On-Base Perception

After the Mets' enthusiastic celebration of a walkoff win against the Cubs on Sunday, commentator Bob Costas quipped that the display was "another sign of the ongoing decline of Western Civilization."

Wednesday afternoon, Mets GM Sandy Alderson got his revenge. In tweet form:

.@MattHarvey33 & @Wheelerpro45 both won Tuesday. All of Western civilization was uplifted, including...

Hiroki Kuroda is a statistical anomaly.

The 38-year-old is pitching to the lowest ERA of his career in a hitter-friendly home park in a hitter-friendly league.

Before coming to the United States, Kuroda pitched 10 seasons for the Hiroshima Carp, posting a 3.77 ERA with 6.62 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.38 walks per nine innings from 1997-2007 in Japan's Central League.

It's...

Jack Leathersich, a 22-year-old lefthanded reliever, has been promoted to the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Adam Rubin. Leathersich seemed to confirm the report, tweeting, “Flight to Vegas #GoMets.”

Leathersich has gained attention for his astronomical strikeout totals – he has 55 in 29.1 innings this season and 194 in 114 career minor league innings....

Mets GM Sandy Alderson rarely talks in the definitive. Even during a radio appearance on WFAN Monday afternoon he would only coyly give a wink and nod to the most open of secrets, that top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler is likely to make his debut next Tuesday against the Braves.

Which is why it’s so important that the New York Post’s Joel Sherman got him to pin down the team’s payroll for...

MARCUS STROMAN, 22, Patchogue-Medford High School

RHP | New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays, AA)

1-1, 6.00 ERA, 16 K, 4 BB in four starts

Blue Jays are trying Stroman -- pegged as a future closer -- in the rotation.

STEVEN MATZ, 22, Ward Melville High School

LHP | Savannah Sand Gnats (Mets, Class A)

2-2, 3.10 ERA, 45 K, 13 BB in nine starts

Struck out 45 in...

Any debate about whether the Yankees should keep righthander Phil Hughes when he becomes eligible for free agency at the end of the season usually boils down to a stat that both new-age and traditional baseball analysts agree is pretty important: home runs.

Hughes has a propensity for giving up the long ball, leading to suggestions that he -- and the Yankees -- would be better served if he...

The Mets will have to wait a little longer for some revenge against the pesky Marlins.

The scheduled 7:10 p.m. game at Citi Field Friday night has been rained out and a doubleheader is now scheduled for Sept. 14. There's still hope for Saturday afternoon's regularly scheduled matchup between young phenoms Matt Harvey and Jose Fernandez. The two were slated to face each other Friday night.

Ticketholders...

Anthony Bosch, the owner of the now-shuttered Miami clinic Biogenesis alleged to have supplied numerous MLB stars with performance enhancing drugs, was turned into MLB’s primary witness against Alex Rodriguez and other sluggers after Rodriguez refused to give Bosch financial assistance, according to a Daily News report citing sources.

“They were afraid someone else would pay him,” the source...

Mariano Rivera blew a save on Tuesday, but his loss against the Mets was just a blip on one of baseball’s best set of career numbers.

The Yankees' strength at the end of games has been their most consistent weapon since Rivera replaced John Wetteland as the closer in 1997.Even at 43, he is 19-for-20 in save opportunities in this, his final season.

Since 1901, among the 96 pitchers who...

1. ZACK WHEELER, RHP, Las Vegas 51s (AAA): 3-1 (10 starts), 4.13 ERA, 53 K, 23 BB

Just a waiting game now until Wheeler comes off this list and is promoted to the majors.

2. TRAVIS D'ARNAUD, C, Las Vegas 51s: 250 BA, .429 OBP, .472 SLG, 1 HR, 8 RBIs

Recovering from a fracture in his left foot.

3. NOAH SYNDERGAARD, RHP, St. Lucie Mets (Class A): 2-2 (10 starts), 2.73 ERA,...