Francisco Rodriguez last threw a regular-season pitch in a Mets uniform on Aug. 14, after completing a two-game suspension for striking his girlfriend’s father at Citi Field. As it turned out, Rodriguez required season-ending surgery after that appearance to repair a torn thumb ligament that he injured in the altercation, and the Mets attempted to place him on the disqualified list and convert his contract to nonguaranteed.

The ensuing grievance settlement: K-Rod forfeited the remaining $3.1 million owed to him last season. But the organization abandoned its attempts to alter his contract, and agreed to reinstate him from the disqualified list for Friday’s Opening Day.

Rodriguez also plea bargained his criminal charges to undergo a year of weekly anger-management training. He said he has now completed the Venezuela and Florida phases. He just needs to work out a plan for the final third in New York, which will be worked around the Mets’ travel schedule.

“I’ve got to sit down and make a schedule -- whatever is best for me and for them too,” he said. “That’s something I have to address when I get back to New York.”

As for being back with the Mets, K-Rod said in the visitors’ clubhouse Thursday: “After all the bad things that happened to me by the end of the season, and through the winter, to be able to put that behind me and to look forward to my next chapter pretty much in my life, it’s awesome. I just want to go out there and compete. That’s what I do best.”

Rodriguez tossed 10 2/3 scoreless Grapefruit League innings.

“I feel great,” he said. “The velocity is there. The command of all my pitches is there, which I was looking for early in the spring. I’m looking forward now to having a good season.”

As has been well-documented, Rodriguez's contract will vest for $17.5 million for 2012 if he finishes 55 games. Otherwise, he receives a $3.5 million buyout in addition to his $11.5 million salary for this season.