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          New York Mets

          Morning briefing: Wintry weekend for Mets

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterApr 12, 2013, 10:01 AM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          FIRST PITCH: After an off-day that included trips to the Mall of America and a Minnesota Wild game while dodging snowflakes, the Mets get back to work Friday with an interleague series against the Twins -- weather-permitting.

          The forecast for tonight calls for a low of 28 degrees and 30 percent chance of snow in Minneapolis.

          Approximately five inches of snow fell Thursday.

          Jonathon Niese (1-0, 2.13 ERA) is scheduled to face ex-Phillie Vance Worley in the series opener.

          Read the series preview here.

          Friday’s news reports:

          • Anthony Rieber in Newsday notes Matt Harvey has plenty of friends on the NHL’s Rangers, including Brian Boyle and Henrik Lundquist. Harvey has sought fashion advice from Lundquist. "I saw what he did the other day," Boyle told Rieber about Harvey. "Nine strikeouts, one earned? I think it's cool to kind of follow him. He's a humble guy. I hope he turns into a superstar. You really do root for a guy like that."

          • Andrew Keh in the Times gets the Phillies to rave about Harvey.

          Said Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel: “He’s got a little bit of style like Seaver. He’s a drop-and-drive guy. He gets a lot of torque from his backside pitching off the rubber. He’s got a chance to be real good.”

          Said Laynce Nix to Keh: “He’s throwing stuff that a closer comes out of the bullpen and throws for one inning. But he’s doing it for a game.”

          • Zach Lutz belted a grand slam and Las Vegas routed Sacramento. Read the full minor league recap here.

          • Neil Best in Newsday writes about a night with SNY commentator/Sacred Heart athletic director/former major league manager Bobby Valentine.

          • Read more about the frigid Minnesota weather in the Daily News.

          • Mark Bowman at MLB.com notes David Wright, B.J. Upton and Ryan Zimmerman were all members of the same travel team in Norfolk, Va., while in high school. And now they’re in the same division. "David talks a good game," Upton said. "But we can get in Dave's dome pretty easy. Ryan is pretty stoic.”

          • Terry Collins has used four different leadoff hitters in the past five games, notes Jorge Castillo in the Star-Ledger.

          • Ike Davis was born in Minnesota while his father Ron played for the Twins, notes Mike Puma in the Post. Mike Kerwick in the Record, meanwhile, addresses Davis' slow start.

          • Collins is not a fan of interleague play. Read more in the Post.

          • From the bloggers … To Mets Police, Thursday was the day the Mets fan base lost its mind.

          BIRTHDAYS: Paul LoDuca turns 41. … D.J. Carrasco, whose last pitch in the majors came a day after he plunked Ryan Braun, turns 36. … Former Mets infielder/Brooklyn Cyclones product Danny Garcia is 33.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU’RE UP: Should the Mets be playing an interleague game in Minnesota in early April?