Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Morning Briefing: Workouts begin!

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.

FIRST PITCH: It’s time for an official workout!

Terry Collins is expected back in camp Saturday. And New York Mets staff is due to address pitchers and catchers in a 9 a.m. meeting. Afterward, the Amazin’s head outdoors for drills.

The back fields in Port St. Lucie are open to fans beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Matt Harvey is due to speak with the media after the workout.

Saturday’s news reports:

• Sandy Alderson indicated Friday that Harvey will not be heavily restricted during spring training or the season. Harvey will face batters within days of other pitchers doing so in camp. And he could exceed 200 innings including the postseason, although 215 would be a stretch, according to the GM.

Adam Rubin

Noah Syndergaard is not a bullpen consideration for the Opening Day roster.

Also during a 30-minute Q&A with reporters, Alderson said the Mets will not employ a six-man rotation, David Wright's balky shoulder appears sound and Rafael Montero will be the only top prospect competing for an Opening Day bullpen spot.

Read more about Alderson’s comments on 89 wins, Harvey, etc., in the Post, Daily News, Times, Record, Newsday, NJ.com and MLB.com.

• Columnist Ken Davidoff in the Post suggests five years is plenty of time for Alderson to have put a competitive product on the field. Writes Davidoff:

1) Billy Beane, Alderson’s protégé and successor in Oakland, required just three years on the job to get the Athletics into the playoffs. Andrew Friedman, who now runs the Dodgers’ baseball operations, navigated the Rays through the treacherous American League East waters and into the World Series in only his third season.

2) Last year’s Pirates qualified for the playoffs with a payroll of about $80 million, slightly lower than the Mets. Last year’s Royals and A’s advanced to October, with Kansas City memorably going all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, with payrolls of about $90 million, less than the level to which the Mets have raised their expenditures.

3) The five-year thing. This is very much Alderson’s roster, because that’s what happens when you have been around for five offseasons.

• MLB is adding new pace-of-game rules for the 2015 season under new commissioner Rob Manfred. Managers will remain in the dugout during replay challenges. Hitters must keep at least one foot in the batter’s box during at-bats. Pitching changes will be timed. Games will resume quickly after commercial breaks. Repeat violators can be fined up to $500 -- not exactly hefty for major leaguers. So it’s more about encouraging a faster pace.

• Anthony DiComo at MLB.com catches up with former Phillie John Mayberry Jr., who should start against left-handed pitching in the outfield. Mayberry signed for $1.45 million in December. He and Michael Cuddyer received the only two major league contracts given by Alderson. "Just being familiar with a lot of the pitchers who are in this division or this league, that only helps to shorten the learning curve," Mayberry told DiComo. "Hopefully I'll jump right in there and pick up where I left off and be contributing to a winning team."

From the bloggers … Mets Report recommends the organization forget the Yankees and cherish the Mets’ own tradition.

BIRTHDAYS: Mets farmhand Ty Williams, a 35th-round pick in 2013, turns 21.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

YOU’RE UP: What innings restriction should Matt Harvey have this season?

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