Worth noting

• Right-hander Shaun Marcum has temporarily stepped out of the Mets' Grapefruit League rotation, but is not injured. Collins said Marcum wants to concentrate on a long-toss program designed to strengthen his shoulder, which gave him trouble last spring. He will return to game action in early to mid-March.

• Former Mets first baseman Val Pascucci announced Wednesday that he has signed with the Broncos de Reynosa of the Triple-A Mexican League.

• Bizarre connection of the day: The New York police officer on trial for allegedly plotting to kidnap, murder and eat 100 women was high school baseball teammates with Mets outfielder Mike Baxter. Baxter said he played "two or three years" at Archbishop Molloy in Queens with Gilberto Valle, whom New York tabloids have dubbed "the cannibal cop." He has not talked to Valle in the 10 years since he graduated from Molloy. "There will be no comment about the 'cannibal cop,'" Baxter said.