In other words, a cycle is a feat we regard with admiration primarily because it is COOL. It is so COOL that it even has a more refined version, the so-called “natural” cycle (single, double, triple, home run in order). This unique quality allows a cycle to actually transcend the game itself, remaining COOL even if your team loses the game in which it occurs, kind of like a consolation prize.

At this point in baseball history, only two teams remain cycle-less: the San Diego Padres (who also hold the distinction of being the only franchise not to have recorded a no-hitter) and the Miami Marlins whose relative youth as a franchise functions as something of an excuse. By way of contrast, the Red Sox have pulled off the feat an impressive twenty times.

Seven Mets had achieved the cycle prior to the day in July, 2004 when Eric Valent got one of his infrequent starts, spelling regular left fielder Cliff Floyd in a game against the Montreal Expos. Valent was a 27 year-old outfielder/first baseman who had been a late first round draft pick by the Phillies in 1998. After a couple of uneventful cups of coffee with the Phils, he was dealt to the Reds for catcher and future Met Kelly Stinnett in August of 2003. That winter, he was left off the Reds’ 40 man roster and was selected by the Mets in the Rule 5 Draft.

The Mets timing was fortuitous, as Valent was about to turn 27, the apparent “magic” age for certain players when whatever baseball skills they possess coalesce long enough to produce some evidence to support their place on a major league team. The 2004 season would mark Eric’s high water mark as a player as he produced a respectable .267/.337/.481 slash line in 270 AB’s spread out over 130 games. He would hit all of his big league homers that season, including one that day in Montreal.

Facing Expos starter Rocky Biddle, Valent collected a single in the second inning and a double in the third. He then homered off reliever Sunny Kim, launching a shot that clanked off one of the speakers suspended from the roof of Olympic Stadium. That left him a triple short of achieving a cycle, generally regarded as the toughie of the bunch.

When he came to the plate in the top of the seventh, the Mets had opened a substantial lead in what would end up a 10-1 win for Al Leiter. Consequently, a discussion on going for a three-bagger had preceded his next plate appearance.  Mets coach Don Baylor had told Valent to expect third base coach Matt Galante to be “waving” him on anything hit down the line or in the gap.

When his subsequent at-bat produced a liner into the right field corner, “I just kept going when I hit it” Valent would say after the game

“When I hit the ball in the corner like that, I knew I was going to third. I just wanted to hit the ball hard. It was cool. There aren’t a lot of guys that can say they hit for the cycle, no matter how long they play. It’s a lot of luck.”

By virtue of that statement to MLB.com, we can trace an awareness of the cycle’s aforementioned “coolness factor” to the players themselves.

Of the ten Mets who have hit for the cycle (the most recent being Scott Hairston on April 27th of last year), Valent could be said to tie with infielder Mike Phillips of the 1975 team for “least likely.” After a few more desultory appearances with the Mets the following season, he was out of baseball, but in the record books. That moment of his career at least, was pretty cool.

Mets Who Have Hit For The Cycle

April 27, 2012, Scott Hairston at Colorado

June 21, 2006, Jose Reyes vs. Cincinnati

July 29, 2004, Eric Valent at Montreal

Sept. 11, 1997, John Olerud vs. Montreal

July 3, 1996, Alex Ochoa at Philadelphia

Aug. 1, 1989, Kevin McReynolds at St. Louis

July 4, 1985, Keith Hernandez at Atlanta (19 innings)

June 25, 1976, Mike Phillips at Chicago

July 6, 1970, Tommie Agee vs. St. Louis

Aug. 7, 1963, Jim Hickman vs. St. Louis

The only decent player on Miami’s roster is Giancarlo Stanton, of course, but even he has been on-and-off this season. He didn’t hit his first home run until his 18th game of the season two nights ago against the Cubs. He went on to hit two on Sunday, but his power numbers still have left much to be desired. His walk numbers and BABIP are at normal levels for Stanton, so perhaps it’s the shoulder contusion that Stanton suffered a few weeks ago which has been bringing down his production.

Overall, the Marlins are a team the Mets should handily beat. Although some cynics predicted the Mets to compete with the Marlins for last place, that seems unlikely with the way the Marlins have started the season. Hopefully the Mets will be able to use this series to get back on track.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Matt Harvey, RHP (35 IP, 233 ERA+, 3.90 K/BB) vs. Jose Fernandez, RHP (20 IP, 84 ERA+, 2.38 K/BB)

The Mets saw Fernandez make his big league debut against them on April 7, when he allowed one run on three hits in five innings while striking out eight. He has had one good start and two iffy ones since then. In his last start, which came against Minnesota, he gave up four runs on six hits in five innings. In his start before that, he gave up five earned in four innings against the Reds. One thing to take note of in game one of this series will be Fernandez’s pitch count. The Marlins have coddled him thus far, keeping him around 8- pitches in each of his starts.

Game 2: Jeremy Hefner, RHP (21 IP, 70 ERA+, 1.09 K/BB) vs. Kevin Slowey, RHP (29.2 IP, 155 ERA+, 3.50 K/BB)

After spending an injury-riddled 2012 season with Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate, the once top prospect Slowey got another shot with the Marlins. Slowey has been their best pitcher so far, putting up a team-best 2.43 ERA. It’s hard to say long-term whether Slowey can hold up, but he has been very good so far and keeping his walk numbers down, which he has always been known for. In his last start against the Cubs, Slowey gave up three runs in six innings while striking out six and not walking a batter.

Game 3: Dillon Gee, RHP (25.2 IP, 61 ERA+, 2.00 K/BB) vs. Wade LeBlanc, LHP (24.2 IP, 61 ERA+, 2.00 K/BB)

LeBlanc was traded to Miami for John Baker in November 2011 after four years with the Padres. LeBlanc spent last season as a starter and reliever for the Marlins, posting a 3.67 ERA in 25 games, nine of them starts. He hasn’t been as terrible as his numbers might say. His ERA is inflated from his April 15 start in which he let up seven runs in 3.2 innings against the Nationals. He has otherwise been decent. In his last start against Chicago, he gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings.

Series News & Notes

• Adeiny Hechavarria, who you might remember from the last series these two teams played, suffered a bruised elbow on April 16 and was placed on the disabled list the next day. Hechavattia went 4-for-10 in the last series against the Mets in early April.
• New York embarks on its second road trip of the year with three games in Miami and then three contests in Atlanta…The Mets will play 13 of their next 19 away from Citi Field…New York went 3-5 on its first road trip of the season…The Mets were 38-43 on the road in 2012.
• David Wright is tied for second in the majors with 19 walks and Lucas Duda is tied for fourth in the majors with 18…The Mets have drawn 87 walks, tied for the fifth-most in the majors.
• David Wright is day-to-day with a stiff neck. He will miss the first game of the series.
• The Mets have hit at least one home run in 17 of their 23 games and 25 on the year, tied for the sixth-most in the National League…The Mets have hit three grand slams to lead the majors.
• John Buck’s eight home runs tie him for the third-most by a Met during the month of April with Dave Kingman (1982), Jeff Kent (1994), Todd Hundley (1996) and Mike Piazza(2001)…Carlos Delgado (2006) and Dave Kingman (1976) hold the club record with nine home runs in the month of April.

Starting Lineups

New York Mets

1. Mike Baxter RF
2. Justin Turner 3B
3. Daniel Murphy 2B
4. Lucas Duda LF
5. John Buck C
6. Ike Davis 1B
7. Ruben Tejada SS
8. Jordany Valdespin CF
9. Matt Harvey RHP

Miami Marlins

1. Juan Pierre LF
2. Donovan Solano 2B
3. Giancarlo Stanton RF
4. Placido Polanco 3B
5. Greg Dobbs 1B
6. Justin Ruggiano CF
7. Rob Brantly C
8. Nick Green SS
9. Jose Fernandez RHP

Game Alert!

David Wright is out of the game nursing a stiff neck. He told the team’s training staff about during yesterday’s game, but opted to stay in the game and tough it out. Manager Terry Collins said he didn’t want to push it and make things worse so he decided to have Wright have it checked out and get examined by a doctor, according to Marc Carig of Newsday.

Game Notes

• Catcher John Buck’s 23 RBIs are three shy of Jeff Kent’s team record for RBIs in April, set in 1994.
• Ruben Tejada is hitting .353 over his current five-game hitting streak.
• Wright snapped a 77-game errorless streak — the longest in franchise history for a third baseman and the longest current stretch at the position by a big leaguer — on a ground ball in Sunday’s first inning.
• David Wright ranks fourth in the National League with a .436 on-base percentage and Lucas Duda is fifth with a .429 on-base percentage. New York is tied for fifth in the NL as a team with a .317 on-base percentage.
• Over the weekend Frank Francisco threw 25 pitches in a throwing session and admitted he did not feel great after his outing. Francisco has made two rehab appearances with Single-A St. Lucie since being shutdown early in Spring Training after experiencing discomfort in his elbow.
• Pedro Feliciano had been hospitalized with a severe case of food poisoning, but the Mets hope to have him back on a mound this week. “He’s all good,” agent Melvin Roman told ESPN New York on Sunday about Feliciano’s current status.
• New York is fifth in the majors with a .290 (53-183) batting average with runners in scoring position. The club has eight home runs in such situations, tied for the second-most in the majors. Over the last six games, the Mets are hitting .211 (8-38) with RISP.
• Outfielder Juan Pierre is a .324 career hitter with 74 runs scored against the Mets. His 150 hits against New York are the second-most among active players, trailing only Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins (244).
• Matt Harvey takes the mound in the 7:10 p.m. series opener in Miami against rookie right-hander Jose Fernandez. Harvey is bidding to become the third Mets pitcher to go 5-0 in April, joining Pedro Martinez (2006) and Dwight Gooden (1988).

Game Preview

The Mets try to put last week way, way behind them as they travel south for a road trip to Miami. In the Mets last home stand the Mets started off on a good note take 2 of 3 from the Nationals and then dropping 5 of 6 to the Dodgers and the Phillies. Currently, the Mets are hoping to snap a 4 game losing streak. Luckily, it is Harvey day today as he takes on Jose Fernandez in another stellar young pitcher match up.

Harvey is coming off of his worst start of the season where he still was quality allowing 3 ER over 6 innings and the Mets still ended up winning the game thanks to a walk off grand slam from Valdespin. It also was the also the last time the Mets won a game. On the season, Harvey is 4-0 over 5 starts and 35.0 innings with a 1.54 ERA while he walked 10 BB with 39 strikeouts. This will be Harvey’s first start against the Marlins and the only Marlins who have faced Harvey are Pierre (2-6) and Polanco (0-1). The Mets booth added yesterday that Harvey’s most difficult task tonight will be Stanton (not a surprise) but Stanton has slider power, so if Harvey powers him with fastballs, he should be fine.

The Mets will be meeting Jose Fernandez for the second time this season. Fernandez is 0-2 this season with a 4.50 ERA over 4 games and 20.0 innings. In that stretch he walked 8 batters and struck out 19 batters. In his debut against the Mets he allowed 1 ER over 5.0 innings. In his first two starts he allowed only 1 ER over 11.0 IP. In his last two starts he has allowed 9 ER. The Mets have the following numbers against Fernandez:

Cowgill 0-3
Baxter 0-2
Davis 0-1
Duda 0-2
Murphy 1-2
Recker 1-2, 2B
Tejada 1-2

Lets go Mets!

If you’re the kind of baseball fan that still loves a good old-fashioned pitching duel like thrill of a Tom Seaver vs. Steve Carlton matchup, then tonight’s contest between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets will be right up your alley.

As I said last week, every time Matt Harvey steps onto a mound it is must-see TV, but tonight’s contest comes with the added thrill of a marquee matchup as Stephen Strasburg squares off against Matt Harvey in what promises to be a pitchers duel like no other at Citi Field.

Strasburg, who is 1-2 with a 2.95 ERA and 15 strikeouts this season over 18.1 innings of work, may very well be the underdog in this contest – and no, that’s not the Met fan in me saying that.

His mound opponent, Mets phenom Matt Harvey, takes the hill with a 3-0 record and a 0.82 ERA while striking out 25 over 22.0 innings pitched this season. He is the clear favorite.

Both starters are former first-round picks. The Nationals selected Strasburg with their first overall pick in the 2009 Draft, while the Mets selected Harvey a year later with the seventh overall pick in the 2010 Draft.

Harvey, fresh off of being named the NL Player of the Week, has been nothing short of phenomenal this season so far this season. One of the most mind boggling statistics that pops out at you is that he’s allowed just six hits in his 22 innings of work. Let the enormity of that sink in.

In his last start against the Minnesota Twins, Harvey took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and got the first two outs before being tagged by a Justin Morneau home run. Whenever he takes the hill something special happens and on that night in particular, Harvey was electric.

Mets manager Terry Collins says Harvey will be armed and dangerous for tonight’s contest and gets amped up for moments like these.

“What we saw on the mound, his demeanor and everything else has changed. I know he’ll be ready, because he’s facing one of the best teams in the game.’’

“He loves the big stage, and that’s what he’s on,’’ Collins said yesterday. “He’s got a big challenge and if you look at some of the games he’s had to pitch, they have been against some pretty impressive guys, and he’s getting another one.’’

I’ve been waiting all week for tonight’s game.

I’ve had no problem calling Matt Harvey the best player to come out of the Mets draft since Dwight Gooden. Barring injuries, by the time his stellar career is over, Harvey may end up being the best Mets draft selection ever.

The Mets right-hander in no longer just a Mets sensation, he is now a baseball sensation and a national treasure.

All eyes will be watching baseball’s signature event tonight. Matt Harvey is now Prime Time  He really is The Real Deal.

Jose Fernandez will make the jump from A-Ball to the majors when he makes his MLB debut against the Mets on Sunday afternoon.

The Mets begin their second series of the season against the new-look Miami Marlins today, in the first game of what will be a three-game set.

The Marlins, for the second offseason in a row, blew up what they had and started over. Last winter was a little different, as the Marlins were the team adding expensive talent. Now, it’s as if they’re begging teams to take any major league caliber player off their roster. The club that had eight players with salaries of at least $5 million now has just one. Their payroll has been sliced in half, from over a hundred million to just fifty, and that’s including the money they paid to other teams to take on highly-paid players. Take that away and their payroll is under $40 million.

The only player of much worth on the Marlins roster is Giancarlo Stanton, who may end up being traded at the deadline as well this year. The 23 year-old put up unbelievable numbers, hitting 37 home runs and putting up a 5.7 WAR rating in only 123 games. He is the one and only threat left in the lineup.

Overall, if some of the newly-acquired prospects don’t pan out immediately, the Marlins could challenge the Astros for the worst record in baseball.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Jeremy Hefner (93.2 IP, 76 ERA+, 3.44 K/BB) vs. Alex Sanabia (career: 83.1 IP, 113 ERA+, 2.89 K/BB)

Sanabia was pushed out of the rotation last year, pitching in the minors for the entire year. In 18 Triple-A starts, he posted a 3.93 ERA in 91.2 innings. The 24 year-old only pitched 11 innings in the majors in 2011, and made 12 starts in 2010. He had decent success in 2010, putting up a 3.73 ERA (112 ERA+), 5.8 K/9 rate, and a 2.0 BB.9 rate. His mediocre peripherals, however, tell us that he probably isn’t anything special. Just another future journeyman.

Game 2: Jonathon Niese (2012: 190.1 IP, 113 ERA+, 3.16 K/BB) vs. Ricky Nolasco (2012: 191 IP, 88 ERA+, 2.66 K/BB)

Nolasco is currently the highest-paid player on the Miami roster at over $11 million, but nothing he has done over the past few years indicate that he has earned that salary. Nolasco signed a three-year, $26.5 million extension after the 2010 season, but has been dreadful since. In his first start against the Nationals this week, he gave up two runs on three hits while striking out five in six innings of work.

Game 3: Aaron Laffey (100.2 IP, 94 ERA+, 1.30 K/BB) vs. Jose Fernandez (2012 A/High-A: 134 IP, 1.75 ERA, 4.51 K/BB)

The Marlins are taking a huge risk with Fernandez bringing him up this early. The 20 year-old has no experience in either Double-A or Triple-A and while he had an excellent season in the minors last year, is nowhere near ready for the majors. This has David Clyde written all over it. Fernandez, a righty, was listed as the fifth best prospect in baseball by Baseball America and 7th by MLB.com.

Series News & Notes

• Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison is recovering from knee surgery and was put on the 60-day DL on March 22. He hit .230/.308/.399 with 11 home runs and 15 doubles in 93 games last season.
• Nathan Eovaldi, acquired in the Hanley Ramirez trade last season, is on the DL with shoulder inflammation. He was a top 100 prospect before last season, when he posted a 4.30 ERA with dismal walk and strikeout rates.
• Casey Kotchman is on the disabled list as well with a hamstring injury. He batted .229/.280/.333 in 142 games with Cleveland last season.
• Just looking at fWAR, the players the Marlins lost this winter were worth 18.5 wins last year while their additions totaled just 3.6 wins. Keep in mind this was a 69-win team with those players on the roster for most of the season.

With Aaron Laffey officially named the starter on Sunday, when the Mets complete their series against the Miami Marlins, the front office have a corresponding move to make.

It looks like the beneficiary will be Darin Gorski who was initially assigned to Double-A Binghamton.

The left-hander, who I had pegged for Vegas all along, had a solid season for Bingo in 2012, making 24 starts and posting a 4.00 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 139.2 innings pitched.

“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?

The Mets will be in action tonight against the Miami Marlins at 7:05 at Roger Dean Stadium. Newly appointed Opening Day Starter Jonathon Niese will be on the hill, and Jordany Valdespin will bat leadoff. Including tonight’s contest, the Mets have just ten Grapefruit League games left to play, and will play their final game on March 30. Four of the Mets ten remaining games will be televised; two will air on SNY and two on PIX 11. You can check the television schedule here.

Today, Justin Turner started at third base in a minor league game. On Thursday, Turner had a pinch-hit single in what was his first game action since injuring his ankle last week.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis started in center field in a minor league game in Port St. Lucie today. He also played in a minor league game on Thursday, and went 1-2 with a double and three walks, but did not play the field.

Updated 11:00 AM – Here are the latest injury updates and other news from PSL this morning…

Justin Turner

According to Jorge Castillo of the Star Ledger, there’s a good possibility that if David Wright is ready for Opening Day and Daniel Murphy is not, Justin Turner could start at second base. In that scenario, Jordany Valdespin would start in center field instead of Collin Cowgill, with Lucas Duda and Marlon Byrd at left and right.

Turner, who batted .269 with two home runs and 19 RBI last season, didn’t travel with the team to Kissimmee, Florida last night when the Mets played the Astros, but is said to be recovering

Shaun Marcum

There are some growing concerns surrounding right-hander Shaun Marcum, who was signed to replace R.A. Dickey in the rotation.  Marcum has already missed a couple of starts to strengthen his shoulder at the start of Grapefruit League play. Today, we learned that he received a cortisone injection for a right shoulder impingement at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

The righthander has been scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday and he will be replaced by Jeremy Hefner instead. Sandy Alderson told reporters that the cortisone shot was “precautionary,” and Marcum is expected to resume throwing in a couple of days.

The Mets signed Marcum despite a long history of elbow and shoulder injuries. He is 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in three spring starts and it’s not clear when he will pitch in a Grapefruit League again. Collins speculated he could start again on March 26, four days before Opening day.

Johan Santana

Terry Collins will officially announce his rotation in the next day or two according to what he told beat writers this morning. The team is also going to face the music and finally announce what most have known since the start of Spring Training – that Johan Santana will open the season on the disabled list.

Santana hasn’t pitched in over two weeks and whenever he does get back on the mound he will have to be gradually stretched out which is what Spring Training is all about. The problem is that it looks like that process will not begin until after the season starts and not before.

Daniel Murphy

On Wednesday, Mets manager Terry Collins announced that Daniel Murphy is still not close to being on the field and does not expect him to be on the Opening Day lineup. Murphy continues to suffer from a strained intercostal and has not had one at-bat in a game all spring.

After appearing in a minor league game last week, in which he was not allowed to bat, he has been shutdown indefinitely. The Mets’ second baseman is still receiving treatment and complains of stiffness and soreness. Jordany Valdespin would most likely replace Murphy at second base to start the season.

David Wright

Wright has spent the last five days receiving treatment for the strained muscle in his rib cage. He says he still believes that he will be at third base for the season opener, but Wright’s has always been an optimist.

MMO beat writer John Delcos reported to us that if Wright doesn’t come back before the start of the season, and there aren’t any indications he is going to, he will be rested for two weeks before beginning baseball activities. He also said that at the time of the injury GM Sandy Alderson said Wright would rest from three to five days, however Thursday will be the seventh day.

It’s still unclear who would replace Wright at third base, but the most likely candidate seems to be Collins’ favorite Justin Turner who has been sidelined since Saturday. Another option could be Zach Lutz.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis went 1-for-5 in a minor-league game on Wednesday. It was his first game action since suffering a bone bruise in his left knee on March 3. Nieuwenhuis did not play in the field and was the designated hitter.

He has missed so much time this spring, that he is in danger of starting the season in Triple-A Las Vegas. Players like Valdespin, Collin Cowgill and Marlon Byrd have all passed him up on the depth chart and his future with the Mets is now cloudy at best.

Frank Francisco

Frank Francisco says he is progressing as he returns from elbow inflammation, but after throwing a bullpen session on Saturday he reported feeling pain. He’s told the Mets that he will not rush his comeback and wants to take his time. He reports feeling a “sting” whenever he throws his fastball.

Francisco, who is owed $6.5 million for this season, was shut down upon reporting to spring training due to elbow inflammation. He underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in his right elbow in December and is coming off a season in which he produced a 5.53 ERA as the Mets closer, but was the least effective reliever in the bullpen.

There’s nobody who believes he will not begin the season on the disabled list. “I don’t know. No idea,” Francisco said when asked if he’ll be ready for Opening day.

Final Thoughts

The Shaun Marcum situation adds a new wrinkle to the Mets’ rotation concerns. Jonathon Niese has already been tabbed to be the Opening day starter and it was believed that Marcum would pitch in Game 2 against the Padres. I can’t see that happening at this point and it looks more likely to me that Matt Harvey will follow Niese in the rotation. That’s a lot of pressure to perform from the two youngest arms in the rotation who will go up against the opposition’s top of the rotation starters.

Dillon Gee got roughed up again and is still trying to comeback from serious surgery in his right arm to remove a dangerous blood clot. Jeremy Hefner will be asked to carry a heavy load as well. If the Mets were to dig deep for a replacement if Marcum isn’t ready, My best guess is that it will be Collin McHugh.

If for nothing else, if for absolutely nothing else, Matthew Edward Harvey makes 2013 a year worth watching in New York Mets baseball. Ever since he was drafted seventh overall by the Amazin’s in the 2010 draft, we have patiently anticipated this time to come. We have anxiously awaited his name to move from the top of the prospect rankings to the top of the Mets rotation. We had a nine-start taste of the future; but now, in 2013, we will lay witness to the present; Matt Harvey.

It’s not just the pure talent of the right-hander,–which alone would still be very exciting–but his maturity, his mental toughness and above all his competitive nature and self-motivation. Harvey was furious with himself last week when he went 2 2/3 inning allowing just a lone run on two hits, and vowed he would do better; and that he did. As many of you know by now, Harvey dominated, and I mean dominated the Miami Marlins (or what’s left of them) over 4 1/3 innings no-hit innings and punching out a quintet on just 48 pitches, 35 for strikes.

Of course these are just two Spring Training starts, but their two outings that are a microcosm for just the type of athlete, the type of competitor that this future–soon to be present–star is. Someone that isn’t satisfied with “okay” or “good enough” and won’t satisfy until superlatives such as “best”, “greatest” and above all “champion” apply. He leads a pack of young talents entering this organization that want to win and will not accept anything less; a breath of fresh air from the passive groups who have called Citi Field their home in recent years.

Harvey is simply an exciting player to watch. If he isn’t dominating, he’s battling. It is one thing to have a top-flight young pitcher breaking into the big leagues, but to have one with so many intangibles is something that will not only bring fans to the park and excite a fanbase, but inspire other players to bring their game to the next level. Whether Harvey is tossing up goose eggs or throwing batting practice, he is always fired up and making those around him fired up and ready to fight. Success is contagious, but even more so is a positive attitude.

There is plenty to be excited about with these 2013 Mets, but easily number one on my list will be getting to see Harvey in Flushing as an every day big-league starting pitcher.

There’s a twinge of anticipation this morning as Matt Harvey gets the ball today against the Miami Marlins.Stephen Strasburg is an exceptional talent in Washington, but in Harvey the Mets also have a young arm this franchise can build around.

If there’s one thing the Mets are noted for it is the development of young pitchers. Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, Dwight Gooden and now Harvey.

How long, or now successful he will become is one of baseball’s delightful mysteries because this could be the start of something special.

“I am excited about getting the chance to work and grow with him,’’ said catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud, who isn’t in the lineup today against the Marlins “It has been fun so far.’’

Harvey is coming off a start in which he and d’Arnaud were crossed up, but there was a show of poise on both parts as they met at the mound to get their signs correct.

“It’s a matter of trust,’’ d’Arnaud said. “He has to trust what I put down, and he has to trust himself that it is the right pitch.’’

It was frequently last year for Harvey, who made such an impression in ten starts that he’s already penned in to the rotation.

“I’m just working off of last year,’’ Harvey told reporters after his last start. “The last three starts I had during the season were pretty good and that’s the biggest thing now, just keeping that going and trying to remember what I did when things were good.’’

Good is a word not recently associated with the Mets or their pitching.

How would Upton look as a Met?

In the wake of Tuesday’s blockbuster deal between the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays, I think it is only fair that the Mets make a blockbuster trade of their own. Justin Upton is still available, and despite the lack of rumors linking the Mets and D’backs in trade discussions, my hope is that GM Sandy Alderson has at least inquired about the young right fielder. A talent like Upton NEVER becomes available at such a young age, 25. Making him even more attractive is that he’s under team control through the 2015 season. Upton will make just a shade under $10 million in 2013, and just under $15 million in both 2014 and 2015.

D’Backs GM Kevin Towers is in search of an infielder for the left side. I know this has been debated and discussed at nauseam, but do the Mets have what it takes?

Why couldn’t we give them a call and offer a package that started with Ruben Tejada and Jon Niese? Some people feel as though offering Niese and Tejada might be too much. Tejada is on his way to becoming and good Major League player, same for Niese. But Upton is a star on the verge of becoming a superstar. There is a big difference.

I would also consider offering Wilmer Flores and Daniel Murphy. They have both played third and second base, and could help out on the left side of the infield, as well as give Arizona some added offensive productivity. The Mets are not yet able to offer Gavin Cecchini, but he might be able to be added as a player to be named later.

Murphy can play first, second and third. Flores has played second and third, and Niese would give them a very young and solid middle of the rotation starter, and a lefty at that. Tejada seems to be the one guy fans don’t really want to part with. It’s hard to find a quality shortstop, but it’s even harder to find a supreme talent who is available at such a young age. Sandy should not let Tejada be the reason why we miss out on a potential superstar like Upton.

Signing Dickey to an extension should not be the the number two priority this offseason, behind locking up David Wright. The number two priority should be finding a way to have Justin Upton starting in right field on Opening Day in 2013.

It’s been half a century since National League baseball returned to New York and it got me thinking. At the time, the Mets along with the Houston Colt 45’s, brought the total number of teams in existence to 24. Baseball has expanded several times since then and I wondered how we matched up against the more recent additions to our National Pastime. The results were a bit disheartening.

Granted, the Baseball landscape was far different in 1962 than it was in 93 when the Rockies and Marlins came into existence. Same can be said for the (Devil) Rays and D-backs in 98. Nowadays it’s much easier to build a winner than it was back in 62. Arizona proved that by winning 100 games in just their second season.

However, the Mets had a 30+ year head start on these 4 other clubs. Colorado, Florida, Tampa Bay and Arizona started with NOTHING! However, they have achieved more success in their short existence than our Mets have over that same time.

Interesting facts: Of these 5 franchises, the Mets have the 2^nd best record.  Only Arizona at 499 has a higher winning percentage. Through Friday’s loss to Houston, the Mets have compiled a record of 1555-1581  since Opening Day 1993, (.496.) The list is rounded out with the Marlins (.476), the Rockies (474) and the Rays (453.)

One may expect that the Mets should far surpass these other teams in total wins. After all, they started with nada. However, I will admit I was surprised that we even matched up this well in the win-loss column.

Here’s the disturbing part. Although the other 4 teams started with zilch and had to build from the bottom up and rely on discarded scraps, they have all surpassed the Mets in post-season success. Downright frustrating.

Now sure, first glance at this matrix shows we are holding our own. Respectable. Not great, not terrible. However, keep in mind that we’re an existing team whereas these other clubs had to build a winner from the ground up. Yes, we’ve had an adequate showing since 1993. But these other organizations have shown what it takes to BUILD a winner.

One must also keep in mind that while we stack up moderately against these other newcomers, we are the only ‘Big market Club.’ Our payroll has far exceeded that of the organizations listed. The only team with fewer trips to the post-season is the Marlins with 2. However, at least they have 2 championships to show for it. The same numbers of World Series’ we’ve won in half a century, the Marlins matched in 11 years.

And what will this chart look like in 5 years? The Rays and D-backs are young, hungry and will only get better. The Marlins are underachieving. And the Mets? Well, yea, we’re rebuilding.

Sadly I think our post-season appearance total of 3 will not change in the next few years. David Wright will be gone, Dickey most likely will also. Johan has broken down more than a 1972 Ford Pinto.

What can we do? Nothing really. We can vent, complain, throw things at the TV and go through the motions of a 162-game season. We’ll sit back while the Mets brain trust (and I use the word ‘brain’ lightly) keeps selling us the same ol’ line. And we can watch teams like Arizona and Tampa remain competitive while we….ahem…”rebuild.”

Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Mets and Marlins were discussing a deal before the trade deadline that would send Jason Bay to Miami, and bring Heath Bell and John Buck to the Mets. Although they weren’t close to a deal, they were discussing.

All three players in this proposed trade are overpaid and not performing. However, it would be one that could could benefit both sides greatly. The Marlins would get a starting left fielder. They could move Logan Morrison to first base to replace Carlos Lee. On the Mets side, it would give them bullpen help and a backup catcher, two huge holes on their roster.

If the Mets and Marlins had gotten a deal done, they would be exchanging big contracts. Bay has about $20 million or so left on his current deal, while Bell and Buck combined have just a little bit more than that. The money would have likely been very close in this trade scenario, which I will talk about in a bit.

It’s very possible that a change of scenery would help Heath Bell and turn him back into the dominant force that he was in San Diego. And I’m not a big fan of John Buck, but he is certainly an upgrade from Mike Nickeas and Rob Johnson, right?

Of course, there is always the possibility that neither of them will regain the high level of play that earned them their big contracts in the first place. But if that happens, the Mets could just release both of them, just like they would have done with Bay. They will be on the hook for the $20 million or so Bay is being owed anyway, so if they can’t get avoid paying it, why not take a chance with Bell and Buck, two players who could still bounce back? Am I making sense here? It’s just a low-risk, high reward situation for both teams. The Mets are going to pay SOMEBODY a lot of money. It seems clear that Bay is done for good and that he will never turn his career around. However, we don’t know that the same is true for Buck and Bell, so if you’re going to dish out $20 million, wouldn’t the logical choice be them?

We still don’t know any details about the negotiations, nor will we ever. My guess is the Marlins were the ones who turned it down because Bay has shown no signs of life, while Bell has. However, if it was the Mets that that were reluctant to make this trade, they made a mistake.

Check out even more of my Mets writing at UpAlongFirst.com. Also make sure to follow me on Twitter @UpAlongFirst.

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