Chavez having to bide his time

Endy Chavez, the reserve outfielder who shot to fame with this almost superhuman grab of a would-be Scott Rolen home run in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, hasn’t been able to get off the Mets’ bench this season. In short, the architect of “The Catch” simply can’t catch a break these days.

Bad timing and fellow outfielder Angel Pagan’s out-of-nowhere April have combined to make Chavez a glorified spectator, which is a role the Venezuela native never expected.

“It’s not an easy thing,” said Chavez, who has appeared in just nine of the Mets’ first 16 games, all of them as a pinch-hitter or late-inning defensive substitution. “If you ask me, trying to stay sharp like this is the hardest job in baseball.”

Chavez certainly had a bigger role in mind for himself this season, even though he went into spring training at less than full-speed because of hamstring and ankle injuries suffered in winter ball.

Speedy and athletic, Chavez is a career .271 hitter with pop in his bat, a proven ability to steal bases and -– as the world saw in the NLCS two years ago –- one of the best outfield gloves on the team.

That’s why Chavez, long a favorite of Willie Randolph, seemed like the natural choice when a two-month starting role in left field was opened up early in spring training by Moises Alou’s hernia surgery.

So why the deep freeze that saw Chavez get just 10 at-bats –- total –- in the first three weeks of the season?

Blame it on Chavez’s status as a left-hander and Pagan’s surprisingly hot start. The Mets have faced a torrent of left-handed pitching so far, cutting even further into potential playing time for Chavez that was already at a minimum with Pagan hovering around .400 at the plate.

You won’t hear Chavez complaining, though, especially with the Mets in sole possession of first place in the NL East at 10-6 after winning the first two games this weekend in Philadelphia.

“I understand the way it is,” he said. “We’re playing good and winning, and that’s the most important part. We’re also facing a lot of left-handers, which hurts me. I just try to stay patient and hope my time will come.”

But will it? The Mets will face an interesting dilemma when Alou comes off the DL, most likely in the next two weeks.

Pagan is a switch-hitter, and that combined with the power he has shown would appear to give him the upper hand over Chavez for the fourth outfielder spot. Don’t count out Brady Clark, either, although Clark still seems like the top candidate to be sent down when Alou is recalled.

Chavez, who had appeared in just one game in the previous week going into yesterday’s matchup here with the rival Phillies, can only watch, wait and hope. It’s a far cry from last season, when he had 31 starts despite missing three months with a hamstring injury, and especially 2006, when he hit .306 in 133 games.

“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s part of my job, and I can’t do anything about it. When I get the chance to play, I’ll do it.”

That’s the right attitude to have, Randolph said.

“He’s just got to stay patient,” the manager said. “We haven’t given up on Endy.”

So Chavez -– who said he has spoken to Randolph about the situation and is “on the same page” with his boss about it –- tries to stay sharp by taking extra batting practice before games and using the tee inside the dugout during it.

Anything to take his mind off all of the time off.

“I concentrate at all times because you never know when you’re going to get your chance,” he said.