LAS VEGAS -- Onward to Kansas City!
The New York Mets will work out at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday for the first time since the World Series. The Mets and Royals open the 2016 season the following day on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball at 8:37 p.m. ET, with Matt Harvey opposing Edinson Volquez in a rematch of Games 1 and 5 of the World Series.
“It’s going to be one of the great events in baseball history -- two teams that were in the World Series to open up the next year,” Terry Collins said. “I know it wasn’t planned necessarily that way, but it’s going to be very, very exciting and a lot of fun.”
Perturbed by how his bladder clot issue was portrayed in the New York tabloids, Harvey continued to boycott the media Friday.
David Wright said he wasn’t sure if Harvey would have a chip on his shoulder facing the Royals after what happened in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series. Wright wryly added: “You’re going to have to ask Matt ... if he’s talking to you.”
Wright, incidentally, said it would “sting” somewhat to be in Kansas City for the championship banner raising ceremony and ring presentation.
Read the Mets-Royals series preview here.
SATURDAY’S NEWS REPORTS:
The Mets announced their Opening Day roster on Friday. Jim Henderson, Logan Verrett, Kevin Plawecki and Eric Campbell made the cut. Matt Reynolds, Sean Gilmartin and Erik Goeddel will open with Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets strongly weighed carrying an extra bench player for the opening series, but decided that Harvey’s uncertain health and the Mets’ extra-inning experiences with the Royals during the World Series warranted the extra bullpen arm -- even with Bartolo Colon available during that opening series in relief. “We’ve just got to be careful. He’s on some medication,” Collins said about Harvey. “I don’t know how that’s going to affect him, so we just thought we’d carry one more pitcher.” Plawecki will get enough at-bats to justify being at the major league level because the Mets plan to give Travis d'Arnaud regular days off to minimize his risk of injury. Henderson last appeared in the majors May 1, 2014 -- before undergoing his second shoulder surgery. Read more in the Post, Times, Newsday and at NJ.com and MLB.com.
Columnists David Lennon in Newsday and Joel Sherman in the Post discuss Harvey's silent treatment with the media. Lennon acknowledges that needling someone who experienced blood in his urine can be annoying, but adds: “To carry this media blackout to Kansas City, however, is a mistake. Sunday marks the first Opening Night start of Harvey’s career, and also the kickoff of a highly anticipated season for the defending NL champs. Refusing to speak with reporters about the big moment -- and, by proxy, the fans -- is more trouble than it’s worth, really.”
Steven Matz tossed five no-hit innings and the Mets produced four homers, including the first of spring training by Yoenis Cespedes, in an 8-1 win against the Cubs on Friday in Las Vegas. The Mets snapped a 14-game winless streak in their final exhibition game. Read more in the Post, Newsday and at NJ.com and MLB.com.
Marc Carig in Newsday and Lloyd Carroll in the Queens Chronicle offer Mets season previews.
Carig in Newsday pens a feature in which he asks each Mets starting pitcher what comes to mind when he views a photo of the entire rotation.
Check out the 2016 picks from ESPN’s reporters here. I have the Mets winning the National League East, but the Houston Astros over the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.
Post columnist Kevin Kernan picks the Mets to beat the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. View the Post reporters’ full Fall Classic picks here.
Mets fans featured in a painful photo shot during the World Series at Citi Field are interviewed in the Times.
Read a feature on Cespedes in Newsday.
Jeurys Familia is not burdened by his blown saves during the World Series, Matt Ehalt writes in the Record.
From the bloggers ... Mets Report applauds Matz.
BIRTHDAYS: Hisanori Takahashi turns 41. ... Mike Howard is 58. ... Al Weis is 78.
TWEET OF THE DAY:
Always announce risky life decisions on April fool's day. If it doesn't go over well you have an easy out.
— Matt Bowman (@bowmandernchief) April 1, 2015
YOU’RE UP: Who will win the National League pennant?