Hoyas vs. Red Storm to open Citi Field on Sunday. Hopefully the weather is kind. Happy Friday:
Around Port St. Lucie
The Mets beat the Cardinals 9-5 yesterday, and John Maine pitched well. It's nice to see a good non-Johan/Livan performance by a Mets starter. The offense came alive, as Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, and Jose Valentin all tallied 2 hits.
Johan Santana will start vs. the Nationals tonight, in what's expected to be his final Grapefruit League appearance.
I find it hilarious that Oliver Perez has to deny that he's out of shape. It's the kind of story that never gets any legs if you're simply in great shape to begin with, which I think a pro athlete making $12 million should be. Mike's Mets provides some more insight on this Ollie nonsense.
Mets Police is taking its cause to make Opening Day at Citi Field a day game to the streets. I'm all for this, and if a petition was placed in front of me I would sign it. Go MP!
Metsmerized finishes up its March Madness style tournament to determine the best baseball movie of all time. The overrated "The Natural" and "Field of Dreams" are in the championship. I stopped voting when the best baseball movie ever, "Major League", was knocked off in the first round. That's like Bob Murphy being knocked out in the first round of the announcer tournament here.
Alex Nelson at Mets Geek interviews the terrific baseball writer and radio host Howard Megdal.
Around the NL East
The Phillies lost 10-2 to the Yankees, but the 2 runs were solo homers by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard off of Joba Chamberlain.
Phillies Nation ended its top 100 Phillies of all-time series by naming Mike Schmidt #1. No surprise here.
Talking Chop wants Will Ohman. They need Will Ohman.
Matt Lindstrom, the man who threw the final pitch in Shea Stadium history, is slowly coming back from injury.
Around MLB
Lookout Landing notes that John Lackey, Ervin Santana, and Kelvim Escobar all have injury and command concerns late in spring training. Welcome to Port St. Lucie Angels fans!
Rob Neyer kind-of feels bad for expensive reserve outfielder Juan Pierre. Sorry, I don't. Not even a little.
Alex Zelvin at The Hardball Times relates fantasy baseball to poker.
See ya Duke!