TC disappointed with Tejada absence

February, 22, 2012
Feb 22
2:18
PM ET
As Terry Collins did when Luis Castillo did not report early a year ago, the skipper expressed disappointment Ruben Tejada will not be in camp ahead of Saturday's official report date for position players.

“I am a little surprised,” Collins said Wednesday. “A lot of it is just selfishness on my part. I take great pride in the game itself, and respecting the game. I wish everybody had the same respect for it to want to get started as early as possible. So I know Ruben will come in great shape. I know he’ll be ready to go. I just wish he was here.”

Tejada is expected to be in camp Saturday, according to Collins. A person familiar with the situation said there are no flags on Tejada's visa application, and that the issue was that Tejada originally went to U.S. embassy in his native Panama on a holiday, when the embassy was closed.

Read the full news story here.
Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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TEAM LEADERS

WINS LEADER
R.A. Dickey
WINS ERA SO IP
6 3.45 51 57
OTHER LEADERS
BAD. Wright .397
HRD. Wright 5
RBID. Wright 28
RD. Wright 30
OPSD. Wright 1.110
ERAJ. Santana 3.24
SOJ. Santana 53

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