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Despite the Mets losing Johan Santana for the season and Shaun Marcum getting examined today for a pain in his neck and shoulder, the Mets continue to refrain from pursuing Chris Young, a major league source told ESPNNewYork.com.

Young opted out with the Washington Nationals at the end of spring training after producing a 2.25 ERA in 16 Grapefruit League innings.

Jeremy Hefner has plugged into Santana's rotation spot, while Aaron Laffey is expected to be promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas for Sunday's start against the Miami Marlins in place of Marcum.

UPDATE: Chris Young has signed a minor league deal with the Nationals.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.

FIRST PITCH: Under the Tradition Field lights tonight, Jonathon Niese gets his final tune-up for the April 1 opener against the San Diego Padres.

Niese, who likely will be restricted to 50 or so pitches, faces Houston Astros right-hander Edgar Gonzalez in the 6:05 p.m. game.

Wednesday’s news reports:

• Aaron Laffey is poised to be the Mets’ fifth starter, with Shaun Marcum expected to open the season on the disabled list with a shoulder and now a neck issue. Zack Wheeler is not a consideration and will head to Triple-A Las Vegas to open the season, Terry Collins said.

The Mets are unlikely to pursue a starting pitcher from outside the organization -- Chris Young or otherwise -- a team insider told ESPNNewYork.com. Sandy Alderson did watch Young’s final start with the Washington Nationals on Monday night, before Young officially opted out, according to Newsday.

Read more in the Star-Ledger, Journal, Times, Daily News, Post and Newsday.

• Jeremy Hefner was struck on the right elbow by a sharp one-hop comebacker off the bat of Carlos Beltran, but X-rays were negative.

• In his first game since the World Baseball Classic on March 12, David Wright went 1-for-5 in a pair of minor league games while DHing. He plans to again play in a minor league game Thursday. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Newsday, Daily News, Post and MLB.com.

• Anthony DiComo at MLB.com speaks with Alderson.

"My goal, ultimately, is for a lot of Mets fans to be happy with where we are -- not where we're going, but where we are," Alderson told DiComo. “… Are there things I would have done differently? Absolutely. In this business, you have to keep in mind that you're not going to be right every time. But you have to be right often enough so that the team is successful. We haven't been right often enough. …

"Many fans are not conditioned to think long term, and you would expect that to be especially true in New York. I don't know if this is a majority or a minority, but I've actually found from day to day that a lot of people have bought into what we're doing. That does not mean that the average Mets fan has unlimited patience. But my sense is that they have some understanding, at least, of what we're trying to do."

• Pedro Feliciano, after failing to make the Opening Day roster, has decided to remain with the Mets organization. Read more in the Times and Post.

• In need of roster spots, the Mets have alerted other teams they will trade non-core prospects currently on their 40-man roster. The Mets’ 40-man roster stands at 39 since Brandon Hicks was removed. The Mets are expected to need to add Scott Atchison, Marlon Byrd, LaTroy Hawkins, Laffey and Omar Quintanilla.

• Third base coach Tim Teufel’s son Shawn, a left-handed pitcher, has signed a minor league deal with the Mets.

• After Hefner’s departure from Tuesday’s game, Mets farmhands imploded on the mound and the Cardinals beat the Mets, 11-4, at Tradition Field. Lucas Duda homered during a 3-for-4, four-RBI day. A pocket of Mets fans chanted “Overrated” at Yadier Molina. The Cards catcher responded by belting a two-run homer against minor leaguer Randy Fontanez, who faced seven batters and failed to record an out.

On the overrated chant that preceded Molina’s homer, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "The pitch before I said, 'They're just making him mad enough that he's going to hit a homer.' I said, 'He may give them a gesture when he crosses home plate.' I didn't say what gesture. He was going to acknowledge them. He handled it with much more class than I did, because I looked up there (at the fans chanting). I love that stuff. There are certain guys that you bring the best out in them when you try stuff like that. I saw that one coming."

• Duda and hitting coach Dave Hudgens met halfway in their spring-training adjustments to his swing, Marc Carig writes in Newsday.

• The Mets will offer a free ticket to you on your birthday this season. Just show a valid form of ID (birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, etc.) at a Citi Field ticket window on your birthday, provided it is a home-game day (subject to availability). Birthdays falling on the April 1 opener, May 27-28 Subway Series and games after Sept. 29 are not eligible. If your birthday falls on those dates, during the winter or when the Mets play a road game, you are eligible for a free birthday ticket April 3-4, April 23-25 or Sept. 13-15.

• Matt den Dekker will need to wear a cast on his fractured right wrist for six weeks.

• Jenrry Mejia was examined in New York and diagnosed with forearm tendinitis. He will be idle for two weeks.

• From the bloggers … Shannon from Mets Police is going to miss writing about Dave Howard. … The Eddie Kranepool Society also weighs in on Howard’s move from Mets executive VP to MSG Sports chief. … Rising Apple has a preview of the 1973 season, as if the season had yet to be played. … John Delcos at Mets Report also talks ’73.

BIRTHDAYS: Matt Harvey turns 24. … 2011 first-round pick Brandon Nimmo turns 20.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

Welcome to the world Turner Dewitt!! 7lbs 10oz and 21 1/4 inches long!

— Josh Edgin (@joshedgin37) March 27, 2013

YOU’RE UP: Are the Mets making the right call with Aaron Laffey poised to plug Shaun Marcum’s spot in the rotation?

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The Mets have "legitimate concerns" about Shaun Marcum's availability for the season because of a neck issue that arose during Monday's bullpen session, pitching coach Dan Warthen said.

Marcum is only first being examined by medical personnel this morning.

The Mets are now eyeing Game 5 of the season for Marcum -- not Game 2, which had been the original intent.

Another option: using Jonathon Niese twice before Marcum would make his Mets debut in Game 6, April 7 against the Miami Marlins. That would allow the Mets to place Marcum on the DL to start the season and carry an extra reliever for nearly a full week.

Warthen said the current issue with Marcum is different than the shoulder impingement that was treated with a cortisone shot last Tuesday.

"I think everyone has legitimate concerns," Warthen said. "I mean, it's a place where we've never known it to be before. We have to have it examined and find out where we are."

One thing is certain: Marcum will not be pitching Thursday in Grapefruit League play, which had been the intent.

"Unless we have something immaculate come in," Warthen said.

The Mets are internally discussing potentially signing Chris Young, but a team insider portrayed it as not the most likely of scenarios.

Young is familiar and attractive to the organization from a pure pitching standpoint, but the question would be what would happen to him when other starting pitchers are healthy.

Young probably is only in line to command about $2 million in guaranteed money assuming he ends up a free agent in the next day.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.

FIRST PITCH: Talk about a pain in the neck.

Shaun Marcum reportedly experienced neck discomfort during a bullpen session Monday, putting his availability for the start of the season in doubt. Add in the issue with Johan Santana and potentially two-fifths of the Mets’ projected rotation may be unable to open the season with the ballclub.

One potential solution to buy time for Marcum: The Mets could use a four-man rotation through the first six days of the season because of an off-day. At that point, Marcum would be eligible to return from a backdated disabled-list stint. That also conceivably would allow the Mets to carry an extra bullpen arm, with Jeurys Familia and Greg Burke both making the squad, rather than just one.

The Mets had been confident Marcum would be fine. In fact, late Monday morning, Terry Collins affirmed at Disney that Marcum was set to reenter the Grapefruit League rotation Thursday in Viera against the Washington Nationals.

One pitcher who would be available if the Mets wanted an external option: ex-Met Chris Young. He has decided to opt out of his contract with the Washington Nationals and become a free agent.

“I’m realistic that the roster is full. I understand that,” Young told The Washington Post. “We’ve talked about maybe trying to work something to where I can stay. We’re not there right now. But there’s interest from other clubs. I just have to weigh all the options and see what’s best for me and my family.”

The Mets reportedly had a scout at Monday’s Nats game that Young started.

Meanwhile, the Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals at 1:10 p.m. today as Jeremy Hefner opposes Adam Wainwright.

Tuesday’s news reports:

• Read more on Marcum in the Daily News.

• Pedro Feliciano has been informed he did not make the Opening Day roster. The club asked Feliciano to work at Triple-A Las Vegas for a month. Feliciano is weighing whether to instead declare free agency. Scouts believe Feliciano would have to pitch in the minors initially even if he signed elsewhere, so he might as well stick around. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Record, Times, Daily News, Post, Newsday and MLB.com.

• Mets executive VP for business Dave Howard is leaving the organization to become president of MSG Sports. Read more in the Times.

• Matt den Dekker will not require surgery on his broken right wrist.

• LaTroy Hawkins, although no great surprise, has been informed he made the Mets.

• Dillon Gee tossed six scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing only two hits, and Andrew Brown, Jamie Hoffmann and Collin Cowgill homered as the Mets beat the Braves, 7-4, Monday at Disney. Read more in the Record, Daily News, Star-Ledger and MLB.com.

• Daniel Murphy played in a minor league game for a second straight day, logging seven innings at second base and going 0-for-5 in a Triple-A game. David Wright similarly had a positive day, taking live batting practice for the second straight day. Read more in Newsday.

• The matchups for the season-opening series between the Mets and San Diego Padres are intended to be Jonathon Niese vs. right-hander Edinson Volquez on Monday, followed by Marcum versus left-hander Clayton Richard on April 3 and Matt Harvey against right-hander Jason Marquis in the April 4 series finale. That is, that was the intent had Marcum not had an issue.

• Ruben Tejada is hitting .085 (4-for-47) in Grapefruit League play, but Collins noted Tejada has a track record at the major league level, so the manager said he is unconcerned. Read more in the Post.

• Tim Byrdak is eyeing late June for a return to the big league club from shoulder surgery.

• Philly.com has an unflattering profile of Lenny Dykstra, relying on a new book. It’s not a good day for the subject when the first sentence reads:

Former Phillie Lenny Dykstra is a sexist, racist, sexual deviant and one of the biggest all-around lowlifes you'll ever come across.

At least he was identified as an ex-Phillie and not an ex-Met.

• From the bloggers … At Mets Police, Mike V's Countdown to Opening Day stops at Opening Night 2009, when fans wandered around their new home. … John Delcos at Mets Report examines the Santana issue.

BIRTHDAYS: Infielder Jose Vizcaino turns 45.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

It's been a BIG week for twitter followers. First @jerryseinfeld, then @michelledbeadle. The ball's in your court now, @barackobama.

— Collin McHugh (@Collin_McHugh) March 25, 2013

YOU’RE UP: Who should the Mets place in the rotation if Shaun Marcum is injured -- Zack Wheeler, Collin McHugh, Cory Mazzoni or Aaron Laffey, or sign Chris Young?

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.

FIRST PITCH: Let the games begin.

The Mets play an intrasquad game at noon today at Tradition Field (admission: $6). Scheduled to pitch: Gonzalez Germen, LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Rice, Collin McHugh, Elvin Ramirez, Greg Burke, Robert Carson, Brandon Lyon and Pedro Feliciano.

“In our particular situation, we’ve got decisions to make, I’ve got to start seeing people play,” Terry Collins said. “And I’m anxious to see them play. Yeah, I want to get started.”

Friday’s news reports:

• Union chief Michael Weiner made his annual visit to Mets camp to speak with players Thursday. Speaking with the media afterward, Weiner said about the Mets’ payroll: “Everybody would like to see the Mets as a competitive team. And it’s going to require a higher payroll.” Weiner also asserted David Wright would have received a more lucrative contract had he tested free agency. Writes Mike Puma in the Post on the Mets’ payroll comment:

A team official responded to Weiner’s criticism by saying the union chief should check the average payrolls of the last three World Series winners. The Giants (2010), Cardinals (2011) and Giants (2012) averaged about $106 million in payroll in claiming the last three world championships.

Read more on Weiner’s visit in Newsday, the Daily News, Star-Ledger, Times, Record and MLB.com.

• Jenrry Mejia is due to land Friday morning and be at camp by midday now that his visa issue is resolved. Dan Warthen and Wally Backman both project Mejia as a future reliever, but the right-hander will be a starting pitcher again this year … for now. Read more at MLB.com.

• The Mets announced their full 2013 promotional schedule, which includes five bobblehead giveaways: Ron Darling (April 21), John Franco (May 25), Wright (June 30), Dwight Gooden (July 21) and Tom Seaver (Aug. 25).

• Bobby Valentine reportedly will be the next athletic director at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Read more in the Connecticut Post.

• Ex-Met Chris Young signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals. Read more in The Washington Post.

• Mets farmhand Francisco Pena will play for his father Tony Pena on the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic.

• Grantland is not a fan of the Mets’ outfield. On that topic, columnist Mike Vaccaro in the Post found humor that Bobby Bonilla, who is getting $1.2 million annually from the Mets in deferred payments, visited the club on Thursday. Writes Vaccaro:

The highest-paid outfielder in the room wears a green polo shirt, blue slacks, white cross-trainers and about 40 or so pounds from his last listed playing weight. Retirement seems to be agreeing with Bobby Bo, who last played for the Mets in 1999 (both baseball and, somewhat more famously, clubhouse cards) and who last played for anyone in 2001 and now works for the Players’ Association.

• Neil Best in Newsday chats with SNY analyst Bobby Ojeda.

• Collins has good reason to be concerned about the Mets’ baserunning the past two seasons, Jared Diamond notes in the Journal. Writes Diamond:

Their runners went from first base to third base on singles just 25.2 percent of the time last season, which ranked 23rd in baseball. They finished dead last in a statistic the website Baseball-Reference calls "bases taken," which counts the number of bases teams advance on, among other things, fly balls, wild pitches and passed balls. Those elements of baserunning have less to do with pure speed than they do instincts and hustle.

• Frank Francisco will begin tossing a baseball Monday after suffering elbow inflammation early in camp, Collins confirmed. Read more in the Star-Ledger and Daily News.

• John Buck offers his take on the various starting pitchers to Anthony DiComo at MLB.com. On Jonathon Niese, Buck said: "I like his cutter. It's something that wasn't really in my mind when I faced him on the other side. But now that I've seen a lot more film and concentrated on that aspect, and [hearing] him talk about how that makes him feel comfortable … it stuck out to me."

• Jorge Castillo in the Star-Ledger profiles Ike Davis, who had an extremely slow start in 2012 en route to a 32-homer season. "Every time you come back from an injury and you don’t do very well for a long period of time, you’re like, ‘Did I lose what I once had?’” Davis told Castillo. "You start second-guessing yourself. Then, obviously, I started feeling better and I said, ‘OK, I can do this again. I didn’t lose my talent or lose my skill.’”

• On Sunday against the University of Michigan, Dillon Gee will pitch in his first game since undergoing emergency surgery at last year’s All-Star break to repair a damaged artery in his pitching shoulder. Gee did get on a bullpen mound in September at Citi Field to allay concerns. “I accomplished what I wanted to last year, and that was to be able to come here with some peace of mind,” Gee told Andrew Keh in the Times. “Now I feel like I’m ready to compete again.”

Said Warthen to Keh: “His delivery is a little bit awkward, a little bit rusty, and his command isn’t where he wants it. But his hand feels good, his arm feels good and he can actually feel the baseball out of his hand. He’ll iron out a couple of delivery issues, and we’ll be right where he needs to be.”

• Collins said left-hander Josh Edgin worked on a sinker during the offseason that should make him more effective against righty hitters. Lefties hit .164 and righties hit .263 against Edgin during his rookie season. Read more in the Post.

• Feliciano, who pitches in today’s intrasquad game, tells Kristie Ackert in the Daily News about his shoulder: “I am ready now, ready to pitch. There is nothing there. It is strong. It’s stronger than it was before, because before the surgery and after, I have to work on it. I pitched in Puerto Rico in winter ball and I am ready to go.”

• Wright tells columnist John Harper in the Daily News he is “looking to become a better leader.”

• Lucas Duda will receive heavy playing time early in Grapefruit League play because he is working on a new stance, Collins said. Mike Kerwick in the Record speaks with Duda about the challenge of playing the outfield for a natural first baseman.

• From the bloggers ... Faith and Fear in Flushing makes the case for retiring Nos. 31 and 17 -- and quasi-retiring some other significant digits. … Mets Police would like to see a TV show in which Howie Rose interviews ex-Mets. … Contributors to Rising Apple predict which Mets player is most likely to break out in 2013.

BIRTHDAYS: Former Mets reliever J.J. Putz turns 36.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

Driving down to Florida and seeing @you_found_nimmo singing to himself in the vehicle behind me #priceless

— Michael Fulmer (@MFulmer12) February 22, 2013

YOU’RE UP: Should Jenrry Mejia be a starter or reliever?

Please use the comments section to weigh in

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Right-hander Chris Young, who remained a free agent as camps opened, has signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals.

Young, 33, went 4-9 with a 4.15 ERA in 20 starts with the Mets last season after returning from surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder.

Young becomes one of a bevy of extra starting pitchers the Nats have assembled beyond projected starters Stephen Strasburg, Dan Haren, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler.

Young would probably lead a field of other contenders should there be an injury. That group includes fellow Princeton product Ross Ohlendorf as well as Zach Duke.

After trading R.A. Dickey last month, Sandy Alderson indicated his intention was to fill the rotation void with an outside addition of sufficient quality to slot into the rotation -- albeit not of Dickey’s caliber. The GM specifically said he would not seek someone to show up at camp and compete with Jenrry Mejia and Jeremy Hefner. The newcomer would get a spot as a starting pitcher.

Alderson maintained that posture Monday.

The GM told ESPNNewYork.com he is looking for someone of the Chris Young or Carl Pavano ilk to round out an April rotation that also would include Jonathon Niese, Matt Harvey, Johan Santana and Dillon Gee. (Ideally, Zack Wheeler will make his major league debut midseason.)

“I couldn’t identify who that might be at this point, but that general category of player is probably what we’re looking at,” Alderson said.

Another free agent, Shaun Marcum, would seem to be priced at a higher level than the Young/Pavano types and therefore go beyond the Mets’ spending appetite. Marcum went 7-4 with a 3.70 ERA in 21 starts last season with the Milwaukee Brewers while earning $7.7 million.

Alderson would not comment, however, whether Marcum fit a category of player priced beyond the Mets’ willingness to spend.

“You know, I don’t want to get into individual players if I can avoid it,” Alderson said.

Although one Mets insider told ESPNNewYork.com on Thursday that the outfield may be set without the addition of a bona fide starter, another official familiar with the organization's intentions said Friday that outfield at least remains on the shopping list. The other areas of pursuit: a starting pitcher to replace R.A. Dickey and bullpen depth. A source said a trade remains possible to address needs.

Chris Young remains a viable option to be re-signed to fill the rotation void.

Young, returning from surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder, made 20 starts for the Mets in 2012 and went 4-9 with a 4.15 ERA in 115 innings. The innings total was his highest since logging 173 innings with San Diego in 2007. Young earned roughly $2.3 million with performance-based incentives.

"His record didn't indicate it, but we didn't get him a lot of run support," Terry Collins said after Young's final start of the season. "But he did a very good job, and I'm very happy he made it through the year healthy. His last two starts his velocity climbed. His velocity was up 3, 4 mph, which I was very impressed with."

Neither person aware of the Mets' plans listed adding a catcher who would break camp with the team as a priority.

That suggests that unless prospect Travis d'Arnaud breaks camp with the Mets as the No. 1 catcher, which is not the likelihood, Anthony Recker should serve as John Buck's backup behind the plate.

Recker, 29, is a waiver claim from the Cubs. He has hit a combined .152 with one homer and four RBIs in 66 at-bats at the major league level over the past two seasons, with Chicago and Oakland. (Read a new feature on Recker in the Allentown, Pa., Morning Call here.)

"I really don't know what their plans are for me," Recker told the newspaper. "I talked briefly with the team after they claimed me and they relayed to me that they thought I could be an asset to the team. So I just want to go to spring training and show I'm capable of handling anything they expect of me."

As for remaining free agents, check out ESPN's full tracker here.

MIAMI -- Mets officials remain optimistic David Wright will be with the organization long term, with the intention of making him an organization ambassador one day, like the ceremonial role Tom Seaver holds.

There should be significant turnover this offseason though, in part through the Mets letting Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez depart as free agents and Andres Torres and Mike Pelfrey being nontendered.

Don't even rule out R.A. Dickey being traded this offseason.

Read the major projected offseason news in this article.

As for other maneuvers:

• The Mets shipped Pedro Beato to the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 14 in order to get an up-close look at rental Kelly Shoppach as a righty-hitting catching complement to Josh Thole. The Mets are not enthused enough to jump at re-signing Shoppach, a source said. They first will look elsewhere. But with a tight budget and limited catching supply, Shoppach ultimately could be re-signed since the price may be right, perhaps at about $1.5 million.

• Outfielder Scott Hairston is a free agent, and a team official indicated the Mets would like to re-sign him because of his success against left-handed pitching. However, there is concern Hairston will get a two-year deal elsewhere with a handsome raise from this season’s $1.1 million, pricing him out of the Mets’ range.

Similarly, Ronny Cedeno likely would be welcomed back in the same backup middle-infield role. But Cedeno fired his agents earlier this season because he thought he merited a starting shortstop job, so he first will shop around for a better and more lucrative playing-time opportunity.

If Hairston departs, the outfield is barren. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who ended this season on the minor league DL with a partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot, will get strong consideration as the starting center fielder, a team official said. Lucas Duda would man a corner-outfield spot if the Mets do not trade Ike Davis and move Duda to first base. Mike Baxter would return as a backup outfielder.

But that is it as far as outfield depth, so there have to be outside acquisitions.

A team official said the Mets will work hard during spring training with outfield prospect Matt den Dekker to cut down his strikeouts (154 in 533 at-bats between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo this season) to make him a 2013 option. Unfortunately for the Mets, den Dekker is a lefty hitter like Nieuwenhuis. The duo would be a quality platoon if one hit from the right side.

• Lefty reliever Tim Byrdak, whose contract is expiring, likely will be unable to contribute in 2013. He underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder last month. While rookies Josh Edgin and Robert Carson have emerged as viable lefty options in the pen, the Mets also would like to bring in an established southpaw reliever, manager Terry Collins has said.

• The Mets liked Chris Young’s finish to the season as he returned from shoulder surgery, so a team official cautioned not to rule out a 2013 return. The complication is Young is ill-suited for relief, so how does Young fit if the Mets’ planned five starters barring a trade -- Dickey, Johan Santana, Jonathon Niese, Matt Harvey and Dillon Gee -- all are healthy on Opening Day?

• Team officials maintain anyone will be available in a trade for the right price, with Davis, Dickey, Daniel Murphy, Niese and Bobby Parnell among the pieces that might command the most. The organization, however, is conscious of its lack of power. So team officials recognize they cannot trade Davis, who has 31 homers this season, without getting a comparable power bat in return in that deal or otherwise. The Red Sox reportedly had two scouts at Monday’s Mets-Marlins game, with speculation they were watching Davis.

One major complication with the trade route is the Mets likely cannot swap prospects or some of their marketable younger major leaguers in order to acquire an established player. That is because that would require a bump in payroll that is not available, a team official acknowledged.

With Santana and Jason Bay coming off the books after 2013, the Mets will consider signing a free agent to a backloaded multi-year deal with a low base salary next season. Santana and Bay make a combined $50 million next season, including 2014 buyouts. The Mets have no existing payroll commitments except for Niese for 2014.

Still, with even smaller-market teams now retaining their stars at a higher frequency than in the past, the list of quality free agents who would command large, backloaded deals is not lengthy.

ATLANTA -- Chris Young expressed satisfaction with his first season after returning from surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder.

"All in all, there were some really good things," Young said after limiting the Braves to two runs in six innings in his final 2012 start, a 2-0 loss. "It was a great year, to bounce back. ... When I decided to have the surgery and rehab, I knew it would be a long process. I knew there would be some bumps in the road. But I really believed that if I dedicated myself to it that I could be a very competitive and successful major league pitcher. My record might not show it, but I feel like I proved that.

"My velocity is up probably 3 mph, maybe 4 mph since I first broke in [in June]. It's just like I said all along: Everybody who's had major shoulder surgery told me that it would take a full two years. I made it back at 12½ months. It was a work in progress. I was competitive. I wasn't dominant. Right now, to end the season, I feel like I ended on a very good note. I feel like I pitched very well the last five starts. It's something to build on. Hopefully with a little bit of time off and more strengthening this offseason, I'll get back to where I truly want to be next year.

"This will be an offseason where I don't have to rehab," he continued. "I've been throwing since Oct. 15 of last year. It's almost a full year I've been throwing and rehabbing. I'll give my arm a little bit of rest right now and then start building up the arm strength again. And it will be nice not to have to rehab for once. It will be a change for me. I can work on mechanics. I can work on other things. I can work on my pitches and stuff. I fully expect it to show next season."

Said Terry Collins: "I told him after the game was over I was very impressed with the way he went about the whole year. He said before he wanted to get 20 starts. He got 20. And they were very, very good starts. His record didn't indicate it, but we didn't get him a lot of run support. But he did a very good job, and I'm very happy he made it through the year healthy.

"His last two starts his velocity climbed. His velocity was up 3, 4 mph, which I was very impressed with."

WHAT IT MEANS: The Mets are locked into a fourth-place finish in the NL East for the fourth straight season after losing to the Atlanta Braves, 2-0, Saturday night at Turner Field.

Chris Young, a free-agent-to-be, surrendered two runs in six innings to complete his 2012 season. He was outdueled by left-hander Mike Minor.

Young has attachments to front-office executives Sandy Alderson and Paul DePodesta from their days with the San Diego Padres, so you cannot completely discount a return next season.

Still, Terry Collins acknowledged pregame that Young is probably only suited for a starting role at this point in his career, having undergone May 16, 2011 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder. And Young really does not seem a fit for the 2013 Mets.

Barring a trade or health issue, the projected 2013 rotation is R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee. While the Mets could use a veteran safety net to go along with Zack Wheeler, Collin McHugh and Jeremy Hefner, that pitcher optimally would be able to swing to a bullpen role -- long relief or otherwise -- if the projected rotation emerges on Opening Day intact.

Young’s final 2012 numbers: 4-9 with a 4.15 ERA. He allowed 119 hits and 36 walks while striking out 80 in 115 innings spanning 20 starts -- an accomplishment since he returned to the majors more quickly than Santana from the same shoulder procedure. The innings total was his highest since logging 173 innings with San Diego in 2007.

Saturday’s outing actually cost the Mets $350,000. Young received a $200,000 bonus for making his 20^th start and $150,000 bonus for crossing 110 innings.

Young ultimately earned about $2.28 million in 2012.

He had a $1.1 million base salary, which likely was prorated based on his call-up date. So he would have earned $601,000 based on his June 5 addition from the minors. He qualified for an additional $1.675 million in bonus money based on innings logged and games started. (See full contract details here.)

The Mets placed two runners on base in the ninth against ace closer Craig Kimbrel, on an error by second baseman Dan Uggla and when David Wright was hit by a pitch. But Ike Davis struck out as a pinch hitter and Lucas Duda K'd looking to end it.

LARRRRR-RY, LARRRRR-RY: Renowned Mets-killer Chipper Jones is barely making a peep in his series against the Amazin’s -- aside from drawing raucous reactions from the crowd of 48,310 every time he appeared Saturday. Jones went hitless in four at-bats Saturday and is now 0-for-8 with seven groundouts through two games. Jones plays his final game ever against the Mets on Sunday afternoon.

WHAT’S NEXT: Jenrry Mejia (1-1, 4.91 ERA) makes his final 2012 appearance. He opposes right-hander Kris Medlen (9-1, 1.64) at 1:35 p.m. Sunday.

The Braves will be bidding for their 23^rd straight win in a Medlen start. That would break a three-way tie with Carl Hubbell (1936-37) and Whitey Ford (1950, 1953 -- interrupted by military service) for the longest streak of wins behind one starting pitcher in major league history in the live-ball era.

Collins indicated Wright will be given the series finale off.

Jon Niese's final 2012 start will be Friday at Turner Field, in Game No. 157 of the season. The Mets will use six starters through the last rotation turn, so Niese will not appear during the final series in Miami.

Chris Young will start Saturday and Jenrry Mejia on Sunday at Turner Field.

R.A. Dickey, who bids for win No. 20 on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the home finale, has one remaining start after that. Dickey will be given the option of pitching on Tuesday in Miami -- or against the Marlins the following day on an extra day of rest in the regular-season finale.

The Mets’ first task this offseason regarding Jason Bay, and for that matter Johan Santana, likely should be to see if any team has trade interest. A swap appears unlikely, though, even discounting the no-trade clause each possesses.

After all, Bay is hitting .155 with eight homers in 187 at-bats. And he is owed $19 million next season including a 2014 buyout, making it a toxic contract.

Similarly, Santana -- despite the June 1 no-hitter -- finishes the season on the DL after allowing six-plus runs in each of his final five starts. Santana is owed $31 million next season including a ’14 buyout.

Still, if the Mets were to find another team with toxic contracts to swap, who is logical? With the help of reporters around baseball, here’s a look …

THEY’VE GOT POTENTIAL

Angels: “Oh, you've come to the right place,” our friend who covers the Angels says. “The Angels have the deadest of dead weight -- Vernon Wells. The Angels are paying Wells $21 million this year to be their fourth outfielder. They owe him $21 million more in 2013 and again in 2014.”

Blue Jays: Left fielder/first baseman Adam Lind (.240, 10 HR, 40 RBIs) is owed $5 million in 2013. With buyouts of option years, the minimum owed is $7 million. “He cleared waivers at one point this season and the Blue Jays would love to get rid of his contract -- even though it's unlikely that can happen,” a team observer said.

Braves: Second baseman Dan Uggla (.215, 19 HR, 73 RBIs) is owed $39 million over the next three seasons.

Cubs: Alfonso Soriano ($18 million apiece in 2013 and ’14) and Carlos Marmol ($9.8 million next season) are the remaining sizable contracts.

Dodgers: The Dodgers inherited Carl Crawford ($102.5 million through 2017) and Josh Beckett ($31.5 million through 2014) while acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, but both should contribute. The least-productive contract: Juan Uribe, who finally pinch hit Sunday after going unused for nearly a month. Uribe, with one year remaining, is still owed $8 million.

Mariners: Left fielder Chone Figgins (.183, 2 HR, 11 RBIs) is owed $8 million next season. Center fielder Franklin Gutierrez (.258, 4 HR, 14 RBIs) is owed $7.5 million in 2013 with a buyout of the following season. Says one observer: “Gutierrez has been hurt or sick for most of his deal and might produce if ever healthy. Figgins is literally dead weight.” Bay does live in the offseason in Seattle. And the combined $15.5 million owed to those two are close to Bay's $19 million.

Marlins: Heath Bell has two years, $18 million guaranteed remaining. He also has a $9 million option for 2015 based on games finished -- 55 the previous season or 100 combined in 2013 and '14. (The Mets have been down that route before.)

Pirates: Clint Barmes is signed for 2013 at $5.5 million. He's hitting .228/.266/.325 with eight homers.

Red Sox: John Lackey (12-12, 6.41 ERA) has two years left for a combined $30.5 million, with a 2015 club option at the major league minimum because of a preexisting elbow injury.

Twins: Nick Blackburn (4-9, 7.39 ERA) and middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka -- both relegated to the minors -- are under contract for 2013 and “practically sunken cost.” Blackburn is owed $5.5 million. Nishioka is owed $3.25 million including a 2014 buyout. The Twins likely would never trade Joe Mauer, despite him being owed $23 million annually through 2018.

Yankees: Alex Rodriguez to Flushing? Don't hold your breath. Still, A-Rod is owed $114 million over the next five seasons. Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia could emerge as bad contracts, with $90 million over four seasons and $119 million over five seasons owed, respectively.

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The Mets can draw some inspiration for these final 10 games from the team that's chasing their crosstown rivals.

Only a year ago the Orioles were in last place in the American League East, but they finished the season taking 11 of their final 16 games. This year, they're in second in the division and look like they should be able to return to the playoffs. Quite a turnaround for one year.

"It'd be nice to finish on a strong note," David Wright said. "You look at, for example, what the Orioles did, they finished strong last year and it kind of carried over into this year. It'd be nice to do that. And I think there's a lot of individuals that want to finish strong and we as a team and an organization would like to finish strong."

While the Marlins are one of the worst teams in baseball, the weekend sweep was a much-needed boost for the Mets, who had lost nine straight games at home. With three more games left against the Marlins and four remaining against Pittsburgh, there's a chance to take the momentum from this series and try to finish the year on a positive note.

"It's great," Sunday's starting pitcher Chris Young sad of getting the sweep. "We needed that. We needed to bounce back after the tough series against Philly. "

WRIGHT GOES YARD: Terry Collins believes it's also important for Wright to end the season strong.

Wright got the Mets off to a hot start on Sunday with a first-inning two-run homer, his 19th, and picked up his 84th RBI. Wright is also just three hits away now from tying the team's record for hits and could break the record during the final home series.

"Obviously for me in the second half there's been some ups and downs and I feel like recently I've had some good at-bats and nothing to show for it," Wright said. "That's kind of the way it happens, sometimes law of averages kicks in at some points. [A] .350 [batting average] is tough to keep the entire year.

"I've felt good where I've been as far as the at-bats I've been having, disappointed in the results lately, haven't been seeing the results I've wanted to. I'm happy with the process and hopefully can finish strong."

YOUNG DOES WELL: Young received a no-decision for six innings of two-run ball.

"Chris has really been amazing," Collins said." I can't say enough of what kind of guy and how hard he's had to work. You look at that he's six months almost behind or eight months behind Johan [Santana] and pitching with the condition of his arm and keeps himself in tremendous shape and just knows what he's doing on the mound."

Chris Young surrendered three solo homers, including Ryan Braun's 39th and 40th long balls of the season, and the Mets lost Sunday's rubber game at Milwaukee, 3-0.

The Mets' tragic number for postseason elimination dropped to six as they return home for their final 2012 homestand -- 10 games against the Philadelphia Phillies, Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates.

R.A. Dickey aims for win No. 19 in Monday's homestand opener, when he opposes Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee. Dickey has four starts remaining, including tonight, to try to produce two wins and become the Mets' first 20-game winner since Frank Viola in 1990. If the pattern of pitching every fifth game holds, the knuckleballer also is due to face the Marlins on Sunday at Citi Field, then pitch at Atlanta on Sept. 28 and at Miami in the regular-season finale on Oct. 3.

Washington Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez, another Cy Young Award candidate, failed in his attempt to notch his 20th win Sunday night, as the Atlanta Braves beat the Nats, 5-1. Gonzalez, who allowed two runs in five innings, is now 19-8 with a 2.95 ERA.

The Phillies, who oppose Dickey tonight, arrive at Citi Field having lost three of four to Houston this weekend. They are four games behind St. Louis for the second wild-card slot.

Because of an innings cap, Matt Harvey (3-5, 2.92 ERA) makes his final 2012 start Tuesday, opposite right-hander Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 4.95). Cole Hamels (15-6, 3.06) handles Wednesday's series finale for the Phillies.

Monday's news reports:

• Major league clubs and minor league teams began a 15-day window Sunday to seek new affiliation agreements. As expected, the Toronto Blue Jays and Triple-A Buffalo Bisons spoke and appear to be nearing a deal. That would push the Mets to the lone vacant affiliate, Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League, which has been the home of the Blue Jays.

Why did the Bisons want the Mets out of Buffalo? For one thing, their attendance slid each season during the four-year affiliation, to an all-time-low 515,000 in 2012. That partly had to do with the Mets' record. Over the four years of the affiliation, Mets farmhands went 260-313 in Triple-A. According to Bisons beat writer Mike Harrington, that was the third-worst winning percentage (.454) by an MLB club's farmhands in all of Triple-A over that four-year period, better than only the Twins with Rochester at .424 and the Padres with Portland and Tucson at .417.

"I would never question the Mets' effort, especially this year," Bisons GM Mike Buczkowski told Harrington in the Buffalo News. "They made a real effort to sign players, to keep our roster full. They did a lot of things to make us successful. It didn't just translate to victories. ... We get a bad rap that we're demanding a championship team. That's not what we're saying. We need a competitive team. Win more than you lose. Play some games in August that mean something."

Buffalo will be the second International League city to boot the Mets in the past six years. Norfolk kicked the Mets out after the 2006 season.

• Jeurys Familia, originally slated for his first major league start Wednesday, will remain in the bullpen. Terry Collins has liked what he has seen out of Familia in relief and will keep him in that role, especially since Familia would be more likely to break camp with the Mets out of spring training next season in the bullpen. Collin McHugh or Jeremy Hefner instead should take Wednesday's start opposite Hamels. Collins indicated postgame Sunday that Hefner was the likely starter. Read more in the Star-Ledger.

• Rookie Wily Peralta and John Axford combined to limit the Mets to two singles and two walks as the Mets were shut out for the 11th time this season on Sunday. "Two hits isn't going to get us very far," Collins said. Read Sunday recaps in the Times, Newsday, Star-Ledger, Record, Post and Daily News.

TRIVIA: Who has started the most games in center field for the Phillies since the trade of Shane Victorino to the Dodgers?

Sunday's answer: The Brewers moved from the AL to the NL in 1998, coinciding with the launches of the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.