Fernando Martinez seems to have really improved since being in the majors last season. Although he’s coming off an injury at the end of last season, it hasn’t shown during Spring Training.

Martinez just hit a three-run homer in today’s exhibition game against the Red Sox. It’s his third during Spring Training, in addition to two doubles and triples. This kind of offensive production is really opening the eyes of Jerry Manuel, who told The Daily News that he thinks F-Mart is doing better against off-speed pitches.

With Gary Matthews Jr., Jason Bay, Jeff Francoeur and Angel Pagan seemingly on the Opening Day roster, is there enough room for Martinez? Certainly there isn’t when Carlos Beltran comes back. But early signs show he might almost be ready to play a full season in the majors.

Other news
—A number of players have been sent down to the minor league camp. Among them are pitchers Josh Fogg, R.A. Dickey, Jack Egbert, Eddie Kunz, catcher Josh Thole as expected and other position players Andy Green, Mike Hessman, Mike Cervenak and Luis Hernandez.
—Relief pitcher Kiko Calero, formerly of the Marlins, has been making the battle for a setup man a real competition with Hisanori Takahashi and Jenrry Mejia.
—The Star-Ledger reported via Twitter today that the Indians have claimed Anderson Hernandez off waivers, possibly making room for Ruben Tejada to make the Opening Day roster. He might be an exciting young talent, but his defense might be a liability as he already has three errors this preseason.
—The Associated Press today reported the Mets and Marlins will play a three-game series in Puerto Rico in June. Florida will be the home team.

Further test results to determine the extent of Jose Reyes’s hyperthyroidism confirm that his levels are still too high for physical activity, according to a release by the Mets.

Doctors have told him to rest and make changes to his diet. These steps, along with medication, should allow his thyroid levels to return to a normal level. At that time, Reyes will be able to resume baseball activities. When this might happen is uncertain.

With any luck, they’ll be able to stabilize Reyes before the start of the regular season. However, even if he does return to normal soon, he’ll still have to get back into shape to be able to play every day.

It’s another setback for someone who just wants to play baseball again. It’s got to be really frustrating, especially when it’s completely out of your control. You have to feel bad for the guy. Get well soon, Jose.

Jose Reyes will continue to be sidelined for at least one more day as test results confirmed that he has an overactive thyroid. Doctors are taking the conservative approach by not allowing him to play until more tests are run, with results due Thursday.

Hopefully, the doctors are being overly cautious and all Reyes will need is some medication to balance his thyroid levels.

The Mets have had little shortage of offense so far this preseason as they keep belting the ball for high-scoring games.

Today’s 11-2 win over the Marlins was the fifth game the Mets have played in which they scored six or more runs. In addition to winning all of those games, they also had a 4-2 decision over the Braves in the first game of Spring Training. In three of those games, against St. Louis, Washington, D.C. and now Florida, the Mets have scored 11 runs or more.

If those aren’t positive signs of a power resurgence, I don’t know what are. Yes, it’s still Spring Training. Yes, a lot of minor leaguers are playing so the quality of the pitching isn’t great. But a lot of those making noise are the ones who have little or no shot of making the Majors roster.

Last year’s starting catcher Omir Santos had an inside-the-park grand slam against the Nationals on Sunday when Willy Taveras couldn’t grab the ball from under the outfield padding. Say what? His chances of making the team are pretty much nil as long as nothing happens to Rod Barajas or Henry Blanco.

Chris Carter, who was sent to the Mets in the Billy Wagner trade with Boston, capped it off today with two home runs in the same inning. The outfielder really has little chance, unless he can do that more often.

Ike Davis continues to impress, even if he did have an error in today’s game. He had two more hits and two more RBI. Davis now has 10 hits and eight RBI, with a .588 batting average. The only other player who comes close is Fernando Martinez, who has amassed eight hits and five runs batted in. He also has a .588 batting average. The future looks bright with these two.

Meanwhile, the Mets have a good news/bad news situation as Francisco Rodriguez is rejoining the team. However, Kelvim Escobar is being shut down due to the loss of strength in his pitching shoulder.

Just when you thought you’d heard it all about Mets players and injuries, this latest one is something you’d never expect.  Jose Reyes was scratched from today’s game against the Marlins after blood tests show he might have a thyroid imbalance, according to MLB.com.

Don’t know anything about thyroid imbalance? Learn more about thyroid disorders.

He’ll go for further tests on Monday and won’t play until more is known.

If yesterday’s exhibition game against the Cardinals is any indication, there won’t be a question about the Mets’ lack of power this year. David Wright, Gary Matthews Jr. and Ike Davis all hit home runs in a wild 17-11 game.

Wright’s was first as he hit an opposite field two-run shot in the first inning. Matthews Jr.’s had a solo homer in the fifth, while Davis belted a grand slam in the ninth inning that was just a complete bomb.

However, there are a couple of problems with this. First, can this kind of production be maintained against much better pitching? Second, Wright’s opposite field power was nice to see but probably wouldn’t have cleared the fences in the cavernous Citi Field.

Third, you could really see what the management and scouts are so excited about when you see Davis take a swing. The Mets, however, have indicated they want to give him another year in the minors to get more seasoning. I couldn’t agree more. Take the time to really cultivate a player and don’t rush his development. We could still see him later in the season after he’s had some time in Triple-A.

The Mets pitching is another matter altogether. Starter and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey had a horrendous day, allowing five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

His relief had much more mixed results. Sean Green entered the game, but he might still be struggling with his new, lower delivery. He was tagged with two runs in less than an inning.

Others fared better. Tobi Stoner pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing a run, while Jack Egbert threw two scoreless innings and recorded three strikeouts.

The Mets have split-squad games today against the Marlins in Port St. Lucie at 1:10 p.m.  and with the  Cardinals in Jupiter at 1:05 p.m. The Marlins game will be televised on SNY.

Other News

MLB.com talks about how the Wright-Jason Bay connection is promising, even though Bay did not get a hit in his debut.

The Mets and fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Jose Reyes has been cleared to play after a follow-up doctor’s visit.

Johan Santana seems no more worse for the wear after throwing 40 pitches to live batters yesterday.

Adam Rubin talks about how the Mets are still looking to add a second left-hander, in addition to Pedro Feliciano, to the bullpen.

A new player will be coming to Spring Training as the Mets have signed right-handed relief pitcher Kiko Calero to a minor league contract.

Last season with the Marlins, Calero had 2-2 record and a 1.95 ERA in 67 games as a reliever. With numbers like those, I’m not sure why the Marlins let him go, but stat-wise he seems like a keeper. He had the best ERA among all of the Marlins’ relievers last year.

What’s their loss could be the Mets’ gain.

Today’s the first opportunity to see the majority of the starting position players in action as the Mets take on the Cardinals at 1:10 p.m. today in Port St. Lucie. The game will be aired on SNY and the MLB network.

Although Jose Reyes won’t be in the lineup due to some follow-up after his physical, Jason Bay, David Wright, Luis Castillo, Jeff Francoeur and Daniel Murphy will be. Fernando Tatis and Henry Blanco also will be making their Spring Training debuts.

Perhaps more interesting is today’s starting pitcher, R.A. Dickey. He is the knuckleballer the Mets picked up from the Twins in the off-season. It’ll most likely drive the opposing batters nuts. Here they are trying to get some solid batting practice and they get an atypical pitcher.

New York Mets single-game tickets for the 2010 season at Citi Field – including a limited number of tickets to Opening Day (April 5 vs. Florida) – will go on sale this Sunday, March 7 at 10 a.m. only online at Mets.com, LosMets.com, and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX.  Ticket prices start at $11.

The following day, Monday, March 8 at 10 a.m., the sale will expand to include in-person sales at Citi Field’s Advance Ticket Window on the third base side of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the Mets Clubhouse Shops in Manhattan (42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, across from Bryant Park) and at the Roosevelt Field Mall (Garden City, Long Island), and MCU Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

The Mets will offer fans more than 50 promotion, theme and heritage dates, and special events, giving away more than 400,000 items throughout the season.

Tickets to the May 21-23 Subway Series games at Citi Field are available through the purchase of Season Tickets and select Ticket Plans and Packs.  The 2010 Mets schedule and additional information is available at Mets.com and LosMets.com.

Non-refundable service charges are applicable on Mets.com and LosMets.com, by phone, and at the Mets Clubhouse Shops.

In their first game against the Braves yesterday, the Mets managed a win with their lineup of mostly nonroster invitees. First baseman prospect Ike Davis had a great day at the plate and a shaky one in the field. Chalk that up to jitters.

The Mets try to make it two in a row today as they face the Braves again, this time in Orlando where it’s a bit chillier, albeit drier, than yesterday’s exhibition in Port St. Lucie.

Expect to see more of the Mets regulars in the game today at 1:05 p.m. Due to yesterday’s rain, the skittish Mets management left the starters on the bench.

Today’s game is only available on MLB.tv.

A downpour this morning has led the Mets to decide to scratch their regulars from today’s game against the Braves.

Nelson Figueroa was slated to start. The Major Leaguers who are in the lineup are Gary Matthews Jr., Chris Coste and Mike Jacobs.

Even if it weren’t raining, Francisco Rodriguez wouldn’t have played anyway as he’s still trying to recover from pink eye.

You can catch the game on the Major League Baseball channel, MLB.tv or SNY.

Now that the Olympics are over, are you ready for some baseball?

The first pitch by a Mets hurler in an exhibition game will take place against the Atlanta Braves around 1:10 p.m. March 2 in Port St. Lucie. However, Mother Nature might have something to say about it as the forecast calls for thunderstorms and wind.

In any event, here are some news tidbits to get you by:

Settling on a setup man is still a big question as frontrunner Kelvim Escobar is still having issues with his right shoulder. Meanwhile, Francisco Rodriguez’s pink eye hasn’t gotten better.

It’s all over sports news, but Jose Reyes talked with federal investigators about doctor Anthony Galea, who is accused of selling an unapproved drug. It’s an interesting story, because Galea treated others, including Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez.

Daniel Murphy is feeling confident about playing first base as he was the only position player to show up for the minicamp in January. Here’s The Associated Press story:

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Murphy heard bits and pieces about the New York Mets’ offseason from friends and family, focusing on whether the club would add another first baseman.

Murphy, himself, didn’t pay too much attention to it. He just did what he usually does over the winter.

“My job every offseason is to try to put myself in the best shape I can going into spring training,” he said Sunday. “I treat every offseason the same. Going into spring training, I’ve got to win a job.”

That job is more secure this spring, with Murphy penciled in to be New York’s regular first baseman. It’s quite a change from last year, when he started the season in left field before taking over at first when Carlos Delgado went down with a right hip injury.

While slick-fielding Mark Teixeira was helping the crosstown Yankees win the World Series, Murphy struggled with the position. He committed 10 errors in 101 games at first, including a flubbed grounder that handed a win to Atlanta in September.

Now sure of his spot, Murphy changed his offseason workout routine to prepare for the job. He also got some fielding lessons from 11-time Gold Glove first baseman Keith Hernandez right before spring training started.

“Keith was great. He added a lot of things to first base I hadn’t ever really thought of, some things to work on,” Murphy said. “The biggest thing I thought was just getting to know your other infielders.”

Murphy impressed the Mets with his progress when he was the only position player to attend a team minicamp in January, and has looked more comfortable in the field since regular camp started.

The Mets monitored Delgado over the winter, added Mike Jacobs with a minor league deal and re-signed Fernando Tatis, but manager Jerry Manuel has been consistent this spring that Murphy is the starter.

“I do see him as being a good first baseman,” Manuel said, talking about Murphy’s fielding ability. “Everything he does, he’s going to work to get it done and I think that’s going to be adequate. I think it’s going to be more than adequate for what we need.”

Murphy also had some difficulties at the plate last year after hitting .313 in 49 games as a rookie in 2008. He was down to .234 last season after an 0-for-3 night in Baltimore on June 16, but he picked it up from there.

The Jacksonville native, who turns 25 on April 1, hit .282 the rest of the way, connecting for eight of his team-leading 12 homers. He also finished with 38 doubles, showing signs he may be able to take advantage of Citi Field’s expansive power alleys even if he may never be a big-time slugger like Delgado.

“The goal in New York is to win, so it’s not just the way I play first base or how I can play compared to some of the other guys that come through — some great players,” Murphy said. “At the end of the day I’ve got to find a way to help this team win.”

Rod Barajas is the latest Mets catcher after passing a physical to allow his one-year, $1 million deal to go through, although it took a little longer than expected for the deal to go through.

Barajas, 34,will get $900,000 if he makes the 25-man roster, which he most certainly will. He then could earn up to $2 million if he plays 120 or more games this season.

Barajas spent last season with the Toronto Blue Jays, driving in a career-high 71 runs.  He hit .226 (97-429) and connected on 19 home runs with 19 doubles.  His 19 home runs were tied for fourth among American League catchers.

The 6-2, 250-pound catcher threw out a career-high 22 would-be base stealers last season, ranking third in the American League.  Over the last two years, Barajas compiled a 3.81 catcher’s ERA, good for fourth lowest among major leagues catchers with 200 or more starts.

The Paradise Valley, AZ native has spent time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, and Philadelphia Phillies in addition to Toronto over his 11-year major league career.  In 813 games, he is a .238 hitter (601-2,521) with 92 home runs and 355 RBI.

The Mets have announced the sale of Premium Pick-A-Packs, in which you can purchase tickets for the Subway Series or Opening Day and three other high-profile games.

The only drawback is the available selection of games is only through June, so forget about trying to get any end-of-the season tickets in this package.

Because they are premium tickets, the seats are in premium parts of Citi Field. They range from Baseline Box to Metropolitan Box.

You can order your Mets ticket package online or call 718-507-TIXX.

Although it’s 75 degrees in Port St. Lucie right now, Omir Santos must feel like he’s being left out in the cold after Rod Barajas agreed to a one-year $1 million deal with the Mets. Pending the results of a physical, Barajas is due in Mets camp today.

The move essentially pushes Santos from Mets starter to backup behind Josh Thole in Triple-A Buffalo. It’s the epitome of how things can work in the majors. One day, you’re in Buffalo catching pitchers who will never make it to the Big Show. The next, you’re taking your first Big League swing in front of 40,000 people.

Baseball players know how fickle the game can be. It still doesn’t lessen the sting when you’re back playing in front of  a thousand people.

It’s not that Santos doesn’t deserve to stay in the majors. Last season,  he acquitted himself amicably and had some big moments. He became a fan favorite among many in a season when there wasn’t much to root for.

Santos wasn’t an offensive powerhouse. He hit seven home runs last season, but two were huge. His first was a grand slam last April against the Marlins. The second was a two-run shot and the game winner against Jonathan Papelbon at Fenway Park.

His batting average was a mediocre .260, while driving in 40 and crossing home plate 28 times. He only played in 96 games. Had he been the starter all year, his numbers, save for his batting average, surely would’ve been better. He was just as good or even better than Brian Schneider, who had nine home runs, 38 RBI and a .257 batting average in 2008 when he was healthy enough to play in 110 games.

You can’t blame the Mets for wanting to upgrade the catcher position. It’s been a weakness for the Mets offensively since the days of Mike Piazza. Barajas should bring that power, if not production, back to the backstop position. If his 19 home runs last season are any indication, the acquisition of Barajas is a no-brainer.

It sucks for Santos, but don’t feel too sorry for him. He got to play on one of the biggest stages in baseball. And my hunch is he’ll back at some point. With how the Mets are with injuries, I could see Santos back in Flushing. All it takes is a DL stint for Henry Blanco or Barajas for the Mets to call Santos back up. Sure they could choose Thole, instead, but they also might want to keep him in the minors to get more seasoning. Plus, they know Santos can do the job.

So, until then, Santos will continue to plug away and wait for his shot, just like he did before.