What is better than heading out on game day to see your New York Mets? Loading up the car hours beforehand to go and meet with friends in the parking lot and have a pre-game celebration? Maybe toss a ball around, fry up some burgers and have a few beers? Well you can scratch that last part.

New York City police officers will be patrolling the Citi Field lots this season, searching for those with open containers of alcohol and handing out citations for those caught drinking in public according to a recent Yahoo! News article.

The Mets website states the following regarding tailgating:

Tailgating is permitted only under the following conditions:

• No open flames of any type, (charcoal should not be disposed of in vacant parking spaces at any time).
• Only one parking space may be used.
• Consumption of alcohol is prohibited.
• Inappropriate or dangerous behavior is not allowed.
• For security reasons no trash bins are located in Citi Field parking lots. Guests should bag trash for pick up after the event.

Failure to comply with any of the above conditions may result in a fan’s removal from the parking lots and/or summoning of NYPD.

It is the law, but NYC’s ban on drinking in public has rarely been enforced at stadium parking lots. According to the article, the New York Yankees have no policy on their website, and the Jets site references tailgating at MetLife Stadium as a “ritual at the stadium”. The Mets however have clearly stated a prohibition on alcohol on their site. They also have nothing at the park to warn fans not to drink.

“I was unaware of the rule until it was too late,” said Woodmere, New York, resident Sami Wyman, who received a $25 citation for drinking a Bud Light out of the can at Mets Opening Day this year. “It’s unfortunate that some people can’t control themselves when drinking, but it is outrageous to ticket people for something that is a traditional part of a sporting event.” –Yahoo! News

On a side note, the Yahoo! article’s image actually shows a number of fans at the ReadTheApple Opening Day tailgate; myself and my father can be seen in the background (green backpack). Ironically, the majority of us–again, myself and my dad included–had nothing to drink that day and were merely enjoying the Opening Day pre-game festivities.

I understand the fact that the Mets want to maintain a family environment, but this is WAY too much in my opinion. April 1st was the first Opening Day my dad and I had ever been to, and when we arrived around 10:00 A.M., I was thrilled to see the number of fans enjoying themselves. People were playing catch and grilling burgers, many of which were having a Bud or a Coors in their hand. It wasn’t like there was a drunken mob out in C Lot; just people excited to see their team play.

For a franchise that has had trouble putting fans in the ballpark, do the Mets really think it is wise to hand out citations for having a beer or two before a baseball game? Especially after the $20 for parking? What’s next? Are they going to limit the number of Cracker Jack’s one can consume?

I’ll let one of our founding fathers have the last word on this one. Take it away Ben!

His contract stipulates that Lyon is to receive roster bonuses of $100,000-$125,000 roughly once a month.

The 34-year-old righty who signed a  a guaranteed $750,000 deal with the Mets before the season, received his first $100K bonus check by making the Opening Day roster. But then this morning, Lyon took in his second check, also worth $100,000.

In his last ten appearances, Lyon has allowed five earned runs in 9.0 innings pitched with a 5.00 ERA during that span.

Lyon’s ERA for the season has risen to 4.35 in 12 appearances after a rough two weeks. That ranks last in the Mets bullpen among relievers with five or more appearances.

Overall, the Mets bullpen has a 5.29 ERA which ranks 29th out of all 30 MLB teams.

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (12-1)

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

Washington Nationals (8-6)

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

Philadelphia Phillies (6-7)

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

Miami Marlins (3-11)

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

Injury Report

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Schedules (4/8-4/14) 

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

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

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

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

Suspensions

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

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?

By definition, Jon Niese is correct, he is not a No. 1 pitcher, an ace if you will. However, in relation to his status on the Mets, he is the man.

There is no denying Niese’s importance, but his designation of being the leader of the staff should be emphasized more today against Miami than in the status of an Opening Day starter. After two victories to open the season, the Mets have dropped two in a row, and have not looked good in the process.

Today, the Mets need Niese to stop the losing. That’s the primary goal of a stopper. That’s what staff leaders do.“As far as leading the staff, I really don’t want to fulfill that role,’’ Niese said. “Everybody, all the guys in the rotation, have something different to offer.

“So I’m willing to learn from them, and I’m sure they’re willing to learn from me. We all have a job to do. Each one of us has a different way of going about it.’’

I can’t buy for a second Niese doesn’t want that role or responsibility. He’s a competitor; you see that every time he pitches. Saying that gives the perception of him willing to be complacent with what he’s achieved, and his 13 career-high victories in not where he wants to peak.

Let’s give Niese the benefit of doubt and say it’s modesty or a reflection of his demeanor. He’s quiet, he’s modest, there doesn’t appear to be a brash bone in his body. But, he’s not a pushover on the mound who easily caves in to the hitter.

Niese wants that role, and manager Terry Collins indicated as much when he told him he would be the Opening Day starter almost a month ago.

“[Niese] said, `All right!’ That means he wanted it bad,’’ Collins recalled. “He got himself ready for it, for sure. He pitched a great game.’’

Niese held San Diego to two runs on four hits and two walks in 6.2 innings. He also had two hits himself.

“I’m not going to lie,’’ Niese said. “The adrenaline was pumping.’’

Catcher John Buck said Niese was easy to catch as everything fell into place for him.

“He had a good two-seamer going. His cutter in was working well for him,’’ Buck said. “So he was spreading the plate really well. And then that curveball, obviously, is a weapon to have with two strikes.’’

No. 1 starters don’t want to leave games. They want to start what they finish. Niese has gone the distance, but knows there have been too many times when he exits with the game still in the balance. That has to stop this year, says Niese, in acknowledging how he must continue to grow.

“I think last year was kind of a year where I kind of hit that sixth inning and had 95 pitches and they kind of shut me down,’’ said Niese, who pleaded for an extra inning and finished with 101. “I think this year I want to be that guy who goes back out and finishes my starts.’’

That won’t happen if Niese hits 100 in the seventh. He needs to be more efficient with his pitches. Too often he’ll work deep into the count, throwing four or five pitches to a hitter.

One less pitch to a hitter could mean two more innings. And, in their minds, staff leaders can’t throw enough innings.

The New York Mets wind up winning two out of three games in opening series against the San Diego Padres. All three games featured excellent starting pitching for the Mets, and the first two games featured some pretty decent offense for the Amazins’ too! Here are the 3&3 for the series.

Matt Harvey: The kid was outstanding – make that brilliant – in Wednesday night’s game. Matt Harvey tossed seven shutout innings, and struck out ten batters while allowing just one hit. From the outset of the game, it was apparent that Harvey was on top of his game and even mixing in a new and very effective changeup into his arsenal. If Harvey is the future ace of this staff, the future does indeed look promising.

Jon Niese: Opening Day starter Jon Niese also turned in a stellar performance on Monday afternoon, going 6.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs. I’ve wondered in the past if Niese is a front of the rotation guy, his performance on Monday proved that he could be.

Going, Going, Gone: New Met Collin Cowgill with a grand slam on Opening Day, Duda, Buck and Ike showing off their muscles on Wednesday Night and hitting the sights (Duda the Pepsi Porch, Buck the MoZone and Ike the Shea Bridge), and Buck again on Thursday afternoon. Nice to see some longballs from this team.

No Sweep: The offense could only muster one run on Thursday, the previously mentioned John Buck home run. We’re not going to win many games if we can’t score.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Personally, I’ve stopped going to games in April, because it’s just too darn cold at Citi Field (it was also nippy at Shea in April). It had to be tough for players and fans alike on Wednesday night. I know we broke the record low on Long Island Wednesday night. MLB needs to consider having the cold weather teams play the opening week in the warm weather cities. The Mets next road trip features Minnesota and Colorado. At least we’ll be able to see Keith’s coat with the fur trim – and what about those crazy gloves?!

Dual Home Openers: For the first time in Mets history, they shared Opening Day home openers with the hated Yankees. Opening Day is a special day, for both New York teams. Call me a traditionalist, but each team should have a day in the sun to call their own. Of course it was great the Mets won on Opening Day, while the most expensive team in baseball lost. Hee hee hee…

Guess what? The Miami Marlins are in town this weekend, sans Jose Reyes and everyone else they loaded up with two offseasons ago. A cold Friday night game and afternoon games Saturday and Sunday.

Dress warmly and Let’s Go Mets!!

Binghamton Mets (0-0) at Akron Aeros (0-0)

RHP Rafael Montero vs. RHP Danny Salazar

2012 IN REVIEW

In their 21st season, the 2012 B-Mets went 68-74 and finished 5th in the Eastern League Eastern Division, trailing first-place Trenton by 11.0 games. Four players who played in Binghamton last year made their Major League debuts with the New York Mets later in the season: LHP Josh Edgin, RHP Collin McHugh, RHP Elvin Ramirez, and LHP Robert Carson.

BINGHAMTON STARTING PITCHER

RHP Rafael Montero gets the ball on opening day for the B-Mets. Last season he split time between the Savannah Sand Gnats (Low-A) and the St. Lucie Mets (High-A). In Savannah, he allowed three earned runs or fewer in 11 of his 12 starts before being promoted in mid-June. He picked up 5 more wins in St. Lucie and finished the year with a combined 11-5 record and a 2.36 ERA. Montero also showed excellent control, finishing with 110 strikeouts and only 19 walks. Montero is ranked the #5 prospect in the Met’s system by Baseball America prior to the season. Rafael signed with the Mets as a non-drafted free agent in January 2011.

OPPOSING STARTING PITCHER

RHP Danny Salazar starts his first full season in Double-A. He was promoted to Akron in early August last year after 16 starts with the Carolina Mudcats (High-A). In just one month in Akron, Salazar went 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in six starts. After giving up four earned runs in his first start against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, he allowed only three earned runs in his last 29.1 innings pitched. Salazar was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2006.

MEET THE METS

This year’s B-Met squad brings back 9 players that saw time in Binghamton last season. 15 players will be making their AA debut this season, all of whom ended 2012 in St. Lucie. Rhyne Hughes, who was signed as a free agent in February, played with Bowie last season. Hughes and Josh Rodriguez are the only two players on the Opening Day roster with MLB experience.

LOPEZ LEADS PUERTO RICO

B-Met manager Pedro Lopez led Criollos de Caguas to a 24-16 record and a Puerto Rico Winter League Championship during this past offseason. The championship allowed Lopez to manage Puerto Rico in the 2013 Caribbean Series in early February. The team finished 2-4 in the series.

OPENING DAY HISTORY

2013 is the fourth consecutive season that the B-Mets face off against the Aeros on Opening Day. Akron has a 2-1 edge during that stretch, with Binghamton winning 1-0 in 2011. Last year, the B-Mets were defeated in a 4-0 shutout at NYSEG Stadium. In their 21-year history, Binghamton is 13-8 on Opening Day.

SOUTHPAW BULLPEN

The B-Mets bullpen holds four left-handed pitchers. Mark Cohoon and Chase Huchingson have both converted from starting roles in 2012. Cohoon is starting his fourth year as a B-Met, going 8-11 with a 3.62 ERA last season. Huchingson tallied eight wins last year with the St. Lucie Mets in their rotation. Adam Kolarek made a brief appearance in Binghamton last year, but was primarily used in the back end of St. Lucie’s bullpen, converting on 18 save opportunities. Jack Leathersich combined for 38 games out of the pen for Savannah and St. Lucie last year.

LAST YEAR v. AKRON

The B-Mets went 5-9 against the Akron Aeros in 2012. All-time the B-Mets have gone 119-151 against Akron. In 1992 the B-Mets defeated the Canton-Akron Aeros in the Eastern League Championship to earn their first title. This season the B-Mets take on the Aeros 14 times over four series; in Akron from 4/4 to 4/7 and 8/22 to 8/25, and at NYSEG Stadium from 4/26 to 4/29 and 5/13 to 5/15.

NEXT GAME PREVIEW

The B-Mets continue this four-game series against the Akron Aeros tomorrow night at 6:35 PM. RHP Cory Mazzoni (0-0, —-) will start for the B-Mets against LHP T.J. House (0-0, —-).

The attendance for Opening Day at Citi Field was 41,053 and it was a complete sellout. The team later announced that another 1,000 tickets on top of that were given away to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Newsday reports that it was the 15th straight year the Mets sold out their home opener.

You could see plenty of empty seats once the pre-game ceremonies got underway, but by the end of the second inning the place was packed and the throngs of fans were vocal and could be heard throughout the broadcast. The 42,000+ all got to see a great game.

The Mets have always reigned supreme when it came to Opening Days and yesterday’s 11-2 win was no different. In fact, the Mets improved their Opening Day winning percentage to an MLB-best .654 (34-18). Wow…

It was a lot of fun live-blogging Mets Opening Day, but boy was that exhausting. Next time we do one I’ll leave it for the younger guys to run it.

One good thing that came out of it was that when we we started the live blog we were at 4,967 followers on Twitter. But by the time it was over, we zoomed past 5,000 followers and that was definitely cool. If you’re not already, you can follow us at @Metsmerized.

Later today we will be posting our Metsmerized Online 2013 Predictions! You won’t want to miss that!

BEST PRICES ON METS TICKETS!

How could you not take notice?

The game featured more than adequate starting pitching, solid relief work, clutch hitting and even a grand slam.  The Mets’ already ostracized outfield corps went a combined 4-for-12, with three walks, six runs batted in, and the aforementioned grand slam. As a matter of fact, with the exception of the four strikeout performance by Ike Davis, there really wasn’t much negativity to be taken away from the first game of the season.

However, please heed this warning.  It was only the first game of the season.  Met fans, every single one of us. are searching for something.  Whether it’s just a reason to head out to Citi Field, or to turn on the television and watch, or even a reason to simply stick around at this point.. each and every one of us is trying to find that one reason to believe.  For some, yesterday’s game was just that.  It was great.  Great enough that as Colin Cowgill crossed the plate after his seventh inning grand slam my wife stared at me as I muttered over and over again, “I will not buy in..I will not buy in..I will not buy in.”

You see as much as I want to believe, I’ve spent the last two months convincing myself that the reason to watch this season was the maturation of young players like Matt Harvey and Ruben Tejada, along with the eventual promotion of Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud.  I entered last season under a similar guise, but crumbled quickly under a 4-0 start that saw me quickly invested once again for the long haul.  Of course that eventually led to the annual mid-summer heartbreak that we’re all so accustomed to at this point.

So while I, like many of you I’m sure, fight the urge to once again dive head first into the shallow end of what has all the makings of a fatally flawed 2013 New York Mets season, lets all remember that our team boasts a roster of unproven players searching to find their own way.  Is it possible they shock the world as the Oakland Athletics did last summer?  Sure..but its far more likely that we’ll soon be wallowing in the puddle of self pity we frequent each season.  Only time will tell.  If you chose to take the plunge early, don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

In addition to his 2-for-4 performance during yesterday’s Opening Day routing of the San Diego Padres, Mets backstop John Buck debuted a snazzy new catcher’s mask that has people talking.

Each year, Buck has gotten a new catcher’s mask each year over the past few seasons and this one appears to be the best yet!

“Gerald with VooDoo Air is the one who designs my masks.  He does most of the masks for the NHL goalies as well.” Said Buck “I met him up in Toronto when I played there.  My inspiration for my masks is taken from the city I play for.”

Major League Baseball has imposed heavy restrictions on catcher’s mask deigns like Buck’s in recent years, however he is one of the select few remaining who have been grandfathered, so the incredible designs that honor his team’s cities are permitted.

I’m certainly a fan of Buck’s awesome mask designs, and apparently so is Justin Turner:

This is the coolest catchers mask I’ve ever seen! @johnbuck44 is gonna B looking sweet putting down the signals! #LGM twitter.com/redturn2/statu…

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) April 1, 2013

To learn more about these masks and the incredible airbrush designs, you can do so by checking out TOIgear or Voodooair.

LIVE BLOGGING FROM CITI FIELD

Cowgill’s Grand Slam puts exclamation point on Mets 11-2 win.

This game’s over and the Mets pounded the Padres 11-2 today at Citi Field.

It was an “All Hands On Deck Effort” by this revamped Mets team which was great to see.

Collin Cowgill with a huge Mets debut and big contributions also from Byrd, Buck, Wright, Tejada, Murphy and of course Jon Niese who looked sharp in his first start of the season.

Fun game and it was fun live blogging it for you.

Thanks to John – our man in the booth, and Clayton – our roving reporter/photographer, for all their help.

8th Inning

Mets have 11 runs on the board with no dancing, no fancy high fives, no curtain calls, and no showboating. This is good to see. #LGM

— Mets Merized Online (@MetsMerized) April 1, 2013

7th Inning

Jon Niese’s first Opening Day start is over: 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB, HR. 101 pitches, 62 strikes. Brandon Lyon in.

Cowgill just hit a grand slam that just made it over the wall and Mets tack on four more runs!.

Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!

Mets 11. Padres 2

6th Inning

After a scoreless fifth, Niese got touched up for a home run in the top of the sixth. No harm no foul. He talked Collins into staying in and pitch the seventh inning. 12 of his 19 outs were all groundouts.

Mets 7, Padres 2

4th Inning

Cowgill hustles for a double and moves Niese to third. Then the Birthday Boy, Daniel Murphy, drives Niese home with a single to make it 5-1 Mets.

Wright picks up an RBI on a groundout to score Cowgill.

Byrd drives hom Murphy with a two-our TBI and the Mets are blowing this game wide open!

Niese is having a solid start…

Mets 7, Padres 1

Don’t look now, but we just got our 5,000th follower. Oh, alright go ahead and look if you must. Lets Go Mets!

— Mets Merized Online (@MetsMerized) April 1, 2013

3rd Inning

The Mets’ third run of the game was brought to you and manufactured by Captain America’s hustle. #DW5

— Mets Merized Online (@MetsMerized) April 1, 2013

The Mets score two more runs in the inning. Tejada, Byrd, Buck all getting into the act. It’s utter pandemonium!

Mets 4, Padres 1

Grounds crew getting ready to replace the bases between innings @metsmerized @mets twitter.com/Clayton_Collie…

— Clayton Collier (@Clayton_Collier) April 1, 2013

2nd Inning

Ruben safe at third!!! @metsmerized twitter.com/Clayton_Collie…

— Clayton Collier (@Clayton_Collier) April 1, 2013

Ruben Tejada doubles home John Buck who chugs home to score the first run of the game. Deep breaths, John.

Slugger Jon Niese singles Tejada home for the Mets second run and the Mets are on top 2-0 after two innings.

I told you we had this!

Keith Hernandez is not loving the sea of orange t-shirts in right-center and calls them a distraction. He doesn’t like Volquez’ necklace either. Somebody give Mex a Tootsie Roll pop!

Mets 2, Padres 0

1st Inning

It’s scoreless after one, Wright got on after an error, but it could have easily been a hit. Who’s scoring this game, Alex68?

Niese throws first pitch of the season. Single to left. Winter is officially over. newyorkmetsreport.com @metsmerized

— John Delcos (@jdelcos) April 1, 2013

1:15 PM Update

First Responders from Hurricane Sandy take the field @metsmerized twitter.com/Clayton_Collie…

— Clayton Collier (@Clayton_Collier) April 1, 2013

12:45 PM Update

Awesome shot sent in by Clayton…

Don’t just stand there… Do something!

These two die-hards are here for their first ever Mets Opening Day!

Eddie Wilkowski made Stephen Keane of the Kranepool Society happy with this pic…

Me and John are doing a weekly feature saluting the ’73 Mets and Eddie was nice enough to chime in!

11:45 AM Update

MMO’s Coop, Ed and Joey never miss a Mets Opening Day!

BTW, Congrats to Joey our new MMO Senior Editor!

Clayton was happy to see his Fan Walk Brick was still looking as good as new.

Padres rookie Jedd Gyorko has his family here to see him make his MLB debut.

Hey! Omar Minaya is here and chillin’ with Bud Black!

Kevin Burkhardt is dressed to the nines…

METS OPENING DAY ROSTER

When the Mets are introduced this afternoon, there will be only nine players who were on last year’s Opening Day roster. Give a big hand to your New York Mets!

Catchers (2): John Buck, Anthony Recker.

Infielders (5): Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Ike Davis, Ruben Tejada, Justin Turner.

Outfielders (6): Jordany Valdespin, Collin Cowgill, Marlon Byrd, Lucas Duda, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Mike Baxter.

Pitchers (12):  Matt Harvey, Jeurys Familia, LaTroy Hawkins, Bobby Parnell, Jonathon Niese, Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner,Scott Rice, Greg Burke, Josh Edgin, Scott Atchison, Brandon Lyon.

9:00 AM Update

A dozen of us from Metsmerized Online have invaded Citi Field and we’ll be Live Blogging the entire day here at MMO. our MMO Fan Correspondent Clayton Collier is the first to report in and the newsstand caught his eye this morning.

John Delcos will be hitting the field and the clubhouse before the game and then will be posting in-game thoughts and some of the action live from the press box. After the game we’ll have a few roving reporters hitting the media room to catch what Terry Collins, David Wright and the rest of the team will have to say.

Clayton is going in armed and ready and will be donning his new All Star Jersey which he had displayed in his own Mets Hall of Fame along with his replica Citi Field Fan-Walk brick and player signed baseballs.

Opening Day Notes

A Grand Opening Day: Todd Hundley has the only Mets grand slam on Opening Day…Hundley’s slam came on April 26, 1995 at Colorado off Billy Swift.

Opening Day Double-Shots: Robin Ventura, Bobby Bonilla, Cleon Jones, Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds are the only five players in club history to hit two home runs in an Opening Day tilt…Ventura was the last to accomplish the feat on April 3, 2001 at Atlanta …Bonilla cracked two home runs in his first game as a Met on April 6, 1992 at St. Louis, Jones belted two home runs on April 6, 1975 vs. Philadelphia and Strawberry and McReynolds each hit two home runs on April 4, 1988 at Montreal in a 10-6 triumph.

Opening Day Zeroes: The Mets have recorded seven shutouts on Opening Day…The last time New York held an opponent scoreless on Opening Day was last year when the Mets blanked the Braves, 1-0…Meanwhile, the Mets have been shut out only once (7-0, April 9, 1963 vs. St. Louis) on Opening Day.

Opening Day Extras: The Mets have played six extra-inning games on Opening Day…They are 5-1 in those contests…The last extra-inning affair was a 6-4, 10-inning victory on April 3, 2001 at Atlanta.

Opening Day Ten-Spots: The Mets have scored 10 or more runs four times on Opening Day, including an Opening Day-high 12 runs on April 4, 1994 against the Cubs…New York surrendered an Opening Day-worst 15 runs to the Cubs in a 15-2 setback at Shea on March 31, 2003.

The season always started on a Tuesday in Cincinnati and Washington; the home of the sport’s oldest franchise and in the nation’s capital for the national past time.

This year, lost in the midst of the NCAA Tournament, the start of the baseball season begins with Sunday’s highly anticipated Houston Astros-Texas Rangers clash on Opening Night – not Day.

You can’t yawn anymore even if you hadn’t slept in three nights. The hook of Houston moving to the American League is a lot of things, but compelling is not one of them.

Thankfully, baseball didn’t go overseas for Opening Day, as when the Mets played the Cubs in Japan days before every other team, and several years ago the Yankees played Tampa Bay in Tokyo, then returned to Florida for more exhibition games. There might have been worse ideas, but few come immediately to mind.

For a financial fix – the only reason Major League Baseball does stuff like this – the sport traded something unique and cherished for generations in exchange for a check.

This season, Opening Day in Cincinnati is polluted by interleague play with the Angels coming in. Not only is interleague distasteful for Opening Day, but if you’re going to do it, why the Angels?

A good team, yes, but if the weather is awful and the game postponed, the Angels will be scrambling for a make-up date to fly cross-country.

Inane scheduling just as the Padres at the Mets tomorrow. Can’t they see the folly in this?

Baseball’s Opening Day was always special and anticipated. Now, it’s like the NBA and NHL, where some years you pick up a paper and two games have been played before you realize the season started.

The NFL stole the concept of Opening Day when it kicks off its season the Thursday before the first weekend with the Super Bowl champion at home. By the way, good job by the Orioles for telling the Ravens and NFL to take a hike by not rescheduling their game.

It wouldn’t be hard to have Opening Day the day after the NCAA Championship in most years. But, if not, go back to Cincinnati and Washington the first Tuesday in April.

Or, have everybody play that day, and taking a page from the NCAA Tourney, have wall-to-wall games from afternoon to late at night, with conceivably four games, the first starting at 1 p.m., and the last at 10.

Make the whole day, from coast to coast, special.

I want Opening Day back, and in New York, both the Mets and Yankees should have the town to themselves. Not only are they playing on the same day in the city, but the same time.

Nobody thought this was bad idea?

Sure, the times and economics change, but does Major League Baseball have to abandon everything that was once cherished?

The roster is set. The grass is cut. Citi Field is ready for a near-sellout crowd as the New York Mets begin their 2013 season taking on the San Diego Padres. To kick-off the Opening Day festivities, the Mets have planned quite a pre-game ceremony for those lucky enough to be in attendance.

The Mets will honor heroes and volunteers who have played an integral role in the response to Hurricane Sandy in a pre-game, on-field ceremony that begins at 12:30 p.m. More than 500 first responders will be honored and the Mets have donated 1,000 Opening Day tickets to citizens who were heroic in their response to Sandy, and those who were affected by the devastation. A nice move by the Mets to dish out so many Opening Day tickets to those who have helped to restore our area following Superstorm Sandy.

Throwing out the ceremonial first-pitch for the Mets will be none other than “Le Grand Orange” himself, Rusty Staub. You saw Rusty on his Google Hangout last month that included MMO’s own Stephen Hanks. The hangout took place in an effort to raise awareness for his charity, the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children’s Benefit Fund, started by Rusty in 1985 to help the widow’s and children of New York first responders killed in the line of duty.

“It’s a thrill to represent my teammates from the 40th anniversary of our N.L. Championship club,” said Staub. “It’s particularly special given the others who will be on the field that day — the heroes in the Sandy relief effort. I was born in New Orleans and saw what storms can do to a region.”

In addition to throwing out the first pitch, Rusty turns 69 today! Perhaps we should sing Happy Birthday to him prior to his first pitch!

Will let Rusty Staub throw out first pitch instead of me. Said I can catch pitch though. He is making me wear an an orange wig in his honor.

— Jay Horwitz (@Jay_HorwitzPR) March 30, 2013

We’ve seen a number of antics by Mets Vice President Jay Horowitz this winter thanks to his Twitter account, wonder if we should expect “Le Jay Orange” come game time.

Emmy Rossum, singer, actress and star of Showtime’s Shameless, will perform the National Anthem backed by 50 choir members from the Scholars’ Academy School Chorus from the Rockaways.

Keith Carradine, Allison Case, Kathleen Monteleone and David Larsen — stars in the popular Broadway show “Hands on a Hardbody” — will perform God Bless America. The popular show opened on March 21 and is based on the 1997 documentary of 10 hard-luck Texas who fight to keep one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it.

Standing Room Only tickets start at $45 and are on sale at Mets.com. I will have a place to sit for today’s game! Way up in the 500′s!

Finally, the phenomena known as the Harlem Shake has invaded Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and now Flushing with none other than Jay Horowitz getting things started. My favorite part has got to be at the 0:33.

Hope everyone is ready for some Mets baseball!!! I can hardly wait! MMO will have nine of our guys (myself included) on hand at Opening Day to give you all the sights and sounds of Opening Day! Let’s go Mets!

At this point, I think everyone knows that I am a Matt den Dekker fan. I’ve argued in his favor since early spring training, when he leaped through the St. Lucie night and pulled a would-be home run from beyond the left-centerfield wall. Many Mets fans never knew who den Dekker was until that moment. That catch brought him into the limelight.

But maybe it was just one catch, people thought. If you’ve read the scouting reports on den Dekker, you would see that most will agree that he has gold glove potential. If den Dekker were to win a gold glove in a Mets uniform someday, he would only be the third outfielder in the team’s history to ever do so. The other two gold glove winner recipients in the outfield were Tommie Agee (1970), and Carlos Beltran (2006-08).

Den Dekker continued to make highlight reel catches through the spring right up until he fractured his wrist on what would have been another catch featured on ESPN’s Top Ten. The fan base has been torn on den Dekker and can basically separated into two categories—one group of fans said his offense was not good enough to be considered for the major league roster, and the other group said his defense more than makes up for his offensive woes, and he will figure it out eventually if you keep giving him at-bats.

I was really hoping that den Dekker would make the opening day roster. I felt that he could help the team win ball games with stellar defense, speed on the base paths, and pop the occasional home run. I felt the fans would rally around a player of his type—young, exciting, and balls to the wall. I recommended hitting him down in the eight hole until he figures it out, which I was convinced he would. There hasn’t been a player that I checked the box scores every time he played to see how he did in awhile. It was a feel-good story, and I was rooting for den Dekker.

I know people are down on den Dekker’s offense, but Toby Hyde’s recent evaluation of den Dekker seems a bit harsh. Here is what he had to say about den Dekker in case you missed it:

He was not a realistic candidate to make the Opening Day roster. Again, he hit .220/.256/.373 in 77 games in AAA last year with 90 strikeouts – a 28% strikeout rate. In 45 PA this spring, he was no better: .205/.222/.364 with one walk and 16 strikeouts – a 36% strikeout rate. I have lowered my offensive expectations for den Dekker from poor in the big leagues, to poor in AAA.

Everyone looks at the strikeouts as a major concern. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that you don’t want a player striking out a lot. An out is an out, but putting the ball in play puts the pressure on the defense to make the play and potentially make a mistake. If you strike out a ton, you are not doing that. But for a young player I would rather see him striking out and taking pitchers deep into the count versus hitting weak grounders after swinging at the first or second pitch. And I would be more likely to accept a player with a high strikeout rate if he provides gold glove defense in a premiere position, has proven to be a decent situational hitter and maybe knock the ball out of the park every now and then. Den Dekker has nine hits this spring and seven RBI. That means the hits were productive. Just bat him towards the back of the lineup until he adjusts.

I pretty much accepted the fact that he would not be on the Opening Day roster, after I read time after time about how his offense and not being on the 40-man roster hurt his chances. Then he fractured his wrist and the reality set in that he definitely won’t be on the roster.

I say I accepted it, instead of say I supported that would-be decision, because I never truly believed that den Dekker should be sent down. Now in full acceptance, I am going through Adam Rubin’s latest roster projection and see that Kirk Nieuwenhuis is not only on his projected opening day roster, but the starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter? Did I miss something? He is 2-26 so far this spring. Two hits all spring and may be our starting centerfielder, but there was no chance den Dekker was making this team? I’m not buying it.

Then I scroll down Rubin’s page a little more and read that “concerned about their defensive capability in center field, the Mets are mulling carrying Kirk Nieuwenhuis on the Opening Day roster over a bona fide backup shortstop (Omar Quintanilla).” Well slap me sideways. Defense does matter after all.

After putting all those pieces together, I don’t think I am reading into this too much by saying that I believe that den Dekker did have a very good shot at making the opening day roster. Den Dekker had outplayed Nieuwenhuis in every way, shape and form this spring. Den Dekker’s bat still needs to develop, but there are three positions on that baseball field where a coach will take defense into account when making decisions—shortstop, catcher, and of course, center field. And you won’t find too many centerfielders with better defense than Matt den Dekker. Let’s hope Matt has a speedy recovery from his wrist injury, so we can see this rare talent roaming the green pastures at Citi Field soon.

When Wright was pulled from the World Baseball Classic last week, manager Terry Collins was thinking a month. Not any longer.

“I would not be surprised if David Wright is there Opening Day,’’ Collins told reporters today. “There will be a lot of things considered here on Thursday or Friday.’’

The Mets are doing the right thing in that both Wright and Murphy are playing in minor league games, so if there was a setback and they had to start the season on the disabled list it could be backdated into spring training.

Among the variables Collins will consider is the weather, as the intercostal muscles both are fighting could be vulnerable to further injury in the cold.

Both players were 1-for-5 in minor league games yesterday.

THE GAME: The Mets were ripped on Tuesday, 11-4, by St. Louis, but the most important thing to take from the game was Jeremy Hefner – who’ll replace Johan Santana in the rotation and on the roster. He left early with a bone bruise on his right elbow, but is okay and will be back in action in a couple of days with a minor bruise. Also on a bright note, Lucas Duda had three more hits, including his fifth homer, to raise his average to .302.

While injuries are sometimes unpreventable and part of the game, the injuries this spring that really made me scratch my head were the intercostal injuries suffered by the Mets’ infielders Daniel Murphy and David Wright. I scratched my head because while this injury is caused by twisting the torso, which baseball players do for a living, many people can go a lifetime and never experience an intercostal injury, or even know where their intercostal muscles are. It seems preventable.

When I saw two players suffer from the same preventable injury, on the same team, a giant question mark appeared over my head. Were these two prominent players not properly warming up before action? Is it something in the off-season program that needs to be tweaked or added to avoid these injuries in coming years?

I decided to call on an expert to give an idea on what causes intercostal injuries and how they can be avoided. Ken Stabler, of Ropestone Fitness, specializes in the Training for Warriors system which is primarily used by MMA fighters, but more and more athletes outside of the MMA world are using the system due to its benefits, especially with rehabbing injuries. I asked Ken to weigh in on this intercostal confusion, and give us a better idea of what Wright and Murphy are doing to try and get back on the field…

Thoughts from Ken

The intercostal muscles or “rib cage muscles” lie in-between and around your ribs. There are 2 types of intercostal muscles: the internal intercostals and the external intercostals consisting of 11 of each. These muscles are primarily used to aid in respiration by reacting to the diaphragm.

Strains in the intercostal muscles are caused in sports by a quick and forceful transverse contraction of the torso. This means that a sharp twisting motion can cause the strain. The injury can cause anywhere from minor to severe pain upon inhalation (breathing in) or reactive actions such as hitting or fielding the ball. When these muscles are strained they also become tight and difficult to stretch. This especially affects baseball players because their whole game revolves around twisting the torso. Whether they are at bat or throwing the ball, there is generally some act of twisting involved.

The origin of the injury doesn’t just lie with the twisting motion. In my experience, the more probable cause of the injury is from weakness in the intercostal muscles as well as in the diaphragm. Chronic motion in the transverse plane (twisting) coupled with weak deep core muscles will cause the injury rather than just the twisting component alone. This is why more and more athletes are adding in Pilates and Yoga to their program, and practicing proper breathing.

Unfortunately, there is no set time frame for recovery. There are generally 3 levels of severity for the strain but every person is different and has a different recovery time. However, there are certain activities to engage in to not only rehab the injury but also prevent future occurrences. I don’t like to place value tags on fitness techniques but I always tell my students that if you can master your breath, you can master your body. I have outlined below some basic techniques to be performed, preferably by a licensed PT or fitness professional but can be done on your own. I will begin by explaining some stretches to be done prior to the exercises.

1. Kneeling latissimus stretch (AKA “children’s pose”). Start by kneeling on the floor. Place your hands, palms down in front of you and reach as far as you can out in front of you. Keep the elbows flexed and lower your head and chest to the floor without compromising your flexed elbows and place the stretch in your lats. Perform 3 times for 30 seconds.
2. Abdominal stretch. Lie Face down with your hands at your sides, next to your chest. Push your upper body and leave your hips and thighs down. DON’T FORGET to keep the core engaged on this one so you don’t compress the lumbar spine. Keep a neutral pelvic tilt. Perform 3 times for 30 seconds.
3. Swiss ball stretch. Lie on your back over a Swiss ball. Begin at the shoulder blades. Let your arms go overhead to your end range of motion. Do not overreach the arms back because then your erector muscles of the spine will start to become engaged. Think of your arms just falling behind you. From that point, roll slightly down on the ball towards your low back and then roll back up towards your shoulder blades (in a rocking motion). Relax on the ball and let your abs stretch out. Breathe in slowly through the nose and exhale slowly and completely. Perform for 5 deep breaths.

Ribcage breathing: this breathing technique is most notably seen in Pilates and Yoga but it is also implemented by many of the top fitness professionals because of its ability to strengthen the core from the inside out and minimize recovery time from a high intensity exercise. This technique is vital to the rest of the program and to an effective strength and conditioning program. Diaphragmatic breathing and ribcage breathing should be done during all activities to keep the deep core muscles strong which in turn, prevents injury.

First lie on your back and pull your feet in as you would in a bridge position. Next, find a neutral pelvic position by activating your core until you feel your lower back against the ground (this position may vary from athlete to athlete depending on the state of which you live in extension). Once you find a neutral pelvis, place your thumbs on the posterior rib cage (in back) on both sides and wrap your fingers along the front of the ribs but do not squeeze. Your hands serve as your marker to see where the ribs are moving but do not apply resistance. Next, inhale into the ribs but do not let the stomach rise by keeping a tight core. This will force the intercostals to expand and contract much more than normal and thus, create a stronger core to prevent future injury.

Release technique: Once you are comfortable expanding the ribs laterally with ribcage breathing, find the same position stated above. Take your thumb and find the injured area or trigger point. Next, slowly expand the ribs with a breath and gently apply pressure to the area. The amount of pressure is subjective to the individual but I would apply it generously if you can tolerate it. Release the applied pressure gradually as you slowly exhale. After each rep, massage along the muscle with your palm to promote blood flow for 15 seconds. Repeat for 5-10 reps.

After this “therapy” session:

1. Ice the area. Icing will decrease inflammation.
2. Compress. A compression shirt is really handy to have around for multiple reasons but especially for an injury like this one. If you do not have a compression shirt then wrap the ribs snuggly.
3. Rest. Do not engage in regular activity until you are pain free. There is a rule I follow. Once you wake up pain free, wait an extra week before attempting more demanding exercises.

Rehabbing an injury is all about diligence and patience. Don’t harp on the injury. It will heal. Take the time to evaluate what you may be missing in your program that caused the injury. You might not have had enough quality sleep, or you haven’t been practicing good form, maybe you have a muscular imbalance that needs to be addressed. Reflection and evaluation are critical if you want to prevent future injuries.

We already know both Wright and Murphy had cortisone shots to try and speed up the recovery process, but Ken lays out a very in depth analysis of the rehab process that the two athletes are also probably going through. Wright seems to be on pace to be in the lineup on Opening Day, and Murphy thinks he can be ready, but only time will tell if one, both, or neither of the two Mets stars start the season on the disabled list. It looks like they’re both making progress with their rehab now, so any time that may have to be spent on the DL will hopefully be minimal.

Clayton – Collin Cowgill is the biggest winner. The guy has yet to see a single pitch for the Mets in the regular season and he already has the number and comparison to a Mets great, not to mention most likely a starting outfield job. My loser is Johan Santana. It could have just as easily been Captain Kirk or Frank Francisco, but when R.A. Dickey was traded, everyone in the baseball world knew the Mets were relying on Johan to anchor the rotation, including him. He knew he had to step it up and didn’t. Now Jeremy Hefner is a regular in the rotation and the Mets are left with a $25 million pitcher on the DL.

Connor - Winners are Collin Cowgill and Zack Wheeler. Losers are Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Brandon Hicks.

Joe S. – Lucas Duda has to be the biggest loser considering the current lack of talent, depth, hope, in the Mets outfield. Duda blowing this chance is like having the winning lottery ticket and putting it through the wash. The biggest winner I would say is Cowgill. He may be the flavor of the month and he may fizzle like a flat open bottle of Pepsi on a hot summer day, but he’s the closest thing to a Pepsi in an outfield of Fanta.

Satish - Biggest Loser has to be Frank Francisco. He drew the ire of the entire fanbase last season and he needed to come in and impress, or at least provide some good vibes. It may not necessarily be his fault, but he is not winning over anybody with his inability to pitch right now. This also somewhat applies to Johan Santana, but the media blew that whole thing up so much, I feel a little bad for the guy. Biggest winner might just be Jordany Valdespin, who showed up and played like a gamer. His character still remains under question, but man, can he play.

Vinny B. - The biggest winner in Mets camp is Jordany Valdespin who has been tearing it up this spring. Many people believed he was destined to be sent down to AAA or to the bench, but his performance this spring gives him a legitimate chance to win a starting job. The biggest loser is Kirk Nieuwenhuis. He was the favorite to win the starting CF position, but his horrid .056 batting average this spring and the knee injury he suffered early this month has hurt his chances of being the Mets starting center fielder.

Adam R. – I’d say Valdespin has solidified himself as the biggest winner, going from possibly being the 25th man on the roster to being the starting CF in a span of three weeks. Whether or not he can sustain that success into the regular season is another story, though I do think he and Cowgill could provide a decent platoon. Sticking with the same position, I’m going to go ahead and say Kirk is the biggest loser. He’s going to lose not only the starting CF duties, but he probably won’t even make the Opening Day roster. Injuries have nagged him his entire pro career, so he really needs to get healthy and stay healthy if he ever wants a real opportunity.

XtreemIcon – Biggest winner is Marlon Byrd. He went from scrap head, minor league signing to a great spring and an Opening Day lineup. The biggest loser is Kirk. Once a well-thought of prospect, he’s going to turn 25 right after Opening Day and he was outplayed by several scrapheap acquisitions.

Dan V. - Jeremy Hefner is the biggest winner, since the issues with Santana were not expected. The biggest loser is Frank Francisco, as I believe the Mets were looking for a reason to bump him from the closer role in favor of Parnell. His injury provided them the opportunity to see, once and for all, what Parnell can do.

Jessica – The biggest winner coming out of spring training has to be Jon Niese. He already looks solid going into the season, and I’m so glad he’s getting the ball Opening Day – he deserves it! The biggest loser is Johan Santana. I may unfairly put him here, but he had expectations of himself and the team had expectations for him to pitch Opening Day. He hasn’t reached that goal and now may start the season on the DL. Maybe relaxing this winter wasn’t the best idea.

Elliot – Biggest Winner: Cowgill. Went from a platoon at the start of camp and looks like he could easily start. Biggest Loser: Baxter. His lack of hitting may cost him a roster spot in its entirety.

Matthew B. – Biggest winner: Jordany Valdespin, Biggest loser: Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Daniel N. – I’d say Jonathon Niese is the biggest winner so far. He’s been pitching great in Spring Training and with Johan Santana’s situation, Niese is billed for opening day. With that being said, I think Santana has been competing for biggest loser. He’s gone from the obvious Opening Day nod to opening the season on the DL. It was hard to see that one coming.

Gregg H. – I would have to say the biggest winner so far this spring is Jordany Valdespin. He appears to be a lock to make the club, and he has erased a lot of questions about whether he’d make the team. As far as biggest loser, well there are a few: Sandy Alderson for not improving the outfield, Dan Murphy for missing most of the spring, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Mike Baxter for not hitting this spring. There are lost of losers.

Expectations are clearly low for the Mets this year. However, they were also low last year, and the team gave fans at least three months of a season before falling off a cliff. Yes, on paper this team doesn’t look good, and they have been hampered by an astonishing number of injuries this Spring. However, this is baseball, and anything can happen. Certainly, a LOT of things will have to fall into place for the Mets to remain competitive. All I’m saying is it’s a possibility.

One of those key factors is that this team must survive April. A week out from Opening Day, the lineup is very much uncertain, and there are too many injuries to count.

Not only are the Mets going to battle injuries, they are going to battle the schedule. In terms of the opposition, it’s not spectacular but it’s not bad either. The challenge will be the combination of solid opposition, as well as a 10-game road trip early in the season, all while potentially being at less than full strength.

Pitchers Johan Santana, Shaun Marcum and Frank Francisco all will, or could, miss time. And on a side note, the reality is you may not be able to expect very much at all from Santana this year. And if that’s the case, the Mets may find they get very little in return for him if they look to move him around the deadline. Then, in the lineup and on the field, David Wright and Daniel Murphy may be unavailable for part of April. The bad news on Matt den Dekker and his broken wrist strikes a blow to the Mets’ outfield depth, so let’s hope the five that make the cut all stay healthy and productive.

Now, this morning, the Mets announced the encouraging news that Wright had taken batting practice and felt no pain. He appears on track for Opening Day at this point, but still, nothing is a certainty, particularly considering the unseasonably cold weather in the Northeast this year. You can bet there is no way the Mets will rush Santana, or Wright, particularly if the latter has the slightest setback.

Even if Wright is back, the Mets will still be shorthanded and face a less than easy slate of games.

The schedule opens with home series against the woeful Padres and Marlins, followed by that 10-game road trip to Philadelphia, Minnesota and Colorado. Many prognosticators believe much of the Phillies’ success this year will hinge on the ability of a talented, albeit aged-roster, to remain healthy. Still, this is a team that loves to beat the Mets.

The Rockies and Twins figure to struggle, but the Mets will be away from home. A challenging nine-game homestand follows, which will feature the reigning National League East Champion Nationals, who are frequently predicted to repeat, the high-spending Dodgers and the rival Phillies again. The month closes with the first two games of a six game road swing against the Marlins. In May, New York’s first visit to Atlanta will follow that three-game set in Miami.

The 10-game road is going to be a very interesting early barometer. One key will be how the Mets set themselves up for that road swing against the Padres and Marlins. A 5-1 homestand would sure help take the pressure off away from home. During the Terry Collins‘ era, the Mets have been better on the road than at home, so that could help as well. But there are no guarantees that trend will continue.

No one, including me, wants to overreact to the results in the first few weeks of April, and all the Mets need to worry about early this season is staying at or near .500. While doing that, the hope is to get healthy. And then as the season rolls on bring up the likes of Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud.

If the Mets can get to the Miami series on April 29th no worse than 12-13, they will have done well, all things considered. Hopefully, by that point, the team will be healthier and looking ahead to the summer months and the prospect of Wheeler and d’Arnaud. Doing this will be key to the Mets remaining relevant into the second half of the season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Updated 3/22

I wanted to share Adam Rubin’s projected Opening Day roster which is not too dissimilar to what I projected.

Rotation: Jon Niese, Shaun Marcum, Matt Harvey, Dillon Gee and Jeremy Hefner.

Bullpen: Bobby Parnell, Brandon Lyon, LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Atchison, Josh Edgin, Pedro Feliciano and Greg Burke.

Infield: Ike Davis, Justin Turner, David Wright, Ruben Tejada and John Buck.

Outfield: Lucas Duda, Collin Cowgill and Jordany Valdespin.

Bench: Marlon Byrd, Mike Baxter, Anthony Recker, Omar Quintanilla and Zach Lutz.

I’m not sure about Lutz, but I do hope he makes the cut….

Original Post 3/18

Beat writers took to Twitter after today’s game and began posting their projected Opening Day lineups. With the reality now setting in that Johan Santana and David Wright could start the season on the DL, here is my projection for our opening day lineup as well as our 25 man roster. My notes follow.

Opening Day Lineup

1. Jordany Valdespin, 2B
2. Collin Cowgill, CF
3. Marlon Byrd, RF
4. Ike Davis, 1B
5. Lucas Duda, LF
6. John Buck, C
7. Justin Turner, 3B
8. Ruben Tejada, SS
9. Jonathon Niese, P

Opening Day Roster

C : John Buck
1B: Ike Davis
2B: Jordany Valdespin
SS: Ruben Tejada
3B: Justin Turner
OF: Lucas Duda
OF: Collin Cowgill
OF: Marlon Byrd

Bench: Zach Lutz
Bench: Mike Baxter
Bench: Omar Quintanilla
Bench: Brandon Hicks
Bench: Anthony Recker

SP: Jonathon Niese
SP: Shaun Marcum
SP: Matt Harvey
SP: Dillon Gee
SP: Jeremy Hefner

RP: Bobby Parnell 
RP: Brandon Lyon
RP: Scott Atchison
RP: LaTroy Hawkins
RP: Josh Edgin
RP: Greg Burke
RP: Pedro Feliciano or Robert Carson

DL: Frank Francisco, Johan Santana, David Wright, Daniel Murphy

Notes:

It looks like any shot that Kirk Nieuwenhuis had of making the team is now gone. It was my hunch all along. Matt den Dekker is another one who won’t be on the OD roster and as I’ve said before, until he can increase his contact rate we won’t see him unless the injury bug hits an already shaky outfield.

I have Mike Baxter making the team, but not because he earned the spot, the Mets have no depth and other options are hitting even worse than he is. Zach Lutz will see some time in the outfield in addition to third base. I don’t think Justin Turner is long for an everyday job and when Daniel Murphy and David Wright come back, I wonder if Turner gets waived.

As I’ve maintained, Travis d’Arnaud will not be on the roster come April 1 despite some scuttlebutt about that yesterday. Like I told another Met blogger yesterday, sandy Alderson does not make player moves based on the whims of fans. There is a methodology to everything that he does.

My sleeper to make the team was Jeremy Hefner back in early February and now he’s not only on the roster, but in the actual starting rotation itself. Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia will start the season in Triple-A they just don’t look like they are ready for the challenge. Not yet.

Still not sold that Alderson will go with just one lefty in the bullpen. The last two years haven’t worked out for the Mets when they went that route and I’d be shocked if they did it now with even worse right-handed crossover relievers than before.

We’ll see how close I came in 13 days when the Mets open the season against the San Diego Padres. You can get tickets to the game at Seat Crunch for the best seats and lowest prices.