Tonight’s game between the Mets and Marlins has been postponed due to rain.

The game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on September 14 at 4:10 PM..

Original Post 8:00 AM

Despite Thursday night’s rainout against the Washington Nationals, righthander Matt Harvey will still remain the scheduled starter on Friday when the Mets begin their homestand against the Miami Marlins.

Shaun Marcum, who was initially Thursday’s scheduled starter, will instead pitch on Saturday, bumping lefthander Jon Niese to Sunday. This will give Niese an extra day of rest while keeping Harvey on his regular routine.

On Wednesday, Niese tossed 39 pitches in a successful bullpen session at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. He had no problems, threw the ball free and easy, and was able to get his arm angle to where he wanted to.

“It was nice to throw a bullpen without feeling any soreness or pain,” Niese said.

Byrd’s the word these days for the Mets, as their veteran offseason signing continues to produce at a level far beyond what anyone expected.

Last night, Marlon Byrd struck again and this time he hit not one, but two home runs in the Mets 10-1 rout of the Washington Nationals.

Better still was the fact that Byrd predicted he’d hit two homers before the game during batting practice according to the New York Post:

“I was feeling good in B.P. and I was joking around with Anthony Recker,” Byrd said. “I said, ‘Hey, if I get some pitches tonight, get some strikes, I’m going to hit two home runs tonight.’ I didn’t think it was going to happen.”

But Recker said Byrd’s prediction wasn’t a joke.

“He was dead serious,” Recker said. “And he did it. That’s amazing to me. He called it. You don’t see that very often.”

Byrd is batting .255 for the season with 8 home runs and 28 RBI. Four of those home runs have come in his last eight games over which he is batting .318 with a .423 on-base.

One of the most revealing things about the Mets’ 7-6 loss to the Nationals today, is that they are 7-1 this season when Jon Niese and Matt Harvey start, and 1-7 when they turn to Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner and Aaron Laffey. That says a lot, doesn’t it?

Today’s sacrificial lamb was 26-year old Jeremy Hefner who made a quick exit lasting only four innings and allowing four earned runs on four hits, three walks and a pair of homeruns to Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper. It might be time to consider bringing up Collin McHugh who seems to be having no problems pitching in the hitter-friendly PCL and owns a league leading 0.59 ERA. As for Heff, his 7.07 ERA tells the story.

Fifth starter Aaron Laffey came out of the bullpen for this one, but offered little relief and quickly served up a three-run homer to first baseman Adam LaRoche and couldn’t even finish his one inning of work. Laffey has a 7.20 ERA this season and there’s really no reason to keep him around even as a longman.

The backbreaking blow came when Bryce Harper nailed southpaw Josh Edgin with his second homer of the game in the eighth inning. The blast was proved to be the game winner. I like Edgin, but he’s been throwing batting practice this season and his velocity has tanked. This is not the same reliever we saw last season, and it may be time to cut bait with Edgin and his 9.00 ERA.

Offensively, the Mets were able to muster up six runs including five off of Nats starter Gio Gonzalez. The five runs all came in a big fourth inning, with Collin Cowgill and Daniel Murphy each driving in a pair. David Wright nearly got a hold of one, but had to settle for a triple. Ike Davis, who had two home runs yesterday off right-handed pitching, did what he usually does when a southpaw is on the mound and struck out three times. Sooner or later they’ll figure out they need to platoon him. Davis stranded three runners in scoring position in the process.

The Mets didn’t homer for the first time in eight home games at Citi Field this season.

The Mets obviously have two hug immediate concerns; a backend of the rotation which has totally sucked, and a bullpen that already needs some revamping.

Joe D.’s Crystal Ball:  Expect Shaun Marcum to be activated from the DL and Collin McHugh to get promoted from Las Vegas. Say goodbye to Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Hefner. In the bullpen, I expect that both Greg Burke and Josh Edgin are as good as gone. We could see Robert Carson get promoted and one of either Frank Francisco or Pedro Feliciano get activated after the weekend. I’m betting it’s Frank-Frank.

This game was underwhelming and a big letdown after Friday night’s prime time spectacle. If they don’t fix the backend of the rotation, the Mets will be 15 games out by the end of May. And so far, Zack Wheeler is not looking like a solution, let alone an option.

Mets manager Terry Collins said he did not plan to disrupt the throwing schedule for Matt Harvey regardless of postponements in Denver. So Harvey continues to be in line for Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals, who are expected to start Stephen Strasburg in the series opener at Citi Field.

Original Post by Ed Leyro on 4/15

Although not nearly as grandiose as this historic matchup, Stephen Strasburg vs. Matt Harvey promises to be Must See TV.

Matt Harvey almost made history on Saturday for the Mets, coming within seven outs of pitching the franchise’s second no-hitter.  Although he didn’t keep the Twins hitless, he did keep them behind the Mets all day en route to his third consecutive victory to start the season.

Given the weather forecasts for Minneapolis today and Denver during the week, the Mets might have to shuffle their rotation if games get delayed or postponed.  If that happens, Mets fans might be in for a real treat next Friday when their beloved team returns to Citi Field to open a ten-game homestand against the division rival Washington Nationals.

Washington has already announced that their starting pitcher for Friday night’s game against the Mets will be Stephen Strasburg.  Because of the uncertain weather conditions the Mets face in Minneapolis and Denver, Strasburg’s opponent could very well be Matt Harvey.

As things currently stand, Dillon Gee is set to start today’s finale against the Twins.  Gee would be followed by Jeremy Hefner on Monday in Colorado, Aaron Laffey on Tuesday and Jonathon Niese on Wednesday.  Harvey would be in line to pitch in the final game against the Rockies Thursday afternoon.  However, if today’s game in Minnesota is rained out (and there’s a 90% chance of rain being forecast for Sunday afternoon), Gee’s start would be pushed back to Monday.

Of course, if the Mets have a game postponed over the next few days, manager Terry Collins could bypass Aaron Laffey’s spot in the rotation and continue to pitch the other starters on four days’ rest.  That would keep Harvey on pace to pitch Thursday.  But there is an 80% chance of precipitation for the Mile High City on Monday.  And on Wednesday night, the temperature is supposed to dip to a ridiculous-for-baseball 12°.  That’s 12° Fahrenheit, not 12° Celsius (which converts to a more baseball-friendly 53° F).

If any of the games in Colorado are postponed, we might get a pitching matchup to drool over on Friday night at Citi Field.  It’s such a juicy matchup, it deserves its own paragraph, italics, centering, boldface and a pair of photographs:

Matt Harvey vs. Stephen Strasburg

As Mets fans, we never want to see Mother Nature deny us the opportunity to see our beloved team on a day the schedule tells us that they’re supposed to play.  But the potential for a Harvey/Strasburg matchup at Citi Field is too intriguing to pass up.

Do yourselves a favor.  Pay a visit to your local bookstore and ask if they have a “Raindancing For Dummies” manual.  Then send it to a couple of displaced Mets fans living in Minnesota and Denver.  You won’t regret it if we get a pitching matchup of Harvey vs. Strasburg at Citi Field on Friday night.

Update:  It looks like the “Raindancing For Dummies“ manual worked.  As of Sunday morning, the finale of the three-game series in Minnesota has been canceled due to inclement weather.  The official New York Mets Twitter account has posted the pitching matchups for the four-game series in Colorado, and you might notice a specific member of the rotation who is not scheduled to pitch at Coors Field.

Rotation for the Rockies: Mon: Dillon Gee. Tue. Aaron Laffey. Wed. Jeremy Hefner. Thurs. Jonathon Niese.

— New York Mets (@Mets) April 14, 2013

Matt Harvey will not be pitching in Colorado this week, meaning he will indeed be starting the opener of the homestand against Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals.  If you were able to send one of the manuals to a displaced Mets fan in Denver, please contact them and tell them it’s defective.  That way, they won’t use it and we’ll get that epic matchup on Friday night.  Barring any other weather-related cancellations, it appears as if many Mets fans, as well as baseball fans in general, will be in love with this matchup on Friday night.

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (6-1)

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

Washington Nationals (4-2)

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

Philadelphia Phillies (2-5)

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

Miami Marlins (1-6)

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

Injury Report

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Schedules (4/8-4/14) 

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

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

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

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

Suspensions

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

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

“Keep Your Enemies Closer”

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

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

5. Miami Marlins

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

4. New York Mets

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

3. Atlanta Braves

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

2. Philadelphia Phillies

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

1. Washington Nationals

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

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

NL East At A Glance

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

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

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

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

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

Projected Standings

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

Top Sleeper

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

Top Rookie

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

Top Pitcher

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

Top Hitter

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

Wild Card winner getting first two games at home in Divison Series

When the Marlins won the World Series in 1997 they had the same first two games at home, which gave them an added advantage. Going up against the San Francisco Giants in the Divison Series, they won the first two games at home, and then the first game back in San Fran to complete the sweep. They later went on to win the World Series. If that series started in San Fran, who knows how it would have turned out. Expect similar upsets this year.

Not having Mariano Rivera will hurt the Yankees chances

This is a given. Mariano is the greatest closer in the history of the game, and post-season play. Aside from a hiccup in the 2001 World Series, Rivera has been flawless. When the Yankees made it to the 8^th inning with a lead in previous years, it was a lock they would walk away with a win. Don’t expect similar results this year.

The Rangers will go as far as Josh Hamilton takes them

If Josh Hamilton catches fire, the Rangers will be playing in the World Series. If he continues to slump, the Rangers will make an early playoff exit. During a contract year, if Hamilton wants to really cash in, now is the time to really step up. I think he will.

Oakland’s weaknesses will be exposed

Like Billy Beane’s great moneyball teams of the early 2000s, the Athletics will ultimately be exposed in the playoffs against the Tigers, and eliminated in the ALDS. Maybe if they continue to shock everyone, and go on to win the World Series, Brad Pitt will play Beane in the Moneyball sequel. In other news, the comedic spoof of Moneyball, The Moneyball Mets, is slated for release in 2013.

Bryce Harper

Rookie Mike Trout has been all the talk of 2012, but Harper has been lurking in the shadows waiting to get his chance to steal back the rookie spotlight. This is his opportunity to show the world that he is still the best young talent in the game. Bryce Harper doesn’t sink back into the crowd, and is going to lift his play to another level with all the national attention. He will prove why Sports Illustrated dubbed him as “the chosen one.” I wonder if he will give us a few more memorable quotes along the way – That’s a clown question ‘bro.

These were just a few things that will make for a very interesting playoff season. There are a slew of other story lines that will impact this year’s playoff picture, and I’m looking forward to seeing them all unfold.

Everyone has a clean slate starting today. Team records are reset to 0-0. Everything that happened over the course of the season is in the past. Everything is on the line, and the glory is there for the taking. Who wants it more? God I love this game…

POWER PLAY: Ike Davis will need to flex some more muscle in critical homestand for the Mets.

Mets Season Prospects

Coming off a series sweep by the Atlanta Braves that left nothing undamaged and a series loss to the Washington Nationals, the New York Mets season appears to be in jeopardy. While the Mets started the season with a respectable win-loss ratio (46-43) at the All-Star break, the second half is off to a rocky start. It is too soon to call the season over at this point, but as the days slip away, it is definitely becoming crunch time.

The Fan Base

While the fans have stayed loyal to the team, it is not surprising that the tumultuous start to the second half of the season is giving many Mets loyalists an unwelcome reminder of last year’s season. In 2011, the team had an almost similar and impressive 46-45 start to the season before imploding in the second half and spending the last two months at ten games below .500, it is not surprising that even the faithful are developing doubts.

While the aftermath of losing both Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran in pre-deadline trades provide some explanation of last year’s decline, fans are concerned that a similar meltdown could occur again. Everything seemed to go wrong. Even umpires with the best umpire equipment couldn’t make the right calls which only added to the frustration. The fact is that even if this year’s cause is different, it will serve as little consolation if the result is the same.

The Outlook

After the getting swept in Atlanta and losing the first two games in D.C., the Mets salvaged the final game of their road trip with a convincing 9-5 victory on Thursday. They are sitting three and a half games behind the Braves and a full seven games behind the Washington Nationals. Getting swept and losing a series against the two teams we are trying to catch can be a disastrous blow for the Mets at this point in the season. But the Mets have been very resilient this year, and they go back to Citi Field on a high note.

To that end, this homestand beginning with the Dodgers this weekend and then a rematch with the Nationals, may prove to be a very critical six games. Not only will it set the tone for the next few months, it could cause a significant change in the standings.

The Mets have a real opportunity to make up some ground and show their faithful fans that the season is not done. On the other hand, another 1-5 finish would be a major blow that may spell the end for the Mets this season.

If the Mets wish to continue to compete this season, the team will not only need to dominate at home and push for their stake in the wild card standings, but they will also need to send a strong message to the fans that they are not done. These next six games may prove critical.

This Fan Shot was contributed by Rebecca.

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

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

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

Why are they good enough to win the NL East?

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

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

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

Why the NL East may be winnable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What do you think?

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

But being a huge Pelfrey supporter does not make me one of those apologists. I call myself jokingly a “homer” but I am a realistic optimist when it comes to him. Of course I have a soft spot in my heart for home grown talent and especially for home grown pitchers, but I am realistic in acknowledging that Mike Pelfrey’s start this season is a cause for concern.

What I don’t appreciate is when Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo were let go by the Mets organization that most people were looking to find their next scapegoat. I was surprised when I heard most people wanting to go after Mike Pelfrey, a guy who just won 15 games the year prior. But it was an easy target: after all, we knew he was a head case and here was Mets manager Terry Collins putting the label “ace” on him with the absence of Johan Santana. Now, I know Mike Pelfrey isn’t the “ace” of a rotation with or without Johan Santana, and probably will never be…But outside of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee (of course those two are bad examples since they are on the same team), Tim Lincecum, CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez, are there truly “aces” like the way we were schooled on them (like the Tom Seavers, Nolan Ryans, Dwight Goodens, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, etc) left in baseball today?

But that’s not even the question here. What I want to know is the following about starting Mike Pelfrey or keeping him around at all…when he’s playing for an NL East team and he pitches HORRIBLY against NL East teams???

Here’s a newsflash folks: It’s not about his head, it’s not about whether he’s good or not, whether he’s a fly ball pitcher or strikeout pitcher or whatever, it’s the fact that he can’t perform well against any NL East team on the road.

Against NL East teams, here is a sampling of Mike Pelfrey’s career numbers against NL East teams. 

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Source: Baseball Reference

These are teams he’s going to face the most over a given time season. He has GOT to bring it better than what the numbers show above.

But to add insult to injury, he seems to only perform decently against these teams while at CitiField. Did you know he’s never won a game at Nationals Park in four starts? And he’s got an over NINE ERA against the Phillies in Citizens Bank Park! No wonder Ryan Howard can tee off him there!

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Source: Baseball Reference

Needless to say, those numbers are pretty atrocious, barring any start against any other team. While Pelfrey has been consistently inconsistent at times in his career, the fact is he’s been abysmal against the very teams that he has to absolutely step up his game.

Why are we discussing this now? Clearly, I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt to Sandy Alderson and the crew backing him up in JP Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta. After all, they didn’t make any rash decisions until they were able to see the team perform; they didn’t go wild and crazy with the free agency market and setting the team back even further; they were able to cut ties with those who needed to (Pedro Feliciano ,Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo) and round out the rest of the team and bullpen with some high-reward low-risk types (Chris Young, Chris Capuano, and Jason Isringhausen to name a few).

If I can be pleased that they didn’t jump the gun simply for jumping it, I have to say that I am dismayed at a few things. One is that I’ve been thrown under the bus for suggesting Angel Pagan should have been traded in the offseason. I still believe they could have gotten better value for him then. Two is that for a front office team that is so heavily reliant on stats, the decision should have been a no-brainer: the 20/20 hindsight of trading Mike Pelfrey at his high value.

It’s not even trading him at his high value. Mike Pelfrey, while he has shown some glimmers of hope and talent there over the years, is maddeningly inconsistent against NL East teams. If a schmoe blogger like myself can easily look up some stats on Baseball Reference, chances are they dropped the ball on this. Now, Pelfrey has shown that he’s got issues again, and unless he has a bounceback month (which I won’t totally rule out), the fact is the Mets aren’t going to get any value for Mike Pelfrey whatsoever. At least, to the extent of what they’ve invested in him already.

Look, don’t get me wrong. I love Mike Pelfrey. No one wants to see him succeed more than me (well, maybe I know a few others over at Brooklyn Met Fan who do). I am also of the frame of mind that if he can succeed elsewhere I can put my homerism aside and let him be the best he can be someplace else. His stats suggest that he’s been successful against AL East teams (of all things) and against NL Central teams. Some team wouldn’t have wanted to take a gander at him?

Most of all, I believe that when Mike Pelfrey leaves, he’ll come back to bite us in the ass, Nolan Ryan-style. I can see Big Pelf being a force on another team. To me, sad as I am to admit to it, his time may have come and gone here in New York. I just wish that it didn’t take a month into the season for everyone to realize this.

Alright, you already know what the Bravos have been up to, but did you know that they’re going to play the Florida Marlins next? Riveting stuff. Also, Tim Hudson won NL Pitcher of the Month on the back of his 1.71 ERA in August.

Philadelphia Phillies: (76-58; -2)

Last week, when I wrote about the team from Philly, they were on a four-game losing streak. Now, they’ve won six of seven, highlighted by a sweep of the San Diego Padres last weekend. They return home to face the Milwaukee Brewers for three.

Florida Marlins: (67-65; -10)

The Florida Marlins took two of three from the Washington Nationals, in a series that was famous for other reasons (oh, we’ll get to that). Gaby Sanchez got a three game suspension for this wicked clothesline. Geez, if baseball doesn’t work out, he could join WWE. Also, Chris Volstad got 6 games, Alex Sanabia 5. The catcher than Nyjer Morgan laid our, Brett Hayes, is out for the year. When you combine that with John Baker on the DL, Ronny Paulino’s drug suspension, and this, the Marlins are now down to their 4^th string catcher, Brad Davis. Sidenote, Ricky Nolasco and Donny Murphy will also miss the rest of the year for injuries.

Washington Nationals: (57-77; -21)

Last week, I lamented the Stasburg injury because I feared I would have nothing else to talk about in this space. Well, thank you Nationals for Nyjer Morgan.

The story begins in the series against the Cardinals, when Morgan ran over the catcher Bryan Anderson, at the plate. Anderson, mind you, did not have the ball, and Morgan didn’t even touch home, but that looked to be that, after manager Jim Riggleman sat him for a game.

Then came the Marlin series where he ran over the catcher Hayes, and was thrown out. The dumbest part of this is, had Morgan slid like a normal person, he would have been safe. This was in the 10^th inning, in a tied game, by the way!

The next day, the Marlins had broken out to a big lead when pitcher Chris Volstad drilled Morgan. Morgan promptly stole 2^nd and 3^rd off the Marlins. That didn’t sit well with Volstad, who threw at at Morgan again later on. Then a brawl broke out, with Morgan throwing punches, and getting owned by Gaby Sanchez. Morgan had to be pulled out by third base coach Pat Listach, and while exiting, Morgan played to the crowd like a WWE heel.

Morgan will end up with an 8 game suspension. Riggleman a 2 game suspension, and Listach a 3 game suspension.

No weekly stat this week, but I’ll leave you with another trivia question.

Only four players in Mets history have had a last name beginning with the letter “I.” Who are they?

Hint: One of them is on the roster now.

The Braves were swept by the Colorado Rockies, and look to rebound this week against the Florida Marlins. Saturday’s matchup features two 14-game winners in Tim Hudson and Ricky Nolasco. Sunday’s game features two 11-game winners in Derek Lowe and Josh Johnson.

Philadelphia Phillies: (70-57; -3)

As bad as the Braves had it, the Phillies were worse. They were swept in four games, at home, to Roy Oswalt’s old buddies in Houston. Ironically, Oswalt didn’t start any of the games. Oswalt will start tonight, though, as the Phillies travel to San Diego. Ouch. The Padres send out Latos, Garland, and Richard. There’s a chance that they could be looking at  a 7-game losing streak, unless the Phillsters turn it around.

Florida Marlins: (64-62; -8.5)

The Marlins were the only NL East team to win their series, but you knew that already. They will play the Braves for three.

Washington Nationals: (54-74; -19.5)

On the field, they were swept by the Cubs before taking last night’s game from the Cardinals. They finish their four-game series against St. Louis this weekend.

Off the field: They welcome Bryce Harper to the team, they welcome Jordan Zimmermann back to the team, and they prepare Stephen Strasburg for Tommy John surgery. BTW, speaking of Harper, have you seen the kids in the Little League World Series wearing Harper’s war paint. Awesome.

Strasburg will miss the rest of the season, and likely 2011 as well. If they were to rush his rehab, he actually could play in 2011, but that would  be a really dangerous idea. We won’t likely see him until 2012.

In an ironic story, Stras was replaced in the rotation by Zimmermann, who underwent TJ Surgery last year. Strasburg is the second consecutive Nationals 1st round pick to have his rookie year shortened by TJ Surgery.

But there are bright sides to this for the Nationals.

1. The Nationals retain control of him for two more years than they normally would have.

2. Before you yell “Mark Prior,” the problem was in Strasburg’s elbow, not his shoulder, as was the case with Prior. Elbow problems are easier to fix than shoulder ones.

3. Better to get TJ surgery out of the way when you’re young. Case in point: Josh Johnson. Ties in with…

4. Pitchers seem to come back from Tommy John Surgery stronger than before. Look at the cases of Josh Johnson, Joakin Soria, Rafael Soriano, Billy Wagner, Chris Carpenter, Octavio Dotel, Jaime Garcia, and half the Blue Jay rotation.

5. In 2012, many National prospects will be hitting the major league (Danny Espinosa), in AAA (Bryce Harper), or getting better on the Major League level (Ramos and Zimmermann). Add to that the Nationals being in-line for a top-5 pick, and probably next year too, and you could have a division contender in 2012.

However, without Strasburg, the Nationals segment of this column will be rather dull.

No Weekly Stat this week, but I’ll leave you with a trivia question:

Who was the last Met to win the team Triple-Crown (led the Mets in HR, AVG., and RBI) and in what season?

The Braves took two of three form the Washington Nationals. The Bravos will travel to Chicago to play the Cubs. So apparently, Derrek Lee won’t have far to travel.

Philadelphia Phillies: (68-52; -2.5)

The Phillies took two of three from the San Francisco Giants, (they did not face Lincecum), and will head home to play the Nationals.

Florida Marlins: (60-60; -10.5)

The Marlins took three of four from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and will head to Houston for three. The Marlins gave Wes Helms a $1 million extension for next year. Also, they have recalled Andrew Miller at the expense of Taylor Tankersley. Oh, and a team has reportedly claimed Cody Ross off waivers.

Washington Nationals: (52-69; -19)

The Nationals dropped two of three and will head to Philadelphia for the Phillies. Wilson Ramos made his National debut during the week.  Strasburg pitches Saturday.

Weekly Stat: 2011 Draft Update

For the first time in three years, we have no NL East team within striking distance of winning the Anthony Rendon sweepstakes for the number 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft.

The Nationals are in line to be 8^th (9^th when you factor in Arizona’s extra pick). The Mets are in 12^th (13^th) and the Marlins are 15^th (17^th when you factor in Milwaukee’s extra pick).