If there had been a Cy Young Award given for Spring Training, John Maine would have been the National League winner. The Mets' 26-year-old right-hander had a string of 10 scoreless innings during one stretch, gave up a home run, then finished with a run of 14 2/3 scoreless innings.

Maine has no expectation of yielding just one run in 25 2/3 innings against Major League hitters during the regular season, because he said Spring Training is more relaxed than the regular season. Yet he definitely feels improved as he makes his season debut Friday in the opener of the Mets' three-game series against the Braves.

He was asked if his spring dominance was a sign of his progression as a pitcher.

"I hope so," Maine said. "We've got six months of this, so we'll find out. I'm still learning how to pitch. Hopefully each start this year will get better."

The news that Pedro Martinez, the Mets' No. 2 starter, will be out from four to six weeks with a left hamstring strain affected Maine, who was 15-10 last season with a 3.91 ERA.

"It means me Ollie [Perez] and [Mike] Pelfrey have to step up a little bit," Maine said. "We'll have to pick up the slack."

Maine was inconsistent last season. He started hot, winning his first five games, then ran into a troubling middle of the season. But he finished strong, coming within four outs of the Mets' first franchise no-hitter in a late September game against the Marlins.

Maine worked in the offseason to make sure this season will be his best. He did his running in a weighted jacket, ate better and got more rest.

He also studied video of his worst performances last season. He saw how things would unravel at times.

"It's like something clicks in my head almost," Maine said. "One time I'll be up, another time I'll be down. I just had to learn the situations and try not to let it happen this year."

He didn't bother checking the video of the game in which he dominated Florida in late September.

"There was a lot of luck on my part, so it's not something I want to watch," Maine said.

Maine and his teammates want this series badly. They are aware that they will be playing the division-rival Braves 19 times this season.

"Might as well get it started," manager Willie Randolph said.

Pitching matchup
NYM: RHP John Maine (0-0, -.- ERA)
For much of last season, the Mets needed Maine to be their ace -- and he filled that role as best he could. This year, the Mets simply need him to be a rock -- and he's shown no reason why he can't fill that role even better.

ATL: RHP Tim Hudson (0-0, 2.57 ERA)
Hudson surrendered two first-inning runs in Sunday's Opening Day start against the Nationals and then ended his outing by retiring 19 consecutive batters. He was 2-2 with a 3.33 ERA in four starts against the Mets last year.

Tidbits
One of the choices available to Mets fans when they vote for an "eighth-inning sing-along" song for the 2008 home schedule is "Livin' On a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. The recording takes on a different meaning in light of Martinez's injury on Tuesday night. Nine other selections are candidates, including the incumbent "Sweet Caroline." Voting on mets.com concludes at noon ET on Monday. ... In the history of the franchise, only Mookie Wilson has batted leadoff more often, 681 games, than Jose Reyes (520). Reyes passed Buddy Harrelson on Tuesday night. ... David Wright, who turned 25 in December, has batted at least .300 with at least 25 home runs and 100 RBIs in his first three full seasons. The Elias Sports Bureau says the other players who have produced at those levels for each of their first three full seasons before their 25th birthdays are Joe DiMaggio and Albert Pujols (four times each) and Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Ted Williams, Vladimir Guerrero and Miguel Cabrera. ... Martinez now has made 60 starts since signing with the Mets before the 2005 season.

This date in Mets history -- April 3: Still savoring their appearance in the 2000 World Series, the Mets begin their 2001 season in Atlanta against the team that had denied them a place in the 1998 postseason and nudged them out of the 1999 playoffs. Because they didn't oppose the Braves in the 2000 postseason, the Mets believed they still had some scores to settle. The first one came in the form of a 6-4, 10-inning victory at Turner Field in a game that turned on a two-run home run by Robin Ventura against Kelly Ligtenburg in the 10th inning.

Five years later, another home run by another third baseman provided the decisive run in the Mets' Opening Day extravaganza. Wright led off the sixth inning with a home run against Livan Hernandez, putting the Mets ahead, 3-1. They won, 3-2 at Shea Stadium. It was the first of eight victories in a nine-game sequence that allowed New York to build a five-game lead in the National League East after 12 games on April 17. It was the first time an NL East team held a five-game lead so early in the season.

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Up next
• Saturday: Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 0-0, -.--) at Braves (Tom Glavine, 0-0, 1.80), 3:55 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Mets (Johan Santana, 1-0, 2.57) at Braves (John Smoltz, 0-0, -.--), 1:35 p.m. ET
• Monday: Off-day