Your Friday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
Get ready for Harvey time! The right-hander will face live batters today for the first time since his Tommy John surgery. On March 6, he'll make his Grapefruit League debut.
You can find the rest of the Mets' Grapefruit League probables here.
Lucas Duda will miss a little more time than we originally thought with his oblique injury.
Daniel Murphy opened up to Newsday about his contract situation. After this season, the second baseman will be a free agent unless the Mets sign him to an extension. Murphy is open to negotiations, but the two sides haven't discussed much yet.
Newsday also talked to Gary, Keith, and Ron about entering their 10th season together at SNY. Meanwhile, NJ.com interviewed Steve Gelbs about replacing Kevin Burkhardt and getting tweeted at by Mike Tirico.
Ike Davis still isn't happy about how the Mets leaked rumors regarding his off-the-field behavior.
Marc Carig wrote a profile on Long Island native Steven Matz.
After his career was shortened by an eye injury, former farmhand Sean Ratliff is returning to the Mets as a minor league hitting coach.
Greg Prince takes us back to Old Timers Day at Shea Stadium in 1977.
This date in Mets history: The sac fly became a thing 107 years ago today.
Around the National League East
After being drilled in the face by a pitch last season, Giancarlo Stanton is wearing some extra protection on his helmet this year. You can see the new hat here.
Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon would entertain a trade to the Blue Jays.
After trading for Yunel Escobar this winter, the Nationals are hoping that he'll smoothly transition to second base.
Around the Majors
The Blue Jays have signed Johan Santana to a minor league deal. Toronto now has Santana on its roster in addition to Jose Reyes and R.A. Dickey. As long as they don't land Papelbon, we can all just become Blue Jays fans this summer.
Francisco Rodriguez is back with the Brewers on a two-year deal.
Craig Calcaterra says that if addiction is considered an illness, then Josh Hamilton shouldn't be suspended for his recent drug relapse.
Sure, Buster Posey won that Twitter poll, but who is the real face of baseball?
Beyond the Boxscore previews this weekend's Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.
Grantland scribe Bryan Curtis tells us about the second Moneyball war. There's a cute exchange between Dickey and Andy McCullough in there.