Your Friday morning dose of New York Mets and MLB news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
The Amazins were rained out in Kissimmee yesterday, but today David Wright and Daniel Murphy will make their spring training debuts in a split squad match against the Cardinals in Port St. Lucie.
Injury news: Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese, and Bartolo Colon pitched during an intrasquad game on Thursday morning. It was Parnell's first time throwing in a game situation since his neck surgery last September. It was Niese's first time out since undergoing an MRI on his shoulder on February 26. Colon is set to make his spring debut on Monday.
Need another reason to root for Anthony Seratelli to make the Mets' roster? He's a pretty amusing amateur filmmaker.
Also from Ted Berg, here's an endorsement of Terry Collins batting his pitchers eighth.
The pregame and postgame host of WOR's Mets radio coverage will reportedly be industry veteran Seth Everett, a source tells ESPN New York.
Grantland's 2014 Mets preview is very optimistic... about 2015. Better than nothing.
Around MLB
Sports medicine pioneer Frank Jobe passed away on Thursday at age 88. It was Jobe who was the first to perform Tommy John surgery, and he was even humble enough to name it after his patient instead of himself. If Matt Harvey is as awe-inducing in 2015 as he was in 2013, you have Jobe in part to thank. Rest in peace.
As if to prove that he is a gift to baseball fans, Mike Trout tried for an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the first inning of yesterday's game against the Dodgers. He was thrown out thanks to a great relay throw by Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez.
Speaking of the Dodgers, they are likely to send Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu to the mound in Australia to do battle with Patrick Corbin and Trevor Cahill of the Diamondbacks. The MLB Opening Series will be begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground on March 22.
Despite no longer being a member of the Mets since being traded for prototypical leadoff hitter Eric Young Jr. last season, Collin McHugh remains delightfully awkward. He's like the Zoey Deschanel of fringe starters.
With the Marlins set to take on the Red Sox in spring training action on Thursday, team officials jacked up tickets prices. Unfortunately for the fans, Boston sent the JV squad. To their credit, the Marlins brass was "outraged."
After missing the start of Red Sox camp due to a health issue with his newborn son, left-handed pitcher Rich Hill came back to work on Thursday to report the devastating news that his boy had died.
Happier news: Hunter Pence posted a photo on Instagram of tiny Tim Lincecum and giant Kameron Loe with swapped jerseys.
After suffering a setback in his shoulder recovery, it doesn't look like Cole Hamels will be ready for the start of the season.
Finally, Clint Hurdle is all out of bubble gum.
Yesterday at AA
Greg Karam wrote a season preview for Jacob deGrom and his luscious locks. Steve Sypa took care of possible backup backstop Juan Centeno.
Happy 46th birthday, Jeff Kent!
