Manager Mendoza makes his debut

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — At times it wasn’t pretty and other times there were flashes of potential, but the Mets played their first spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday afternoon at Clover Park, marking the managerial debut of Carlos Mendoza.

Of course, the game didn’t count, but it served as the first trial run for Mendoza and his new staff.

The Mets brought in Antoan Richardson to coach first base and Mike Sarbaugh to coach third; John Gibbons replaced Eric Chavez as the bench coach (Chavez remains with the team as an assistant hitting coach); and Glenn Sherlock stayed on as the catching coordinator. Mendoza has never worked with this staff, but the rookie manager came into the game knowing exactly what he wanted to see.

“It’s getting the feel for the communication in the dugout,” Mendoza said before the Mets fell 10-5 to the Cardinals.

“It’s with Gibby, with Glenn, who is running around controlling the running game, me with Sarby for our sign system. Some of the things we’ve got to get used to. I think it’s important that we get game reps as well.”

Mendoza was happy with how the communication remained consistent throughout the game. The 44-year-old had no nerves and was calm as he surveyed the crowd of 6,535 people.

“We got down early in the game and we were still locked in with the signs,” Mendoza said. “To have the crowd, it was good to have people here.”

Right-hander Tylor Megill, who is vying for a rotation spot, struggled to find the strike zone early, giving up a run in the first inning.

He hit the leadoff man, gave up a single and threw one wild before getting the first out. Leadoff man Brendan Donovan scored with one out.

But overall it was a positive outing for Megill, who went two innings and threw 39 pitches. His velocity sat around 94-96.

“First inning was a bit of a struggle,” Megill said. “First batter was a cutter, then straight to the stretch. I felt a little rushed toward the end and then slowed down. Gained control back in the second inning.”

Megill threw two of his new offerings, the cutter and split-finger fastball, to mixed results. Getting ahead of hitters is key in being able to throw the splitter, the pitch the team has nicknamed the “American Spork.”

“Being ahead and being able to throw it,” Megill said. “Not when I’m behind, more so when I’m ahead so that’s where attacking the strike zone, getting ahead and being able to utilize the leverage counts.”

Nate Lavender, a left-handed reliever in bigleague camp for the first time this year, struck out the side in the eighth, needing only 14 pitches, 11 of which were strikes.

The 24-year-old Chicago-area native used a hesitation move in his windup, not unlike the one Nestor Cortes of the Yankees uses.