"Carlos Beltran's and Angel Pagan's friendship began in a Kansas City restaurant in 1999. The former was en route to a Rookie of the Year award with the Royals, the latter a top prospect about to enter the draft.

"I saw him as a light," Pagan said of his fellow Puerto Rican outfielder, still gushing 12 years after that dinner meeting, which was arranged by Beltran's agent. "He was one of the biggest prospects from Puerto Rico. He was the future from my country, so I have to try to follow the example."

They maintained a connection, and are now are two of the most important figures in Terry Collins' first spring training with the Mets. Beltran arrived late Friday, and he and the manager, along with GM Sandy Alderson, will meet to discuss a possible position change. Although Collins sees advantages to sending Beltran from center field to right field and moving Pagan to center, he will listen to his veteran star, and form a plan based on that conversation.

"I think I owe that to him," Collins said. "I think you need to do that, even though I think I'd like to say, 'Geez, Carlos, are you sure (right field) isn't better so we don't ever have to worry about your knee bothering you?' But, again, together we'll make the right call.""