Mike McCann's Field of Fotos

Ron Swoboda (far right -- seen here with fellow Mets alumni Jon Matlack and Felix Millan at the 2003 BAT Dinner) provided all the offense his team needed on this date in 1968 . A 2nd inning home run off the Phillies' Chris Short powered New York's 1 - 0 victory. Don Cardwell kept the Philies in check, with a complete game five-hit shutout. For those of us who wonder why ballclubs here in the northeast play mostly night games even early in the season, the reason might be in the attendance for this game. On a day when schools (and colleges) were in session, the Mets drew less than 4000 to this afternoon contest in Shea Stadium.

In an early season already brimming with headline-grabbing injuries, the Washington Nationals got some bad news yesterday: Bryce Harper will be out until early July. That head-first slide into third base during Friday's victory over San Diego left him with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Surgery is the remedy -- which means 10 weeks on the shelf.

A tip of the cap -- one with the Curly W -- to Nationals righthander Tanner Roark for the weekend's best pitching performance. In just his second major league season, the Wilmington, Illinois product fired a masterful three-hit shutout Saturday night, as Washington silenced the Padres 4 - 0. In just his 10th big league start, Roark retired the first 16 batters he faced, struck out eight and walked just one batter. These images came from his March 3rd start in Spring Training against the Yankees. It's been a long road to the majors for a one-time 25th round draft choice of the Rangers, who was traded to Nats organization two years later. As recently as 2012, he struggled to a 6 - 17 record at Syracuse. Then last year, it all came together for Roark , who was 9 - 3 at Triple A (in action below on July 4th) before being recalled by Washington. And if the first month of 2014 is any indication, he won't be back in the minors anytime soon.  

With winter still not ready to lose its grip on the northeast, I had to share this image of the Nationals' Doug Fister in the dugout during an April 2nd game. Give the ballclub credit for having custom-designed ski hats for the players. But seeing someone that bundled up early in the season is still a bit incongruous.

As Tom Verducci pointed out on today's FOX broadcast, Yankee rookies John Ryan Murphy and Dellin Betances pulled off a two-man feat last accomplished in a Yankee Stadium home game 67 years ago. Murphy hit his first major league home run, and Betances earned his first major league victory in the 4-3 win over the Angels. The last time a Yankee Stadium first homer and first win took place in the same game was on September 16th, 1947 when Bobby Brown (seen at the 2011 Old Timers Day) homered and Dick Starr (a complete game 8-hitter) was the winning pitcher as the Yankees downed the St. Louis Browns 8 -3, in the opening game of a doubleheader. While Starr rarely made headlines again (he won just 11 more games in a career that included stops with the Browns  and Senators), Brown was a .279 lifetime hitter and valued member of the Yankee dynasty of the late '40s and early '50s, retiring to pursue a career in medicine. He later returned to the game to serve as American Lea...

Howie Kendrick greets Angels teammate Ian Stewart after his home run in last night's 13 - 1 thumping of the Yankees in the Bronx. A longtime Yankee tormenter, Kendrick had three hits and scored three runs, once on Stewart's homer.

CC Sabathia (seen here in July 2013) hasn't always pitched like an ace the last couple of years. But Thursday, he delivered a clutch performance, holding the Red Sox to two runs and three hits over six innings. The Yankees won 14 - 5, making it two out of three in the series at Fenway Park. New York has won four out of the first six this season in baseball's best rivalry.

Cardinals coach Jose Oquendo maneuvers his infielders in last night's game. With ballclubs using research to counter opposing hitters' strengths, it was worth keeping an eye on Oquendo on the dugout steps, waving and at times whistling, to line up his fielders in the optimal spots. Take a closer look at Jose. He's not honoring his local boy scout troop. On another wintry night in Flushing, Oquendo and Cardinals 1st base coach Chris Maloney wore their uniform shirts over their team hoodies in an attempt to not freeze. While the Citi Field scoreboard said it was 52 degrees, between the wind and the dampness, it felt 20 degrees colder.

Albert Pujols became the 26th player with 500 career home runs on Tuesday night. And he did it in historic fashion -- becoming the first player ever to hit both 499 and 500 in the same game, when he connected twice off the Nationals' Taylor Jordan in Washington. That powerful swing that for so many years was the heart of the Cardinals offense is finally back in stride -- Albert, now in his third season with the Angels, leads the majors in home runs with eight. After 11 ultra-productive seasons in St. Louis (and two World Series championships), Pujols was lured to L.A. with a 10-year contract. But until now, he'd never delivered as expected. With three MVPs and a Rookie of the Year award in his trophy case, hopes were very high at Angel Stadium... Reality proved to be a bit different. Injuries slowed the man who as a Cardinal was looked upon as Stan Musial's heir. Of course, the St. Louis stats backed that up -- he'd never delivered less than 32 home runs, 99 RBI...

Part of what makes Gary Sanchez a top prospect is his catching ability. I like the way this photo turned out from last Thursday night's game in Trenton. Does anyone know why they call catching gear "the tools of ignorance?" Sanchez looks pretty polished in this pose.

Bobby Abreu is back in the major leagues and back in New York. I saw him March trying to make the Phillies roster in Spring Training. While there was still some pop in his bat, he looked lost playing right field. And at age 40, I thought it was the end of the line when the Phils cut him near the end of the Grapefruit League. But this onetime Yankee now sees the meaning in Bronx sage Yogi Berra's line that "It Ain't Over Til Its Over." The Mets signed him to a Triple-A contract in early April. After three weeks where he hit over .390 for Las Vegas, he was called up to the Mets today. No word yet whether he'll play outfield, 1st base or serve as the primary lefty pinch hitter. I'm just surprised he got the call. Notorious for avoiding outfield walls and seemingly lackadaisical play, there's an odd thing that happens to every team Abreu played for -- they get better after he leaves. The 2006 Phillies (with Abreu) missed the playoffs. In 2007, without ...

When I interviewed him in 2005, I wish I'd asked if Ed McMahon was a baseball fan. After all, a stock setup question of his to Johnny Carson for so many decades was "How Cold Was It?" All kidding aside, it was definitely on the chilly side Thursday night at Trenton's Arm and Hammer Park. Anxious to get a regular season look at top Yankees prospect Gary Sanchez, Dennis and I paused on our way back from Philadelphia to catch the Thunder and Erie SeaWolves. Nippy and chilly before the sun went down, it was flat-out frigid by the 2nd inning. A tip of the (ski) hat to the Thunder players, who were clearly prepared in the headgear department. Despite the nippy night, let me give credit to the fans for coming out to the ballpark. One of the charms of minor league ball is connecting with community groups. And with local school bands playing before the game, there were plenty of families cheering on the kids and then, the players. (Below:) Gary Sanchez looking as re...

On a chilly afternoon for baseball in Philadelphia, Ben Revere had the hottest bat (as well as a diving catch in center field). Despite coming in on an 0-for-12 slump, he went three-for-four, including the game-changer in the 8th inning (above). With the temperature peaking at 53, both the Phils' AJ Burnett and Atlanta's Alex Wood had kept posting 0's on the line score. Finally, as Wood neared the 100-pitch plateau, the Phils had two runners on and two out before Revere singled and drove in Domonic Brown with the only run of the game. The 1-0 win balances out Wednesday's result -- when Atlanta came out on top 1 - 0.

The Reds' Johnny Cueto -- who I saw earlier this month against the Mets -- authored Wednesday's best pitching performance: a complete game, three-hit shutout of the Pirates, in which he struck out a career-high 12. Another indication of his effectiveness: 71 or Cueto's 107 went for strikes.

Last week, Giancarlo Stanton made headlines by hitting a home run that traveled 484 feet. Days later, he sent another blast traveling 470 feet. And Tuesday, in a game where he drove in a career-high five runs, he launched a Stephen Strasburg pitch 457 feet at the hardly homer friendly Marlins Park. That's not just any pitcher, but one of the most feared right arms in the National League. Add it up, that's more than 1400 feet of slugging in one paragraph! These photos are from April 2013 at Citi Field.

The Angels must have thought Bartolo Colon was throwing batting practice on Sunday.  He might have thought he wandered into The Twilight Zone.  The Halos clubbed three consecutive home runs in the bottom of the 1st inning en route to a 14 - 2 victory in Anaheim. He quickly learned that it's not 2005 anymore -- that season, he won the AL Cy Young Award with the Angels. And it's not even 2013, when the now-40-year old went 18 - 6 with the Athletics. Colon 's absolutely putrid line -- 5 innings, 9 runs, 11 hits. Stats like those make you wonder if the Mets made a huge mistake guaranteeing a second year to Colon, whose physique reminds you of other over-40 hurlers David Wells and Early Wynn. We'll see how effectively Colon can put this game "in the rear view mirror." His next start will be against the Braves this coming weekend at Citi Field.

Ivan Nova (above) kept the Red Sox bats in check for the most part, while Carlos Beltran, (below) playing 1st base for the first time in his career, delivered the game-changing home run in Sunday night's Yankee victory over Boston. The Yanks took three out of four in the first series between the arch-rivals this season.

Carlos Beltran's 1st inning homer was the first of five hit by the Yankees on Saturday, as they outscored the Red Sox, 7 - 4. Batting lefthanded, he took aim at the Stadium's cozy right field seats -- and the fans were on their feet, eagerly waiting for the ball to settle down in their section. A look at the reception waiting for Beltran (and Jacoby Ellsbury, whom he drove in) at home plate. Just a guess, was Carlos giving the safe sign? Ellsbury looks like he's signalling touchdown.

I had to spotlight Eric Young, Junior the Mets after his stellar effort Thursday night: three hits, three stolen bases and four runs scored as the Mets outlasted the Braves 6 - 4 at Turner Field.

I was on hand last night to watch Masahiro Tanaka's first start at Yankee Stadium. Much like Friday's game in Toronto, he struggled early -- but after giving up a three-run homer to Jonathan Scoop, he settled down and began to dominate. The pricey import made a bunch of Baltimore batters look bad. He struck out 10 on the night -- causing a steady succession of ugly swings-and-misses. One victim, Adam Jones. Or those that result in awful foul balls... Tanaka's bottom line, seven innings and three runs. He left with the game tied 3 - 3 (the Yankee bullpen let it slip away in the 9th.) Not only was there was a large contingent of Japanese media, but plenty of enthusiastic fans connecting Tanaka with his home country.

On the 9th of April, to be exact. President John F. Kennedy throws out the first ball to open the 1962 baseball season at new District of Columbia Stadium. Despite rainy weather, a record Washington crowd of 42,143 shows up to see Bennie Daniels hold the Tigers to five hits in a 4-1 Senators victory. It's a switch for Daniels, who had lost the last games played at both Ebbets Field, in 1957, and DC's old ballpark, Griffith Stadium, the previous season. (I visited the Stadium twice, after it was renamed for Robert F. Kennedy. First in the 1980s for an Orioles/Mets pre-season game; the second time came in 2007, the third season that the Nats called the multi-purpose park home. That's when this was taken.)

I was one of many who expected Eduardo Nunez to be a Yankee for a long time to come. Occasionally giving glimpses of strong talent that made some of use feel he could become Derek Jeter's heir apparent, Nunez never showed consistency. Either due to injury or slopping defense, he failed to impress a year ago when Jeter missed all but 17 games, and Alex Rodriguez was sidelined for more than half the year after hip surgery. So, his big chance to step up fall by the wayside. "Nunie," as he was nicknamed by Joe Girardi, never did enough to earn his manager's confidence. And this spring, when he was clearly outplayed by veteran minor leaguers Yangervis Solarte and Dean Anna, the organization felt it was time to move on. DFA'd at the beginning of the regular season, Nunez was finally traded to the Twins Monday, with pitching prospect Miguel Sulbaran coming to the Bronx. Having done several posts since his days playing for Trenton, click here to look back on the Yank...

While Saturday's Mets/Reds game turned into the Ike Davis Show, one of my main reasons for being there was to see Billy Hamilton. The Reds rookie speedster is the name most likely to join Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock and Maury Wills in the conversation as baseball's most intimidating base stealers. He was certainly a game-changer in the minor leagues . 395 stolen bases in 502 games -- including an eye-catching 155 with three minor league teams during 2012. Numbers like that -- and the departure of Shin-Soo Choo as a free agent -- led to Hamilton becoming the Reds everyday center fielder. But there'd be no base running for Billy Hamilton on April 5th. After jamming the middle finger on his left hand trying to swipe 2nd base the night before, he was pulled from the Reds lineup on Saturday morning. You can see the bandage clearly as he sits on the bench. So I was more than a little surprised in the bottom of the 9th, as Cincy tried to close out a likely win, Hamilton w...

Consigned to the Mets bench just 24 hours earlier, when manager Terry Collins named Lucas Duda his regular 1st baseman, Ike Davis was sent in to Saturday's game against the Reds as a pinch hitter. It was an inviting situation -- his team down a run, the bases loaded and nobody out. Give Davis credit: he seized the moment. This swing resulting in a walk-off grand slam homer and a 6-3 New York victory. Look carefully in the image below and you'll see the ball dropping toward the seats directly under the A in Subway. Initially, I wasn't sure about the image below. An unidentified Reds fielder intrudes on our view of the scrum awaiting Davis at home place. But on further review, the Cincinnati player walking off field in shadow, and likely in a bad mood, contrasts so well with the Mets in their  bright white uniforms soaking in the sun and the joy of Ike's home run. Of course, a walk off homer means the Star of the Game TV interview (with post-game radio reporter S...

Pitchers don't hit many home runs. So when Washington's Gio Gonzalez drove one out to left field Wednesday night against the Mets, the ball was retrieved and given him in the dugout. Joining him and holding the ball is Washington's head trainer Leo Kuntz.

If it's not the best, Jayson Werth of the Nationals certainly has the most hair of any current major leaguer. He went 4 for 5, including a double, in Washington's 5 - 1 win over the Mets at Citi Field. And a though for fellow fans of rock and roll oldies: wouldn't be cool if he used The Cowsills '60s hit "Hair" when he comes to bat?

Jose Altuve had two hits and two RBIs, as the Astros lit up CC Sabathia and surprised the Yankees 6 - 2 in Tuesday night's season opener at Minute Maid Park. Altuve, who I saw for the first time when Houston visited Camden Yards last season, is the first of what the Astros hope will be their next generation of stars. He had 30 doubles and 30 stolen bases in each of his first two full seasons, to go along with a .287 batting average and impressive defense.

The Mets have done pretty well over the years with players born on the 1st of April. Current 2nd baseman Daniel Murphy (above), a .290 hitter over six seasons, and a player who has made himself into a decent fielder, is the current example. Rusty Staub (right) is another. Traded by the Expos to the Mets in 1972, he sparkled before his first season ended with a hand injury. The following year, he was the offensive heart of the Mets' second pennant winning club. There's also a lasting defensive image of him slamming into the right field wall at Shea Stadium, making a game-saving catch in game four of the 1973 NLCS against the Reds (thanks to WFAN colleague Bob Heussler for the clarification). Traded to the Tigers two years later for a used-up Mickey Lolich, Staub returned to New York in 1981 and spent his final five seasons as feared pinch hitter and popular owner of an Upper East Side restaurant renowned for its spare ribs. Broadcasting and extensive charity work since cemen...