On-Base Perception

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...

Here are the probable lineups for the Mets' Opening Day game vs. the San Diego Padres at Citi Field:

PADRES

Chris Denorfia RF

Everth Cabrera SS

Carlos Quentin LF

Yonder Alonso 1B

Jedd Gyorko 2B

Nick Hundley C

Cody Ransom 3B

Cameron Maybin CF

Edinson Volquez P

METS

Collin Cowgill CF

Daniel Murphy 2B

David Wright...

Here are the probable lineups for Monday's Opening Day game between the Yankees and the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium:

RED SOX

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Shane Victorino RF

Dustin Pedroia 2B

Mike Napoli 1B

Will Middlebrooks 3B

Jonny Gomes DH

Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

Jackie Bradley Jr. LF

Jose Iglesias SS

Jon Lester P

YANKEES

Brett...

Don’t put much stock in spring training stats, says one of baseball’s most well-worn axioms. It’s like viewing stats through funhouse mirrors. Sample sizes are simply too small to draw sweeping conclusions of skill.

And yet it’s almost impossible to exhibit the self-control not to use spring-generated information to prognosticate.

Two scouts recently expressed confidence in new Yankee...

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Mets dropped their Grapefruit League finale 7-1 on Saturday to the Orioles. As you read this, the Mets are getting on their flight to New York, where they will work out on Sunday. A few quick notes:

-- Johan Santana has elected to undergo his second major shoulder surgery in 31 months. He informed the Mets that he will undergo surgery on Tuesday in New York to repair...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Earlier on Friday evening, word began to trickle that the Mets' Johan Santana was leaning toward attempting a second major shoulder surgery to continue his pitching career.

Via Twitter on Friday night, Santana's agent Chris Lieble shared the pitcher's plan: "With regard to @johansantana, he is taking time this weekend w/his family contemplating whether or not to...

Throughout spring training, we asked you to vote on whether or not certain Mets and Yankees players that were "on the bubble" would make the team.

With the 2013 season just a few days away, here's how you voted (along with the part where we must tell you that these results are the furthest thing from scientific.)

YANKEES   TOTAL VOTES "IN" VOTES (%) "OUT"...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The Mets beat the Cardinals 7-2 in their Tradition Field finale. David Wright and Daniel Murphy both emerged from the game on track to make Opening Day. Meanwhile, the Mets made a few decisions that offers an almost-final picture of the 25-man roster.

-- Jeurys Familia and Greg Burke had been locked in a battle for the final roster spot for a righty reliever. But the...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- David Wright finished 0-for-3. And while he played five innings in the field on Friday afternoon against the Cardinals, he didn't handle a single chance. But the most important development of the day for Wright was that he felt no pain in the left intercostal muscle that had one jeopardized his chances of starting the season on time.

"It's one step closer to Opening...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- As the sting of Johan Santana's potential career-ending injury lingered in the clubhouse on Friday morning, Mets captain David Wright used words that captured the scene: disheartening, shocking, sad. Just as others did in the clubhouse, Wright walked a thin line, trying to speak of Santana in present terms as opposed to the past.

They took care to mind the difference...