Everybody Loves Matt Harvey Applesauce: Mets Very Impressed With Harvey, Not Impressed By Kazmir

Meet the Mets

The talk of Mets camp on Saturday was Matt Harvey, Matt Harvey and Matt Harvey. The righty pitching prospect impressed just about everybody who saw him, spoke to him, touched him and even stood next to him (okay, so maybe those last two were exaggerations) as he used a 40-pitch live batting practice session to his full advantage. Harvey showed off his arsenal, which includes an impressive curve, a new two-seam fastball and a developing changeup to go along with the excellent four-seamer he's always had.

Yesterday was the official report date for position players and SS Ruben Tejada, whose "merely" on-time arrival to camp put him in some hot water with manager Terry Collins, arrived in Miami around 3:00 PM. Tejada was scheduled to meet with Collins this morning at 8 AM in order to discuss why he did not show up early.

The Mets sent a scout to watch lefty Scott Kazmir pitch in Houston and they came away unimpressed, making it unlikely that the two sides will reunite in the near future. Oh well.

New closer Frank Francisco is excited to have the eyes of New York fans watching him and wants to do whatever he has to do to help the team win, even if that means conceding some save opportunities to Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez if they present a better matchup. So, does that make Francisco #TrueSABR?

Catcher Josh Thole is working on developing a more consistent stance behind the plate. First baseman Ike Davis, meanwhile, is not trying to attach a number to how many home runs he thinks he'll hit this year.

The team announced that they will wear a patch on their jerseys honoring the late Gary Carter this season. The patch is shaped like home plate and says "Kid" and "8" on it. Certainly a fitting tribute to the Kid's legacy.

Finally, the Mets released their 2012 promotional schedule, headlined by the return of Banner Day and John Franco's Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Around the Majors

Uh oh. Ryan Howard may or may not have suffered a little setback in his recovery from a torn left achilles tendon. Manager Charlie Manuel says that he has, while GM Ruben Amaro Jr says that he hasn't. Either way, Howard is headed down to Baltimore to visit the doctor who performed the operation. Meanwhile, lefty Cliff Lee will toss a bullpen session today as he recovers from a minor abdominal injury.

The Nationals and Ryan Zimmerman did not get a contract extension worked out on Saturday but no worry. The two sides made progress and are hoping to complete a deal today, according to GM Mike Rizzo.

Alex Rodriguez says he is healthy and in-shape (though maybe not the best of his life) and he's ready to play a full season at third base for the Yankees. A-Rod had plasma-rich platelet injections in his knee and shoulder over the offseason, a treatment suggested to the veteran slugger by NBA star Kobe Bryant.

Unfortunately, Twins flamethrowing righty Joel Zumaya is not in the best shape of his life, as he felt elbow discomfort after just 13 pitches in his first Twins live batting practice session.

Finally, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine banned alcohol from the team's clubhouse, one of a handful of rules he's laying down in his first season in Boston. Now my next question is "did he ban fried chicken, too?".