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If Your Birthday is April 4th…

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  ...you share it with  Ronny Mauricio .  Long touted as the Mets most talented infield prospect, he made his MLB debut in 2023, but has been sidelined since the winter of 2024 by a serious knee injury.  Tall and lanky, he impressed with 20 or more home runs in '21, '22 and '23 -- adding 20 more stolen bases his last two years.  Said to be within a month of returning to minor league action, he could provide a boost to the Mets later this year, or help bring back pitching depth in a possible trade. Mauricio shares his birthday with one of the most revered names in Mets franchise history: Gil Hodges, beloved 1st baseman of the Dodgers "Boys of Summer, who made the borough his home -- even after the franchise moved to LA -- then helped re-launch National League ball with the original 1962 Mets.  He hit the expansion franchise's first home run -- one of the 369 in his Cooperstown-bound career.  A no-nonsense ex-Marine, he retired to become manager of the ...
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Phillies Stars from Monday

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Monday's Phillies home opener was a fun one to catch on TV -- so I had to tap my photo archive to spotlight the change-makers...  What began as a pitching duel between the Rockies' German Marquez and the Phils Cristofer Sanchez turned in a different direction during the bottom of the 7th -- when, with two outs and two on, supersub  Edmundo Sosa doubled in the tying and go-ahead runs.  (This is how Sosa looked last May 18th, when he was again filling for Trey Turner at shortstop.) Next to hit: DH Kyle Schwarber who sealed the victory with a two-run home run off the batter's eye beyond center fielder.  It was his third bomb of the young season!  Despite playing three of their first tour games on the road, the Phillies are off to a fast start at 3-1. as they look to repeat as NL East champs.
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Syracuse Mets Media Day

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You bet it felt great to be back in a ballpark.  Thursday, the Syracuse Mets held their annual media day.  Before heading to Massachusetts, for Friday's AAA opener against Worcester, the Mets top affiliate held a workout and made several players and manager Dick Scott available for interviews.  Despite the chill of a 44-degree day, there were plenty of good vibrations just a day before the first cry of "Play Ball!" After 2-1/2 years with the Nationals (and a strong season in winter ball, where he said he "fixed his mechanics"), Joey Menesses will be the Triple A Mets veteran at 1st base to start 2025.  He told me his priority is to "hit the ball hard, like [I did] in '22."  Reflecting on his time in spring training with Juan Soto, Joey calls him, "A really nice guy... with a superstar, you'd don't expect [that he'd pay] attention" to guys trying to fight for a roster spot. "He was joking around with us."  Menesses f...
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Wayback: Spring Training 2005

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 My final set of Florida Flashbacks for the season... winding it back 20 years for a look at the Mets and Orioles at the now-gone Fort Lauderdale Stadium.  First a pre-game, then in-game look at Mike Piazza .  The future Hall of Famer probably didn't realize it at the time, but at age 36, he was heading into his final Mets season. (Below:) The popular ex-Met and longtime Oriole Melvin Mora hits for Baltimore.  He'd go on to his 27 homers that season and be named to the All Star Game for the second time. (Above:) Moving up the road to Jupiter... The big man with the really big bat: Albert Pujols is in the on deck circle for the Cardinals.  Is he the greatest 13th round draft pick in baseball history? (Below:) Here's something you won't see anymore:  The Cards' Dave Duncan , Tony LaRussa and Jim Leyland watch the action from the field -- before the use of protective screens. I'd call this a brain trust. 
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If Your Birthday is March 21st...

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...you share it with Carlos Carrasco .  The longtime Cleveland righthander -- who spent the past three seasons with the Mets -- appears on the verge of making the Yankees rotation.  The well-liked Venezuela native, who overcame cancer and resumed his career a few years ago -- has been effective in Grapefruit League action and could soon add his name to the more than 160 who've suited up for both New York ballclubs. (Below:)  Frankie Montas  is also on the verge of reaching that status.  Unlike Carrasco, who had a strong 15-7 season with the '22 Mets, Montas' tenure in the Bronx was an injury riddled failure — he appeared in just nine games in a a year and a half.  Montas helped rebuild his reputation splitting last summer between the Reds and Brewers -- but health is again an issue.  He'll miss opening day (and all of April) after yet another injury,  This time, it's a lat strain. Also born on this date, a longtime big league star and an "almost" ...
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Wayback: Spring Training 2015

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Wind it back a decade, this time we land in Kissimmee, Florida.  The Astros host the Tigers in Grapefruit League play on March 15th, 2015, as a couple of infielders capture my attention: Jose Iglesias and Jose Altuve.   Not only would they be big league regulars that season, but they're both ticketed for western division clubs in '25 -- Iglesias, after a big year with the Mets, surprisingly went unsigned until mid-February before joining the Padres.  Jose Altuve  returns for his 15th Houston season, but the first where he'll spend considerable time playing left field in addition to his longtime home at 2nd base,
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If Your Birthday is March 14th...

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  ...you share it with Marwin Gonzalez .  The super-utilityman spent 11 years in the majors -- the first eight with the Astros, including their 2017 champions.  His biggest Houston moment: a game-tying home run off the Dodgers Kenley Jansen in game two of the World Series.  A .252 lifetime hitter, the Venezuela native took the field at every defensive position except catcher.  Yes, he pitched in two games, once for the '21 Red Sox, the other with the 2022 Yankees, where he finished his career. Also in our March 14th birthday circle: Kevin Brown , who won 211 games over 19 seasons.  He capped his career winning 14 games with the Yankees between 2004 and '05. Butch Wynegar was traded from Minnesota to New York early in the '82 season and became the Yankees primary catcher for the five seasons.  He caught Dave Righetti's 4th of July no-hitter in 1983 And we remember Kirby Puckett, the sweet swinging, charismatic centerfielder on the Twins 1987 and '91 W...
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