The New York Mets are really hoping to surprise some people this season after the dismal, injury-riddled 2009, but a portion of that expectation is resting on the rehab from surgery on the right knee of Carlos Beltran.

According to the New York Daily News, Beltran is likely going to be back in the lineup before early May.

“Every day I’m improving,” Beltran told the paper. “I don’t feel the same way I did last year. At the same time, it’s hard for me to say when I’m going to be ready. Doing this is no problem, but the big test will be when I start doing baseball activities every day, when I start running, catching fly balls and standing out there on my feet for a full day. I’m looking forward to that.”

The activities that Beltran told reporters about, will begin sometime in April which means that the earliest Beltran will be back is in mid April. You can be sure that the rest of the team along with the Wilpon’s cannot wait!