Opening Day was definitely one to remember

Coming into Monday's game, the Mets desperately needed to start their season on the high note, given the recent, and horrific news about Johan Santana and his season-ending, and possible career-ending injury. The entire baseball atmosphere was back, and despite the question marks surrounding the team, several fans showed up to the game. The team routed the San Diego Padres by a score of 11-2, making the transition back into baseball a whole lot easier for those in Flushing. Granted, the Mets will lose games, some that may even be heart-breaking, but this team showed energy and intensity that we as fans haven't been able to see for the last few years or so.

The newly formed outfield played extremely well, and were basically the spark plug that got the offense going. Marlon Byrd and Lucas Duda had nice games, but it was Collin Cowgill who really stood out. Cowgill, first of all, hit a ball in the right-center gap that would have been a single for most hitters. However, he really hustled and ended up getting a double out of it. 

We heard about Cowgill's gritty style of play, and saw a glimpse of it in Spring Training. However, the power is another aspect to his game that could be an asset. Terry Collins recently said that he will have Cowgill lead off basically because he has all of the attributes that a lead-off hitter should have, and is a threat to hit a home run once in a while. That was evident when he hit a grand-slam in the game -- the first of his career and the first Mets player to hit a grand slam on Opening Day in franchise history. The pop that he has to his bat will hopefully lead to more clutch and timely hits. 

As for Niese, he threw 6 2/3 innings of work, allowing 2 runs and striking out four. After the 6th inning, it appeared as though Collins and Dan Warthen were ready to take him out. However, he begged and pleaded to go back out in the 7th inning, and they let him stay for two more outs. That kind of mental toughness really said a lot about the 24 year old pitcher. It showed that he is, and will be capable of handling big game situations in the future, and that he feels like there is always something better he can do, which isn't necessarily a bad way of thinking. 

Lastly, it is worth that Scott Rice made his MLB debut in the 9th inning of this game. Rice, a first round draft pick by the Orioles in the 1999 draft, was a career minor leaguer up to that point. He played with several Independent League teams, including the local Long Island Ducks, but his persistence and dedication allowed him to finally reach the big leagues. He is just yet another great story that has been able to wear a Mets uniform.

Predictions for the 2013 MLB Season

The 2013 MLB season is set to undergo tonight with the Astros hosting the Rangers at 8 pm. Before the season begins, I will show you my predictions for the season, and with any luck, I may end up being right on some of them.

AL MVP-  Mike Trout- Trout had an unbelievable season in 2013, winning the Rookie of the Year and energizing the Angels' fan-base. He has so much protection in that lineup, especially now with the addition of Josh Hamilton, and should be able to put up monster numbers. 

Honorable mentions: Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols

AL Cy Young- Justin Verlander- I know that this is a boring and obvious pick because we know that Verlander is always going to be in the running for the award, but I truly feel like this is going to be his award for the taking.

Honorable mentions: Chris Sale, David Price

AL Rookie of the Year- Aaron Hicks- I'm going out on a limb here and saying that Hicks, the center-fielder from Minnesota, will win this award. He had a monster spring training, and the Twins lineup has the potential to be a dangerous one if Mauer and Morneau stay healthy. He should have some protection and receive good pitch selection.

Honorable mentions: Jackie Bradley Jr., Wil Myers, Jurickson Profar

NL MVP- Andrew McCutchen- This is a real dark-house pick, but I feel like 2013 will finally be the season where everything clicks for the Pirates. They have shown spurts of greatness throughout the last two years, and hopefully they put it all together this season. If they do, McCutchen, the leader of the squad, will certainly put up MVP-type numbers. 

Honorable mentions: Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, Buster Posey

NL Cy Young- Matt Cain- Cain has been very underrated throughout his career, and finally was noticed when he threw a perfect game last summer. He is the ace of the Giants' staff, and deserves to win a Cy Young. 2013 could be a big year for him.

Honorable mentions: Johnny Cueto, Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Jordan Zimmermann

NL Rookie of the Year- Julio Teheran- Teheran is the real deal, and will crack the Braves rotation sometime during the season. He put up incredible spring numbers, and there is definitely a spot in the rotation waiting for him now that Jair Jurrjens is in Baltimore. 

Honorable mention: Travis d'Arnaud, Yasiel Puig

Division Winners

AL East- Toronto Blue Jays

AL Central- Detroit Tigers

AL West- Angels

AL Wildcards- Rays, Athletics

NL East- Washington Nationals

NL Central- Cincinnati Reds

NL West- San Francisco Giants

NL Wildcards- Braves, Dodgers

Predictions for the 2013 New York Mets

Optimistic Record -  82-80

Realistic Record   -  74- 88

Home Run Leader- Ike Davis

Stolen Base Leader- Collin Cowgill

Biggest Surprise- Collin Cowgill / Jordany Valdespin 

Biggest Bust- Shaun Marcum / Brandon Lyon / Lucas Duda

Highest Batting Average- David Wright 

Closer by season's end- Bobby Parnell

All-Star Representatives- David Wright, Ike Davis, Matt Harvey

Havens and Gorski DFA'd, both clear waivers

This morning, the Mets designated infielder Reese Havens and pitcher Darin Gorski for assignment. They both recently cleared waivers, and will likely start the season in either Double-A or Triple-A. Havens, a former first round pick, has dealt with several injuries that have limited his playing time. He hit .215 in 94 Double-A games last season. Gorski posted a 4.00 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) for Double-A in 2012. The Mets now have 35 players on their 40 man roster.

It was clear that Havens was an odd man out, considering that he hasn't done anything this spring to prove that he belongs on the roster. If Havens had played well, he would've had a serious opportunity to snag the starting second base job. It is kind of surprising that none of the teams put a claim on him, but I'll consider ourselves lucky that we still have him just in-case we need an emergency second-baseman.

The time is ticking for Darin Gorski as well. At age 25, he will likely be placed back in Double-A, a level where I believe he will able to have success at. The good news is that, with the absence of Johan Santana and the Shaun Marcum's injury that could force him to hit the disabled list, Gorski may have a chance to redeem himself sometime during the 2013 season. I have also heard rumblings about him possibly becoming a left-handed specialist, and I would be excited to see what he could do in that role. 

Burke, Familia win bullpen spots

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Jeurys Familia and Greg Burke have made the Opening Day roster. Familia has looked excellent this spring, posting a 2.19 ERA in 11 games. However, his 5.1 BB/9 ratio caused some doubt as to if he would make the team or not. Burke, on the other hand, posted a strong 1.9 BB/9 ratio, but put up a poor 5.14 ERA in 12 appearances. The side-armer inked a minor league deal with the Mets over the winter.

I am extremely excited to see Familia make the roster because of his high potential. A few years ago, we thought that he was going to be a front-line starting pitcher, but the organization has converted him to a reliever, and he has had some success. Obviously his walk rate is discouraging, and something that will need to be worked out by management. Maybe if they give him the "Bobby Parnell" treatment -- having him lose a few miles-per-hour on his fastball in order to gain some more control -- he would become more dominant. Either way, I am curious to see how he does in the, I'm assuming, eighth inning role. 

As for Burke, he is definitely a nice, feel-good story, and will get his opportunity to prove himself. A deceiving submarine pitcher could be a nice thing to have for Terry Collins and his bullpen, and I expect to see him come in during crucial points of the games. He didn't really have the best spring, but considering the competition, or lack thereof, there was a good chance that he was going to make the team. 

Santana likely has re-tear in pitching shoulder, will miss entire 2013 season

Yesterday it was reported that Johan Santana likely has a re-tear of the anterior capsule in his left shoulder, and that the injury will cost him the entire season, and will put his career in jeopardy. This is the same injury that he suffered back in 2010.

"A second surgery is a strong possibility," Alderson said. "Johan may be lost to the Mets for the season."

Santana is in the last year of a six year, $137.5 million deal he signed back in 2008, and will earn $25.5 million this season. As for 2014, there is a club option worth $25 million, with a $5.5 million buyout.

Johan recently flew to New York to be looked at by doctors, and is not scheduled for surgery yet. Sandy Alderson has said that he hasn't talked to Santana personally just yet, only his agent.

When asked about an insurance policy on Santana's contract, Alderson said "To my knowledge, the contract is not insured."

Santana has failed to live up to expectations in New York, and unfortunately the team will be paying him $25.5 million in 2013 for not pitching a single inning. I wasn't expecting Santana to have a huge impact with the team this season, but this clearly wipes out the opportunity to trade him at the deadline. Johan Santana is a leader, but this team will need to move on. He hasn't been here for us over the past two seasons, and him being on the disabled list for an extended period of time is no strange sight.

As for his future, obviously I want the guy to have success. I don't want him to end his journey here, and I have a feeling that he will eventually build himself back up to a fraction of what he once was. The Mets are going to decline his option for 2014, and he'll likely latch on a pitching-starved team as a reclamation project. 

Mets trade Elvin Ramirez to Angels

The Mets have traded pitcher Elvin Ramirez to the Angels in exchange for cash considerations. Ramirez posted a 5.48 ERA in 25 games with the Mets last season. 

The Mets have been looking to find space on the 40 man roster, and it was recently reported that they were going to attempt to trade their "non-core prospects" in order to get the space they need. Ramirez looked good in the minor leagues, but came up to the big leagues last season and really disappointed. He was known for his ability to throw strikes, but he struggled to do so last fall, and really showed some flaws in his game. I honestly have no problem with the club getting rid of him, despite his age and potential, and I expect more of these moves to come. 

Tim Byrdak reports to the minor leagues

Tim Byrdak has accepted his minor league assignment, and will receive an $100,000 retention bonus. Byrdak had surgery in early September to repair a tear in his shoulder, and also had a surgery to repair a torn ligament in his knee. He then signed a minor league contract with the Mets during the off-season. He made 56 appearances in 2012, posting a 4.40 ERA in 30 and 2/3 innings.

Obviously Byrdak was going to start the season on the disabled list, and I wonder if we will see him during the 2013 season. He is recovering from the same surgery that kept Johan Santana and Chris Young sidelined for a while, and at age 39, we'll see how determined he is to bounce back. 

If he does manage to come back during the season, I expect Josh Edgin to keep his job, meaning that Robert Carson or Pedro Feliciano could be demoted. Byrdak has the ability to play well, but the team just needs to make sure he is 100% healthy before he returns.