Glavine ready for his start

Tony DeMarco at Mets.com writes about Tom Glavine and his first start since the blood clot scare:

"The finger is good -- nice and warm,'' Glavine said. "I feel good physically. Everything from that [health] standpoint is fine.''

But a finesse/control pitcher needs innings pitched and hitters faced to remain sharp. And missing a couple turns in the rotation -- not to mention undergoing an angiogram procedure -- have thrown the always-prepared left-hander an unexpected curve.

"The thing I'm wondering about is how my control is going to be, having so much time off,'' Glavine said. "I'm such a creature of habit. I like keeping things on a schedule -- the same routine, same preparation. I felt good physically before [the blood clotting was discovered], and I felt good mechanically. I'm trying to keep that on track as much as I can now.''

Returning on Friday will give Glavine an opportunity for up to six starts in the final month of the regular season -- more than enough time to regain his usual precision. Whether he makes that many remains to be seen, and Glavine and pitching coach Rick Peterson already have discussed workload options in light of the Mets being so far ahead in a weak National League East.

"Two weeks from now, we can take a look at it again,'' Glavine said. "We have the luxury of doing it that way.''