PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — If Johan Santana is unable to start the Mets’ first game — and the chance of that has increased at least marginally since he developed tightness in his pitching elbow — his love for his country may be the genesis of the problem. Patriotism could be the reason, pitching coach Dan Warthen said Saturday morning after Santana laid out a scenario that might push his first exhibition-game start into the third week of March.

Warthen believes Santana’s desire to pitch for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic prompted the Mets’ primary starter to “push too hard” to prepare, and that the tightness that Santana now feels behind his left elbow is a result of the push.

“As patriotic as he is,” Warthen said, “I believe he really wanted to pitch for his country. They only have two big things [in Venezuela] — soccer and baseball. And, in baseball, Johan is the cheese.”

Warthen acknowledged Santana’s readiness for the Opening Day assignment against the Reds in Cincinnati on April 6 may become compromised by the delay. The pitcher already is behind other starters in preparing for the season and is likely to be further behind before he begins to make progress.

Warthen did not dispute a timetable that would have the pitcher’s first start happen after March 10. But Santana, who has yet to pitch to a batter, said he needs to pitch batting practice three times before he makes a start to regain command of his pitches. And the first batting practice session is not yet scheduled.

The plans Saturday morning as Santana disappeared into the trainer’s room for treatment were to have him throw a light bullpen session Sunday, and, if he emerged from that without negative effects, to schedule him for a batting practice session. That session would likely come after at least two days off. And each subsequent BP would come after at least two days’ rest, and probably more.

The bullpen session and two days off after it, three batting practice sessions with only two days’ rest between them, plus three days’ rest before the first start, would push that start to March 14. And Warthen acknowledged Santana might require more rest than that equation provides. Starting on March 15, and then pitching every fifth day thereafter and increasing the workload by one inning (or 15 pitches) each time out wouldn’t allow Santana to make six starts and still have time to recover for Opening Day.

Warthen said he wants Santana to have thrown about 90 pitches in a game before his first in-season start; Santana used 80 as the number.

So, Santana’s pitching April 6 already appears to be in question. The pitching coach didn’t want to make a prediction, but Warthen did allow this: “A little dicey.”

Warthen said he hasn’t discussed the situation or the possible effect of preparing for the World Baseball Classic with Santana.

“I’m going by 40 years experience and what I know of Johan,” he said, though Santana didn’t agree with the coach’s thinking.

Warthen has shared his theory with manager Jerry Manuel, who made the decision, according to Warthen, to “take [decision making] out of Johan’s hands.”

Santana had maintained a desire to pitch in the Classic even when others suggested the Mets eventually would ask him to excuse himself because of the knee surgery he underwent Oct. 1. The club never said no, but the Classic eliminated Santana because of the high cost of insuring a player coming off surgery.

The club was quite comfortable with the decision. Its $137.5 million investment in Santana already has paid dividends. He placed third in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season, having won 16 games and having led the league in ERA and innings. But five seasons remain on the contract.

The basis for the Mets’ caution is self-evident.

“We won’t be pushing him,” Warthen said.

Later, Manuel indicated the Mets’ objective is to make sure Santana makes all the starts the club had planned, as if to say the timing of his first start — Opening Day or at some point later in the first week — is not critical.

Manuel said Friday the club’s general course of action in this scenario is to be “extra, extra, extra” cautious. Santana said he expects to meet with Manuel, Warthen and, probably, the trainers Sunday. Manuel had left for Lakeland, Fla., — a 150-mile bus ride — by 8 a.m. ET Saturday.

The tightness, the pitcher said Saturday, was in his triceps tendon. The Mets have not ordered any tests for the pitcher. And Warthen noted that Santana is a particularly strong and well-conditioned athlete, which will accelerate the process of preparation — once it begins.

Neither the pitcher nor general manager Omar Minaya expressed concern. “I’m totally confident Johan Santana knows when he has to be ready,” Minaya said.

Santana used the word “hopefully” several times as he discussed his circumstances. That word hadn’t been included in his comments in previous days. He was certain then that “This is nothing to worry about it.”

However, Santana said “Hopefully, next week I’ll start facing hitters” Saturday morning. And — more ominously — he said “I’m fine. It’s just that the tightness is not something normal for me.”

Before leaving Saturday afternoon, Santana indicated he had experienced more tightness that usual.

When Santana mentioned Opening Day, he said, “Hopefully, I’ll be ready for April 6.”

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