Mets Notes from Spring Training: 2/25

News and notes will be emerging throughout the day.  This post will be updated as new pieces of information come in (newest at the top)…

• According to the beat writers, shortstop Ruben Tejada has a cramp in his right quad.  Tejada has been scratched from tonight’s lineup, and Andy Martino quoted Terry Collins as saying he would be out “a day or two.”

• Per Adam Rubin, LF Lucas Duda will not play the next two spring training games.  Instead, he’ll be taking batting practice.  According to Rubin, Collins said Duda is being given a break from games in order to adjust to his new stance (since his offseason wrist injury prevented him from adequately doing so).

• Collin Cowgill will be on WFAN today a bit after 4:25 PM.

• Per the beat writers, Frank Francisco just finished throwing off flat ground from 60 feet.

• Daniel Murphy, who is sidelined with an intercostal strain, is “a couple of days away” from being cleared to swing a bat.

• Here’s the lineup as the Mets host the Nationals at 6 PM in Port St. Lucie –

1. Collin Cowgill, CF
2. Brandon Hicks, SS
3. David Wright, 3B
4. Ike Davis, 1B
5. Marlon Byrd, RF
6. Jamie Hoffmann, LF
7. Andrew Brown, DH
8. John Buck, C
9. Wilmer Flores, 2B

• Per Adam Rubin, RHP Frank Francisco will begin throwing off flat ground today as scheduled.  It’s unknown when Francisco will ramp up his activity.

• Mets catcher John Buck will be a guest on WFAN at 12:20 PM.

• Media Goon of Mets Police notes that there are tickets available for opening day during today’s presale for $39 dollars.  As was pointed out here back in November, the cheapest tickets for opening day being $63 dollars seemed to border on absurd.  Glad the Mets have apparently brought some of the prices down.

• Darryl Strawberry will be chatting with fans on ESPN.com today at 2 PM.  To submit questions and/or view the chat, head here.

has been shut down for two weeks.  On ESPN.com, Adam Rubin surmises that if Feliciano isn’t able to make the team, the Mets may go with only one left handed reliever (presumably

).

Feb 15, 2013; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Pedro Feliciano during spring training workout at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

• In the Daily News, John Harper says “the joke is on Mets fans” after Sandy Alderson failed to acquire either Justin Upton or Michael Bourn.  As far as Bourn is concerned, signing him would have resulted in the Mets losing their first round pick and 40 percent of their draft budget.  The Upton situation is different.  Back in January, Rising Apple suggested the Mets attempt to build a deal for Upton around Ruben Tejada, a few of their high end pitching prospects, and others.  Harper notes in the article that’s exactly what the Mets tried to do.  However, the Diamondbacks insisted on one of Zack Wheeler or Matt Harvey.  In the end, they ended up accepting a package from the Braves that included Martin Prado, but was devoid of any impact prospects.  Harper said “the joke is on Mets fans” for the Mets not having traded for Upton or signed Bourn.  I say it would’ve been incredibly foolish to part with either Wheeler or Harvey for Upton, and/or to punt the entire 2013 amateur draft in order to sign Bourn.

• The Mets host the Nationals tonight in Port St. Lucie at 6 PM.  Collin McHugh gets the start, and Gonzelez Germen, Scott Rice, Elvin Ramirez, and Greg Burke are all scheduled to pitch as well.  The game will air on SNY.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to Like Rising Apple’s Facebook page and follow@RisingAppleBlog on Twitter to keep up with the latest news, rumors, and opinion.