Mack's Mets

4/2/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 4/2/2020

Good morning. Lots to get to today, let’s hit the links.

CBS Sports: MLB starting 2020 season without fans in attendance becoming stronger possibility, report says.

Mets 360: If you ever went to a September game at Shea in the late 70s-early 80s – you’ll have an idea of what a game with no fans might be like.

Elite Sports NY: Minor league owner Gary Green talks New York Mets, Wilpons. “Nobody wants to win more than the Wilpons, they are just as hungry for winning and success as their rabid fan base. If they do end up selling it could be because of necessity rather than a want, and I still think Steve Cohen will factor into this at some point.”

Syracuse.com: Syracuse Mets’ NBT Bank Stadium construction allowed to continue. Construction on NBT Bank Stadium has been deemed essential and will likely remain on schedule to meet the needs of the Syracuse Mets 2020 home opener. WYSR-TV has video of this story.

SNY.TV: 4 players Mets should consider signing to long-term extensions: Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz.

Chris Bodig at Cooperstown Cred had a great article on OPENING DAY AT SHEA STADIUM: 1985.

NY Post: Mets legend Rusty Staub undoubtedly would be on front lines of coronavirus fight.

Metsmerized Online: A Story About Rusty Staub I Bet You Never Heard. Joe D tells the story of Rusty meeting Gil Hodges and his coaches at church the day Gil died right before the trade to the Mets was announced.

Rising Apple: Mets pitcher Steven Matz has a big opportunity to improve his future this year.

12UP.com: Ranking the Best Power Hitters in the NL East. 10. Yoenis Cespedes; 9. Eric Thames; 8. Marcell Ozuna; 7. Rhys Hoskins; 6. Michael Conforto; 5. Bryce Harper; 4. Freddie Freeman; 3. Juan Soto; 2. Pete Alonso; 1. Ronald Acuña Jr.

SNY.TV: Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis voice their support for Mets to bring back their black jerseys.

SNY.TV: Former Met Wilmer Flores stays ready for season with help from his mom.

Faith and Fear in Flushing has selected The Magic as the Manufacturers Hanover Trust Mets Player of the Year.

Elite Sports NY: New York Mets greatest forgotten players: SS Frank Taveras.

Elite Sports NY: New York Mets C Wilson Ramos, brother Efren throw bullpen session (Video)

Elite Sports NY: Remembering the greatest walk in New York Mets history. Todd Pratt’s walk in the bottom of the 15th in 1999’s NLCS’s Game 5 set up Robin Ventura’s famous Grand slam single.

The Daily Stache: WATCH: Keith Hernandez says Pete Alonso is “Second Coming of David Wright.”

Mets Police is doing a best Mets by number series, the other day he had Mookie Wilson for #1. Yesterday for #2 he had Dilson Herrera.

Faith and Fear in Flushing had a “Blast from the Past” with a post from November 10, 1980. “Nothin’ Could Stand in Our Way”.

Gotham Baseball celebrated 15 years of blogging.

Mike’s Mets: A More Equitable World.

NY Post: Little League’s message: Teams will play ball — eventually.

Metsradamus wrapped up the Mets at Phillies simulated game yesterday. Zack Wheeler Vs. Jacob deGrom. Metstradamus’ wrap makes it hard to tell that it was not the real thing.

NY Post: Don’t expect Carlos Beltran back in baseball anytime soon: Ron Darling. “I think baseball would be very hesitant to hire Carlos,” the 59-year-old Hawaiian said. “I think Carlos would be very hesitant to come back to the game.”

The Frontier League announced Tuesday it is officially delaying the scheduled May 14 start of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Yahoo Sports: After six years, the Dodgers' channel will be widely available in LA. What happened?

Yahoo Sports: Dodgers' Justin Turner suggests letting HR Derby decide extra-inning games.

CBS Sports: MLB players open to wearing masks to return to field after coronavirus shutdown, says Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed.

USA Today: Shin-Soo Choo giving $1,000 to every minor league player in Rangers’ farm system.

Jballallen.com: On Wednesday, Nippon Professional Baseball questioned whether it would be able to have the Olympic break in its schedule AND play in a March World Baseball Classic. A March WBC in 2021 runs smack into two Japanese sporting obsessions: the volume of practice, and the primacy of the Olympics.

Jballallen.com: New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has returned to Japan, the Nikkan Sports reported Thursday, because of the spread of the coronavirus but also out of concern for his personal safety.

MLB Trade Rumors:

MLB Cancels 2020 London Series.

Revisiting Yasiel Puig’s 2019.

GM Trade History: Mariners’ Jerry Dipoto.

Rebound Candidate: Lorenzo Cain.

2020 Season Increasingly Likely To Begin Without Crowds.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- Life Without Baseball Goes On.

Tom Brennan - Mets' Coffee and Donuts.

Mack – FWIW – Coronavirus Edition - Daily Thoughts 4-1.

Mack’s Blast From The Past – The Mack Attack - April 2, 2009 . Mack had the 2009 Opening Day Roster and noted: “The Mets have no good defensive options at second base. Yes, Luis Castillo is in shape and ready to roll, but the knees are still arthritic. Castillo is the fifth-worst second baseman at minus-20 plays during the 2006-2008 period and getting worse every year.” The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

Died on this date:

Gil Hodges (1972)

Transactions:

New York Mets signed free agent Phil Linz on April 2, 1968.

New York Mets traded Tom Veryzer to the Chicago Cubs for Craig Weissman and Bob Schilling on April 2, 1983.

New York Mets traded Jose Oquendo and Mark Jason Davis to the St. Louis Cardinals for Argenis Salazar and John Young on April 2, 1985.

New York Mets traded Doug Simons to the Montreal Expos for Rob Katzaroff on April 2, 1992.

New York Mets traded Matt Ginter to the Detroit Tigers for Steve Colyer on April 2, 2005.

New York Mets signed free agent Josh Smoker on April 2, 2015.

National Pastime.com:

1972	After playing a round of golf in West Palm Beach with his coaches on Easter Sunday, Mets manager Gil Hodges, two days shy of his 48th birthday, suffers a fatal heart attack. The club will name current first base coach and former Yankee skipper Yogi Berra to run the team when the strike-delayed season begins.
1984	For the first time in ten years, the Mets lose on Opening Day, bowing to the Reds, 8-1. The last time the team dropped a season opener was in 1974, when Mike Schmidt hit a two-run walk-off home run off Tug McGraw, giving the Phillies a 5-4 victory over New York at Veterans Stadium.
2003	Todd Zeile homers in his first at-bat as a Yankee, becoming the only major leaguer to hit a home run for ten different teams, surpassing Tommy Davis, who went deep for nine different clubs. In addition to homering with the Bronx Bombers, the infielder has also gone deep for the Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Orioles, Dodgers, Marlins, Rangers, Mets, and Rockies.

Baseball Reference:

2010: The injury-ravaged New York Mets round out their roster by making six cuts, sending Ps Nelson Figueroa, Kiko Calero, Bobby Parnell and Elmer Dessens, along with IF Russ Adams and OF Chris Carter, major league veterans all, down to AAA Buffalo. Among those that make it through the day are veteran Frank Catalanotto, a spring training invitee, and 20-year-old P Jenrry Mejia.

Want more? Check out https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/news.

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4/1/20

Tom Brennan - Mets' Coffee and Donuts

The NY Mets give donuts to hospital staff.

Photo of the Day: The New York Mets & Dunkin Donuts delivered coffee and donuts to the staff at North Shore University Hospital (Photo by The New York Mets).

Mack – FWIW – Coronavirus Edition - Daily Thoughts 4-1

Please. No coronavirus April Fool jokes.

I’m having a hard time this morning,

I’m locked in my house on a good day. The virus ensures that I am devoid of humanity.

My wife has gone to the supermarket to replenish the shelves. The problem I have is she too is challenged by age and cancer treatment and our store is filled with dumb Yankee seniors that pack in next to each other on the checkout line. No masks, no gloves, no brains.

I also just read a story online about a young female country singer, around the age of my oldest granddaughter, who just came down with this crap. Seems the only time she left her secluded home was to… yeah, you guessed it… shop for groceries.

As the old movie once said: I picked a hell of a day to stop sniffing glue.

One more thing before I move on to baseball...

I watched the President's coronavirus update yesterday and I found even The President and CNN's Jim Acosta were trying to have a serious conversation about this. I know a lot of people hate the President, and some network people have called for these press conferences to be removed from their network, but it is the only window we have into what is being done by our government at this critical time in our history.

Yes, I wish the President would let others take questions from the reporters, but, if you can fight through the fog, you have to stay engaged everyday here.

Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1

Minor leaguers will be paid $400 a week by MLB clubs thru 5/31 plus medical benefits, source confirms

There will be no pay for minor league umpires. They have been told to seek unemployment.

David Lennon - @DPLennon

Japan’s baseball league (NPB) played exhibitions in empty stadiums and pushed back opener to April 24. Now reports say the league is splintering on that date after three Hanshin Tigers tested positive at the end of last week.

John Sickels - @MinorLeagueBall

Doctor report: He says I likely have pneumonia, so he has prescribed an inhaler and an anti-biotic to clear up any opportunistic bacterial infections. If the inhaler does not help my breathing, or if the breathing gets worse than the current level, or if I start running a fever, then i should go to ER.He will also contact the hospital and try to expedite the covid test result. This all seems reasonable.He seemed to think this was probably bacterial and I should feel better in a couple of days. If not, I am to call back even if the symptoms do not worsen.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies - @RumblePoniesBB

Franklyn Kilome pitched 7 innings, allowing 1 Run on 4 hits while Quinn Brodey provided the offense with a 2B, HR, and 2 RBI for the Ponies sending them to a 6-4 victory.

MiLB-com broke out their starting 20 year old team -

Designated hitter -- Brett Baty, Mets: A thumper with some questions about his future defensive home? Sounds like a good fit for the DH. Baty knows a little about that life already, despite being drafted 12th overall last June. The Texas native was especially old for his class and turned 20 in November. It's possible if he was a little younger, he could have cracked the top 10. The left-handed slugger has already shown off a solid approach and good power with a .368 OBP, .452 slugging percentage and 25 extra-base hits in 51 games across three levels, the top being Class A Short Season Brooklyn. Strikeouts could be an issue, but the power alone has the chance to make up for it. Given his size at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, it's a question of whether he'll move over to first someday soon like Casas did, but we don't have to worry about that here. Put Baty in the Age-20 Home Run Derby next to Casas, Gorman and Kelenic, and you'll get a show.

Reese Kaplan -- Life Without Baseball Goes On

There’s been a lot of discussion about the season resuming at some point with or without live attendees in close proximity to one another. The thought of empty stadiums is pretty weird, to say the least. However, what are the odds someone can actually clean all the germs off the seats and other publicly touched parts of the inside of a stadium?

Most of us watch ballgames on TV or over the Internet. Even in a fully sold out stadium the total number of people who would be experiencing the game after passing through the turnstiles is about 50,000. While that’s not a small number, compare that to the millions who would see the game via a type of broadcast with video or via a radio crew.

Some folks are advocating skipping the 2020 season entirely while others are saying a 60-day wrap up of August and September is sufficient. What’s that old joke -- ideas are like, um, posterior orifices? Everybody’s got one.

Long before the days of online baseball game simulations we survived the winter and off-days by playing games like Strat-O-Matic to give us a sense of what might happen if the games we desired to see actually took place. I remember the first time someone introduced me to the concept of fantasy baseball I felt as if I’d found my role in life as a team owner and GM since my baseball skills were pathetic even by Little League standards.

Personally, I think there’s great value in bringing back some of the real games even if played to empty stadiums. People mostly listen to, watch or view online the actual games much more so than attending them. Yes, it will be mighty weird seeing a 50,000 seat stadium devoid of attendees. It might give some folks Marlins or Orioles nightmarish visions. However, to preserve the health of the fans and, more importantly, to reenergize the fanbase by giving them actual competition, it’s the right thing to do.

I’m less concerned about resumption of air travel as the environment is much smaller and easier to clean than an entire stadium. Besides, no one only wants to see games between their home team and whatever other team is in driving distance. Isn’t the bus just as susceptible to germs and viruses as an airplane? When was the last time you saw a clean bus, anyway?

Until such time as the teams are ready to resume an official if abbreviated schedule, perhaps it is time to revive the Strat-O-Matic or Nintendo or other simulated game and let the real players take ownership of the teams. It’s not perfect, but it markets the players and the game itself to the fans. It can be done from the comfort of the player’s home and it keeps the baseball fires burning.

Another option is already being exercised with the broadcast stations airing videos of actual games and series that took place long before there was a pandemic. I’m sure there will be marathons of baseball movies and documentaries following in the near future. We all miss the game and at this point will gladly take what we can get.

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 4/1/2020

Good morning. Happy Birthday Daniel Murphy, Brooklyn Cyclones Pitcher Mitch Ragan, and Willie Montanez, and 38 years ago today the Mets traded Lee Mazzilli for Ron Darling and Walt Terrell, that and more, let's hit the links.

First Robinson Cano, Pete Alonso, and Darryl Strawberry talked to A-Rod on his Instagram show now it was Keith Hernandez’ turn. Per SNY.TV here is one of the best quotes: "I'm a traditionalist. You've got speed at the top, the one-two hitters. Guys that can handle the bat, get on base, second hitter is a guy who can hit-and-run, but that's another lost art of the game. They don't believe in that. Guys who can take pitches and allow the steal, then your big boppers come in, your traditional third hitter, your best hitter in the lineup average-wise, clutch hitter, line-drive hitter, then comes your 4-5-6 hitters. …That's the meat of the order."

Yahoo Sports: Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that a weekly $400 stipend for minor league players has been extended through May 31. In the unlikely event the season starts before then, salaries would replace stipends.

NY Daily News: New study says 2019 playoff balls were de-juiced, but MLB still has no answers. The 2019 MLB season saw a record 6,776 home runs, up nearly 1,200 from the previous year and far exceeding anything from the infamous “steroid era.” Then, suddenly, whatever caused the baseball to rupture the atmosphere from April through September vanished in October. Fly ball distances plummeted through the postseason. Bradford William Davis has the extensive report here including his talk to Dr. Meredith Wills, a sports data scientist with a PhD in astrophysics who found out that the postseason ball acted differently, because some of them were different. Some, but not all.

Deesha Thosar NY Daily News: These 10 Mets players will become free agents at the end of the year despite a shortened or canceled season. Marcus Stroman, Yoenis Céspedes, Jed Lowrie, Dellin Betances, Rick Porcello, Wilson Ramos, Justin Wilson, Michael Wacha, Jake Marisnick, Brad Brach.

Mets 360.com: Mets 2020 projections: Michael Wacha. 105 IP; 5.10 ERA; 90Ks; 50 BB; 18 HR; - At this point, any Mets Baseball would be great – even if Michael Wacha has a 50 ERA.

Faith and Fear in Flushing ranked the 49 different opposing pitchers to go against the Mets on Opening Day in “The Other Side of Opening Day.”

SNY.TV: MLB season starting without fans looks even more likely with Toronto banning public events through June 30.

SNY.TV: Ron Darling describes his Opening Day memories.

LoHud: Will Jacob deGrom achieve the three-peat? If deGrom captured the honor in 2020, he would join Greg Maddux (1992-1995) and Randy Johnson (1999-2002) as the only NL pitchers to win at least three Cy Young Awards in a row.

NJ.com: Will coronavirus wipe out Baseball Hall of Fame weekend for Yankees great Derek Jeter, others? While the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum closed to the public indefinitely as of 5 p.m., March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hall of Fame Weekend still hasn’t been postponed.

Elite Sports NY: New York Mets greatest forgotten players: 3B Wayne Garrett. Great piece. Includes footage of Wayne hitting pivotal home run in game 3 of the 1969 NLCS.

Empire Sports Media: Favorite Under the Radar Mets: James Loney.

Rising Apple: Mets starting pitching in 2000 is what got them over the hump.

Mike’s Mets talked some old blogging friends in Blast From the Past.

Metstradamus blogged about the Mets-Phillies simulated game on 3-31-20.

Call to the Pen: When baseball returns, watch the passion swell, say managers. “New York Mets manager Luis Rojas believes the core passion players and fans alike have will revive the patient. It’s ‘going to be higher than ever because we miss it so much, including the fans,’ Rojas says. ‘I think that passion is going to be higher than ever.’”

SNY.TV: Loud Mouths Great Debate: Building your team around Mets' Pete Alonso or Yankees' Aaron Judge?

NJ.com: ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy is not hopeful for sports this year: “I don’t think we’re going to play NBA basketball again this year. I don’t see Major League Baseball happening and I see the NFL and college football starting late.”

NY Post: Ex-Yankee and Met Al Leiter has challenge for MLB in shortened season. “I think this is a chance for central baseball to come up with some really creative stuff that will be accepted… You are probably going to see expanded rosters, especially with pitchers. Come out, have starters go three innings and let that be the norm in the real big-league game for a couple of go-arounds.”

Metsmerized.com: Baseball America Captures The Mood With Striking April Cover.

Jacob Resnick Metsmerized.com: MMO Top 30 Prospects: No. 5 Mark Vientos, 3B.

MiLB had the Top Prospect Team for 20 year olds. Besides Jarred Kelenic who made the team as an outfielder, Brett Baty is the lone Mets representative as the designated hitter. “The left-handed slugger has already shown off a solid approach and good power with a .368 OBP, .452 slugging percentage and 25 extra-base hits in 51 games across three levels, the top being Class A Short Season Brooklyn. Strikeouts could be an issue, but the power alone has the chance to make up for it. Given his size at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, it's a question of whether he'll move over to first someday soon.”

NY Post: Strat-O-Matic baseball simulation resurging during coronavirus.

NY Post: Astros owner Jim Crane: I can’t be sued because MLB ‘exonerated’ me.

Fredricknewsport.com: Orioles minor league knuckleballer Jannis used any chance he could in spring to show off unique pitch. Though [former Syracuse Met and Binghamton Rumble Pony Mickey] Jannis was summoned to the Orioles’ major league games many times this spring and warmed up a few times, he didn’t get into a game before the coronavirus pandemic shut things down. It could be a while before he gets a chance to show his knuckleball off a game. But whether it’s a bullpen session or live batting practice at minor league camp, he knows those opportunities are valuable.

NJ.Com: Failed Yankees prospect’s $1.6-million lawsuit vs. Reds strikes out. Former New York Yankees third base prospect Garrison Lassiter sued the Yankees for $34 million and the Reds for $1.6 million. Both lawsuits were dismissed.

Yonhap News Agency: The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) did an about-face last week, when it required foreign players who'd recently returned from overseas to self-isolate for two weeks.

CTV News: 'To hear a pin drop in the stands is strange': Londoner playing baseball in Korea.

Jballallen.com: 2-time PL champion manager Masataka Nashida won Pacific League pennants with the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Nippon Ham Fighters tested positive for the new coronavirus.

MLB Trade Rumors:

Baseball Leagues In Korea, Japan Face Ongoing Coronavirus Challenges. Although NPB had been pushing for an April 24 start, Sports Nippon in Japan reports that league officials are now questioning whether that’s a viable target date. Meanwhile, in a full column for Yonhap, Yoo reports that the KBO is contemplating weekly Monday doubleheaders as the league mulls season lengths of 124 games, 117 games and 108 games (all declines from the traditional 144-game length).

Former top Astros prospect AJ Reed has announced his retirement.

Evan Gattis Confirms He Is “Done Playing”.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Tom Brennan: I Wish Mets Had a Catcher Like Hobie.

Tony Plate - Mets Still looking For New Owner.

Mack – FWIW – Coronavirus Edition - Daily Thoughts 3-31.

Baseball America's April cover reflects nation's somber mood in COVID-19 crisis.

Mack’s Blast From The Past comes from 4-1-12 – Mack interviews Chasen Bradford.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

Died on this date:

Lou Gorman (2011)

Transactions:

New York Mets purchased Duke Snider from the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 1, 1963.

New York Mets traded Ed Bressoud and Danny Napoleon to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jerry Buchek, Art Mahaffey and Tony Martinez on April 1, 1967.

New York Mets released Bruce Boisclair on April 1, 1980.

New York Mets traded Lee Mazzilli to the Texas Rangers for Ron Darling and Walt Terrell on April 1, 1982.

New York Mets traded Tucker Ashford to the Kansas City Royals for Tom Edens on April 1, 1984.

New York Mets released Tom Gorman on April 1, 1986.

New York Mets traded John Gibbons to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Craig Shipley on April 1, 1988.

New York Mets released Kelly Stinnett on April 1, 2005.

Seattle Mariners claimed Wilson Valdez of the New York Mets on waivers on April 1, 2005.

National Pastime.com:

1963	Former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider returns to New York when the Mets purchase him from LA for $40,000. The 36 year-old outfielder, who will represent New York in the All-Star Game, will be told at the end of the season by Buzzi Bavasi, his former GM, that the Yankees had asked for him to back up Mickey Mantle before he was dealt to the team the across the river.
1982	The Mets send outfielder Lee Mazzilli to Texas for rookie starters Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. This deal isn't well-received at the time, but the trade turns out to be a steal for New York when the two right-handers combine for 118 victories during their tenure with the team.

1987	Mets phenom pitcher Dwight Gooden avoids suspension for substance abuse by agreeing to enter a drug rehab facility. The talented 22 year-old right-hander will make his first start on June 5 and will win 15 games for the team despite missing the first two months of the season.
1996	The Mets rally overcome a 6-0 deficit, beating the Cardinals at Shea Stadium, 7-6. The decisive run in the biggest Opening Day comeback of the century scores as a result of an unusual double play when Bernard Gilkey, the base runner on first, is doubled up on Rico Brogna's short sac fly to right field (RF-1B-SS-1B-SS), allowing Lance Johnson to cross home plate on the play.

1997	Setting a record for the most runs scored in one inning of an Opening Day contest this century, the Padres score 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 12-5 rout of the Mets. Chris Gomez, Rickey Henderson, and Quilvio Veras lead the attack with back-to-back-to-back home runs.
2002	The Mets, with a 6-2 victory over the Bucs at Shea Stadium, improve their mark for Opening Day victories to 26-15 (.634), a major league record. The New York expansion team didn't win their first season opener until the ninth year of the franchise's existence.

2008	With two outs in the 10th inning, Robert Andino's first career round-tripper is a memorable one as his walk-off homer to deep left off Matt Wise gives the Marlins a 5-4 victory over the Mets at Dolphin Stadium. The post-game celebration is short-lived when the Miami native takes off for home to meet police after getting a text message from his wife informing him their house may have an intruder.
2015	Auction items featured in Sotheby's "New York Sale" include the 1967 Mets' bullpen cart, which is shaped like a baseball wearing a cap. The electric-powered vehicle, valued between $20,000 and $30,000, fetches an amazing high bid of $125,000.

Baseball Reference:

1963 - The New York Mets purchase veteran outfielder Duke Snider from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Snider, one of the most popular players in the New York City area, starred for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947 to 1957. The future Hall of Famer will hit 14 home runs for the Mets this year.

1982 - The New York Mets trade popular center fielder and teen idol Lee Mazzilli to the Texas Rangers for minor league pitchers Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. Darling will emerge as an important member of the Mets' starting rotation and a key contributor to their win in the 1986 World Series.

1985 - Today's issue of Sports Illustrated contains a fictitious article about a New York Mets pitching prospect named Sidd Finch, whose fastball has been timed at 168 miles per hour. Author George Plimpton offers bogus quotes from real-life members of the Mets, as well as several staged photos, and fools readers nationwide.

2011: Marlins P Josh Johnson takes a no-hitter into the 7th inning, and C John Buck, in his first game for the team, hits a grand slam in Florida's 6 - 2 Opening Day win over the New York Mets. Logan Morrison also homers for the Fish, while Willie Harris breaks the no-no bid with a double to lead off the 7th.

2013: For the first time since the New York Mets started play in 1962, both New York teams open the season at home on the same day. The Mets improve their Opening Day record to a major league best 34-18 by crushing the Padres, 11 - 2, behind the pitching of Jon Niese and a double and grand slam from new CF Collin Cowgill. Things aren't so good for the Yankees, who lose to the Red Sox, 8 - 2.