Your Monday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
Terry Collins told the media on Sunday that he's thinking of playing Curtis Granderson in right field because of the veteran's range and comfort with the wall there. That would put newcomer Michael Cuddyer in left field, where he hopefully will perform well despite being deaf in his left ear.
The Mets are still worried about the elbow injury that Juan Lagares suffered last September. Nevertheless, Collins says the centerfield will bat leadoff in New York's first Grapefruit League game on Wednesday.
Granderson and Cuddyer, as well as David Wright and Daniel Murphy, won't debut until Friday's home date against Detroit.
For a team that has a wealth of pitching, the Mets are having a tough time deciding who their Opening Day starter will be.
NJ.com spoke to Nelson Figueroa about his new role with SNY. Figueroa describes himself as the Kevin Bacon of the National League.
Rising Apple wonders if the Mets should have pushed harder to acquire Everth Cabrera, who was an All Star as recently as 2013.
Mets 360 thinks that Wilfredo Tovar should at least be in the shortstop conversation.
This date in Mets history: In 1966, Tom Seaver was ruled ineligible to sign with Atlanta after being drafted by the club in January. The Mets won the rights to Seaver one month later.
Around the National League East
The Phillies dropped an exhibition match to Ruben Amaro's nephew and the rest of the University of Tampa baseball team.
Miami ace Jose Fernandez threw off a mound on Sunday for the first time since his Tommy John surgery.
Federal Baseball has the top 10 pictures from Nationals photo day. Mike Carp has a beard!
Around the Majors
Yu Darvish didn't waste any time making headlines during his first ever English language press conference.
Angels star right-hander Garrett Richards will miss the first two or three weeks of the regular season after tearing a patellar tendon in his knee last August.
Sports on Earth takes a look at the Hall of Fame case for the late Minnie Minoso.
The Nationals weren't the only team having fun on photo day. Check out the best poses from the rest of the league.