Good Morning Mets Fans. A Dark Knight will rise on this Sunday as Matt Harvey makes his spring debut for the Metropolitans at 1:05 pm E.T. He will be opposed by Mike Leake and the St. Louis Cardinals. Today’s game can be seen on WPIX and heard on WOR.
Harvey is raring to go as he steps back on the mound in a game for the first time since his surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome. “Last season was kind of a struggle,” Harvey said. “Obviously, I want to help this team and contribute as much as I can, and that starts [Sunday]. I couldn’t feel better. … I feel like I’m throwing the ball the way I want to.”
LATEST METS NEWS
Jacob deGrom dominated in his spring debut on Saturday as he pitched two perfect innings while striking out three in the Mets’ 3-1 victory over Houston.. One of the more encouraging parts of the outing was deGrom’s ability to hit 97 MPH on the radar gun. “Last year, it was all I had to get to 92 [mph],” deGrom said. “It has to do with repeating my mechanics. Last year, I flew open all the time and my arm was dragging.” Read more from columnist Dan Martin in the NY Post.
John Harper of the NYDN breaks down the Mets’ unwillingness to provide Noah Syndergaard with an agreeable contract as they stuck to the formula they have used in recent years with players in his situation. The team’s ace was notably not too happy with how the situation has played out as the two sides disagreed over roughly $9,000. “I did not sign my contract, I don’t agree with it,” Syndergaard said. “Other than that, I don’t discuss my contract with the media.”
Lucas Duda collected two more doubles in his second game of spring on Saturday, showing more positive signs of power early on. The Mets’ first baseman is going through an adjustment of having to take less swings in a batting cage, something he is not amenable to do to his love for hitting. “Some guys take more, some guys take less. I am still trying to find the right equation or whatever you want to call it,” Duda said. “I like to hit, that’s what I do. So finding that balance, staying in between too much too less, finding that median that’s what I am trying to do.” Read more from columnist Kristie Ackert in the NYDN.
NL EAST RUMBLINGS
The Atlanta Braves have been ranked as the top farm system in major league baseball for the 2017 season. Jeff Schafer of Tomahawk Take breaks down the team’s top players as follows, “Dansby Swanson leads the list for the Braves at number four overall. Ozzie Albies is next on the top 100 list at number 10. Braves 17-year-old prospect Kevin Maitan falls in at number 32 overall before playing a professional game! Lefty Kolby Allard is at number 53. Mike Soroka slides in at number 78. Sean Newcomb at number 80 and first round draft pick in 2016 Ian Anderson is at number 86.” The New York Mets were not ranked in the top 10 farm systems on this list.
In order to simplify things for himself, Washington Nationals pitcher, Stephen Strasburg may ditch his windup for the upcoming season. “I’m not trying to reinvent myself, but just trying to simplify things as much as I can and be able to repeat my mechanics,” Strasburg said. “I feel like as I’ve gotten older, for whatever reason, the windup’s just been an issue as far as getting that right feeling of staying on the mound, not drifting too much toward [the] first- or third-base side on my leg kick, and sticking the landing a little bit better.” Read more on ESPN.
RECENTLY ON MMO
Joe D remembers former New York Met, Danny Frisella.
On MMO Fan Shots, reader Joe O’Connor writes on Matt Harvey and his belief that he will rise once more.
Over at MetsMinors.net, Ed Delany takes us around minor league camp in photographic form.
TODAY IN METS HISTORY
On this day in 1973, Rusty Staub ended a holdout with the Mets by signing a three-year deal worth $330,000.
Mets players born on this day include, Mike Hessman (39), Kevin Brown (51), Les Rohr (71) and Larry Elliot (79).
