It wasn't long after the Mets' completed their virtual steal for Robby Alomar last December -- within the first 24 hours, actually -- that general manager Steve Phillips was on the phone with Edgardo Alfonzo. The executive was gently explaining to Alfonzo that he was no longer the second baseman, replaced not just by a star, but a future Hall of Famer.

Fingers tightly crossed, the Mets hoped Alfonzo would understand why he had to move to third base.

	Edgardo Alfonzo Third Base New York Mets Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R OBP AVG 124 17 49 64 .322 .243

Actually, that's not all the Mets had on their wish list. They were hoping Alfonzo would arrive in camp with muscles, not the flab which covered his mid-section in 2001.

They hoped his lower back, so weak and out of shape it practically ruined his 2001 season, would be healthy enough to return Alfonzo to his production of 1999 and 2000, when he averaged 26 homers with 101 RBIs while hitting above .300.

And finally, the Mets hoped Alfonzo wouldn't still be offended by Alomar's coronation by next winter, when Alfonzo will be eligible for free agency.

The results? So far, everyone's happy. Alfonzo has played respectably at third, is leading the Mets with four spring home runs, and batting over .360. And, perhaps most significantly, Alfonzo says he'd like to remain in New York, despite the open-market bounty that awaits a 28-year-old power-hitting infielder who can play second or third.

"I love the Mets. I love playing in New York," Alfonzo said recently. "This is the only team I've ever played with, and this is where I'd like to stay. I know I can leave, but hopefully, something can be worked out."

The Mets are just as committed to keeping Alfonzo, just as long as he stays healthy and improves on his .243 average last year--- a 46-point drop off his career average.

Third Basemen On The Spot

ESPN analysts tell us who's on the hot seat: Dave Campbell Scott Rolen, Phillies. There is an immense amount of pressure in Philadelphia. There is so much tension in the air, it seems to be an almost no-win situation. Rolen and management have serious issues. If -- and that's a big if -- he stays in Philly all year, it will be interesting to see how Rolen responds to the pressure. Tom Candiotti Scott Rolen, Phillies. It will be interesting watching Rolen after he turned down $100 million from the Phillies and then questioned their commitment to win. Rob Dibble Robin Ventura, Yankees. The Yanks need Ventura's glove and bat until $17 million-dollar man Drew Henson is ready.

Actually, no one in the organization seems worried about Alfonzo's conversion to third base. It's all about how he contributes to the Mets' potentially super-charged offense: if Alfonzo has a prosperous April and May at the plate, it's likely the Mets will sign him to a long-term deal before season's end.

This much is certain -- Alfonzo sure looks and sounds like the 1999 and 2000 edition, the one who was such an offensive threat that Derek Jeter told him during a mid-summer interleague game against the Yankees, "You're the real star in this town."

That was all before Alfonzo's back started to deteriorate, a condition that baffled doctors and troubled team officials. The suspicion among club elders is that Alfonzo was simply out of shape and his body had betrayed him because of a lack of care.

How noticable was Alfonzo's decline? He wouldn't have looked bad just on the beach, but he resembled an accountant even in his Mets uniform.

So if aesthetics mean anything, Alfonzo is a new man in 2002. He weighs the same 210 pounds as he did in 2001, but minus eight percent of last year's body fat. He's looks leaner, seems quicker at the plate, and as it's turned out, giving up second base for Alomar wasn't such a trauma after all.

"I'm learning, little by little," Alfonzo said. "It'd a different position, and there are things that take time. The (right-handed) hitter's back is to you when he swings, so sometimes you don't see the ball right away -- it's like the ball is hidden for a second. That's a change for me."

So is charging the slow roller up the third-base line. Alfonzo saw former teammate Robin Ventura make that play countless times in the last three seasons, but that still doesn't mean he'll perfect it by Opening Day.

In fact, Alfonzo says such subtleties of the third-base life could take a full season to master. That play, in particular, poses challenges because, in his words, "Every (hit) is a little different. It's hard to practice that." While Alfonzo has played the last three seasons at second, he was the Mets' full-time third baseman in 1997-98, so the tricks of the trade may be easier for him to learn than a newcomer to the position.

Still, Alfonzo knows the Mets are a better team with Alomar, and not him, at second base. Together, Alomar and Rey Ordonez create limitless possibilities for the 6-4-3 double play, and Alfonzo isn't embarrassed to say, "Robby is the best there is. He's great."

That's why Alfonzo wasn't all that upset the day Phillips called with the news that Alomar had been acquired from the Indians. He said, "If it'd been anyone else, I might have minded," but who could argue with the addition of a 10-time Gold Glove winner?

Just to make sure the political waters were calm, however, Alomar followed up with his own private conversation with Alfonzo. It could be a bright summer at Shea -- if all the components blend, and Alomar certainly didn't want Alfonzo to blame him for merely being part of perhaps the best trade the Mets had ever made.

Not to worry, Alfonzo said. Not only did he soften Alomar's guilt, he promised the new second baseman, "We're going to get along great."

Alfonzo meant for the next six months ... and maybe beyond.

Five other third baseman to watch
1. Scott Rolen, Phillies. Will he stay or will he go? Rolen questioned the Phillies' commitment to winning early in spring training after turning down a huge contract offer. He's a free agent after the season, so the pressure is on.
2. Adrian Beltre, Dodgers. Last year's botched appendectomy left Beltre out of playing shape last season and affected his final numbers (.265, 13 HR). He's still just 23, so look for a breakout year.
3. Hank Blalock, Rangers. The best hitting prospect in the minors earned the Opening Day nod with a monster spring. He hasn't played above Double-A, but it won't matter as he's capable of hitting .300 as a rookie.
4. Sean Burroughs, Padres. The other best hitting prospect in the minors, Burroughs doesn't yet have Blalock's power potential, but if he comes through, the Padres could surprise in the NL West.
5. Eric Chavez, A's. Chavez has improved at the plate each year of his three-year career. The A's will need another step up to help compensate for the loss of Jason Giambi.

Bob Klapisch of The Record (Bergen County, N.J.) covers baseball for ESPN.com.