What a punch in the gut… After a rain delay of three hours and 43 minutes, Dillon Gee took the mound and fired eight shutout innings against the Braves as the Mets took a 1-0 lead heading into the ninth. But it was all for naught as first baseman Freddie Freeman crushed a two-run, walk-off homer to give the Braves a dramatic 2-1 win to take the first game of the five game series.

Gee dominated the Braves and held the them to just three hits and one walk before going out for the ninth. But after a base-knock and a blast it was all over. Gee struck out six in 8.1 innings and takes the gut-wrenching loss.

Ironically, Gee drove in the only run of the game for the Mets with an RBI-single in the seventh. Otherwise the Mets were flat except for Lucas Duda, who started at first base and had a big game going 4-for-4 with three singles and a double.

I’m not gonna kill Terry Collins for letting Gee go out to pitch the ninth. It was his game to win or lose and he earned the right to go out there and go for the complete game shutout.

Oh, the pain, the pain…

The Mets will need to shake this loss off as they gear up for their Super Tuesday doubleheader that is bound to be one of the biggest highlights of the season so far.

You won’t want to miss this as we’ll all get a glimpse of what could be the Mets’ future 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation for what we hope will be years to come.

RHP Matt Harvey (5-1, 2.04) will take on LHP Alex Wood (0-0, 3.52) in the first game at 1:10 PM, and then RHP Zack Wheeler will make his major league debut in the nightcap against LHP Paul Maholm (7-5, 3.65) for the Braves at 7:10 PM.

Mets vs. Braves Series Preview

The Mets begin what will be a very tough three-game series against the Braves tonight at Citi Field, weather permitting.

The Braves are on fire right now and pulling ahead in the division at 28-18, four and a half games in front of the second-place Nationals. They are 7-3 in their last ten and are one of six teams in the NL (and one of 11 in all of baseball) to have a winning record on the road. They are going to be a tough team to beat.

The Atlanta pitching has been what has carried them, but recently, the offense has stepped it up as well. Over their last seven days, the offense is hitting .273/.353/.448, compared to .245/.322/.418 on the season. This is all happening while the Upton brothers are cooling down. B.J. has not been able to hit all season and he is currently batting .155 on the year and Justin has hit just .239 this month with two home runs, after hitting 12 in the month of April. Evan Gattis, of all people, has been their leading home run hitter (along with Dan Uggla)  this month with four. Freddie Freeman has also stepped up, leading the team in hits with 21.

While the offense has come and gone, however, the one thing that has remained constant for Atlanta has been their bullpen, which is third in baseball with a 2.79 ERA and tied for first with a 1.14 walk. Despite some injuries to some key pieces, the Braves have kept their strong bullpen, led by Craig Kimbrel, together. Just like the last time these two teams met, this should be a hard-fought battle with some very close games.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Jeremy Hefner, RHP (0-5, 5.00 ERA, 45 IP, 6.0 K/9, 3.6 BB/9) vs. Kris Medlen, LHP (1-5, 3.02 ERA, 56.2 IP, 6.0 K/9, 3.5 BB/9)

Medlen’s win-loss record does not at all tell the story of his season. Despite being 1-5 on the season, he has actually been very good. It was difficult to expect him to match his magical run last season in which he posted a 1.57 ERA in 50 appearances (12 starts). One major concern though is his walk rate, which is uncharacteristically high this season at 3.5 batters per nine innings. That’s unusual for Medlen, who, throughout his minor league career and most of short time in the majors, has walked somewhere around 2.1 to 2.3 per game. Another thing to note is his strikeout rate, which is down almost two full strikeouts per nine innings over last season, and a strikeout and a half below his career average.

Medlen career vs. Mets: 15 G, 1.58 ERA, 45.2 IP, 37 K, 12 BB

Game 2: Dillon Gee, RHP (2-5, 6.04 ERA, 44.2 IP, 6.6 K/9, 3.4 BB/9) vs. Mike Minor, LHP (5-2, 2.78 ERA, 58.1 IP, 7.9 K/9, 1.9 BB/9)

Minor, a former top pitching prospect, has had only a so-so career on the mound. The 25 year-old has a career ERA of 4.11 after shooting through the minor leagues out of the University of Vanderbilt. Minor posted a 4.12 ERA last season in 30 starts, his first full season with the Braves. He hasn’t lived up to expectations, but Minor has settled in as a decent fourth or fifth starter.

Minor career vs. Mets: 7 G, 5.63 ERA, 38.1 IP, 28 K, 13 BB

Game 3: Shaun Marcum, RHP (0-5, 6.59 ERA, 27.1 IP, 6.6 K/9, 2.6 BB/9) vs. Julio Teheran, RHP (3-1, 3.99 ERA, 49.2 IP, 5.4 K/9, 1.6 BB/9)

Teheran is trying to ressurrect his status as a future star for the Braves. He is finally getting his first chance at a full-time role this season. He struggled badly last year in Triple-A, unable to strike guys out and finishing with a 5.08 ERA in 26 starts. That terrible year brought him from #4 on Baseball America’s top 100 list to outside the top 30. This year has been better for him in terms of ERA and actual results, but his strikeout rate is down (although so is his walk rate), which is a bit concerning. It’s still too early to tell what the Braves have in Teheran.

Teheran career vs. Mets: 2 G, 5.63 ERA, 8 IP, 5K, 4BB

Series Notes

The Mets have scored three runs or fewer in 12 of their past 16 games.

Matt Harvey was upset about the way he pitched in his last outing, a 7-4 Mets loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field. he got a no-decision after Rick Ankiel tied the game late with an RBI triple. That allowed Harvey to maintain his perfect 5-0 record, with five no-decisions in 10 starts. He is one of five undefeated pitchers in baseball with at least five wins.

Ike Davis snapped a streak of 12 consecutive plate appearances without reaching base when he drew a walk in the second inning Wednesday. He has one hit in his last 38 at-bats. Marlon Byrd is hitting .307 (12-for-39) with three home runs this month. He’s five hits shy of 1,100 for his career.

Hefner is 0-1 with a 8.53 ERA (six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings) in his career against the Braves, spanning two appearances (one start). His last start against Atlanta was Sept. 8, when he went 2 2/3 innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits.

Left fielder Justin Upton, who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Jan. 24, is tied with Baltimore’s Chris Davis for the MLB lead in homers with 14. Upton became the first player in major league history to homer five times in his first five games with a team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Braves have a 2.79 bullpen ERA, narrowly behind the San Francisco Giants (2.77) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2.78) for the MLB lead. Craig Kimbrel notched his 100th career save on May 9, becoming the second-youngest to reach that plateau (24 years, 348 days). Only ex-Met Francisco Rodriguez (24 years, 246 days) was younger.

Zack Wheeler is expected to make 2-3 more starts for Triple-A Las Vegas and then join the Mets according to a high-ranking team official, confirming what Sandy Alderson said earlier in the week.

The Braves acquired both Upton brothers this offseason.

The Braves made headlines this offseason with their acquisition of B.J. Upton in November, signing him to a five year deal worth about $75 million. However, just when the offseason was winding down and it appeared the Braves were done, they surprised everyone and acquired B.J.’s brother Justin from the Diamondbacks. The tandem added a boost to the Atlanta offense that they so badly needed, and had some experts picking them to challenge the Nationals for the NL crown.

Thus far, it appears the Braves made the right move, at least with Justin Upton. If the season ended today, he would be the unanimous MVP. Upton is leading the majors with 12 home runs, three more than anyone else. That, to go along with a not-too-shabby .287/.387/.693 has carried the otherwise mediocre Braves offense.

In reality, it has been the pitching that has carried the Atlanta Braves this season. Despite trading Tommy Hanson this winter, the Braves lead baseball in team ERA with an outstanding 3.10 mark coming into today’s action. More specifically, it has been their bullpen, which has been even stronger than last year’s. Craig Kimbrel has continued his dominance, striking out 15 batters in 10.2 innings. Kimbrel and Jordan Walden, who the Braves received in the Tommy Hanson trade, are among five relievers with at least ten innings pitched and an ERA under two. Compare that to the Mets, who have two such pitchers.

This Braves team is good (yes, even better than the Marlins if you can believe it) and will put up a very tough fight, especially in close games. The key for the Mets will be scoring runs off their starting pitching, because  if they trail in the late innings, the odds are stacked against them.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Shaun Marcum (5.2 IP, 50 ERA+, 1.33 K/BB) vs. Mike Minor (31.2 IP, 125 ERA+, 5.40 K/BB)

Minor, 25, was selected seventh overall in the 2009 draft by the Braves and quickly rose to stardom in their minor league system. Once he reached the big leagues, he never pitched like the ace some thought he could become. Minor came into the season with a career ERA of 4.37 in 302.2 career innings. This year, however, has been much better for him, at least so far. Over five starts, he has a 3.13 ERA and career-best 1.4 BB/9 rate. He was roughed up for six runs in 6.2 innings against the juggernaut Detroit offense, but had a 1.80 ERA in four starts coming into that outing.

Game 2: Jonathon Niese (32.2 IP, 112 ERA+, 1.31 K/BB) vs. Julio Teheran (28.1 IP, 77 ERA+, 2.50 K/BB)

Teheran has been a highly-regarded prospect since his breakout year in the minors in 2009. He worked his way through the minors fairly quickly, until stalling at Triple-A last season. Coming off a dominant season in Triple-A in 2011, Teheran failed to earn a job out of spring training, and was sent back. Once he was back in the minors, Teheran wasn’t the same pitcher. His 3.0 walks per nine wasn’t terrible, but his 6.7 strikeouts was a career-low. What was most concerning was the 18 home runs he gave up, doubling his previous career-worst of nine. Teheran has a 5.08 ERA in five starts, striking out 20 and walking eight in 28.1 innings.

Game 3: Matt Harvey (40.1 IP, 237 ERA+, 3.83 K/BB) vs. Tim Hudson (35 IP, 101 ERA+, 2.18 K/BB)

Even at age 37, Hudson continues to be the rock of the Atlanta rotation. In 11 of his past 12 seasons, Hudson has posted an ERA below four. This year, he has a 3.86 ERA in 35 innings over six starts. In his last outing, Hudson shut down the Nationals, holding them to one run on three hits in seven innings on only 96 pitches.

Series News & Notes

• The Mets sent down a struggling Collin Cowgill today in favor of the red-hot Andrew Brown, who has been tearing it up with the Las Vegas 51s. Brown was hitting .367 with a .440 On-Base Percentage and two home runs in 25 games.
• Jordany Valdespin slugged a three-run pinch-hit home run on Wednesday to give the Mets a 5-4 lead…It was the Mets first pinch-hit home run of the year and the sixth pinch-hit of Valdespin’s brief career…He is tied for second all-time on the club’s pinch-hit home run list.
• New York has scored three or fewer runs in eight of itslast 12 games and is hitting .202 (89-441) over that span…Overall, the Mets are seventh in the majors scoring 4.85 runs per game.
• Craig Kimbrel recorded his 98th career save Monday in Atlanta’s 3-2 win over Washington…Kimbrel’s career save percentage of 89.1 (98/110) ranks fi fth all-time among pitchers with at least 100 save opportunities (see chart at right)…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the quickest anyone has ever reached 100 career saves was Eric Gagne, who did in his 104th opportunity, followed by John Smoltz (107th) and Joakim Soria (112th)…Kimbrel could tie Soria for third all time if he can convert each of his next two opportunities.
• The Atlanta bullpen’s homerless streak was snapped at 21 games last Friday (April 26) at Detroit when reliever Anthony Varvaro surrendered a three-run shot in the fourth inning…Since the franchise moved to Atlanta (1966), that was the furthest into a season (21 games) that a Braves team has gone without the bullpen allowing a home run.

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?

“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?

NL East At A Glance

Miami Marlins: The team that essentially alienated whatever fan base they thought they had looks like an obvious 5^th place team in this division. They do however have the best player in the division in Giancarlo Stanton. No matter what the rumors say, I still think Giancarlo is a Marlin for a very long time. If I’m wrong, I hope I’m apologizing on my way to buy a Giancarlo Mets jersey. They still have some talent in this lineup around Giancarlo but they are also relying on fairly older players like Juan Pierre and Placido Polanco to be every day players and I don’t know if that is realistic. The Marlins will push Adeiny Hechavarria to the big leagues. They acquired him in the major Toronto swap, and he is known for his defense but can his bat hang in the bigs? The pitching really is where this team is going to get killed. Mike Redmond is going to have to be very creative with how he manages this staff. Ricky Nolasco is their most reliable starter and he’s well, Ricky Nolasco. Steve Cishek is a nice reliever, and while I do not think he’s a true closer – he’s still going to win the Marlins a lot of close games. Overall though, it’s hard to imagine this being anything more than 72 wins for the Marlins.

Philadelphia Phillies: I have been a big critic of Ruben Amaro Jr’s, and until I actually his roster do something, I always will be. For all the jokes the Mets outfield get, the Phillies aren’t really that much better (if at all). The Phillies are going all in again with their aging core of Rollins, Utley and Howard. They added Michael Young who is coming off a horrendous 2012 for Texas. Young is expected to be their full time 3B, and he hasn’t done that since 2010, and he wasn’t very good at it. Their lineup has name recognition, there’s no denying that. However, if Howard and Utley are not MVP candidates, then their lineup doesn’t scare me one bit. The rotation conversation of course starts and ends with Hamels, Halladay and Lee. You know, for all the talk about them being the best rotation ever, they sure haven’t done anything to prove it. This team hasn’t won a World Series with Halladay and Lee together, and I don’t think they ever will. The reason I am picking them fourth has less to do with my faith in the Mets and more in a sense that I think Philadelphia will sell if things do not look promising. They gave us a glimpse of it last year, and I think if they can get some young talent back, we could see a key veteran on the move.

New York Mets: Today as I write this, the Mets announced about two hours ago that Johan Santana likely will miss the entire season. I have to be honest here. That doesn’t change a thing. It really doesn’t  When Mets fans thought about Santana in 2013 it always started with “if healthy.” The Mets are full of players who are at a point in their careers where it is now or never. Players like Duda, Parnell and even Ike need to show that they can put together an entire season with quality performance. Many people will suggest that the offense is the key, but I disagree. I think it’s the bullpen. I think the Mets have enough talent to hang with most anybody in the NL if they play to their potential. I think the bullpen is what will make or break that. Is Bobby Parnell ready to take a step toward becoming a big league closer? Can Scott Atchison rebound from his injury and be the guy we hoped Ramon Ramirez would be? Then of course there is all the youth in the bullpen – what will we see from them? The most unpredictable aspect of a major league roster in my opinion is the major difference maker for the 2013 Mets.

Washington Nationals: Obviously I like taking risks with my predictions. The Nationals are clearly the favorite, so what fun is it to pick them? Look, you can’t deny their talent. But, I can question whether or not everything will go their way. There really isn’t anything wrong with their lineup to be honest. I think they have a nice mixture of power, some speed, and players who continue to rise like Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper. The rotation is lead by Stephen Strasburg, but let’s not forget Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez brings the Nationals a reliable starter, while Strasburg gives them a fragile starter. I still firmly believe Strasburg will not have a long career – and while I agree with the Nationals handling of Strasburg last year, I think it will haunt them. Dan Haren, Jordan Zimmerman and Ross Detwiler are a big reason for this team’s expected success. When the Nats signed Rafael Soriano, I was pretty critical of it. I don’t like how they tossed their young closer Drew Storen aside after a rough playoff outing. I think they will regret that decision because I do not believe Rafael Soriano is a big game closer, and Storen could be one day.

Atlanta Braves: There is a lot of pressure on this team to prove that getting to the playoffs is only a piece of the puzzle, and not the only goal. When you look at the Braves infield, it’s not very impressive. Obviously McCann is one of the best catchers in the game, but if Freddie Freeman doesn’t take his game to the next level, McCann may be the only run producer in the entire infield. The outfield is obviously the major strength of this lineup. The Upton brothers will likely have more fun than any two players in the sport, and if Jason Heyward who is still just 23 years old can take a step toward being a top offensive player, this outfield will be one of the best in baseball for sure. Their rotation is still lead by Tim Hudson who never seems to age, but really the ace of this staff is Kris Medlen. The Braves have a lot of faith in Medlen, and if he can take the top spot in this rotation they could be really dangerous. The rest of the rotation has good but not great talent. Paul Maholm has averaged 30 starts a year since 2006. That’s not very easy in reality. Their bullpen is obviously their strength. They have the best relief pitcher in the game not named Mariano (Craig Kimbrel), and they have as good of a lights out 7^th-8^th inning combo as you can get with Eric O’Flaherty and Jonny Venters, plus Jordan Walden joins the bullpen which just adds to the amazing depth they have.

Projected Standings

XtreemIcon: Nationals, Braves, Mets, Phillies, Marlins
Jessep: Braves, Nationals, Mets, Phillies, Marlins
Joe D: Nationals, Braves, Phillies, Mets, Marlins

Top Sleeper

XtreemIcon: Denard Span, Washington
Jessep: Marlon Byrd, NY Mets
Joe D: Drew Storen, Washington

Top Rookie

XtreemIcon: Zack Wheeler, NY Mets
Jessep: Travis d’Arnaud, NY Mets
Joe D: Zack Wheeler, NY Mets

Top Pitcher

XtreemIcon: Stephen Strasburg, Washington
Jessep: Kris Medlen, Atlanta
Joe D: Stephen Strasburg, Washington

Top Hitter

XtreemIcon: Bryce Harper, Washington
Jessep: Ike Davis, NY Mets
Joe D: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami

In an article by Robert Passikoff on Forbes.com, the Mets fan base ranked almost at the bottom when it comes to team loyalty.

According to their Sports Fan Loyalty Index, Mets fans ranked 26 out among all 30 MLB teams when it comes to supporting the team.

The top five loyal fan bases are:

1. New York Yankees
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. San Francisco Giants
4. St. Louis Cardinals
5. Atlanta Braves

The Mets ranked at the bottom with the Astros, Pirates, Royals and Mariners. That’s embarrassing.

The factors that are used to determine the Loyalty Index are not based on attendance alone or won/loss record:

Everybody loves a winner, but it’s important to note that win/loss ratios do not entirely govern fan loyalty. Losing may have little to recommend it, but it turns out there are more important things than the final score. – three other emotionally based things, in fact, that really must be taken into account when calculating the loyalty score for a team:

• Pure Entertainment: How well a team does, sure. But even more importantly than a win-loss ratio, how exciting is their play? Think St. Louis Cardinals.
• Authenticity: How well they play as a team.
• Fan Bonding: Are players particularly respected and admired?
• History and Tradition: Is the game and the team part of fans’ and community rituals, institutions and beliefs?

Look at those factors and then calculate where the Mets fit in with each one. You can easily account for why the loyalty isn’t as high as it should be, and the fault lies with the team not the fans.

Many of the players who connected with fans are long gone. It took the team a few years just to add some Mets history to Cit Field – and only after much prodding from fans. And where is the pure entertainment value?

What bugs me most is seeing the Yankees, Braves and Phillies ranked so high. I hate those teams!

Mike Kerwick of The Record quotes Collins who suggests that Santana needs to calm down and get his emotions in check, and that he should have gone about this the proper way.

“He’s fine,” Collins said, “and he wanted to show everybody he was fine. I just said, ‘Look, we’re going to do this the right way. We’re not going to hurt you. … I don’t care how upset you are about things. We’re going to do this the proper way.’”

Meanwhile, Jeremy Hefner, whom Kerwick tabs “the sixth arm in a five-man rotation,” made a case that he deserves the final slot if staff ace Santana is unable to pitch come April. Hefner tossed three innings of one-run ball in a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday afternoon.

“First and foremost, I want Johan to be healthy,” Hefner said. “He’s a leader of this team. If something happens and he’s not able to go, then obviously that would maybe fall on my shoulders. I’m going to prepare to go out and give it my best whenever my name’s called.”

Good for Hefner… You like to see that kind of confidence and determination from your younger players. Back on January 23, I wrote a post that referred to Hefner as being one of the more underrated starters in camp.

CONGRATULATIONS: Last night at around 11:00 PM I got a text from MMO’s Minor League Analyst that his wife’s water just broke. Around 1:00 AM Jaxon Petanick was born and he and his mom are both doing just fine. Congratulations to Mitch and his family on this happy occasion for them.

Picture Courtesy of USA Today

Question: How many free-agent pitchers are 26 years-old, have had two seasons at the major league level with sub 3.00 ERA, and were named to an All-Star game?

Answer: Jair Jurrjens

There has been little to no talk about Jurrjens hooking on with any teams this offseason.

The question is why?

Granted, he is coming off an abysmal year that saw him sent down to the farm to work out his issues at one point. But is one season really enough to pull the plug on a pitcher that looked to be headed towards becoming the next legendary pitcher in Atlanta?

Apparently for the Braves, what they saw in 2012 was enough to send him packing. Could the fact that the Braves gave up on Jurrjens so quickly be what is scaring other teams away?

At this point, the Mets should be all over this guy. They should buy low on Jurrjens and see if he can regain the form that once led him to be an All-Star. They need to fill a hole in the rotation that was left behind when the team traded RA Dickey, so why not take a shot on a young pitcher who has had success at the major league level?

Jurrjens is not a power pitcher, but even after his 2012 campaign where he posted a 6.89 ERA, his career ERA is still a respectable 3.62. It would be smarter for the team to take a chance on a young pitcher, with a high ceiling, than a pitcher like Chris Young at this point (who is rumored to make a possible return to the Mets).

The Mets could sign Jurrjens to an affordable one-year deal, and if he performs well, they could potentially flip him at the trade deadline. They could also determine if they want to keep him and if he fits in with the team’s future plans. If he performs like he did in 2012, they could just cut him loose like the Braves did at the end of the year. Seems like a no-lose situation for the Mets.

Maybe with the added incentive of staying in the NL East and getting to play against the team that cut him loose, after just one subpar season, will light a fire under Jurrjens again.

Rounding The Bases is back… As we did before, we’ll highlight some of the must-read posts from the Mets beat writers, take a cruise around the Mets blogosphere, check in on our enemies, and have a little fun while we’re at it.

MMO Instant Replay

• Connor O’Brien dished out his report cards for the Mets infielders this week and gives Josh Thole a big fat D. “Josh Thole has not become the player we thought he could be. After hitting over .300 in his last two minor league seasons, and showing glimpses of a future .300 hitter over his first two years in the big leagues, his production has declined. This year, he hit rock bottom.”
• Dan Valis wonders if the Mets should consider trading David Wright for Andre Ethier if they don’t work out an extension. “If you swapped these two players, the Mets would still have a very solid middle of the order hitter to replace David. Ethier is already signed, and plays a position we desperately need to fill. They Mets already have some in-house options for third base, while they really have nobody on the roster who can play right field. With a tight budget a move like this could be very beneficial to the Mets as they begin to prepare for this off-season.”
• Is there a new manager trend, asks Jessep who lists Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alfonzo, Dave Magadan and Brett Butler as former Mets who could someday manage for their former teams.

On The Beat

• Ken Davidoff of the NY Post predicts that free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera will eventually sign a one-year, $4 million deal with the Mets. Cabrera of course was suspended 50 games for failing a test for PED’s and then tried to cover it up. The Giants washed their hands of him.
• The Mets are not close to reaching new agreements with either R.A. Dickey or David Wright, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions according to Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger. Things have certainly slowed down of late.
• In the aftermath of the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy, the New York Mets will be holding a food drive and offering tickets. This is a great gesture by them, and gives fans a great opportunity to help others, while also possibly getting tickets to the game.

Friendly Fire

• MetsBlog reports that R.A. Dickey was named the National League’s most outstanding pitcher in 2012 as picked by the players. “It’s an extreme honor to be recognized by the people who you play against and compete against all year long,” Dickey said in a statement. “To know my peers think this highly of me is a tremendous feeling.”
• Have you checked out 2 Guys Talking Mets Baseball yet? Enjoy this behind the scenes conversation between Fred, Jeff and Sandy and you’ll be going back for more.
• Joe Janish of Mets Today wonders what if the Mets never signed Pedro Martinez. “Certainly, the magic of 2006 would not have occurred, but maybe — just maybe — the pain and suffering Mets fans are enduring now would have occurred from 2005-2009, when instead of signing people like Billy Wagner, Moises Alou, and Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets would have been stocking up on #1 picks.”
• The Rising Apple wonders if the Mets will re-sign any of their free agents and writes the following regarding Scott Hairston: “Unlikely; he drew a lot of interest on the trade market before the non-waiver trade deadline and even into August when he was placed on trade waivers. Alderson decided not to trade him because he felt there was more value in letting him finish the year with the team than trading him away. Now, with his career season, Hairston is looking to cash in with a more lucrative, multi-year deal, something the Mets won’t be able to afford.”

Enemy Territory

• In the rest of the league, there is still news. First off, David Ortiz has signed an extension with the Red Sox for two years. He might also consider sitting out the World Baseball Classic so it doesn’t interrupt him getting ready for the regular season.
• Rookie Mike Trout won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the American League, a testament to how great his defensive play was this season. Braves outfielder Michael Bourn took home the award in the National League.
• In big news for the New York Yankees, Mariano Riveraplans to return to the field next year.
• The Red Sox don’t want to offer Cody Ross a three-year deal, which could be a stumbling block in contract discussions according to WEEI.com. Jon Heyman says Ross is looking for a three-year deal worth about $25 million.

Today In Mets History

Seven members of the World Champion Mets begin a two-week engagement with comedian Phil Foster at Caesar’s palace in Las Vegas. Giving it the ol’ soft shoe are Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Donn Clendenon, Ed Kranepool, Tommie Agee, Cleon Jones, and Art Shamsky. – Mets.com

Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer!

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, and updated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: Rookie right-hander Trevor Bauer made his major-league debut Thursday and pitched four innings allowing two runs, five hits and three walks before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning. Bauer, the first player from the 2011 draft to appear in the major leagues, was 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 16 minor-league starts. CF Michael Bourn has stolen at least 20 bases for five consecutive seasons. Since the start of the 2008 season, he led all major-leaguers with 235 stolen bases through Wednesday. IF Jack Wilson has lost playing time since Andrelton Simmons took over at shortstop. Simmons went into Thursday’s game with nine multi-hit games, seven of them in his last 12 games, and had four multi-RBI games.

Miami Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton leads the Marlins with 17 home runs but has only four in June after hitting 12 in May to win the National League Player of the Month award. RHP Josh Johnson has allowed just three runs in 13 innings over his last two starts going into his outing tonight, but he is 0-1 because the Marlins scored a total of one run in those games. The Marlins rank in the bottom half among NL teams in key offensive categories, which can be attributed to a lack of production from players who were expected to blossom this season. First baseman Gaby Sanchez, an All-Star last year, and starting catcher John Buck both are hitting below .200. Left fielder Logan Morrison is hitting .227.

Philadelphia Phillies: One night after Chase Utley made his triumphant return to the Phillies by blasting a home run in his first at-bat of the 2012 season, his longtime teammate Ryan Howard began his rehab assignment with a bang going 2-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and three RBI while batting cleanup. The Phillies rotation has a 5.13 ERA in 30 games since Roy Halladay’s injury and the bullpen has a 4.62 ERA during that same span. RH reliever Chad Qualls was designated for assignment, LH reliever Joe Savery was sent to Class AAA Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Pa.) and LH relievers Jeremy Horst and Brian Sanches were called up from Lehigh Valley.

Washington Nationals: RF Michael Morse went 2-for-5 with a three-run shot, his second homer since returning from a lat injury. He is hitting .341 (14-for-41) over his last 10 games with the two homers and eight RBI. RHP Edwin Jackson has not had success pitching at Coors Field, and  gave up eight runs on 10 hits in three-plus innings during the Nationals’ 11-10, 11-inning loss last night. Jackson had won three of his previous four starts, posting a 2.30 ERA in that span. He is 0-1 with a 17.40 ERA in four career starts in Denver. 3B Ryan Zimmerman has put together a five-game hitting streak. His two-run single started the Nationals’ scoring Thursday after collecting three doubles and two homers in the previous three games.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Brandon Beachy (Tommy John Surgery) had season-ending surgery.

Miami Marlins: Emilio Bonafacio (left thumb) cleared to hit off a tee and play catch on June 26.

New York Mets: Mike Baxter (displaced right collarbone) hasn’t resumed physical activities as of June 28. Jason Bay (concussion) cleared to ride bicycle on June 25. Frank Francisco (left oblique strain) was placed on the disabled list on June 24.

Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) had 3 RBIs in Class A rehab game June 28. Lance Nix (strained left calf) continues to rehab in Florida as of June 28. Michael Stutes (right shoulder) had arthroscopic shoulder surgery on June 26.

Washington Nationals: Cole Kimball (recovery from 2011 right shoulder surgery) threw 2 innings in a Class A rehab game on June 25. Christopher Marrero (torn left hamstring, shoulder) went 1-3 in a Triple-A rehab game on June 28. Xavier Nady (right wrist tendinitis) was placed on the disabled list on June 25, retroactive to June 24. Henry Rodriguez (strained right index finger) pitched an inning in Double-A on June 27. Chad Tracy (right groin tear) taking part in baseball activities as of June 27.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Arizona Diamondbacks

Miami Marlins VS Philadelphia Phillies

New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Philadelphia Phillies @ Miami Marlins

Washington Nationals @ Colorado Rockies

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, andupdated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: The Braves have lost four straight at home, and have fallen to third place in the NL East behind the Mets and Nationals. During the Braves’ recent skid, they have scored a total of just ten runs. Despite their those struggles, the Braves are still the seventh in MLB in runs scored with 294. With his 2-for-4 effort in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Yankees, right fielder Jason Heyward raised his batting average to .250. After seeing his average dip as low as .233 on May 30, Heyward has 10 hits in his last 36 at-bats (.278) with two home runs, two doubles and seven RBIs. The Braves have designated Livan Hernandez for assignment and recalled Kris Medlen from Triple-A Gwinnett. He was 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA in 18 appearances for the Braves this season.

Miami Marlins: Outfielder Scott Cousins joins the Marlins today, called up from Class AAA New Orleans. Cousins replaces Chris Coghlan, who was optioned to New Orleans after Wednesday’s game. Cousins hit .292 average with 30 runs scored, 10 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 32 RBI in 50 games at New Orleans. Manager Ozzie Guillen is shaking up his batting order after Miami struggled for offense while losing eight of nine games on its recent homestand. Jose Reyes led off the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday night with a triple for the second game in a row. The last player to hit leadoff triples in back-to-back games was Reyes himself, who did it on June 21-22, 2008. His 15 leadoff triples tie him with Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki for the lead among active players.

Philadelphia Phillies: Phillies pitchers have just three complete games this season. Blanton has two of them. Kyle Kendrick has the other. The Phillies won the final game of their series with the Minnesota Twins Thursday night, 6-1. Designated hitter Jim Thome continued his recent hot streak at the plate as he hit a three-run homer to power the offense. Chase Utley moved one step closer to returning to the Major Leagues when he began a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater on Tuesday. Utley went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter in his first game with the Threshers.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals have won six straight, all against AL East opponents, and will look to create a greater gap between themselves and the rest of the NL East as interleague plays continues. Washington currently has a comfortable 4 1/2 game lead over the second-place Mets. Stephen Strasburg, 23, became the first pitcher in the Majors to reach 100 strikeouts this season when he set down eight Blue Jays in six innings on Wednesday. Strasburg, who improved to 8-1, lowered his ERA to 2.45. First baseman Adam LaRoche who sat out to rest his sore right foot, was replaced rookie Tyler Moore on Wednesday and tallied five RBIs, belting his first two Major League home runs after recording his first career RBIs with a two-run double.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Brandon Beachy (elbow) is day to day. Freddie Freeman (thumb) is day to day. Eric O’Flaherty (sore left elbow) is day to day.

Miami Marlins: Emilio Bonafacio (left thumb) had stitches removed on June 12. Carlos Zambrano (lower back stiffness) is day to day.

New York Mets: Ronny Cedeno (strained left calf) will begin rehab assignment on June 15. Ramon Ramirez (strained right hamstring) has started long tossing as of June 13. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) jogged on June 14, but is not close to return yet. Justin Turner (sprained right ankle) played shortstop in a Triple-A rehab game on June 14.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin DeFratus (strained right elbow) throwing from 120 feet as of June 13. Freddy Galvis (pars fracture in back) will wear brace for three weeks. David Herndon (right elbow inflammation) will be re-evaluated the week of June 17. Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) went 0-4 in an extended spring training game on June 13. Lance Nix (strained left calf) went 0-4 in an extended spring training game on June 13. Michael Stutes (right shoulder inflammation) will be re-evaluated the week of June 17. Chase Utley (left knee) was DH in third Class A Advanced game on June 14.

Washington Nationals: Roger Bernadina (hamstring strain) is day to day. Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) will start rehab assignment after June 15. Adam LaRoche (sore right foot) is day to day. Christopher Marrero (torn left hamstring, shoulder) played in Double-A rehab games on June 13 and 14. Ryan Mattheus (plantar fascia strain in left foot) pitched in a Double-A rehab game on June 13. Drew Storen (bone chip in right elbow) threw second mound session on June 11. Stephen Strasburg (minor cut on middle finger of right hand) was removed as a precaution on June 13 and is day to day.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Baltimore Orioles

Miami Marlins VS Tampa Bay Rays

New York Mets VS Cincinnati Reds

Philadelphia Phillies @ Toronto Blue Jays

Washington Nationals VS New York Yankees

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, andupdated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: The Braves paid tribute to former All-Star pitcher John Smoltz today by inducting him into the Braves Hall of Fame. His number will be retired prior to tonight’s contest. Braves’ starting pitchers allowed just one earned run in the three-game series sweep over Miami, and they allowed only six runs in fi ve games (33.2 IP) on the just-completed road trip (1.60 ERA). Martin Prado went 2-for-5 last night and has hit safely in 22 of his last 27 games, with 16 multi-hit games in those 27 contests. Prado ranks sixth in the National League in hitting (.324) and has hit safely in 42 of his 55 games played this season.

Miami Marlins: The Fish suffered their second three-game sweep of the season, dropping the series finale against the Braves, 8-2. Jose Reyes connected for his first home run of the season in the loss. Tonight, the Citrus Series resumes as Miami welcomes the Tampa Bay Rays to Marlins Park for a three-game series. The two teams last met in a three-game set from June 17-19, 2011 at Tropicana Field, a series that saw the Fish drop three straight. The 2011 Citrus Series went to the Rays, who took four of the six contests. In South Florida, however, Miami has gone 25-16, while also leading the overall series, 42-37.There are only three players in the Majors to record 90 home runs and steal at least 200 bases since the 2006 season, and two of them are playing in this series. Hanley Ramirez has hit 45 home runs and stolen 226 bases, Jimmy Rollins has totaled 114 homers and 212 SB’s, and B.J. Upton has 90 home runs and 208 steals.

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies have dropped a season-high six straight games to fall three games under .500 after being a season-best three over (28-25). Jim Thome enters play tonight as MLB’s all-time home run leader in Interleague play with 59 and third in game-winning RBI (21). Juan Pierre needs to score 1 more run to reach 1,000 for his career. Once he does, he will become just the 30th player in MLB history to have 1,000 runs, 2,000 hits and 500 stolen bases. The 2012 season marks both the 8th year for Charlie Manuel as manager of the Phillies and his 50th year in professional baseball (since 1963). Through his seven-plus years at the helm in Philadelphia, he has become the franchise’s all-time leader in managerial wins (674) and has led the team to a record five straight postseason appearances. Manuel has a career record of 674-519 (.565) in Philadelphia (2005-12), the best among all NL teams in that time frame.

Washington Nationals: Washington will take a 15-game stroll through the brutal AL East, beginning Friday with a three-game series against the Red Sox. Each team in the AL East is above .500, with Boston at 29-28 and in last place. Washington holds a slim one-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East after a 3-1 loss to the Mets on Thursday afternoon. Two young workhorses will go head-to-head in the series opener Friday, with right-hander Stephen Strasburg taking the ball for the Nationals and lefty Felix Doubront for the Sox. In 14 games dating to a 9-3 win on May 20 vs. BAL, Bryce Harper is hitting .357 (20-for-56) with a double, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 9 RBI, 8 walks and 12 runs scored. He leads the Nationals in that span in batting average, runs, hits, triples and homers. Nationals pitchers have averaged 8.54 strikeouts per 9.0 innings this season. That’s only been produced through 54 contests, but it is currently the 2nd-highest recorded by any club in modern baseball history.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman (bruised left index finger) is day to day. Chipper Jones (left calf contusion) had the stitches removed from his leg on June 6 and might return June 11.

Miami Marlins: Austin Kearns (right hamstring strain) might return June 7.

New York Mets: Mike Baxter (displaced right collarbone) was placed on the disabled list on June 3, after suffering the injury crashing into a wall on June 1. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) suffered a setback and his rehab was put on hold as of June 5. Jon Rauch (right elbow discomfort) was unavailable for the entire Nationals series, but is expected to be ready for the weekend series against the Yankees. Ramon Ramirez (strained right hamstring) was placed on the disabled list on June 5. Jon Niese (elevated heart rate) left his last start on Sunday, June 3. He will make his next start, and will have surgery after the season to correct the issue.

Philadelphia Phillies: Jose Contreras (torn right UCL, flexor pronator tendon) had an MRI reveal tears on June 2 and will be out the remainder of the season. Freddy Galvis (lower back) is day to day after leaving a game in the 5th inning on June 6. Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) went 2-4 in an extended spring training game on June 6. Lance Nix (strained left calf) will resume rehab on June 7. Placido Polanco (laceration on finger) is day to day. Chase Utley (left knee) could begin playing the field next week.

Washington Nationals: Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) is expected to start his rehab assignment on June 7 or 8. Sandy Leon (high right ankle sprain) is running and playing catch as of June 3. Brad Lidge (abdominal wall strain) pitched a perfect inning in a rehab game on June 6. Carlos Maldonado (back) was placed on the disabled list on June 6. Ryan Mattheus (plantar fascia strain in left foot) threw a successful bullpen session on June 6. Wilson Ramos (torn meniscus, ACL in right knee) underwent first of two surgeries on June 1. Drew Storen (bone chip in right elbow) is throwing everyday from flat ground as of June 5.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Toronto Blue Jays

Miami Marlins VS Tampa Bay Rays

New York Mets @ New York Yankees

Philadelphia Phillies @ Baltimore Orioles

Washington Nationals @ Boston Red Sox

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, andupdated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: Uggla ranks second in the NL and fourth in the majors with 34 walks on the season. His career high is 92 walks (2009) and he’s on pace for 108 this season. CF Michael Bourn has hit safely in 12 of his last 18 starts, 25 of his last 31 starts and in 38 of 50 starts this season. He has accounted for four of the Braves’ last nine home runs and has already equaled his career high. The Braves have gone 19-5 with Chipper Jones in the starting lineup this season and 8-19 without him in the lineup. The Braves are inducting John Smoltz into their Hall of Fame today and retiring his uniform number 29. Smoltz, who spent 20 seasons in a Braves uniform, is the only pitcher in Major League history with at least 200 wins and 150 saves, and has the most strikeouts in postseason history with 199.

Miami Marlins: The Marlins are coming off of a three-game home sweep of the Nationals that brought them to within a half-game of first place. They upped their Major League leading comeback wins total to 19 with a 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals. Jose Reyes has fashioned an nine-game hitting streak at home, during which he is batting .324, the switch-hitting speedster has hit at a .322 clip and has collected at least one hit in 20 of 24 games at home. Hanley Ramirez and Giancarlo Stanton are each blazing hot. Ramirez is hitting .354 since dropping below .200 earlier this season and Stanton in May hit .343 with 12 home runs (first in majors) and 30 RBI (third).

Philadelphia Phillies: Three-fifths of the Phillies’ vaunted rotation has been on the disabled list already, with Roy Halladay the latest casualty. The Phillies won just one of Halladay’s final eight starts before he succumbed to a shoulder injury. Cliff Lee has yet to record a win this season. Dating back to the last July, Kyle Kendrick has a 2.65 ERA in his last 15 starts. He’s also averaged 5.9 innings per game, a solid average for any fifth starter. Former Phillies closer Mitch Williams said, “I don’t see any chance of Cole Hamels being a Phillie after this year because of the amount of money he’s going to command.”

Washington Nationals: The Nationals are 15-8 at home, where their .652 winning percentage ranks 2nd in the NL behind only LAD’s .700 mark at Dodger Stadium. The Nationals’ pitching staff paces MLB in ERA (3.01), starters’ ERA (2.95), batting average against (.222), fewest hits/9.0 innings (7.36), WHIP (1.14), baserunners allowed/9.0 innings (10.49), OPS against (.636) and fielding-independent pitching (3.24). In May — thanks to 57 doubles, 10 triples and 34 home runs—the Nationals tallied 101 extrabase hits in a single calendar month for just the 2nd time in franchise history. The Nationals’ 101 extra-base hits in May ranked 2nd in the NL behind only STL (102).

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

The report only contains updates.

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones (left calf contusion) is on the disabled list, and had blood drained from his leg on May 26. David Ross (strained right groin) is day to day and caught in the bullpen on May 29.

Miami Marlins: Emilio Bonifacio (left thumb) ran for first time since surgery on May 30. Jose Ceda (ligament tear in right elbow) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 27.

New York Mets: Miguel Batista (strained lower back) pitched 7 innings in a Double-A rehab start on May 30. Jason Bay (rib fracture) started as DH in a rehab game on May 28. Ronny Cedeno (strained left calf) was placed on the disabled list on May 30, retroactive to May 27. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) is undergoing treatment in New York through June 1st. Josh Thole (concussion) caught in a Triple-A rehab game on May 31. Justin Turner (sprained right ankle) was placed on the disabled list on May 29. Chris Young (torn right anterior capsule) started a Triple-A rehab game on May 31.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin De Fratus (sprained right elbow) began throwing on May 25. Roy Halladay (right latissimus dorsi strain) was placed on the disabled list on May 29 and is going receive a second opinion. Ryan Howard (recovery from achillies surgery) is running, hitting, and fielding in rehab as of May 30. Michael Martinez (right foot fracture) hit in batting practice in extended spring training on May 26. Lance Nix (strained left calf), on May 30, ran for the first time since being placed on the disabled list. Carlos Ruiz (right hamstring tightness) is day to day. He had a pinch-hit home run on May 30. Jim Thome (strained lower back) is taking batting practice in extended spring training as of May 30. Chase Utley (left knee) is working out with the team as of May 30. Vance Worley (right elbow inflammation, bone chip in elbow) is schedued to throw a second bullpen session on June 1.

Washington Nationals: Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) took batting practice and threw on May 27. Jesus Flores (strained right hamstring) is day to day. Mike Morse (right lat strain) played two Class A advanced games on May 30. Henry Rodriguez (right index finger) is day to day. Chad Tracy (right groin tear) underwent surgery on May 29.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves @ Washington Nationals

Miami Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies

New York Mets VS St. Louis Cardinals

Philadelphia Phillies VS Miami Marlins

Washington Nationals VS Atlanta Braves

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The reports covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, and updated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: On Monday, May 21, Drew Sutton was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash. They also signed Ian Thomas and Lance Zawadzki. The Braves own the division’s best run differential, by a decent margin, at plus-32. The Nationals are plus-19, second best. The Braves have scored 4.87 runs per game, second-best in the National League and up from 3.96 last season. Martin Prado is on a hot streak for Atlanta. In his last 16 games, Prado has hit .429 with eight doubles, a triple, a home run, nine runs scored and five RBIs. With just 11 more RBIs, Chipper Jones will reach 1,596 and tie Hall of Famer George Brett for the all-time lead among third basemen.

Miami Marlins: Mike Dunn was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans and is expected to callup Daniel Jennings. The left-hander has an 0.95 ERA with 17 strikeouts and five walks in 19 innings for New Orleans. Jennings has made two appearances with the Marlins this season, throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Hanley Ramirez (141 homers, 225 steals) is one of just two players since 2006 to record 140-or-more home runs and steal more than 140 bases. Matt Kemp is the other. Ramirez has caught fire at home lately, carrying a seven-game home hitting streak into tonight’s game. In the month of May, the Marlins have drawn a National League leading 84 walks, ahead of the Diamondbacks (77), Braves (77), Giants (76) and Mets (75).

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies lead the majors in May with a .286 batting average and are third in total bases, with an average of 15.6 per game. Their .783 OPS is also third in the bigs. Second baseman Chase Utley, who hasn’t played a game this season because of chronic tendinitis in his knees, took some ground balls before Thursday’s game. There still is no timetable for his return. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Utley won’t move beyond batting practice and pregame activities until he’s ready to play in a game. After missing three games for the birth of his first child, shortstop Jimmy Rollins led off for the Phillies on Thursday. He went 2-for-6 with a strikeout in the victory and is 94 hits away from 2,000.

Washington Nationals: Shortstop Ian Desmond has hit eight home runs this season, tying his total from 2011. He’s only two away from his career high of 10 long balls, which he clubbed in 2010. The eight homers lead all NL shortstops. The Nationals face off against the Braves for the first time this season in a battle for first place. The Nationals are up one game, so they will have to win the three-game series in order to leave Atlanta in first place by themselves.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

Newer or updated injuries are at the beginning of each team’s injury report.

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones (left calf contusion) is day to day. Brian McCann (flu) is day to day. Jonny Venters (calf bruise) is day to day. Robert Fish (left elbow tendinitis) was put on the disabled list on April 2, retroactive to March 26. It is still unsure when he’ll return. Peter Moylan (recovering from right shoulder surgery last season) is currently rehabbing, and is expected to return sometime in May or June. Arodys Vizcaino (elbow reconstruction surgery) had Tommy John Surgery on March 20, and will be out the remainder of the season.

Miami Marlins: Austin Kearns (right hamstring strain) was placed on the disabled list on May 24. Emilio Bonafacio (left thumb) is expected to have surgery on May 25. Jose Ceda (ligament tear in right elbow) had Tommy John Surgery on April 12, and will be out the remainder of the season.

New York Mets: Miguel Batista (strained lower back) was placed on the disabled list on May 20. Jason Bay (rib fracture) is expected to start DHing in rehab games on May 27. Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) took part in running drills on May 24. Josh Thole (concussion) is expected to catch for the first time on May 25. Chris Young (torn right anterior capsule) makes his next rehab start on May 25.  Pedro Beato (right shoulder stiffness) pitched for Class A on May 22. Mike Pelfrey (partial tear of ulnar collateral ligament) is currently on the disabled list, as of April 24, and had Tommy John Surgery on it to end his season.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin De Fratas (sprained right elbow) is scheduled to resume a throwing program on May 25. Lance Nix (calf) was able to walk but not run as of May 19. Chase Utley (left knee) ran and fielded grounders on May 17. Michael Martinez (right foot fracture) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Ryan Howard (recovering from Achilles surgery) is fielding, throwing, and hitting as of May 16. Vance Worley (right elbow inflammation, bone chips in elbow) was placed on the disabled list on May 16, retroactive to May 12. Jim Thome (strained lower back) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Michael Stutes (mild rotator cuff strain) was shut down for 2-3 weeks as of May 11. David Herndon (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on May 1, retroactive to April 30.

Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg (arm tightness) is not expected to miss a start. Mike Morse (right lat strain) is expected to start extended spring training on May 25. Brad Lidge (abdominal wall strain) threw a bullpen session on May 23. Ryan Mattheus (Plantar fascia strain in left foot) was placed on the disabled list on May 22, retroactive to May 21. Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) started baseball activities on May 17. Drew Storen (bone chips in right elbow) made 100 throws from flat ground on May 16. Sandy Leon (sprained right ankle) was placed on the disabled list on May 15. Wilson Ramos (torn ACL) was placed on the disabled list on May 13, and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 15. He is out for the season. Jayson Werth (broken left wrist) was placed on the disabled after undergoing surgery. He is expected to be out at least 10-12 weeks. Christopher Marrero (torn next hamstring, shoulder) is having lingering hamstring and shoulder issues. Cole Kimball (recovering from right shoulder surgery) had surgery in July of 2011, and won’t return until July at the earliest.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves VS Washington Nationals

Miami Marlins VS San Francisco Giants

New York Mets VS San Diego Padres

Philadelphia Phillies @ St. Louis Cardinals

Washington Nationals @ Atlanta Braves

The NL East Report is published every Friday and takes a look at the other teams in the division. The report covers the latest news and notes, injuries and transactions, divisional records versus the Mets, and updated NL East Standings.

News And Notes

Atlanta Braves: On Friday, May 11, the Braves signed Felix Pie to a minor league contract and sent him to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. Jason Heyward got his first career start in center field on Wednesday, and Brandon Beachy got his first complete game shutout on Thursday. Also on Thursday, the Braves signed Sergio Miranda.

Miami Marlins: Marlins Park is one of the candidates to host the 2015 All Star Game. Ozzie Guillen announced he was done with Twitter. On Friday, May 11, Emilio Bonifacio broke the Marlins record for most stolen bases to start the season with a perfect stolen base percentage with two stolen bases, breaking the record of 15 in 15 attempts. It is now 20 in 20 attempts. Also on Friday, the Marlins recalled Kevin Mattison and Mike Dunn and sent down Sandy Rosario. On Tuesday, the Marlins sent down Kevin Mattison and recalled Bryan Petersen.

Philadelphia Phillies: On Friday, May 11, the Phillies placed Lance Nix on the disabled list, and transferred Justin De Fratus to the 60-day disabled list. On Friday, the Phillies also sent down Brian Sanchez and brought up Raul Valdes, Hector Luna, and Jake Diekman. On Saturday, the Phillies traded Scott Posednik to the Red Sox for cash. They also sent down Erik Kratz, called up Mike Fontenot, and transferred Michael Martinez to the 60-day disabled list. On Monday, Placido Polanco reached 2,000 hits, and on Wednesday the Phillies traded Rich Thompson to the Tampa Bay Rays for minor leaguer Kyle Hudson. They also recalled Joe Savery, and Vance Worley was placed on the disabled list. On Thursday, Placido Polanco suffered a bruised left knee after fouling a ball off of it.

Washington Nationals: Adam LaRoche announced he wanted to remain with the Nationals after this season. On Sunday, Wilson Ramos was placed on the disabled list and Sandy Leon was called up. On Monday, Bryce Harper hit his first Major League home run. On Tuesday, Sandy Leon was placed on the disabled list, Wilson Ramos was transferred to the 60-day disabled list, and Carlos Maldonado was called up.

NL East Standings

This Week shows the divisional record week to date, and is since the last NL East Report.

* Team is currently in line for a wild card spot.

Injury Report

Newer or updated injuries are at the beginning of each team’s injury report.

Atlanta Braves: Robert Fish (left elbow tendinitis) was put on the disabled list on April 2, retroactive to March 26. It is still unsure when he’ll return. Peter Moylan (recovering from right shoulder surgery last season) is currently rehabbing, and is expected to return sometime in May or June. Arodys Vizcaino (elbow reconstruction surgery) had Tommy John Surgery on March 20, and will be out the remainder of the season.

Miami Marlins: Jose Ceda (ligament tear in right elbow) had Tommy John Surgery on April 12, and will be out the remainder of the season.

New York Mets: Ruben Tejada (right quad strain) was placed on the disabled list on May 7. As of May 13, he was not cleared for baseball activities. Miguel Batista (groin tightness) is day to day. Jason Bay (rib fracture) was cleared for baseball activities on May 14. Josh Thole (concussion) was cleared for baseball activities on May 16. Chris Young (torn right anterior capsule) will return late May at the earliest. He pitched 5.2 innings in a rehab start on May 16.  Mike Pelfrey (partial tear of ulnar collateral ligament) is currently on the disabled list, as of April 24, and had Tommy John Surgery on it to end his season. Pedro Beato (right shoulder stiffness) suffered the injury in late March and currently is on the disabled list. There is no timetable for his return.

Philadelphia Phillies: Placido Polanco (bruised left knee) is day to day. Chase Utley (left knee) ran and fielded grounders on May 17. Michael Martinez (right foot fracture) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Ryan Howard (recovering from Achilles surgery) is fielding, throwing, and hitting as of May 16. Vance Worley (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on May 16, retroactive to May 12. Jim Thome (strained lower back) is taking live batting practice as of May 16. Justin De Fratas (sprained right elbow) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 11. Lance Nix (calf) was placed on the disabled list on May 11. Michael Stutes (mild rotator cuff strain) was shut down for 2-3 weeks as of May 11. David Herndon (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the disabled list on May 1, retroactive to April 30.

Washington Nationals: Mark DeRosa (left oblique strain) started baseball activities on May 17. Drew Storen (bone chips in right elbow) made 100 throws from flat ground on May 16. Sandy Leon (sprained right ankle) was placed on the disabled list on May 15. Wilson Ramos (torn ACL) was placed on the disabled list on May 13, and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 15. He is out for the season. Brad Lidge (abdominal wall strain) threw from flat ground on May 14. Chien-Ming Wang (strained left hamstring) will make his final rehab start on May 19. Mike Morse (right lat strain) will go to extended spring training on May 21. Jayson Werth (broken left wrist) was placed on the disabled after undergoing surgery. He is expected to be out at least 10-12 weeks. Christopher Marrero (torn next hamstring, shoulder) is having lingering hamstring and shoulder issues. Cole Kimball (recovering from right shoulder surgery) had surgery in July of 2011, and won’t return until July at the earliest.

Upcoming Weekend Schedule

Now, let’s take a look at the upcoming series for these teams:

Atlanta Braves @ Tampa Bay Rays

Miami Marlins @ Cleveland Indians

New York Mets @ Toronto Blue Jays

Philadelphia Phillies VS Boston Red Sox

Washington Nationals VS Baltimore Orioles

Through the use of the scorecard, let’s take a look at how Kirk Nieuwenhuis did this week:

This week, rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis got the Player Of The Week honors. While not bringing in many runs (2 runs batted in), he scored 7 and got on base quite a bit. He put himself in scoring position right away with two doubles and also had a home run.

Honorable Mentions

These players, although not winning the Player of the Week award, had a very strong showing this week and deserve to be recognized. We will also show how strong a showing they had through the use of the scorecard.

David Wright

Jason Bay

Daniel Murphy

Mike Pelfrey

Dillon Gee

Not So Hot

The Not So Hot area mentions a few players who did not have a good week this week.

Johan Santana

Frank Francisco

R.A. Dickey

Lucas Duda

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

This area shows the scoreboard of the Players of the Week, and who has won already this season and how many times.

David Wright – 1

Kirk Nieuwenhuis – 1

Trivia

To finish off the Player of the Week announcement each week, I’ll be asking you a trivia question. The answer will be announced during the next Player of the Week announcement, as well as the first person who answered correctly. Another question will then be asked. Last Week’s Answer is: Rick White. No one got the answer correct. So here is this week’s question:

Who did the Mets beat for their first win?

Through the use of the scorecard, let’s take a look at how David Wright did this week:

Despite missing three games due to a pinkie injury, Wright still had two home runs, five runs batted in, and a .571 batting average. During those three games he missed, his impact was noticed, as the Mets went 1-2 without him, while going 5-1 with him. This is the David Wright that we all want playing out there, week in and week out.

Honorable Mentions

These players, although not winning the Player of the Week award, had a very strong showing this week and deserve to be recognized. We will also show how strong a showing they had through the use of the scorecard.

Ruben Tejada

Daniel Murphy

Johan Santana

Jon Niese

Jon Rauch

Frank Francisco

Not So Hot

The Not So Hot area mentions a few players who did not have a good week this week.

Ike Davis

Jason Bay

Miguel Batista

Ramon Ramirez

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

This area shows the scoreboard of the Players of the Week, and who has won already this season and how many times.

1. David Wright – 1

Trivia

To finish off the Player of the Week announcement each week, I’ll be asking you a trivia question. The answer will be announced during the next Player of the Week announcement, as well as the first person who answered correctly. Another question will then be asked. So here is this week’s question:

In the 2000 NLDS, most Met fans remember that Bobby Jones won the clinching Game 4 with a one-hitter, and many fans remember that John Franco saved Game 2 for winning pitcher Armando Benitez to even the series when he struck out Barry Bonds. But what pitcher won game 3 of that NLDS for the Mets?

But even I have to admit that this year, it will be tough for the Mets to finish higher than fifth place in the NL East. That’s based though more on the other teams in the division on paper than on the Mets.

However, some experts think the Mets can maybe be a surprise team—maybe not as a division winner, but as a competitive ball club that will be fun to watch.

Newsday’s Ken Davidoff released his National League outlook on Monday, in which he predicted the final outcome for each division.

The NL East looks like this: Phillies, Marlins, Nationals, Mets and Braves.

I have to say, this is a bold pick. While the Marlins and Nationals are the most improved teams in the division, the Braves cannot be counted out.

Here is Davidoff’s reasoning for this pick: “The Braves have a collapse to move past, thanks to their woeful September 2011 which knocked them out of the playoffs. As opposed to their AL counterparts in Boston, Atlanta opted to stay the course.”

Even so, wouldn’t everyone think that the Braves are eager to overcome their late season collapse by starting fast out of the gate? Some analysts believe that the Braves will even challenge the Phillies for the division title.

Injuries will be a concern for Atlanta. Tim Hudson will miss the start of the season following back surgery and so will Chipper Jones to surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

After a breakout rookie year in 2010, Jason Heyward experienced a sophomore slump last year. The team will hope he can rebound in 2012.

Despite some holes, the lineup combines speed and power when everyone is healthy. Expect a big year from Michael Bourn, who will be a free agent after this season. Dan Uggla and Brian McCann will certainly provide pop in the middle of the order. Also, Martin Prado is a solid all-around player.

Once Hudson returns, the Braves starting rotation can be scary good, with Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens and a few talented young starters. The bullpen in the late innings—Eric O’Flaherty, Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel—is arguably the best in the game.

As for the Mets, Davidoff said that the team will get the most out of what they have, though they don’t have much. He cites the team’s lack of depth as well.

With these factors, it’s very strange that the Braves were picked to finish behind the Mets. Like I always say though, you have to play the games. The two teams will get to prove Davidoff right or wrong early on as they open the season a week from today.

With their off season additions the Nationals will have a very well rounded and talented starting rotation.  A rotation of Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson, Jordan Zimmermann and John Lannan spells trouble for NL East and the rest of the National League.

Not only are they talented but they are extremely young.  Their rotation is now full of young power arms who consistently sit in the mid-90′s. This team is not only building to win now, but they are setting themselves up for an extended run of success.

Why are they good enough to win the NL East?

The Nationals have been basement dwellers for a long time, and as a result happened to come across 2 all generation type players in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper who were both taken 1st overall.  They have 3B/2B Anthony Rendon who was taken 6th overall, although he would have went #1 if he did not get injured. Many scouts believe he will be ready to join the Nats this season, if he does the Nats will have to decide who he is going to replace in the lineup. They have a very talented bullpen starting with young closer Drew Storen and all-star setup man Tyler Clippard.

They have some very solid veterans in Adam Laroche and Jayson Werth, Michael Morse has a ton of power, and Ryan Zimmerman is an all-star third baseman.  Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa both showed flashes last season, although they struggled a little bit at times.

off season additions such as Brad Lidge, Edwin Jackson and most notably lefty Gio Gonzalez from Oakland have pushed them into the discussion of possible contending teams. Gonzalez struck out 200 batters last season and sported an ERA of 3.12, down from 3.23 the year before.

Why the NL East may be winnable.

Many people believe the Phillies are going to run away like they did last season.  I disagree with that assessment, although it is possible. While great, their rotation is getting older and both Lee and Halladay have an injury history.  Rollins is not the same player and they lost Roy Oswalt .

Howard is going to miss a few months due to his torn achillies tendon, and Chase Utley is one bad tweak of his knee from season ending surgery.

Atlanta still has very little offense, even though their pitching will carry them for the most part.

Florida while much improved is still a bit of a question mark. Their major offensive addition is VERY injury prone as we know, but is a great player and catalyst when healthy.  Their pitching rotation is improved, as well as their bullpen with the additions of Buehrle and Heath Bell, but they are both in their mid-thirties. Carlos Zambrano is an enigma and could be great or have another psychotic breakdown on the field.

The Mets….well….are still waiting for the cavalry to arrive in 2013-2014.

The days of the Nationals being cellar dwellers and considering mediocrity a successful season appear to be coming to an end.  They are no longer going to be the whipping boys of the National League East.  It’s time to start seriously worrying about them, because at this point they have the brightest future of anyone in the National League East.

What do you think?

If you would like to read more of my thoughts and opinions come check us out at BigAppleMetsTalk.com