MLB

Mets’ Lannan staying at his parents’ house in Long Beach

John Lannan will have no choice but to feel at home Monday.

The 29-year-old lefty, whom the Mets signed to a minor-league contract before spring training, never got around to finding a place to live in the New York area, so planned to bunk at his parents’ house in his native Long Beach on Sunday.

“The crazy thing is going to be waking up in the house I grew up and going to Opening Day,” the Chaminade High graduate said.

Lannan said he grew up rooting mostly for the Yankees, but has fond memories of attending games at Shea Stadium.

“I just loved the game, so anytime my dad got me tickets, we would go to the Diamond Club at Shea,” Lannan said.

Though Lannan hoped to crack the Mets’ starting rotation this spring, he is adjusting to life in the bullpen. The Mets started using Lannan in a relief role near the end of camp with the hope he could give the team a second lefty option, behind Scott Rice.

“The transition is going all right so far,” he said. “If I had to draw it up, I’ve gotten in situations that I’d want to get into, and I had a bad one in there and was able to bounce back from that, so it’s a learning experience.”


The Mets selected Omar Quintanilla’s contract and reassigned infielders Eric Campbell and Anthony Seratelli. Also reassigned were catcher Taylor Teagarden and pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kyle Farnsworth.

Jon Niese was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21, with inflammation in his left elbow and Matt Harvey was placed on the 60-day DL as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery.


Ralph Kiner will be honored during a pregame ceremony which will include a video tribute and the unveiling of a commemorative logo above the left-field wall. Kiner, who spent 52 seasons in the Mets broadcast booth beginning with the franchise’s inception in 1962, died last month at age 91. His children Michael, K.C., Tracee and Kimberlee are scheduled to attend the ceremony. The Kiner logo will be painted on the grass behind home plate.


The Mets are 34-18 (.654) all-time on Opening Day. No team has a higher winning percentage on Opening Day.