Las Vegas 3, Round Rock 2

Collin McHugh took the mound tonight and pitched a heck of a game. He continued his tremendous start to the season tossing seven scoreless innings. The righty threw 90 pitches (59 strikes), allowed just five hits, struck out five, and left the game with a 1-0 lead. McHugh came into the game leading the 51s with a 3.57 ERA, but after tonight’s masterful performance, he lowered his ERA to 2.98.

McHugh was in line for the win when he left the game heading into the eighth inning, but the combination of Gonzalez Germen and Justin Hampson squandered the lead allowing the tying run to score. Greg Burke took the ball in the top of the ninth up 2-1, but was unable to nail down the save. He allowed a double followed by an RBI single, and saw his ERA balloon to 5.19.

The Vegas offense was held to just three hits on the night, but was highlighted by Josh Satin hitting his fifth home run of the season, and an RBI single by Juan Centeno. Eric Campbell had a very patient night at the plate, accumulating three walks, and scored the go ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Vegas a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Reese Havens singled to lead off the inning, and was moved to second on a ground out by Satin, before being pinch ran for by Brian Bixler. The next batter Zach Lutz struck out swinging, but the ball hit the dirt and had to be blocked by the catcher. Bixler plated the winning run on an errant throw by the catcher attempting to throw out Lutz at first base.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 0-for-2, BB
• Josh Satin: 1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB
• Juan Centeno: 1-for-3, RBI
• Reese Havens: 1-for-4
• Eric Campbell: 0-for-1, RBI, 3 BB
• Collin McHugh: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, ND

Las Vegas 14, Reno 8

Carlos Torres got the start tonight and wasn’t very sharp. Torres had traffic on the base paths all night long, allowing a total of 12 base runners. The 30-year-old gave up a hit and a walk to start the game, but was saved by a pickoff at first base.  In the second, he loaded the bases to start the inning, but limited the damage and gave up just two runs. He pitched scoreless frames in innings three through five, but faltered in the sixth, and after giving up a solo home run, was removed from the game.

Justin Hampson relieved Torres and closed out the sixth inning without any further damage. Sean Henn started the seventh and loaded the bases with nobody out, eventually allowing four runs to score. Gonzalez Germen pitched a spotless eighth, and Greg Burke closed out the ninth, but gave up an RBI ground out after a lead off triple.

The Andrew Brown show continued on Wednesday night with three more hits. The 28-year-old outfielder cranked his second home run of the year, drove in three more runs, and raised his team leading batting average to .367. Juan Centeno, who was promoted when Travis d’Arnaud was injured, finally broke out. The backstop recorded four hits, including a double and a run scored. Josh Satin got back on track, reaching base three times with two hits and a walk, and Wilmer Flores added two RBI. Eric Campbell hit his second homer of the year, and drove in four RBI on the night.

Game Note: The Vegas offense once again tallied over 10 runs, which marked the eighth time they have done that already this season.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, R
• Josh Satin: 2-for-5, 2 R, BB
• Andrew Brown: 3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2B
• Juan Centeno: 4-for-5, 2 2B, R
• Omar Quintanilla:: 3-for-6, R, RBI, 2B
• Eric Campbell: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, R, BB
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-4, R, RBI,
• Carlos Torres: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, W

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (17-9)

Justin Upton launched his major league leading 12th home run of the season this week. He hit just 17 a year ago, and is currently on pace to shatter his career high of 31 back in 2011. The same can’t be said for his brother B.J. Upton, who has just three home runs, and is hitting a paltry .143 on the season. Freddie Freeman has not made much of an impact since returning from the DL eight games ago, as the first baseman has just one extra base hit during that span. The great start to the season by Paul Maholm came to an abrupt end in his last start. The lefty took his minuscule 1.03 ERA into Detroit, and was battered around to the tune of eight earned runs, and left with a 3.30 ERA. Tim Hudson earned the 200th win of his career on Tuesday, as he pitched a gem against the Nationals. Hudson continues to pitch well despite being 37-years of age, and owns a career record of 200-105.

Washington Nationals (13-14)

How scary is Bryce Harper? Harper hit 22 home runs in his rookie season, and is already almost half way there with nine, and we are only one month into the season. The 20-year-old has been on a tear of late, hitting .353, with four home runs, seven RBI, four doubles, and a triple over his last 11 games. Harper leads the team with a .344 batting average. The Nationals had an injury scare with Stephen Strasburg, and pulled him early from his last start due to forearm tightness. The big guy says he will make his next start, but the Nats might take precautions and skip a start. The Nationals who were expected to be a powerhouse team, continue to struggle, and are under .500 after one month of the season.

Philadelphia Phillies (12-15)

The Phillies starting catcher Carlos Ruiz returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing 25 games due to an amphetamine suspension. The Phillies backstop had a great year in 2012, hitting .325 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI. Delmon Young was activated from the DL on Tuesday, and had two hits including a home run in his season debut. Ryan Howard has been heating up of late, and is showing flashes of his old self. Over his last eight games, the lefty slugger has a .300/.290/.633 slash, with two home runs, 10 RBI, and four doubles. Kyle Kendrick is quietly having one of the best seasons on the Phillies pitching staff. He recently completed a three-hit shut out against the Mets, and owns a tidy 2.41 ERA through five starts to begin the year. Roy Halladay was rolling until he ran into Cleveland on Tuesday, and lasted just 3.2 innings, giving up eight earned runs. I was going to say that he was almost all the way back this week, but apparently he’s not.

Miami Marlins (8-19)

Marlins stud outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was beginning to come around, as he finally tallied his first home run of the season this past week. Stanton was red hot before he strained his hamstring on Monday, as he finally turned the power on hitting three jacks, while also driving in eight runs.  The rest of the Marlins remain in a coma offensively, ranking at the bottom of the majors in home runs, runs, and RBI. Jose Fernandez hasn’t made it into the fifth inning in two of his last three starts, while Kevin Slowey leads the team with a 2.15 ERA and 1.01 WHIP.

Injury Report

Nationals: Stephen Strasburg might miss his next start, after being pulled from his most recent outing with forearm tightness. Ryan Zimmerman is ready to play in rehab games, and after a few tune ups this week, he should be activated from the DL on Friday. Jayson Werth was out of the lineup on Tuesday, as he is dealing with hamstring and ankle ailments. Wilson Ramos was activated from the DL on April 29. Reliever Christian Garcia remains on the DL with partial tear in his forearm.

Braves: Jason Heyward who was placed on the DL after having an appendectomy on last Monda, is hoping for a late-May return. Brian McCann (offseason shoulder surgery) began a rehab assignment on Friday, and is all goes well will be activated on May 6.. Jonny Venters (elbow) will begin throwing on Tuesday. Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery) is still recovering and could return by midseason.

Phillies: Delmon Young made his return to the lineup a little earlier than expected, as he was activated on April 30. John Lanna remains on the DL, and could miss 6-8 weeks due to a strained quad.

Marlins:  Giancarlo Stanton was placed on the DL with a grade 2 strain of his hamstring, which should sideline him a minimum of three weeks. Joe Mahoney was also placed on the DL with a hamstring injury. Adeiny Hechavarria was placed on the DL with a bruised elbow, is ready to begin rehab games. Casey Kotchman who is on the DL with a strained hamstring may return by mid-May. Logan Morrison is recovering from a torn patella tendon that required surgery last September, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on May 10. Henderson Alvarez is throwing and could return by early May, while Nathan Eovaldi remains out indefinitely, and was transferred to the 60-day DL.

Upcoming Schedules (4/29-5/5) 

Nationals: (ATL, 4/29-5/2), (@PIT, 5/3-5/5)

Braves: (WSH, 4/29-5/2), (NYM, 5/3-5/5)

Phillies: (@CLE, 4/30-5/31), (MIA, 5/2-5/5)

Marlins: (@MIN, 4/29-5/1) (@PHI, 5/2-5/5)

Las Vegas 9, Reno 5 

D.J. Mitchell‘s last start was marred by bouts of wildness, but tonight’s outing was much better, as he did not allow a run over the first five innings. He dodged in, and out of trouble a few times, including a bases loaded no out jam in the second inning. After two singles and a walk, Mitchell buckled down and got a pop out, strikeout, and a ground out to end the inning. He ran into trouble again in the sixth inning, and was eventually lifted in favor of Sean Henn.

The bullpen struggled once again, and Greg Peavey was the main culprit tonight. Peavey, allowed three runs to score in the seventh, and what was a 9-0 lead heading into the sixth, quickly became 9-5 through eight. Justin Hampson came in and pitched a spotless ninth to shut the door.

On offense, Andrew Brown and Wilmer Flores once again led the way. Brown tallied two more RBI, added a double and a triple, and leads the 51s with 21 RBI and a .360 batting average. Flores also had two hits, including a double, and drove in two. Kirk Nieuwenhuis had just one hit in five trips, but it was a triple, and he also produced an RBI ground out. Travis d’Arnaud‘s replacement Landon Powell had two hits himself, as he doubled and scored a run.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B
• Andrew Brown: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B, 2 R
• Josh Satin: 0-for-3, 2 BB
• Brian Bixler: 1-for-5, R, 2 RBI, BB
• Zach Lutz: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB
• Landon Powell: 2-for-4, R, 2B
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-5, R, RBI, 3B, BB
• D.J. Mitchell: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K

DAVID WRIGHT, 3B

MMO PLAYER OF THE WEEK

David Wright is officially rolling, and despite the lack of production and support around him, he continues to produce and be the leader of this team. Wright batted .300/.400/.350, with six hits, a double, a sacrifice fly, five RBI, and a stolen base as he helped lead the Mets offensive attack last week.

Wright reached base in all six games the Mets played this past week, with six hits and four walks. Taking it a step further, the 30-year-old has reached base safely in 21 of the Mets 23 games this season.

Terry Collins shook up the lineup this week and moved Wright into the cleanup spot for a few games, before moving him back into the three-hole. The third baseman has not yet begun to show much in the way of power, having just two long balls on the season. However, he continues to hit and drive in runs seemingly on a nightly basis. To date, the Mets captain is batting .309/.436/.506, with two home runs, four doubles, three triples, and 19 RBI. He has an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 15:19, and has already swiped six bases.

Right now, Wright is doing the best he can with the pitches he is seeing. There is no real fear of any of the hitters behind him, so pitchers can be careful how they pitch him. They are fine with giving him a free pass, or having him slap a single to left or center. With John Buck cooling off a bit, and Lucas Duda and Ike Davis yet to provide the protection Wright needs, he will continue to see limited pitches that he can drive.

Honorable Mentions

Matt Harvey

Harvey had his worst start of the season, and it wasn’t even that bad. The big righty gave up three earned runs over six innings of work, while striking out seven. Harvey makes two starts this coming week, and if he keeps rolling like this, I will be hard pressed to not hand him his second MMO player of the week honor.

Ruben Tejada

The young shortstop began to pick things up with his bat this week. Tejada had a .300/.417/.450 slash, including three doubles, an RBI, and scored four runs. Tejada returned to the top of the order this week, which is where he spent almost all of last season. The move paid immediate dividends, as Tejada is currently riding a five game hitting streak, and seemed to return to his old self at the plate. Tejada is batting a measly .163 in the eighth spot in the order, while he is hitting a combined .341 when he bats first, second or seventh.

Jeremy Hefner

Hefner may not have many quality starts as the season goes along, but he pitched a gem in his last outing. Hefner went seven innings, gave up just three hits, one earned run, and struck out four batters. The righty did not receive the victory, and remains winless on the year. I hope that the 27-year-old has more starts like that to offer this season.

Jordany Valdespin

Valdespin has a flare for the dramatics, and his walk off grand slam was a great moment early in this season. Spin makes the honorable mention list mainly because the big hit, but aside from that, he did not do much else during the week. The 25-year-old batted just .167, with five RBI, a double, and the game winning grand salami against the Dodgers.

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

1. David Wright – 2

2. John Buck - 1

2. Matt Harvey - 1

Las Vegas 12, Tacoma 13 

The night did not look promising for Zack Wheeler as the first two hitters led off the game with back-to-back doubles, and before you could blink, the 51s were down 1-0. Wheeler settled down after that and retired the next three batters in order, including two strikeouts.

Wheeler cruised through the next three innings, as he did not allow a hit and surrendered just one walk.

In the fifth inning, Wheeler’s control issues resurfaced. The big righty let up a leadoff home run, and then proceeded to get the next two batters out. Wheeler then allowed four straight batters to reach base. Two walks and a single loaded the bases, and a double plated two runs, before a strikeout ended the inning. In the sixth, he gave up another leadoff homer, followed by a hit batter, and was pulled from the game.

The bullpen came in and was initially solid, as Gonzalez Germen struck out four over two innings in relief of Wheeler. Greg Burke struck out both batters he faced after replacing Germen, and has not allowed a run since being sent down.

However, the ninth inning was a different story, as the implosion began when Justin Hampson allowed the first two runners to reach base.  Greg Peavey came in and just did not have any command, walking three batters, giving up a hit, and allowing three runs to score, before being lifted without recording an out. Armando Rodriguez came in with the bases loaded and nobody out, and allowed four more runs to cross the plate, giving Tacoma a 13-10 lead that they would not relinquish.

Offensively, Andrew Brown continued his torrid pace, driving in three more runs tonight, and is now batting .351. Brown trails only Josh Satin, who leads the 51s batting .362. Satin had three more hits tonight, and scored two runs, while driving in another. Flores doubled and scored a run batting in the five-hole, and Omar Quintanilla hit a three-run shot. Two runs scored in the ninth on a throwing error after Zach Lutz hit a grounder, but the rally fell just short.

The recently demoted Kirk Nieuwenhuis did not have a great night at the plate. He was able to get the barrel on the ball for an RBI single in a four-run second inning, but ended the night wearing the golden sombrero, striking in his final four at-bats.

The offensive onslaught continues, as the 51s have now plated 10-runs for the fourth time in their last five contests,

Key Stats

• Omar Quintanilla: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI,
• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-5, R, 2B
• Andrew Brown: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, BB
• Josh Satin: 3-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B
• Zach Lutz: 2-for-5, 2 R
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-5, R, RBI
• Zack Wheeler: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 7 K, 3 BB

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (13-5)

After starting the season 12-1, the Braves have dropped four of their last five games, including three in a row to the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Monday, the Braves joined the Mets as the next team to have their games in Colorado postponed due to snow, and will play a doubleheader on Tuesday. Freddie Freeman returns to the lineup after missing time with an oblique injury. Jason Heyward was hitting just .121 before his appendectomy last night, and B.J. Upton is still batting .167. The pitching staff has three starters with ERA’s of 2.16 or lower starting with Kris Medlen, Paul Maholm at 1.03, and Mike Minor leads the club at 0.95. The Braves lead the majors in home runs with 29, mainly due to their new stud outfielder Justin Upton, who has nine. The Braves also lead the majors with a WHIP of 1.09 and a team ERA of 2.36.

Washington Nationals (10-9)

The Nationals promoted top prospect Anthony Rendon after learning that they would have to place Ryan Zimmerman on the DL. Stephen Strasburg‘s numbers look good, but he has a record of 1-3 to start the season, including being out-dueled by Matt Harvey on Friday night.  Gio Gonzalez has pitched poorly to start the year with a 5.85 ERA, while Ross Detwiler leads the team at 0.90. Bryce Harper continues to lead the charge offensively, leading the team in home runs with seven, and RBI with 14.

Philadelphia Phillies (9-11)

The Phillies continue to struggle as they remain under .500 after 20 games to start the season. Chase Utley is the only player producing right now, and he leads the team with three home runs and 15 RBI. Ryan Howard has struggled, and has just one home run in 18 games, while Michael Young has been a nice addition leading the team with a .333 batting average. On the mound, the Phils called up their fourth overall prospect, RHP Jonathan Pettibone, to replace the injured John Lannan in the rotation. After giving up 13 earned runs in his first two starts on the year, Cole Hamels has allowed just four earned runs over 13 innings in his last two starts. Roy Halladay appears to have gotten back on track, allowing just three earned runs in 17 innings over his last two outings.

Miami Marlins (4-15)

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton returned to the Marlins lineup last Thursday after missing a week with a shoulder injury. He is just 4-for-18 since returning and remains homerless, but did get his first RBI of the season on Monday. Stanton is batting an unsightly .188/.316/.229 with no home runs, one RBI, two doubles, and has struck out 20 times in 38 at-bats. Jose Fernandez got his first real taste of the majors in his last start, when he lasted just four innings, giving up five runs on six hits, while walking three and striking out four. The Marlins offense continues to sputter, as they have just six home runs and only 41 RBI as a team, which are the lowest totals in the majors. Miami also had their game against the Minnesota Twins postponed Monday, and will play a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Injury Report

Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the DL with a strain of his left hamstring. Wilson Ramos, who is also dealing with a strain of his left hamstring, is improving after being placed on the DL on April 14. He is expected to return when he is eligible to come off at the end of the month. Reliever Christian Garcia remains on the DL with partial tear in his forearm.

Braves: Jason Heyward is out indefinitely after having an appendectomy on Monday. Brian McCann (offseason shoulder surgery) remains on the DL, and the veteran backstop felt some tenderness in his wrist last week right before he was set to begin a rehab assignment. Jonny Venters (elbow) remains shut down for four weeks as of April 2, and may be out for the first two months. Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery) is still recovering and could return by midseason.

Phillies: Delmon Young (ankle) is progressing nicely and may be able to start a rehab stint as early as next week. His May return still remains on target. John Lannan was placed on the DL, could miss 6-8 weeks due to a strained quad.

Marlins:  Adeiny Hechavarria was placed on the DL with a bruised elbow, and should return in two weeks. Casey Kotchman who was placed on the DL, retroactive to April 4, with a strained hamstring is nearing his return. Logan Morrison is currently on the 60-day DL, as he recovers from a torn patella tendon that required surgery last September. Henderson Alvarez is throwing and could return by early May, while Nathan Eovaldi remains out indefinitely, and was transferred to the 60-day DL.

Upcoming Schedules (4/12-4/28) 

Nationals: (STL, 4/22-4/24), (CIN, 4/25-4/28)

Braves: (@COL, 4/22-4/24), (@DET, 4/26-4/28)

Phillies: (PIT, 4/22-4/25), (@NYM, 4/26-4/28)

Marlins: (@MIN, 4/22-4-23) (@CHC, 4/25-4/28)

Suspensions

Carlos Ruiz: The Phillies backstop is due to return from his 25-game amphetamine suspension this coming Sunday.

Wright celebrates after one of his two home runs

DAVID WRIGHT, 3B

MMO PLAYER OF THE WEEK

David Wright finally took flight for the 2013 season this past week, as he lifted off with two home runs in Colorado. The Mets captain had been hitting well to start the year, but was not producing much in the way of power until he entered the thin Colorado air.

Wright batted .350/.519/.850, with two triples, two home runs, and five RBI as he helped lead the Mets offensive attack. He didn’t just drive in runs, as he scored five runs himself, accounting for a total of 10 runs during the week.

Wright got on base a total of 14 times in his 27 plate appearances, with seven hits and seven walks, which equated to his .519 OBP. Another promising sign that jumped out at me the most, was the fact that he did not have one strikeout all week. When David is locked in, he makes steady contact. With some of the strikeout issues he has had in recent years, it was nice to see him square the ball up and have such a good eye at the plate.

I am excited to see Wright get off to a good start this season. Sometimes players sign a big contract and struggle to live up to it, but that does not appear to be the case with the Mets third baseman.

The 30-year-old has just 10 strikeouts in 76 at-bats, and has walked 15 times in 17 games. Wright already has 14 RBI, and may be on his way to his sixth 100 RBI season. As the Mets team captain, Wright will look to be a rock in the three-hole and lead by example for his young teammates.

Honorable Mentions

Matt Harvey

Harvey matched up against Stephen Strasburg on Friday, and was the better pitcher in the highly anticipated pitching duel. The big righty went seven innings, gave up just four hits and one earned run, while striking out seven in his victory over the Nationals and Strasburg. Harvey was so impressive, chants of “Harvey’s better!” from the Mets faithful filled the air at Citi Field. Harvey has won all four of his starts as he continues his domination to begin the 2013 season.

Lucas Duda

Duda flexed his muscles this week cranking two more home runs, giving him five on the season. Duda continued to get on base at a high rate, walking six more times, and now owns a 1:1 (15 K, 15 BB) strikeout-to-walk ratio for the year. Duda batted .308/.526/.769 for the week.

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

W1. John Buck - 1

W2. Matt Harvey - 1

W3. David Wright – 1

Las Vegas 10, Sacramento 6

On the mound, Darin Gorski got the start and had a decent outing. He fared much better than he had in his previous start, but finished just a third of an inning shy of getting a quality start. The lefty allowed three earned runs and struck out four, en route to his first win of the season. Gorski did not allow a walk in the game, which was a nice improvement after he walked four batters in each of his first two starts of the season.

In the bullpen, the recently demoted Greg Burke pitched a scoreless frame, as did Dylan Owen who closed out the game. Armando Rodriguez and Gonzalez Germen both continued to struggle as they combined to give up three earned runs.

After starting out slow on offense the past few games, the 51s flipped the script and jumped on the River Rats early and often. Andrew Brown replaced Travis d’Arnaud in the cleanup spot, and had three hits, including a triple that drove in Juan Lagares in the first. Brian Bixler scored on a wild pitch in the second, and Eric Campbell and Bixler had RBI singles that plated three more runs the third inning. Wilmer Flores, who has been heating up lately, hit his first home run of the season, drove in three runs, and is now batting .304. Reese Havens doubled in his fifth run of the season, and Juan Lagares was once again a factor at the top of the order scoring two runs and driving in another.

As we reported on Thursday, Juan Centeno has been promoted and will take over the majority of the catching duties while d’Arnaud is out.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 2 R
• Juan Lagares: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 3B, BB
• Andrew Brown: 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R
• Eric Campbell: 2-for-5, 2 R, RBI
• Darin Gorski: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 K,

Las Vegas 3, Sacramento 2

Carlos Torres gave the team five solid innings and held the River Rats to two runs on the night while striking out ten batters. He allowed eight base runners on seven hits and a walk. Torres left the game down 2-0, but the bullpen shut the door after that allowing the 51s to come back and win the game. Adam Kolarek, Greg Peavey, and Robert Carson combined for four shutout innings.

Offensively, the 51s were quiet until the seventh inning when their bats finally came alive. Wilmer Flores led off the inning with a walk and Zach Lutz singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Omar Quintanilla doubled to right field to plate the first run, and Brian Bixler tied it moments later when he hit a sharp grounder to third, which caused an errant throw as he hustled down the line. Omar Quintanilla was the hero of the night, as he won the game with a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game Note: There is some concern over Travis d’Arnaud after he was pinch-hit for by Landon Powell in the sixth inning. D’Arnaud was pulled from the game after taking a pitch off his ankle while behind the plate. He finished the inning, but was replaced at the bottom of the sixth. We will continue to monitor this situation and update you as soon as we learn more. It could be nothing and just precautionary.

Key Stats

• Omar Quintanilla: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Brian Bixler: 2-for-4, RBI
• Zach Lutz: 2-for-4, R
• Carlos Torres: 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 10 K, 1 BB

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (12-1)

The Braves continue to plow over any team in their way, as they are thoroughly dominating their opponents and remain in first place in the NL East. The Braves tomahawked the reigning NL East champs in Washington this past weekend, with a clean sweep of their three game series, while outscoring them to the tune of 18-4. Justin Upton continues to lead the club in many of the major offensive categories, batting .340/.404/.900 with eight homers, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored. On the mound, Paul Maholm has surprised everyone with his incredible start to the season, as he now has run his scoreless streak to 20.1 innings with a record of 3-0. Atlanta was 7-0 this past week, and is currently riding a 10-game winning streak. .

Washington Nationals (8-6)

With a team of budding young stars, such as Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman usually flies under the radar. So far Zimmerman has been the Nats best pitcher, with a record of 3-0, a 2.45 ERA, and one complete game. Rafael Soriano may be a lock for 40 saves this year, as he already has nailed down five just two weeks into the season. Jayson Werth is hot to start the year batting .309/.333/.491 with three home runs and eight RBI. Harper holds the team lead in home runs with five.

Philadelphia Phillies (6-7)

Roy Halladay rebounded from two awful outings to start the year, and tossed eight innings of one-run ball in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Marlins. It was a step in the right direction, but it was still the Marlins, and they did not have Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup. Cliff Lee stayed hot to start to the year holding a current ERA of 1.52 through three starts. Cole Hamels fared much better in his third start, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. On offense, Chase Utley is batting .294/.339/.588 as he continues his resurgence. He leads the Phillies in home runs with three and RBI with 12.

Miami Marlins (3-11)

Marlins young prodigy Jose Fernandez remains the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal start the 2013 season. Fernandez followed up his five inning nine strikeout debut with a six scoreless innings in his second outing, and currently owns a 0.82 ERA. The Marlins offense has sputtered to begin the season, and to date, only have two home runs as a team. The injury to Giancarlo Stanton‘s left shoulder has kept him out of the lineup since last Wednesday, although batting .167/.342/.233 before the injury wasn’t helping matters much.

Injury Report

Nationals: Wilson Ramos landed on the DL on April 14 due to a let hamstring strain. He is expected to return when he is eligible to come off at the end of the month. Reliever Christian Garcia is on the DL with partial tear in his forearm tendon.

Braves: Brian McCann (offseason shoulder surgery) was supposed to begin catching in extended spring training games on Wednesday or Thursday, and possibly start a rehab stint next week. However, the veteran backstop felt some tenderness in his wrist and will now be having an MRI instead. Jonny Venters (elbow) remains shut down for four weeks as of April 2, and may be out for the first two months. Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery) is still recovering and could return by midseason. Freddie Freeman who was placed on the DL with a strained oblique on April 7, recently took pain free 30 swings and could possibly be due back when he is eligible.

Phillies: Delmon Young (ankle) is progressing nicely and may be able to start a rehab stint as early as next week. His May return remains on target.

Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton has been out since last Wednesday because of a left shoulder contusion. An MRI showed no structural damage, but he is still feeling discomfort, and remains day-to-day and will test his shoulder on Tuesday. Casey Kotchman was placed on the DL, retroactive to April 4, with a strained hamstring. Logan Morrison is currently on the 60-day DL, as he recovers from a torn patella tendon that required surgery last September. Henderson Alvarez and Nathan Eovaldi are both on the DL with right shoulder inflammation. Alvarez threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on April 13, and could return by early May, while Eovaldi remains out indefinitely.

Upcoming Schedules (4/8-4/14) 

Nationals: (@MIA, 4/6-4/17), (@NYM, 4/19-4/21)

Braves: (KC, 4/16-4/117), (@PIT, 4/18-4/21)

Phillies: (@CIN, 4/15-4/17), (STL, 4/18-4/21)

Marlins: (WSH, 4/16-4-17) (@CIN, 4/18-4/21)

Suspensions

Carlos Ruiz: The Phillies backstop has 12 games remaining to serve his 25-game suspension.

Las Vegas 1, Sacramento 2

The night did not start out so well for Collin McHugh, but the young righty buckled down and got out of a tough jam in the first inning. He gave up a leadoff single, followed by an error from Wilmer Flores, and an RBI single that gave the River Rats a 1-0 lead with runners on the corners and nobody out. McHugh, battled back and got the next three batters out, starting with a strikeout, a shallow fly out, followed by another strikeout to end the inning. McHugh then fired four scoreless frames before being lifted after a two out walk in the top of the sixth inning.

Gonzalez Germen relieved McHugh in the sixth and came out unscathed, but gave up an RBI single to relinquish the lead in the seventh. Reliever Dylan Owen dodged in and out of trouble in the ninth, as he loaded the bases, but got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning without any runs scoring.

Offensively, the bats were mostly silent in Las Vegas, as they were only able to muster up five hits on Tuesday night. The 51s got on the board in the fourth inning, when a leadoff single by Juan Lagares led to an RBI single by Wilmer Flores. Lagares was the table setter last night, getting three hits, scoring one run, and raising his batting average to .375.

Andrew Brown gave the 51s life when he worked a two out walk in the bottom of the ninth inning. Josh Satin hit a sharp grounder into the hole, but it was scooped up and Andrew Brown was forced out at second to end the game. Travis d’Arnaud was hitless on the night, but made solid contact and worked the counts in his at-bats.

Key Stats

• Juan Lagares: 3-for-4, R
• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-4, RBI
• Josh Satin: 1-for-3, BB
• Collin McHugh: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 3 BB, L

Hours after being named MMO Player of the Week, Mets right-hander Matt Harvey was named the National League Player of the Week this afternoon by MLB.

Harvey fashioned a 2-0 record and 1.20 ERA last week, and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Twins on Saturday. Through three starts this season, the 24-year-old has yielded only six hits in 22 innings, while striking out 25 and walking only six. He is the first pitcher since 1900 to win each of his first three starts of a season with at least that many strikeouts and that few hits allowed, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

In his first outing last week, Harvey outdueled Phillies veteran Roy Halladay, as the youngster limited Philadelphia to one run on three hits in seven innings. Five days later, Harvey held Minnesota to one run on two hits in eight frames.

Harvey is the first Mets pitcher to earn NL Player of the Week honors since Johan Santana accomplished the feat on June 3, 2012, two days after the southpaw tossed the first no-hitter in franchise history.

Original Post at 12:00 PM

MATT HARVEY, RHP

MMO PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Is anybody else beginning to think we might have something really special in Matt Harvey? I think Dwight Gooden put it best, when he said in a tweet that the hurler’s nickname should be Matt “The Real Deal” Harvey. I think that is an awesome nickname, and I hope it sticks. Gooden wasn’t the only one to praise the big righty recently. Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price recently tweeted that “Matt Harvey is my new favorite pitcher outside of current and former teammates!! He’s nasty.”

The 24-year-old made my choice for MMO POTW an easy one, as he had one of the most dominating weeks for a Mets pitcher in recent memory. Harvey fired 15 innings over his two starts, including taking a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Over his 15 innings of work, he mowed down 15 batters, gave up just four hits, and had an ERA of 1.20 with a record of 2-0.

With Harvey dominating his opponents the way he has through his first three starts, here are some interesting stats.

• Harvey is the first Mets pitcher to begin a season allowing no more than one run in any of his first three starts since Al Leiter in 2004.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Harvey is the first pitcher in modern major league history (since 1900) to win each of his first three starts of a season, with at least 25 strikeouts and six or fewer hits allowed over those three games.
• Joe D. noted on Saturday, that he is only the third pitcher since the end of World War II to open a season with three straight starts of seven-plus innings and three or fewer hits allowed, joining Nolan Ryan and Jim Rooker as the only other pitchers to perform that feat, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Prior to Gooden’s tweet anointing Harvey “The Real Deal, I had been using the same words to describe his performances, and obviously I wasn’t alone. I even asked a couple of fellow MMO writers if they were getting goose bumps watching this kid pitch as I was. The last time I remember being this excited about a player the Mets brought up, was when Jose Reyes and David Wright made their debuts.

It’s been a long time coming for Mets fans to feast their eyes on a pitcher of Matt Harvey‘s potential and skill set. He has shown himself to be a dominating power pitcher, who is not afraid to pitch inside. The kid is a homegrown player who has all the makings of being the next Mets ace, something Mets fans have long been asking for.

Honorable Mention

The legend of John Buck continues to grow in Flushing, and if it wasn’t for the dominating performance of Harvey, would have been selected for a second consecutive MMO Player Of The Week honor. The Mets backstop has virtually carried the Mets on his back offensively for the first two weeks of the season. The pitchers love throwing to him, the hitters love getting on in front of him and the fans are getting to watch a performance of historic proportions.

Buck batted just .238/.238/.810 during his second week as a Met, but when he made contact, he crushed the ball.  The veteran hit a home run in four consecutive games (April 8-12), a feat that had not been done since David Wright did it in 2007. Richard Hidalgo holds the Mets franchise record with a home run in five consecutive games in July of 2004. Buck ended the week with four home runs, drove in 10 runs and scored five, but failed to draw a walk.

As Joe D. pointed out in his post on Saturday, Buck has entered rarefied air with his staggering RBI totals to start the season.

Buck hit six home runs through the first 10 games of the season, which is the second-most in team history behind Dave Kingman‘s seven home runs through 10 games in 1976. He did not hit his sixth home run of the season last year until June 24 (52 games) and did not drive in his 19th run of the season until June 27 (55 games). The veterans six home runs are more than all of the Mets catchers combined during the 2012 season.

Other Noteworthy Players

Daniel Murphy

David Wright

Murphy had a great week batting .500/.522/.750 with five RBI and five doubles. He seems to have settled nicely into the two hole, and should continue to see good pitches in front of David Wright. The captain had a .286/.348/.476 slash line, with six RBI, two doubles and a triple. It was a nice improvement in the run production department, as he had only had one extra base hit and three RBI during the first week. The Mets have been getting great production from Buck, but they need Wright to start to drive the ball, as he has yet to hit a home run yet this season.

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

T1. John Buck – 1

T1. Matt Harvey – 1

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (6-1)

The Braves currently sit in first place in the NL East, and new addition Justin Upton is a major reason why. The 25-year-old has batted .423/.448/1.192 to start the season, with six bombs and eight RBI. The other half of the Upton brothers, B.J., has struggled to hit himself out of a barn batting just .120 to date. On the mound, the wily veteran Tim Hudson is back to work with a record of 1-0, and a 3.27 ERA to start the year. Paul Maholm hasn’t given up a run in 12 2/3 innings, and Mike Minor was solid in his first start as well, while youngster Julio Teheran struggled.   

Washington Nationals (4-2)

Bryce Harper was the story during the opening week as he belted three home runs, including two on Opening Day. Stephen Strasburg fired seven shutout innings on Opening Day, but got roughed up for six earned runs in his second start. Gio Gonzalez, Ross Detwiler, and Jordan Zimmerman all went six innings in their starts and allowed just one earned run combined. 

Philadelphia Phillies (2-5)

Opening Day starter Cole Hamels got pounded over his first two starts of the season, giving up an astounding 13 earned runs over his 10 innings of work. Conversely, Cliff Lee twirled an eight inning gem, allowing just two hits and striking out eight in his first start. Ryan Howard has started out slow, batting .148 with 10 punch-outs in just 27 at-bats. Chase Utley, on the other hand has burst out of the gate on fire. The second baseman is batting .370/.400/.630, with one home run, seven RBI and two doubles. Lastly, are we seeing the beginning of the end for Roy Halladay? The righty has seen a drop in his velocity, and has an unsightly ERA of 14.73 over his first two starts of 2013. 

Miami Marlins (1-6)

The Marlins have stumbled out of the gate, and did not score a run until the second inning of their third game of the season. Giancarlo Stanton has struggled with little support around him, and is batting .174/.367/.261 with no home runs or RBI, and just one run scored. Jose Fernandez made his debut against the Mets on Sunday, and dazzled for the first five innings, striking out eight, but received a no-decision.

Injury Report

Nationals: Adam LaRoche is currently day-to-day with a stiff back. Reliever Christian Garcia is on the DL with partial tear in his forearm tendon.

Braves: Jonny Venters (elbow) was shut down for four weeks on April 2, and may be out for the first two months. Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery) and Brian McCann (offseason shoulder surgery) were placed on the DL on March 29, both retroactive to March 22.  McCann may start a possible rehab assignment by mid-April, and could be activated by late April, while Beachy could return by midseason. Freddie Freeman was placed on the DL with a strained oblique on April 7, and may need 2-3 weeks to recover.

Phillies: Delmon Young (ankle) played the outfield for the first time this spring on April 1, with the hope that he returns sometime in May.

Marlins: Casey Kotchman was placed on the DL, retroactive to April 4, with a strained hamstring. Logan Morrison is currently on the 60-day DL, as he recovers from a torn patella tendon that required surgery last September. Henderson Alvarez and Nathan Eovaldi are both on the DL with right shoulder inflammation. Alvarez has resumed a throwing program, and could return by early May, while Eovaldi is out indefinitely.

Upcoming Schedules (4/8-4/14) 

Nationals: (CWS, 4/9-4/11), (ATL, 4/12-4/14)

Braves: (@FLA, 4/8-4/10), (@WSH, 4/12-4/14)

Phillies: (NYM, 4/8-4/10), (@MIA, 4/12-4/14)

Marlins: (ATL, 4/8-4-10) (PHI, 4/12-4/14)

Suspensions

Carlos Ruiz: The Phillies backstop will continue to serve his 25-game suspension to start the season.

Is Justin Upton the heir apparent to Chipper “Larry” Jones?

John Buck is MMO’s Player Of The Week!

John Buck introduced himself to Mets’ fans in grand style. He carried his hot spring right into the regular season, and was the key catalyst on offense, which helped lead the Mets to a 4-2 record to start the year.

The 32-year-old finished the opening week of baseball with an impressive slash line of .400/.391/.750. The Mets new backstop mashed two home runs, and scored four runs, while leading the Mets and tying for National League lead with nine RBI. Buck showed his power potential, and also proved he has the ability to drive in runs without a hit with a few key sac flies. The veteran led this young team by example out of the gate, which was a great sign of leadership.

Honorable Mentions

Jon Niese

Matt Harvey

Daniel Murphy

Niese went 1-0 with a  2.13 ERA over his first two starts, and was everything Mets fans could have hoped for in his new role as the Mets ace. Harvey picked up right where he left off this spring and last season, adding another double-digit strikeout performance to his resume. Murphy flexed his muscles with two home runs, and showed he has the power to drive the ball over the center field wall.

Not So Hot

Ike Davis

Lucas Duda

Ruben Tejada

Both Davis and Duda ended the week batting under .200, while Tejada finished just a shade over the Mendoza Line.

Mr Met wants know if John will pass the buck next week, or take home his second consecutive award?

Mets’ relievers Frank Francisco and Pedro Feliciano threw a simulated game in Port St. Lucie on Tuesday.

Francisco continues to recover from off-season elbow surgery, and is currently on the disabled list, retroactive to March 22. The righty threw an inning of work, which consisted of 20 pitches.

Mets lefty reliever Feliciano continues to work on his arm strength, and also threw one inning of work in Tuesday’s simulated game.

Both Francisco and Feliciano remain serious candidates to join the Mets bullpen, should someone falter. Francisco is more likely to get the first crack first due to his contract ($6.5 million) and potential to close games, especially if Parnell struggles early this season.

“Keep Your Enemies Closer”

The National League East has been known for it’s pitching staffs, going back to the Mets rotations of the 80′s, the Braves of the 90′s and early 2000′s, all the way up to the Phillies and Nationals of the past few seasons. What’s clear is that each team has quality pitching in some way. Teams like the Mets and Marlins have some good rotation options, with high-end quality prospects entering their respective staffs this season. While other teams like Phillies have a three-headed monster at the top, and the Nationals are building around the all-world Stephen Strasburg.

Let’s take a look at each rotation, and rank them in order from last to first.

5. Miami Marlins

1. Ricky Nolasco
2. Henderson Alvarez-DL
3. Nathan Eovaldi-DL
4. Wade LeBlanc
5. Kevin Slowey
6. Jose Fernandez
7. Alex Sanabia

4. New York Mets

1. Jonathon Niese
2. Matt Harvey
3. Shaun Marcum-DL
4. Dillon Gee
5. Jeremy Hefner

3. Atlanta Braves

1. Tim Hudson
2. Kris Medlen
3. Paul Maholm
4. Mike Minor
5. Julio Teheran
6. Brandon Beachy-DL

2. Philadelphia Phillies

1. Cole Hamels
2. Roy Halladay
3. Cliff Lee
4. Kyle Kendrick
5. John Lannan

1. Washington Nationals

1. Stephen Strasburg
2. Gio Gonzalez
3. Jordan Zimmerman
4. Dan Haren
5. Ross Detwiler

What are your starting rotation rankings in the National League East?

Collin Cowgill is MMO’s 2013 Top Spring Performer

Spring training is a time for veterans to get their work in as they prepare for the 162 game grind they are about to embark on. While the veterans are gearing up, there are usually a few roster spots that are up for grabs. These spots are usually a battle between some aging veterans looking to catch on as a reserve, or a young upstart looking to get his first taste of the majors. This spring, the Mets came into camp with seemingly more questions about their roster then they have had in the previous five seasons combined.

What we saw, was a group of young players come in with fire in their belly. They were hungry for a spot on the Mets roster, and with all the openings, there was plenty of spots to be had. Some players surprised, some disappointed, and then some just blew our socks off.

Collin Cowgill wowed Mets fans, coaches, and team brass alike from the beginning of spring training. The youngster is gritty, and showed off his skills ending the spring with a .303/.378/.591 slash line in 66 at-bats. He flexed his muscles cranking five homers, drove in ten RBI, while also hitting four doubles and stealing four bases.

“He reminds me of the way Dude played,” Cowgill’s former manager and one-time Met Rico Brogna said, referring to Dykstra, who was nicknamed Nails. “He’s got the run-through-the wall mentality to make a play 24/7. He just does whatever it takes to get the job done. The entire game matters to him, all aspects, from the moment he arrives at the ballpark.”

The 26-year-old started hitting from day one, and continued to show he belonged up until the final day of spring. He is a right-handed bat, which the Mets need; he has some speed, and showed home run and gap power. He may not have all-world skills across the board, but he is a gamer, and he is just the type of player the Mets need.

Cowgill earned the starting center field job by playing better than the rest of his competition. He saw the opportunity and he went after it. Congratulations Collin, and welcome to the New York Mets!

Honorable Mentions

1. Matt Harvey: The power righty dominated to the tune of a 2.96 ERA.

2. Jon Niese: The Opening Day starter continued to build on a strong 2012 campaign.

3. Jordany Valdespin: Spin has plenty of talent, but Collins did not trust him in the outfield defensively.

Tune in every Monday as I will take on the task of announcing MMO’s Player of the Week!

This moment will live on in Mets history forever.

January 30, 2008 was supposed to be a great day for Mets’ fans everywhere. The Mets had just acquired Johan Santana, the clear-cut best pitcher in the game, from the Minnesota Twins for pitching prospects: Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey, as well as center fielder Carlos Gomez, pending an extension agreement. Even David Wright was ecstatic when he said, “If it’s true, obviously, you’re getting arguably the best pitcher in the game.”

The Mets had two days to seal-the-deal with an extension agreement, and both sides had no problem making the fans sweat it out. As the two-day window was closing both clubs asked for, and received, an MLB approved 2-hour extension beyond the Friday 5 p.m. deadline. The result was an agreement on a 6-year $137.5 Million contract extension that would make Santana a Met through 2014, should they choose to pick up his club option. The deal made Santana the highest paid pitcher in baseball history and made the Mets the new favorites to win the NL East, after a historic and forgettable collapse in 2007.

I still remember driving home from school in Plattsburgh, New York. I had a four-hour drive, and as I was driving through the Catskill Mountains, I kept losing radio reception and cell phone service. As I reached the Lake George area, I regained my radio reception and quickly tuned to ESPN. Moments later, I literally screamed aloud to myself with excitement as I fumbled for my phone to call my brother and my father to tell them that the Mets had just completed the deal for Santana.

The Mets traded four players who weren’t considered top prospects at the time.  Carlos Gomez and Philip Humber have had some success at the Major League level, but neither player has developed into a star. The Yankees and Red Sox were also in on Santana at the time, but were reluctant to meet the Twins demands. As a result, Minnesota was left with nothing better on the table then to accept the Mets offer.

The record and ERA looked great on the surface, but there was more to Santana’s story than just those numbers. In the four seasons with the Twins prior to the trade, Johan had pitched at least 219 innings, while striking out a minimum 235 hitters in his dominance of the AL Central. The Venezuelan native was durable averaging 33.5 starts, while winning 70 games on his way to two Cy Young Awards. The lefty had a fastball that sat in the 91-95 Mph range, a hard slider, and a devastating change-up that just fell off the table.

The Mets had gotten a steal, or so they thought.

Things began to change with Santana once he joined the Mets. The lefty made over 30 starts and pitched over 200 innings just once, which is the same number of times he’s struck out over 150 batters. Starting as early as the 2009 season, his velocity began to dip. The mighty Santana saw the Yankees smack him around for nine earned runs in 2009, and the Phillies put up a 10 spot off him in 2010. Recently, he still showed flashes of the old Johan, but found himself struggling to muster up a heater that hit 90 on the radar gun. The drop in velocity made it easy to distinguish between his fastball and patented change. His win total fell and the injuries began to pile up. The man, who once prided himself on making only one trip to disabled list in his time with the Twins, was hurt each season with the Mets, including missing all of the 2011 season, and now likely all of 2013.

Putting the injuries aside, Santana gave Mets fans a reason to hope again when he was healthy and on the mound, plus he gave the franchise some great moments to remember forever. He pitched a complete game three-hit shutout on one leg against the Marlins, in the second to last game of the 2008 season on three days rest. He twirled the Mets first no-hitter in franchise history. The 34-year-old will be remembered as a gamer and a leader. Johan Santana was a true “ace”, but injuries derailed what could have been a Hall of Fame career.

Ultimately, the deal was the right one for the Mets at the time. However, looking at it now, you wonder how different things could have been had the trade never been made. This is a disappointing end to his Mets career, one that once had so much promise.

March is fantasy baseball draft month, and with only a week left, leagues are beginning to finalize and finish their drafts. The fantasy baseball season officially kicks off on Opening Day, which is a little over a week away. Over the past week or two, a number of high caliber players have gone down. Here is some injury news to be aware of as you head into the final week of drafting, as some of the injured players may start the season on the disabled list.

Hanley Ramirez
Ramirez needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and will be out for eight weeks. He injured himself in the World Baseball Classic championship game against Puerto Rico. The eight week timetable puts him at a possible mid-to-late May return, but more likely early June.

Advice: Hanley’s fantasy value obviously takes a massive hit. Luis Cruz appears to be the leading candidate at shortstop, with Dee Gordon still a possibility as well.

Chase Headley
The Padres’ third baseman is out with a small fracture on the tip of his left thumb. The estimated time for his return to action is 4-6 weeks, which could mean a possible, early May return.

Advice: Headley will likely slip in drafts, and if he is still sitting there in round five you may want to consider scooping him up. Headley finally hit on his potential in 2012; I would grab him and stash him on your DL until he is ready.

Mark Teixeira
The first baseman has an to the tendon sheath in his right wrist, which is the same ailment Jose Bautista dealt with last year, which required surgery.  GM Brian Cashman recently estimated that Teixeira has about a 70 percent chance of avoiding surgery. If he has an operation, it would end his season.

Advice: Teixeira will likely not return until June at the earliest.  Keep in mind if you draft him, you are taking a chance, because if he ends up needing surgery, he will likely be done for the season. Kevin Youkilis has seen time at first base this spring, as well as Juan Rivera.

Zack Greinke
The righty threw 43 pitches over four scoreless innings in a minor league game Wednesday, and following the outing stated that his arm “felt really good… It felt strong.” With only two more exhibition outings scheduled, on March 25 and 30, he could potentially line up to make his Dodgers’ regular season debut on April 5.

Advice: I would draft Greinke as you had originally planned. He is on a powerhouse team, and appears to be healthy enough to start the season. Worst-case scenario is that the Dodgers take a cautious approach with their hefty investment, and he misses a couple starts to begin the season.

Albert Pujols
Prince Albert is recovering from offseason surgery on his right knee, as well as dealing with plantar fasciitis. He said he felt “great” during his first spring start at first base on Tuesday, and at this point it appears he should be firing on all cylinders come Opening Day.

Advice: The Angels would rest Pujols for the remainder of the spring, if it meant he would be ready to go on Opening Day. Right now, he is easing back into action, which is a good sign. As long as the knee is healthy, he will be good to go. He has dealt with the plantar fasciitis for the last 6-7 years.

David Ortiz
The lefty slugger is still dealing with a heel issue and is slated to begin the season on the disabled list. Right now, there is no clear timetable on when he will be ready to go.

Advice: Big Papi cancelled a scheduled batting practice on Wednesday, and it appears that once he comes off the disabled list, he will need a rehab stint. Anticipate him coming off the DL by mid-April, at the earliest, followed by a week or two rehab, which puts Ortiz at a possible late April, or early May return.

Derek Jeter
The Yankees captain will not appear in another Grapefruit League game this spring due to his balky ankle. The Bronx Bombers want to have the ability to backdate a disabled list stint if he is not ready to go on Opening Day. In the meantime, Jeter is expected to play in games on the minor league side of camp at some point next week. Not playing in major league games gives the Yankees the ability to backdate his DL stint if need be.

Advice: Anticipate a 15-day DL stint to start the season. The Yankees will not rush their captain, and risk losing him for a longer period, especially with all the injuries they currently have to key players.

Carl Crawford
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said earlier in the week that he believes Carl Crawford will be ready for Opening Day. The speedy outfielder has finally progressed to live game action, and picked up a pair of hits and an RBI in Monday’s tilt with the Diamondbacks.

Advice: At this point, he has yet to play in the field, which is a hurdle that will need to be climbed before he’s cleared for Opening Day. I’m not so sure I share the same optimism as Colletti. I believe this is a rushed attempt to return for Opening Day, and I expect some DL time for Crawford this season.

Post any questions you may have regarding injuries or possible replacement players, and I will respond throughout the day. Check back on Monday as I will be posting about possible sleepers, closer battles, and some prospects to keep an eye on.