WHO’S HOT
FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ has retired eight of the last nine batters he’s faced.
SCOTT HAIRSTON is hitting .412 (7-17) with three doubles.
After collecting three hits yesterday, JOSH THOLE is batting .350 (9-23) with two doubles, one home run and four RBI.
Three young Mets each hit three-run home runs yesterday: LUCAS DUDA launched a three-run shot off the Nationals’ Tyler Clippard while JORDANY VALDESPIN and KAI GRONAUER each belted a three-run home run home run against Florida.
JASON ISRINGHAUSEN, who pitches today, has only only allowed one run in his 4.0 innings of work this spring.
THREE METS IN TOP 100 PROSPECTS
Three Mets were listed on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects of 2011 which was released on Wednesday. Righthanded pitcher Jenrry Mejia comes in at number 44, shortstop Wilmer Flores is 59 and outfielder Cesar Puello is 77. Mejia was the youngest player on a major league Opening Day roster in 2010 and the youngest Mets pitcher to make an Opening Day roster since Dwight Gooden in 1984. He went 0-4 with a 4.62 ERA (20 earned runs/39.0 innings) in 33 games, three starts with the Mets. Flores began last season with Savannah before moving to St. Lucie during the final week of June. In 67 games in the Florida State League he hit .300 (83-277) with 18 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 40 RBI. He drove in 84 runs combined in his two stops in the organization, which ranked second among all Mets minor leaguers and was Sterling Award recipient at St. Lucie…Puello hit .292 (118-404) with 80 runs scored, 22 doubles, 34 RBI and 45 stolen bases for Savannah. He ranked fifth in the SAL and first in the Mets organization in stolen bases and led Savannah in hits, runs scored, doubles.
COUNTDOWN TO OPENING DAY
Including today, there are 22 days until Opening Day…The Mets begin the 2011 regular season on Friday, April 1 at 7:10 p.m. at Florida.
METS LOVE LUCIE
This season marks the 23rd year that the New York Mets have held their Spring Training in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Only eight major league teams have trained in their sites longer: the Cubs, Athletics, Giants, Tigers, Astros, Phillies, Pirates, and Blue Jays…The Mets moved to the Treasure Coast in 1988 after being located in St. Petersburg, Fla from 1962-1987.
FLEX PACKS ON SALE
Mets Flex Packs starting at $99 per seat are on sale now. The five-, 11- and 17-game packs all come with a ticket to a bonus game. Each pack also includes a ticket to Opening Day or one of the Subway Series games. Mets Flex Packs are available online at Mets.com and by phone at (718) 507-TIXX.
