KNOW ANSWERS
Mets face questions before Opening Day
PORT ST. LUCIE — It’s crunch time.
From Terry Collins’ perspective, the real warm-up for the Mets’ season will begin Wednesday, when the manager plans to begin using his starting lineup on a regular basis in the Grapefruit League.
Jose Reyes is expected back from the World Baseball Classic, where he pl aye d fo r t he Dominican Republic, giving Collins the eight position players he plans to start in the season opener on April 3 at Citi Field against the Braves.
The Mets will break camp a week from Thursday and play an exhibition game the following day at West Point against the U.S. Military Academy. Between now and then, there are a few questions that need to be answered.
WHO TAKES THE FIFTH?
Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo together probably could form 60 percent of a respectable major league rotation. But on the Mets they are merely three pitchers competing for the f ifth spot — behind Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Steven Matz.
Wheeler’s candidacy emerged last week, after showing his old fastball — which peaked at 97 mph — in an exhibition game against the Nationals. Complicating the situation is Wheeler’s innings limit — somewhere in the 120-125 range after missing the past two years rehabbing from Tommy John surgery — that could end his season in August.
Gsellman has been steady all spring and is probably Option B if the Mets decide Wheeler should begin t he season in extended spring training. Lugo has shined pitching for Puerto Rico in the WBC and has emerged as a strong bullpen candidate, but hasn’t been ruled out for the rotation.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE BULLPEN?
The Mets are prepared for the likely possibility Jeurys Familia will be suspended by MLB before Opening Day, after his offseason arrest on domestic violence charges. A suspension would leave team brass with three spots to fill — behind Addison Reed, Fernando Salas, Hansel Robles and Jerry Blevins.
The Mets like the idea of Lugo as a multi-inning reliever who can provide a boost in the f ifth and sixth innings early in the season, when the starters still are stretching out. Josh Smoker also appears to have secured a job as the second lefty, behind Blevins, based on a strong camp. The battle for the final spot could be between lefty Josh Edgin and rookie Paul Sewald.
WHERE DOES MICHAEL CONFORTO FIT?
The leftyswinging outfielder remains in the conversation for a bench job, but probably will begin the season at Triple-A Las Vegas if there isn’t an injury to an outfielder before the end of camp.
Conforto is batting .356 with two homers and four RBIs this spring, but is buried behind Curtis Grand- erson and Jay Bruce, who are slated to start in center and right field, respectively. Team brass has been impressed with Conforto this spring, including the manner in which he has handled center field when asked to play the position.
WHO GETS THE BENCH JOB S ?
Rene Rivera, Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares are locked into spots, with T.J. Rivera and Ty Kelly as the primary front-runners to complete the bench.
The Mets like that Flores, Rivera and Kelly can play multiple positions. Kelly has seen most of his action at third base this spring and would be the lone left-handed bat off the bench.
WHAT ABOUT THE BATTING ORDER?
Collins has toyed with various possibilities, but seems to like Granderson in the No. 2 hole behind Reyes, with Yoenis Cespedes third, Bruce cleanup, Neil Walker fifth, Lucas Duda sixth, Asdrubal Cabrera seventh and Travis d’Arnaud eighth.
David Wright’s shoulder impingement, which will land him on the disabled list to begin the season, ensures Collins won’t have to find an immediate option to bat leadoff when Reyes doesn’t play. Reyes will start at third base in Wright’s absence and play every day.