--2B Jose Valentin asked for and was granted his release by the Mets. Valentin, 39, hopes to sign with a team that will keep him in the minors for no more than a month before giving him a promotion to the majors. He hit .267 in 45 Grapefruit League at-bats with the Mets. Team officials asked him to play for Class AAA Buffalo, but he declined because there was no spot opening on the major league club in the foreseeable future.

--RHP J.J. Putz left the March 31 game due to an irritated right middle fingernail. Manager Jerry Manuel said the ailment was minor.

--OF Bobby Kielty and RHP Elmer Dessens, non-roster spring invitees, were reassigned to the Mets' minor league camp. Dessens pitched just three innings this spring, and he didn't allow a run. Kielty batted .296 and drove in 10 runs in 24 games.

RHP Fernando Nieve, acquired off waivers from the Astros in mid-March, cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Mets' Class AA affiliate in Binghamton. He had a 6.75 ERA this spring.

The moves settled the Mets' final roster spots. OFs Jeremy Reed and Marlon Anderson will be on the bench, and RHPs Bobby Parnell and Darren O'Day will be in the bullpen.

--RHP Tony Armas Jr. and INF Junior Spivey were released from the Mets' minor league camp.

--RHP Livan Hernandez won the fifth starter's job with the assignment of RHP Freddy Garcia to minor league camp, just days after LHP Jon Niese was optioned to the minors. Garcia had been the pre-camp favorite to grab the role, but had a 16.71 Grapefruit League ERA. Even though Garcia did not have an out in his contract, the Mets did not intend to force Garcia to go to minor league camp and were willing to grant him a release. Garcia plans to remain in extended spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., rather than pitch for Class AAA Buffalo.

--RHP Rocky Cherry, a Rule 5 selection from the Orioles, signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox after being released by the Mets. The Mets had expressed interest in re-signing Cherry, but they felt compelled to release him rather than pay him the $177,000 he was owed under his original contract.

--SS Jose Reyes will return to the leadoff role in 2009, manager Jerry Manuel said. Manuel had experimented with Reyes in the No. 3 hole this spring, but he opted to keep Reyes where the shortstop felt most comfortable.

--RHP John Maine was so distraught about poor recent spring performances, he canceled a golf outing with teammates he had scheduled for the team's final off day of March and came to the otherwise-sleepy complex to work with pitching coach Dan Warthen on his mechanics. Maine felt as if he made strides, including with his stride. He increased the amount he steps forward off the mound by eight inches, hoping to generate more followthrough with his pitches. Maine also tweaked the grip on his slider to use more seam in hopes of restoring the bite he used to have with the pitch.

--RHP Brandon Knight cleared waivers and will pitch for Class AAA Buffalo. Knight, who pitched for Team USA at the Olympics in China last summer, went 1-0 with a 5.25 ERA in four games (two starts) for the Mets in 2008.

--LHP Ron Villone was released by the Mets, while RHP Nelson Figueroa, RHP Carlos Muniz, INF Andy Green, OF Cory Sullivan and C Rene Rivera were sent to the team's minor league camp. Villone, a non-roster camp invitee, allowed six runs in five innings this spring.

BY THE NUMBERS: 16 -- Players the Mets sent to the World Baseball Classic. The final returnees to the Mets' camp were David Wright and J.J. Putz from Team USA and Francisco Rodriguez from Venezuela, who were eliminated in semifinal games at Dodger Stadium.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's on again." -- Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins, lightheartedly to World Baseball Classic teammate David Wright, as they parted after sharing a cross-country flight to return to their respective National League East camps.