking forward to seeing him on a clean slate this year do all he is capable of doing.’’
The Mazzillis worked alongside Bobby Valentine during the offseason at the former Mets manager’s sports academy in Stamford, Conn.
“We double-teamed him, Bobby and I,” Lee said. “It was fun.”
Lee never wanted to force his baseball knowledge on his son, but watching L.J. grow into a ballplayer and to be working with him along the way now means the world to him.
“It’s like a dream,’’ Lee said as he watched his son take batting practice with a group that included David Wright on Field 7 at the Mets’ complex.
Lee stopped by the Mets camp on his way to Tampa and Yankees spring training.
“You watch him and you watch him succeed at a high level,’’ Lee said. “The most impressive thing is his work ethic. I haven’t seen anybody work harder.
“He is so disciplined about his work, how he trains, what he eats. It’s a different time now with athletes, and he’s very dedicated to that.
“He’s matured tremendously,’’ his father said. “I think we all do. When I first came up, we all thought we had all the answers in the world, and I am learning stuff today. All our kids learn on their own, and that is a good thing and part of being a parent.
“As parents, we hurt when our kids hurt, all parents do.’’
Lee and Dani Mazzilli have three children. Their oldest, Jenna, is a first-grade teacher. Lacey, L.J.’s twin sister, works for the Yankees.
“She is the voice of ‘Yankees On Demand,’ ’’ Lee said. “She’s on the big screen at the Stadium. I give all the credit to my wife for all the kids’ success. In this baseball life, our wives are so important. They run things when we are gone for seven months. It’s not an easy life.’’
Noted Ricciardi, “Lee is a great resource and a great comfort from our end. It’s nice that L.J. has taken advantage of that.’’
This is the 30th anniversary of the Mets’ 1986 world championship team, a team that will be honored Memorial Day weekend.
“When Dave Henderson hit that home run, my heart sank,’’ Mazzilli said of the Red Sox blast in the 10th inning of World Series Game 6. “I think if anybody tells you they knew we were going to come back with two outs and no one on base and two strikes, there is no way you can say that. There was a lot of luck involved.’’
Lee broke through with the Mets in 1977 when he won the starting center-field job on a terrible team. He was 22.
A baseball life later, his son is trying to break through on a World Series-caliber Mets team, a much more difficult challenge.
“This kid is a real good hitter,’’ Ricciardi said. “For me, there are not a lot of guys where the ball makes a different sound off the bat, and he is one of those guys.’’
“Now is the time I get the chance to watch him play,’’ Lee said of the winter of hard work. “The Yankees have been so good to me and gave me that opportunity. This is the time in our lives we want to enjoy this.’’
It was time for Lee to leave the complex, so he gave L.J. a hug and then a kiss on the cheek.
“This is a great time,’’ L.J. said. “I just want to make the most of this second chance.’’
He’s already doing that.
It will not be too long before L.J. Mazzilli busts down that major league door.