The other half of the split-squad Mets couldn't take down the Astros on Friday night in a 7-3 loss on the road. >> Box score

Five things to know about Friday's game...

1) Jason Vargas got the start in this second game for the Mets, and it was a decent one. He started strong, allowing only a solo homer to Yuli Gurriel in the bottom of the second. And he still kept the lead in tact when George Springer laced an RBI double to make it a 3-2 game. But, when the sixth came around, he allowed a homer to Alex Bregman, and Robinson Chirinos' double allowed a runner to score that was charged to Vargas despite being pulled for Edwin Diaz. Overall, he allowed four earned on six hits while striking out three and walking two over 5.2 innings. 

The Mets split the squad on Friday with one half hosting the Cardinals at 1:10 p.m. on SNY. 

The Mets' split squad fell to the Cardinals on Friday, 15-5, at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie >> Box score

Five things to know about Friday's game...

1) Jeff McNeil blasted a long home run on the first pitch of the game in a 1-for-3 day at the plate. 

As SNY's Andy Martino has hinted to on several occassions, and most recently by Jon Heyman, the Mets appear as if they will start the season with Pete Alonso on the 25-man roster. 

It is also a strong possibility fellow first baseman Dominic Smith joins the 24-year-old while the Mets use analytical tools to determine how to maximize production from both Smith and Alonso, according to Martino. 

Mets manager Mickey Callaway also sounded like he was leaning that direction while speaking with reporters on Wednesday. 

The Mets split the squad on Friday with one half hosting the Cardinals at 1:10 p.m. on SNY. 

Mets notes

Pete Alonso is hitting .352 with four home runs and nine RBI this spring ... Travis d'Arnaud is the starting catcher and batting cleanup. ... Carlos Gomez is still searching for his first hit of the spring as he bats seventh in his third Grapefruit League game. 

Mets first base propsect Pete Alonso has had a red-hot Spring Training and appears to have found a home in the batting order hitting second. 

Manager Mickey Callaway explains why he believes that is a good fit for him and the Mets' lineup. 

Mets great David Wright will be an honorary ambassador of the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black this May.

Wright, the seven-time All-Star who played his last game in September and has taken a role in the Mets' front office, will take part in a ceremony before Friday's Mets-Cardinals Grapefruit League game in which Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith will pass the "honorary ambassador torch" to him.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Fearing that free agency might never be quite the golden goose it was before analytics seemingly devalued just about everyone this side of Mike Trout, MLB players are suddenly signing team-friendly contract extensions faster than Brandon Nimmo runs to first base on a walk.

So why haven't the Mets taken advantage of the opportunity?

Will the Mets and Jacob deGrom agree to a contract extension before Opening Day? Are other Mets candidates for extensions?

SNY's Andy Martino provides an update on the extension talks on Baseball Night in New York.

During the summer of 2017, Mets 1B Dominic Smith was considered the top first base prospect in the minors. He was promoted to the Mets a few weeks later, at which point he was widely considered to be their long-term, future first baseman.

He struggled at the plate and in the field and was later called out in public for his preparation and eating habits by then-GM Sandy Alderson. In response, Smith changed his diet, trimmed down, and returned to Triple-A in hopes of regaining the trust of the organization. 

Thanks to Alderson's remarks, Smith, 23, entered 2019 much like he entered 2018, questioning whether he had any sort of future in the big leagues.

Don't expect to see injured Mets veterans Todd Frazier and Jed Lowrie on the field on Opening Day.

Mickey Callaway indicated on Thursday that the two infielders won't be healthy by the time the Mets open the season next week.

"I just don't see it," Callaway said. 

The Mets beat the Marlins on Thursday at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie >> Box score

Five things to know about Thursday's game...

1) Michael Conforto remained on fire, hitting a homer in his fourth-straight game -- a mammoth two-run shot to right field. 

2) Steven Matz rebounded from a tough start his last time out, firing 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing six hits, walking none and striking out three.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With Opening Day one week away, things are starting to come into focus for the Mets. Here's how we see things shaking out in our 25-man Roster Prediction 3.0...

Starting Rotation (5)

1. Jacob deGrom, RHP
2. Noah Syndergaard, RHP
3. Zack Wheeler, RHP
4. Steven Matz, LHP
5. Jason Vargas, LHP

Doug Williams and Andy Martino drop an all-new episode of Shea Anything, and they break down how Mickey Callaway should handle Pete Alonso and Dom Smith if both make the Opening Day roster.

They also discuss who should be backing up Wilson Ramos if the veteran goes down with injury as well as where Jacob deGrom stands with so many contract extensions being signed this spring.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

The Mets will be permanently changing the address of Citi Field to honor Tom Seaver, the team announced on Thursday, with full details to be released at a later date. 

In addition, the team will be unveiling plans this June for a statue to honor Seaver, Mets chief revenue officer Lou DePaoli said, according to Newsday.

"We've been working on exploring a potential statue option for a couple of years in coordination with the [Seaver] family," DePaoli said. "We won't be unveiling a statue this season. We will unveil the plans of what it will look like sometime on that ['69] weekend."

Ichiro Suzuki walked off the field Thursday for the last time as a player, ending a Hall-of-Fame career that began in 2001 -- including a stint with the Yankees and a period spent pestering the Mets as a member of the Marlins. And while he was one of the best hitters ever, he also gave some of the best and funniest quotes ever. Here is a sampling...

'Who the f*ck is Tom Brady?'

In 2017, Ichiro received a text message from a number he didn't know. The number belonged to Tom Brady, who had gotten it from Alex Rodriguez and wanted to talk to Ichiro about his stretching regimen. When one of the coaches asked Ichiro who had texted him, his response was perfect: 'Some guy named Tom Brady. Who the f- is Tom Brady?'

After two days off (one due to a scheduled off-day and one due to rain), the Mets face the Marlins at First Data Field on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. on SNY. 

Mets notes

Pete Alonso gets the start at first base as the Mets trot out a lineup that should very closely resemble what we see on Opening Day. ... Steven Matz is on the mound. 

During their first meeting about 2019, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen and manager Mickey Callaway agreed that their roster needed a well-respected, accomplished, battle-tested player that could handle New York and provide a heavyweight presence in the clubhouse.

According to MLB sources familiar with the deal, Van Wagenen quickly identified Robinson Cano as a possible fit. It was well known the Mariners were eager to move his contract, which -- by the way -- Van Wagenen negotiated for Cano when representing him in 2014.

In return for taking on roughly half of the $120 million left on Cano's current contract, the Mets wanted closer Edwin Diaz. In the end, after shopping a similar deal to other teams, the M's sent Cano and Diaz to the Mets for top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, and prospect Gerson Bautista while no longer having to pay roughly $60 million in payroll during the next five years...

We suggested eight days ago that it could make sense for the Mets to carry both Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith on the Opening Day roster, and manager Mickey Callaway said Wednesday the team is considering just that.

And If the Mets do carry the right-handed hitting Alonso and left-handed hitting Smith, Callaway suggested it wouldn't be in a straight platoon. 

"I wouldn't classify it as a platoon situation," Callaway said. "I think our main goal would be to put them in the best situation to succeed. ... keep them both healthy and in the game mentally."

The Mets have a challenge ahead of them if they want to make the playoffs this season, being in what is expected to be the toughest division in baseball. Michael Conforto, fully healthy after working his way back from injury in 2018, is embracing it. 

"The division was tough this past year and this year it got a lot tougher," Conforto told Buster Olney during an interview Tuesday on ESPN Radio. "I think we're very lucky to be in a division that's as competitive as it is. The Braves, the Phillies, us, the Nationals, and even the Marlins -- they've got some good young players and you really can't overlook that series you have against them every so often. It's gonna be a battle as well."

Among the biggest moves elsewhere in the NL East were the Phillies adding Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, the Nats adding Patrick Corbin, and the Braves taking a shot on a rebound year from Josh Donaldson. The Mets added Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos, Jed Lowrie, and more. 

As the Mets continue to work out their catching situation, most of the attention has centered around the competition between Travis d'Arnaud and Devin Mesoraco to back up Wilson Ramos -- but Tomas Nido remains in camp as well.

The Mets have long seen Nido as a potential long-term solution as a backup catcher. No one is deluded about his offensive potential, but Nido is an excellent defender in a role that requires it.

D'Arnaud has also made himself more central to the team's plans this year. He is making progress in his return from Tommy John surgery, and the Mets like what they are seeing from his on-field performance.

The Mets are offering a unique ticket package for Citi Field this season. 

For $39 per month, Mets fans can download the "Amazin' Mets Pass" on their smartphone that will give them access to 78 games this season. The tickets are for standing room, but there is an option to upgrade to a seat Monday-Thursday. All fans have to do is download the tickets for the game from the app, and scan the code at the gate to gain access.

"The program is targeted to the millenial demographic and unconventional audiences," Mets Senior Vice President of Ticket Sales Chris Zaber told The Post's Natalie O'Neill. "It's a greay way to gain access to Citi Field at a low cost. Even if you come to three games a month, it's a great deal.

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is in town to face the Knicks this week, but the 22-year-old spent some time on Tuesday reminiscing about growing up around the Mets. 

Mitchell's father, Donovan Mitchell Sr., has worked in the Mets front office for several years and is their director of player relations and community engagement. 

Mitchell spent a lot of his time growing up around his father and at Shea Stadium, where he recalled one of his favorite memories -- the Mike Piazza home run after 9/11. 

NEW YORK - March 19, 2019 - SNY, the official television home of the New York Mets, New York Jets and all things New York sports, today announced its 2019 regular season broadcast schedule for the New York Mets featuring 133 exclusive live games including pre- and post-game shows. SNY's Emmy Award-winning Mets broadcast returns Thursday, March 28 at 1:05 p.m. ET, as the New York Mets open the 2019 season on the road against the Washington Nationals.

SNY's broadcast team of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling, widely regarded as the best booth in baseball, return for their unprecedented 14^th season together. They will be joined by Mets on-field reporter Steve Gelbs. Gelbs will continue delivering his insightful in-game interviews and features with players, coaches and other personalities. This season, the broadcast team will also be providing content for SNY's social media outlets pre-, during and post-game. The award-winning production team headed by executive producer Curt Gowdy, Jr., senior coordinating producer Gregg Picker, and director Dan Barr, will continue to lead all SNY-produced Mets telecasts.

SNY's Opening Day Lineup will begin with a special 90-minute Citi Pre-Game Live hosted by Gary Apple, who will be joined by former Mets Todd Zeile and Nelson Figueroa and former Mets General Manager Jim Duquette as they take viewers right up to the start of the game with Jacob DeGrom scheduled to take the mound for the Mets.

On the morning after Derek Jeter announced his retirement during spring training of 2014, I happened to be in Angels camp in Tempe, Arizona. At that time, a manufactured storyline was going around that Mike Trout could replace Jeter as the "face of baseball."

As Trout fielded questions about this topic, he was affable, engaging -- and clearly uninterested in being anything other than a great ballplayer for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was more goofy younger brother than international celebrity, and that seemed fine.

The news on Tuesday morning of Trout's 12-year, $430 million agreement with the Angels, first reported by ESPN, closed off any remaining chance that Trout can ever rise above niche recognition from hardcore baseball fans.

When the Mets acquired Yoenis Cespedes in the waning minutes of the 2015 trade deadline, they had to part with one of their top pitching prospects, Michael Fulmer. 

The deal arguably worked out for both sides in the short term; Cespedes helped lead the Mets to a pennant that year and re-signed with the team, while Fulmer won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2016 and was an All-Star the next season. But the righty regressed in 2018 and had knee surgery in September. 

Now, Fulmer won't see a mound for quite a while. He has been recommended to have Tommy John surgery, the team said Tuesday, after consultating with the renowned Dr. James Andrews, who also performed Fulmer's knee surgery. Additionally, he will seek a third opinion befor making a final decision. 

The nightmare scenario for the Mets of Manny Machado and Bryce Harper landing with the Phillies didn't happen, and the nightmare scenario of Mike Trout joining Harper on the Phillies won't be happening, either.

Trout, who had been due to hit the free agent market after the 2020 season, has agreed to a 12-year deal worth $430 million to remain with the Angels, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. 

The new deal absorbs the two years that were remaining on Trout's existing deal, reports USA Today's Bob Nightengale, technically making it a $363.5 million extension that begins in 2021. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and does not contain any opt-outs...

After Tuesday's rainout in Jupiter against the Marlins, Mets RHP Zack Wheeler -- who was set to start -- will instead throw 90 or more pitches Wednesday during an intrasquad game during the team's off day. 

Wheeler remains on track to start the third game of the regular season, but with the rainout pushing his schedule back, he will now be making the start on regular rest instead of an extra day of rest.

Jacob deGrom is scheduled to start on Opening Day -- March 28 against the Nationals -- with Noah Syndergaard starting the second game of the season on March 30 (after a team off-day), and Wheeler getting the ball on March 31.

Mets 1B prospect Pete Alonso hit his fourth home run of the spring on Sunday.

"I felt like last year I had a pretty solid year and I feel like this year I'm composing myself to have an even better year," Alonso recently told reporters in St. Lucie. 

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen and manager Mickey Callaway have repeatedly said they want to leave Florida with the best 25 guys on the Opening Day roster.

David Wright may have never won a World Series with the Mets, but he did win an NL pennant and had some successful seasons, so he knows what it takes to win in the majors and that it is sometimes more than just talent on the field. 

That's how Wright felt about the 2015 Mets and he sees some of that in this year's team. 

The former Mets captain, in Port St. Lucie as special advisor to the GM, listened to a team meeting on Monday and spoke with some players afterward about what it takes to win in this league. 

Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard squared off against one another on the back fields of the facilities at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie on Monday in a minor-league intrasquad game. 

The Mets decided to scratch them from their scheduled starts against the Nationals this week in an attempt to scale back exposure against teams that they will be seeing plenty of in the regular season. 

DeGrom allowed one run on seven hits while striking out 12 in 6.1 innings while Syndergaard allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks while also striking out 12 in six innings. 

Michael Conforto stayed red hot at the plate and Jeurys Familia served as the opener during the Mets' 6-5 loss to the Nationals on Monday in Port St. Lucie. >> Box score

Five things to know about Monday's game ...

1. Conforto went yard for the third straight day, launching a two-run homer in the first inning for his fourth homer of the spring. The two-run shot gives him 10 RBI in Spring Training.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Negotiations between the Mets and ace Jacob deGrom are ongoing, with optimism in some corners that the sides will reach a deal by next Thursday's self-imposed deadline.

As of Monday morning, an agreement was not imminent, but the Mets and deGrom's reps continued to hammer away behind the scenes. SNY has previously reported that deGrom is seeking a deal of approximately five years and $150 million; it is not known what type of deal the sides are currently discussing.

The tone of this negotiation has shifted a few times over the course of the winter, which is probably to be expected for a potential deal this large. At the winter meetings in December, deGrom's reps at CAA left a meeting with Mets higher-ups expecting an offer.

Michael Conforto seems ready for Opening Day.

The outfielder launched a home run Monday in the bottom of the first inning, his third straight game with a homer. He crushed a 3-2 pitch to right field with two outs to give the Mets a 2-0 lead over the Nationals.

Conforto has four homers and 10 RBI this spring.

Reliever Jeurys Familia will open Monday's Grapefruit League when the Mets take on the Nationals on Monday at 1:10 p.m. on SNY. 

Mets notes

Michael Conforto remains in the cleanup spot after homering in the last two games. He is hitting .255/.314/.468 with three home runs and eight RBI this spring. ... Juan Lagares is back in the lineup on Monday batting second and in center field. ... Robinson Cano enters the game with a .486 average and two home runs. 

Pete Alonso doesn't lack confidence when he steps in the batter's box. At least, he hasn't shown any signs of it this Spring Training. 

But the knock on Alonso throughout his career in the Minor Leagues is that he struggles defensively. The first baseman has worked hard to erase the stigma, however, and simply play the position better. And he's feeling pretty good about his defensive game as the 2019 season beckons. 

"I'm extremely confident," he told reporters Sunday after the Mets' 10-6 loss to the Nationals. "I mean, I feel like I've done a 180 from 2017 to now, because that was my dark year, so to speak, defensively."

Six runs from the Nationals in the first inning set the tone for the game, as they beat the Mets, 10-6, on Sunday at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches. >> Box score

Five things to know about Sunday's game ...

1. For the second straight game, Michael Conforto homered. This time, he drilled a two-run shot off Stephen Strasburg in the third inning. He worked a walked and struck out to raise his Grapefruit League average to .253 with a .782 OPS. 

Jacob deGrom was scratched from his scheduled outing Sunday in a "B" game for the Mets due to a stomach illness. 

It's obviously no reason to sound the alarms, and the silver lining here is noteworthy. To keep the 30-year-old on track to start Opening Day in less than two weeks, deGrom will throw Monday on the back fields. Fellow rotation mate Noah Syndergaard will toe the rubber for the other team in the Mets' intrasquad contest, providing an intriguing matchup, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported.

With a pair of games scheduled against NL East rival Washington for Sunday and Monday -- the two days deGrom and Syndergaard were scheduled to pitch, respectively -- the Mets made the conscious decision to shield them from Major League competition for the remainder of Spring Training. 

For Al Leiter, joining the Mets as a baseball operations advisor for the club and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was a no-brainer. 

The 53-year-old met with reporters in Port St. Lucie, where he was attending spring training, on Sunday and said he simply felt like it was time for him to return to the organization he grew up rooting for. 

"There's no other organization that would make sense," Leiter said. "There's no B.S. I loved playing here. I had the majority of my success here, as a Met. It's the right thing. There's no other option." 

The idea of a five-man starting rotation for the ages, as predicted by John Smoltz, among others, is but a memory now, with Matt Harvey gone and Steven Matz more mediocre than elite since his rookie season.

But the Mets might still have the best Big Three in baseball, if Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard all pitch with the dominance expected of them. 

How far can that take them? Pretty darn far, if their history is any indication.

Hector Santiago takes the mound for the Mets on Sunday as they head to West Palm Beach to face the Nationals at 1:05 p.m. 

Mets notes

Michael Conforto returns to the cleanup spot on Sunday after going 2-for-3 with a home run on Saturday ... Pete Alonso bats second with his team-leading three home runs this spring while Dominic Smith is the DH as he continues to make his case to be on the Mets' Opening Day roster. 

The Mets jumped out to a 6-0 lead before running into some trouble with their middle relief in a 11-6 loss to the Marlins on Saturday. >> Box score

Five things to know about Saturday's game...

1) Michael Conforto had an impressive day at the plate batting cleanup, blasting a two-run shot in the first inning then singling in a run in the third in a 2-for-3 day at the plate with three RBI. 

Jason Vargas and the Mets face Sandy Alcantara and the Miami Marlins in a Grapefruit League game on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. 

Mets notes

Pete Alonso gets the start at first base and is batting second as he carries a .375 (15-for-40) average and team-leading three home runs into the game ... Robinson Cano (13-for-32) will bat behind Alonso while Travis d'Arnaud (4-for-13) gets the call behind the plate. 

The Mets think the Nationals have seen enough of their major league pitchers this spring. 

The team revealed on Saturday that they will shield their pitchers from Grapefruit League games so that other teams will not be able to get a good look at them, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. 

Jacob deGrom, who was on schedule to start in Sunday's game against the Nationals, will instead pitch in a "B" game on the back fields of the Mets' Spring Training facility along with Jeurys Familia and Justin Wilson. 

The Mets fell to the Nationals on Friday, 11-3, at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla. >> Box score

Five things to know about Friday's game...

1) Steven Matz continued to struggle in what was by far his worst outing of the spring. The left-hander allowed eight runs on seven hits, including four home runs, and a walk in just two innings of work.  

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is having a strong spring.

The 24-year-old reflects on what got him to this point in his career and how he can continue to succeed at the next level. 

Steven Matz' struggles are not getting in the way of his optimism. 

The Mets lefthander had by far his worst outing of Spring Training on Friday, allowing eight runs, including four home runs, on seven hits and a walk in just two innings of work in his latest start against the Washington Nationals. 

Matz, though, knows what the problem is and said that it is better he identifies and works through it now rather than when the season starts. 

Steven Matz and the Mets face Jeremy Hellickson and the Washington Nationals in a Grapefruit League game on Friday at 1:10 p.m. at First Data Field.

Mets notes

Dominic Smith is tied with J.D. Davis for the team lead with eight RBIs. ... Robinson Cano has a .414/.452/.655 batting line with two home runs and six RBIs in 10 games.

The Mets tied the Cardinals. 1-1, on Thursday >> Box score

Five things to know about Thursday's game...

1) Zack Wheeler was dominant for a second-straight start, firing 5.1 shutout innings while allowing two hits, walking none, and striking out four. His ERA is down to 2.25.