SAN FRANCISCO – When it comes time for Friday ‘s lineup card to be made out,the Mets would love to have Carlos Beltran on it.But that ‘s not a guarantee.
Beltran has been suffering from an inflamed right hamstring since April 15, and Willie Randolph said on Monday the
Mets ‘ star center–fielder is doubtful to play in this week ‘s Giants series and that the Mets will “see where he is ” on Friday.. That night,the Mets begin a three-game series in Atlanta,but Beltran is not sure it is reasonable to expect him in the lineup.
“It ‘s reasonable if I feel good to play because if I still feel the pain,then I ‘m not going to play,” he said after Monday night ‘s 6-2 loss to the Giants.”I want to play when I feel like I can …play the game the way I play the game.”
Randolph said Monday that Beltran could end up on the disabled list retroactively if he doesn ‘t play in the Giants
series,in which case the Mets could summon an outfielder from Triple-A.Victor Diaz already has been with the Mets multiple times,and Randolph said he is the likely recall.
Randolph also noted Lastings Milledge is another candidate,though Randolph said he wasn ‘t in favor of it,and GM Omar Minaya indicated on Monday not to expect Milledge to get the call. Either way,the Mets need Beltran back
in the lineup quickly.With him,their lineup was blowing teams away earlier this season,but since he got hurt,the offense has been extremely inconsistent. In the first nine games of the year,Beltran played in all of them and the offense put up 57 runs and never scored two runs or fewer in a game.Beltran then got hurt in the 10th game,leaving after the eighth inning.In nine games since,during which Beltran has had three at-bats,the lineup put up 37 runs and scored two runs or fewer four times.
The Mets have played better teams lately,so that could be part of the reason why the offense has slumped.But
among everyday players,Beltran entered last night with the third-highest OPS on the team this season (behind
only Carlos Delgado and Xavier Nady). The Mets cannot be without his bat. Beltran,who entered last night hit-
ting .278 with three homers,nine RBIs, 13 runs and a .417 on-base percentage in 12 games,said Monday night that he wants to be 100 percent when he plays. He could not say what strength he ‘s at now.
“I have no idea like percentage-wise because [Sunday ] I feel better,,but [Monday ],I didn ‘t go out,I didn ‘t run.They just got me here doing treatment,” Beltran said.. “Hitting-wise,I don ‘t feel any pain.But in the mornings when I wake up,I tried to stretch my legs and I feel the tightness there.”
Said Beltran also,regarding the weather, “Being honest,when it gets cold I feel stiffness and it ‘s difficult for me to stretch my leg.It ‘s a difficult injury to me because this is the first time it happened to me,and right now I really do want to go out there and play,but at the same time it ‘s not possible.”