Mets Morning News: Syndergaard is ready for a showdown in Kansas City

Meet the Mets

Noah Syndergaard will get his first start of the season, as the Mets will take on the Royals today at 4:15 EST, on SNY. Syndergaard is excited, and is hoping to parlay his strong spring training into regular season success.

There was a lot of focus on David Wright after Sunday night's game. Keith Hernandez said that he thinks that Wright has developed some bad habits at the plate. For the most part, it seemed like people were trying not to overreact, since it was just the first game, but, of course there were a fair share of people already suggesting he be dropped in the order, or saying that he didn't pass the eye test.

Michael Conforto's big night at the plate on Monday already has generated talk about how to get him into the lineup more. Conforto will have to find time in a muddled outfield, which includes Juan Lagares, who is embracing his role. The other outfielder that the Mets will have to juggle is Yoenis Cespedes, who didn't help himself with a defensive miscue on Sunday night.

Around the NL East

You didn't think Daniel Murphy wasn't going to hit when he signed with the Nationals, did you? Murphy hit a solo home run, and a go-ahead double in the tenth inning, that won the Nationals the game, 4-3. Washington was further buoyed by seven strong innings from Max Scherzer.

The Reds, led by a good performance from Raisel Iglesias, sank the Phillies 6-3. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce both had two-RBI singles, as the Phillies bullpen imploded.

Around the Majors

In one of the biggest Opening Day blowouts ever, the Dodgers shelled the Padres, 15-0. Besides their pitching getting crushed, the Dodgers got to enjoy seven innings of one-hit ball from Clayton Kershaw.

Jeff Passan wrote a fascinating article, where we got an inside view of the operating room when a Tommy John surgery is performed. In this case, it was former MLB reliever Todd Coffey who went under the knife.

Jeff Sullivan said that with AJ Pollock's injury, the Diamondbacks are in trouble.

Ken Rosenthal wonders if Gregory Polanco actually made a bad decision when he agreed to buy out his remaining arbitration years.

Matt Snyder argued that MLB should play its Opening Day games in warm-weather locales. That would obviously mean New York teams not playing at home.

Yesterday at AA

Linda Surovich took us through the history of the Mets' rotation, from a stubborn 18-year-old refusing a deal, to today.

Steven Jacobetz went back to take a look at all the seasons after the Mets have made the World Series. Here's a hint; they're not very good.

Matt Varvaro wants to know if you can remember all of the Mets' Opening Day starters in his Mind Boggler.

Curtis Granderson wants the fans to help him pick his walk-up song!

This Date in Mets History

On April 5, 1983, Tom Seaver returned to the mound at Shea Stadium, for his first Opening Day start with the Mets since 1977.

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