Mets Morning News: HARVERY tonight, Marcum scratched, and Laffey Sunday? I'm not laughing

Meet the Mets

Sadly, there was no game yesterday but it's time for baseball once again! The Mets play game two of their series with the Padres, sending Matt Harvey (HARVERY!) to the hill for the first time to take on Clayton Richard. Game time is at 7:10 PM tonight. Harvey has an edge that's driven him to the majors: his intensity.

The absence of baseball last night didn't mean that nothing happened in Metsland yesterday. Johan Santana underwent successful surgery on his left anterior capsule. Meanwhile, Shaun Marcum was scratched from a simulated game in Florida and it looks like he will not make his Mets debut on Sunday. If we're to believe what Terry Collins said in spring training, that would mean Aaron Laffey will get that start. Auuugghhhhh!

It looks like John Buck's encyclopedic knowledge of big league hitters has already helped the Mets this season.

Preliminary Opening Day rosters for the Mets' minor league affiliates in Las Vegas and Savannah have been released and Adam Rubin did his best to fill in the gaps with the other two full season affiliates. Toby Hyde, meanwhile, continued rolling along with his Top 41 prospects list: #13 & 14, 15 &16, 17 &18.

Yesterday At AA

Chris McShane spent some time chatting with WFAN Mets broadcaster Howie Rose about his new book. We're very pro-Howie Rose here at Mets Morning News, so this was quite enjoyable.

In case you missed it, the Mets did the Harlem Shake a few months too late. Next on the pop culture video list for the Mets: Gangnam Style, followed by a remake of the Trololo guy featuring Justin Turner, and then Rebecca Black's Friday.

David Moseder looks back at April 2nd in Mets history.

Around the NL East

All of the teams in the NL East were off yesterday but the Phillies claimed former Mets' farmhand Ezequiel Carrera off waivers from the Indians.

At Fishstripes, Conor Dorney tries to figure out what the Marlins can expect in the majors from Jose Fernandez.

Retiree Chipper Jones incited a Twitter war a few days ago that continued to flame on through the off day. I love the title of that piece.

Around the Majors

The Blue Jays fell to the Indians 4-1 in their season opener, as R.A. Dickey was merely mortal thanks to J.P. Arencibia's struggles with catching his knuckler. If you can handle it, click that link for a North of the Border Toronto Dickeyface.

Yu Darvish came just an out away from a perfect game, striking out 14 over 8.2 magnificent innings in a 7-0 victory over the Astros. It was Marwin Gonzalez who broke it up with a clean single right back up the box through Darvish's legs. A shame he didn't get it, as he pitched a hell of a game.

Robinson Cano dropped Scott Boras as his agent yesterday and joined up with an agency headed by rapper Jay-Z. This might be a bad thing for the Yankees.

Draft bonus pools have been released for the 2013 MLB draft coming up in June and the Mets, with 11 picks including the 11th overall, have the 10th highest total pool (and 2nd highest in the NL East behind the Marlins) at $6,990,000.

Baseball's money balloon will burst sometime soon, says one expert on MLB's expensive TV money deals.

Matthew Pouliot tries to handicap the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year race.