PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The New York Mets' depleted roster took another hit on Thursday when Fernando Tatis accepted an invitation to join the Dominican Republic team as an injury replacement for Alex Rodriguez. Tatis became the 15th Met to bolt for the World Baseball Classic — the highest number of any major-league club — but the Mets refused to stand in his way.

With A-Rod sidelined because of a torn labrum in his right hip, Dominican Republic general manager Stan Javier made a recruiting visit to Tradition Field on Thursday to speak with Tatis and general manager Omar Minaya.

About an hour before the game against Italy, manager Jerry Manuel called Tatis into his office for a closed-door meeting to make sure that his super-sub was physically OK to play in the WBC. Tatis had missed the first week of exhibition games because of a bruised right hand, but he's supposedly fine now, and was looking forward to replacing A-Rod.

"For me, A-Rod is one of the best baseball players I've ever seen," Tatis said. "It's going to hurt us that he's not playing. He's one of the greatest players ever."

Former Met Moises Alou, now an assistant GM/player for the Dominican team, actually tried to get Tatis on the team a few weeks ago. But Tatis waited until talking with Manuel "because my first responsibility is here with the Mets."