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On-Base Perception

Newsday's new all-encompassing baseball blog on the Yankees, Mets, MLB and more from around the sport.

Matt Harvey in superior class despite his record

Matt Harvey of the Mets reacts after the

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac

Stats are a better indicator of talent than the "eye test," but they have their flaws. Especially when it comes to pitching numbers.

Case in point: Matt Harvey has consistently pitched brilliantly, yet he takes a 7-2 record into the All-Star break. The seven wins ties him for 31st in MLB among qualified pitchers.

Wins have long been used to measure a starter, dating to when...

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Shaun Marcum done for season with thoracic outlet syndrome, according to reports

Shaun Marcum of the Mets walks to the

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac

Shaun Marcum has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and will undergo season-ending surgery Monday, according to multiple reports.

The Mayo Clinic describes TOS as such: "Thoracic outlet syndrome is a group of disorders that occur when the blood vessels or nerves in the thoracic outlet — the space between your collarbone and your first rib — become compressed."

The...

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Anna Benson threatened Kris Benson with gun, report says

Kris Benson, left, and wife Anna Benson react

Photo credit: AP, 2006

If you thought you saw Anna Benson at her craziest when then-husband Kris was with the Mets, you might want to sit down.

Benson has been arrested for “allegedly raiding Kris’ apartment with a gun and a metal baton, all while wearing a bulletproof vest,” according to TMZ.

Anna allegedly showed up at her ex-husband’s residence, whipped out an expandable baton and threatened to hit him....

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Clayton Kershaw: Matt Harvey should start All-Star Game

Matt Harvey of the Mets pitches against the

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac

The debate about whether Matt Harvey should start the All-Star Game is moot. At least to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, the pitcher most frequently mentioned as an alternative to Harvey.

“He should,” Kershaw told FOXSports.com. “There’s no reason, especially if it’s in New York, that he shouldn’t start. That’s what the fans will want. I’ve got no problem with that.”

By traditional measures,...

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Mets in rain delay against Diamondbacks

Jeremy Hefner of the Mets walks off the

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac

The Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks have stopped play because of rain in the bottom of the seventh inning with the Mets leading 2-1.

The game was halted with the bases loaded and no one out after Diamondbacks pither Patrick Corbin walked Monday night's hero, Andrew Brown.

There is a 75 percent chance of thunderstorms in the Flushing area in the 10 p.m. hour, but it is supposed to drop...

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Mets, Yankees very similar -- except for bullpen and defense

Chicago Cubs outfielder Nate Schierholtz scores on a

Photo credit: AP

Coming up on the halfway point of the season, statistical surprises are abundant in baseball. Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig is hitting above .400 and former MVP Josh Hamilton is barely hitting .200 with the Angels.

But perhaps the most surprising involves a comparison of the Mets' and Yankees' production, especially when the Yankees have 10 more wins than the Mets.

The Mets are averaging...

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David Wright getting All-Star votes through unconventional methods

David Wright takes the field for a game

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac

Efforts to vote David Wright into the All-Star Game have ranged from a ballot stuffing initiative from popular sports talk radio hosts to an endorsement of sorts from a “cougar” dating website.

These unconventional efforts to get Wright votes are apparently working, as Wright led all National League third basemen in the latest voting results released Sunday night on MLB.com.

Wright leads...

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Matt Harvey to pose nude in ESPN The Magazine

Matt Harvey sits in the dugout during the

Photo credit: Getty

Get ready to see Matt Harvey in a whole new way.

The Mets' fireballing phenom will pose nude in ESPN The Magazine's "The Body" issue, along with several other notable athletes, including Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton and 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Though Harvey's appearance in the magazine is certainly notable, he won't be the first member of the Mets to strike...

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Baseball magic numbers

Former MLB star Manny Ramirez poses for media

Photo credit: AP

$25,000 - Monthly salary, in U.S. dollars, paid by the Taiwan Rhinos to Manny Ramirez, who quit the league this week despite the team’s pledge to raise it to $60,000. Ramirez made more than $206 million during his major-league career, which was abruptly cut short by a PED suspension.

500 - Hours of community service that must be performed by Lenny Dykstra, who was released from prison after...

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Zack Wheeler could end up being even better than Matt Harvey

A composite image of Mets pitchers Matt Harvey,

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac/Alejandra Villa

Tuesday was a great day for America's newest pastime: comparing Matt Harvey to Zack Wheeler.

The two crown jewels of the Mets' system have been linked and advertised as a devastating 1-2 punch ever since Wheeler was acquired for Carlos Beltran at the 2011 trade deadline. Harvey got to the big leagues first and has been superb. Tuesday was the first chance to see if Wheeler would be a worthy...

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