On-Base Perception

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- With the sting of the Johan Santana news still hovering over the clubhouse, the Mets shared one hit of encouraging news. Mets captain David Wright is in the starting lineup against the Cardinals, batting third and playing third base. It will be his first Grapefruit League game since being sidelined by a strained left intercostal muscle at the World Baseball Classic. Wright...

The Yankees named pitcher Vidal Nuno the 2013 James P. Dawson Award winner Monday in a pregame ceremony before taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Steinbrenner Field. The award is given out annually to a rookie who puts up an outstanding performance during spring training.

The 25-year-old lefthander allowed only one earned run in 14.2 innings pitched over seven appearances. He also went 1-1...

VIERA, Fla. -- The Mets dropped a 5-1 decision to the Nationals on Thursday, though manager Terry Collins' postgame briefing was devoted to the daily injury roundup:

-- Second baseman Daniel Murphy [intercostal strain] is slated to play once again on Friday, so long as he comes through with no issues after going 1-for-3 in his Grapefruit League debut. Murphy was pulled after he struck out...

The Yankees have cut backup first baseman/outfielder Juan Rivera, Newsday's Erik Boland reports.

Rivera said he was told that he was cut so that the Yankees could hold on to outfielder Ben Francisco and first baseman Lyle Overbay. Both Francisco and Overbay were signed during the middle of spring training.

Rivera, who played for the Yankees from 2001-03, rejoined the club in January...

In honor of the Miami Heat, a look at each MLB team’s longest winning streak since the turn of the 20th Century, along with a key player:

26 - Giants (1916, Christy Mathewson)

21 - Cubs (1935, Gabby Hartnett)

20 - Athletics (2002, Scott Hatteberg)

19 - White Sox (1906, Ed Walsh); Yankees (1947, Joe DiMaggio)

17 - Twins (1912, as Washington Senators, Walter Johnson)

16...

VIERA, Fla. -- Daniel Murphy wasted no time in his first Grapefruit League action of the spring.

The Mets second baseman lined a broken bat single to right field on the first pitch he saw on Thursday afternoon against the Nationals. He followed by tagging up on Lucas Duda's long fly ball, sliding headfirst into second base to beat the throw.

"Yeah, I felt pretty good," Murphy...

VIERA, Fla. -- Just a few notes before the Mets face the Nationals at 1:05 p.m. today at Space Coast Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN:

-- Pitching prospect Domingo Tapia is making his Grapefruit League debut. Last season, the righty went 6-5 with a 3.98 ERA  with Class-A Savannah. Tapia will be opposed by Nationals lefthander Gio Gonzalez.

-- Second baseman Daniel Murphy...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- I must have missed the memo but Wednesday was apparently also Rankings Day. Here's how the Mets fared in several different measures: Franchise value: 6th Forbes' annual franchise valuations came out, with the magazine estimating the Mets' worth at $811 million, just behind the fifth-place Phillies ($893 million). The remaining four franchises are worth upward of $1 billion...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- In his final tune-up before Opening Day, lefty Jon Niese struck out seven in 4 1/3 shutout innings as the Mets beat the Astros 6-2 under the lights at Tradition Field.

"Early in the spring, I really didn't feel like I had all my pitches going at one time, but today I felt like I had everything going -- especially the curveball," said Niese, who lowered his...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Centerfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis appeared to lose his chance at a roster spot when a bone bruise in his left knee sidelined him for three critical weeks in spring training. But manager Terry Collins hinted after last night's 6-2 win over the Astros that Nieuwenhuis might be given a chance to make a late run.

"Well, I'm going to play him again tomorrow," Collins...