PORT ST. LUCIE – Despite what Pudge Rodriguez keeps saying, the Mets aren’t interested in the veteran catcher and aren’t talking to him about a contract.
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A high-ranking team source said there has been no discussion about Rodriguez in recent weeks, and the Mets suspect he is simply using their name to try to drum up interest.
“We’ve got our three catchers, and we like them,” the source said, referring to Brian Schneider, Ramon Castro and Robinson Cancel.
Rodriguez, 37, has been quoted nationally twice in the past week as saying the Mets were attempting to sign him.
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Jose Reyes‘ arrival in camp has been delayed a day after Reyes’ wife gave birth to their third child, a girl, on Saturday in the Dominican Republic.
Reyes is expected here today, when Jerry Manuel plans to give him the news about a planned drop to No. 3 in the order (assuming Reyes hasn’t heard about it already from the numerous headlines over the weekend).
The Mets are still waiting on Luis Castillo, too. The Mets’ potential new leadoff hitter also has been working out in the Dominican and is likely to arrive sometime today.
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The Mets are citing the sour economy and the World Baseball Classic for a noticeable dip in spring-training ticket sales from last year, when they set a club record with more than 98,000 tickets sold.
Club officials said they think sales will pick up in mid-March, when many spring breaks start and snow-bound fans travel more.
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John Maine, coming off surgery to repair a bone spur in his right shoulder, said he is dusting off his curveball this spring for the first time in several years.
The knock on Maine in recent years is that he relied too much on his fastball and was too predictable.