Good Morning Mets Fans. The New York Mets will take on the St. Louis Cardinals today as Robert Gsellman gets his final Florida tuneup as he readies for the regular season and will be opposed by Adam Wainwright. Today’s game will start at 1:10 PM ET and can be heard on WOR.
LATEST METS NEWS
Yesterday, Zack Wheeler and Seth Lugo pitched in split-squad games with a possible rotation spot hanging in the balance. Wheeler mightily impressed Mets brass with an outing the included five shutout innings. He gave up just two hits on the day and struck out three while walking two batters in the team’s 5-0 victory over Miami. Lugo on the other hand had a rough outing, allowing three homers and four runs in total in a 6-0 loss to the Nationals. He allowed eight hits on the day while striking out three. It all seemingly will come down to if the organization feels Wheeler may have the stamina to pitch every five days or so at the start of April at this point. Read more from Mike Puma in the NY Post.
There has been much chatter this spring on what Yoenis Cespedes will bring to the table now that he has signed on with New York for the long term. He has been broached many times this spring of his ability to have an MVP caliber season but it made it clear yesterday that he is always a team first player and he is not in this game for the numbers. The Mets’ star outfielder believes his team has everything it needs to compete for a World Series trophy this year, including the mentality of a winner. He is in the midst of wrapping up an impressive spring as he has hit to a .378/.442/.733 batting line to go along with five homers and 10 RBI. Read more from Kristie Ackert in the NYDN.
Mets starting pitcher, Steven Matz threw from flat ground yesterday and tossed 55 pitches, pain free. His status though is still in doubt at this juncture with opening day less than one week away. The Long Island lefty believes this was nothing more than a little pain and is nothing to be worried about. Today will be more telling for Matz to see if he again experiences the discomfort, a day removed from throwing. If Matz is unable to break camp with the team, it is expected that either Wheeler or Lugo will take his place in the rotation to start the season. Read more from David Lennon in Newsday.
NL EAST RUMBLINGS
The Washington Nationals have released veteran closer, Joe Nathan. Read more from Chelsea Janes in the Washington Post.
Veteran reliever, David Hernandez recently signed with the Atlanta Braves in hopes of winning a bullpen spot out of the gate. Read more from David O’Brien on theAJC.com.
Jeff Locke of the Miami Marlins is expected to miss at least the first month of the season due to bicep tendinitis. Read more from Tim Healey in the Sun Sentinel.
Matt Breen of Philly.com takes a look at the roster decisions looming for the Philadelphia Phillies.
JOE D’S NIGHTMARE
It was awful… I was in this musty basement office with gray concrete floors… The walls were horrifying, covered with old wood paneling from the 80’s, smeared with years of cigarette smoke residue and slathered with water stains from an upstairs leaky toilet. The smell was onerous and putrid.
I was sitting in one of those cheap office chairs, the kind you’d buy in an old and decrepit Walmart somewhere in Arkansas. Only this one was heavily worn, missing one wheel, and had these stains on the seat that were gross and unsightly. And that wasn’t even the worst part.
The worst part was that I was posting an article on this deranged Mets site littered – and I do mean littered – with the kinds of whiny posts and absolute drivel that would get someone fired at MMO for extreme malpractice.
It was the most appalling writing I ever saw and the aggressive ignorance that was on display haunted me to the depths of my soul. Is this Hell, I wondered… I strained hard at the header to see what the name of this painfully agonizing site was, and after wiping the screen down with an old rag and some lighter fluid, I was finally able to make out two words: Mets Police.
No, God, No…
I did the only noble thing I could and reached into my desk drawer for my Beretta 9MM and shot myself. I wake up in a cold sweat, but am relieved to learn that it was all just a bad dream.
RECENTLY ON MMO
Mike Simon writes on his experience in Port St. Lucie this year.
Over at MetsMinors.net, Mets Daddy believes Gavin Cecchini is now best suited at second base.
THIS DAY IN METS HISTORY
On this day in 1965, the Mets purchased pitcher, Frank Lary from Milwaukee.
Mets players born on this day include, Brad Emaus (31), Paul Wilson (44) and Craig Paquette (48).
