On-Base Perception

The hunt for a spot at the All-Star Game isn’t limited just to baseball players.

Starting Saturday, MLB, in partnership with the Mets, will be conducting a city-wide scavenger hunt – the ultimate prize being tickets to All-Star Week events. The All-Star Game is being held at Citi Field this season.

The clues will be announced, one-by-one, though the All-Star Game twitter account, @AllStarGame....

Manhattan-born and Brooklyn-bred Dellin Betances has been called up to the Bronx.

The once highly-touted right-handed starter who recently switched to relief was added to the Yankees’ bullpen before their game Thursday night against the Mariners, the team announced. Brett Marshall, who gave up five runs and threw 108 pitches in 5.2 innings during his MLB debut Wednesday night was sent down...

We take a quick break from the world of Major League Baseball in this blog post and look at the sport in its lower-case form: baseball.

The Long Island Bombers are a blind and visually impaired team who play what's called beep baseball.

Watch the video below and you'll understand what we're talking about.

(Newsday's app users can watch the video at http://hooplaha.com/beep-baseball-baseball-for-the-blind-visually-impaired/)...

Those wondering how Andy Pettitte can still pitch at a high level would have had some of that answered if they were at the ballpark Sunday morning.

Pettitte, who turns 41 next month, arrived at Kauffman Stadium well before 9 a.m. with strength and conditioning coordinator Dana Cavalea, stretching and running on the warning track....

The Mets, MLB and New York officials laid out the schedule for the 2013 All-Star week (held at Citi Field) Wednesday afternoon, which of course made us think of the game, the celebrity softball game and...the home run derby.

Home runs are just so….blah.

Mark Trumbo and Prince Fielder can hit the ball a long way. We get it. Isn’t it time for the other baseball skills to have their day...

Let the closer carousels begin.

Greg Holland is still the Royals’ closer — for now. But so far he only has two saves while Kelvin Herrera and Aaron Crow have combined for three. Holland did record the save in his last outing on April 9, but it was far from easy. It took 27 pitches, and he allowed a hit and two walks before closing out the game.

Herrera, on the other hand, has been lights...

PHILADELPHIA -- The Mets had plenty of flaws a year ago.

However, playing decent baseball in Philly wasn't one of them. The Mets won all three series played in Philadelphia in 2012. The only other time that's happened was back in 1989. All told, the Mets won the season series, 10-8, while going 7-2 at Citizens Bank Park.

The pitching matchups as the Mets (4-2, t2nd NL East) begin a three-game...

The Astros starting lineup for their first game in the American League is out:

1. Jose Altuve, 2B 2. Brett Wallace, 1B 3. Chris Carter, LF 4. Carlos Pena, DH 5. Justin Maxwell, CF 6. Jason Castro, C 7. Matt Dominguez, 3B 8. Brandon Barnes, RF 9. Ronny Cedeno, SS

Altuve will turn 23 in May, and he’s the youngest member of the club. Dominguez is also 23, but the rest of the normal starting...

Team USA's David Wright is out of tonight's World Baseball Classic game against the Dominican Republic.

The Mets slugger took batting practice, according to Newsday's David Lennon, before the surprise scratch. Wright told Lennon that it was the back of his left rib cage, and that he would return to Port St. Lucie on Friday to see Mets doctors.

Wright, who had earned the nickname "Captain...

MIAMI – Robinson Cano got an audience with the King on Tuesday night.

And a pair of his size 16 signature model Nikes as well.

After Cano’s long home run helped beat Italy earlier in the day, the Yankees’ second baseman, along with other members of the Dominican World Baseball Classic team, went to American Airlines Arena to watch LeBron James and the Heat demolish the Hawks, 98-81,...