Lucas Duda Slams for Mets; Juan Rivera, Dodgers, Rough Up Weaver, Angels

Players of the Day for Monday, March 12, 2012

Grapefruit League

Lucas Duda

Lucas Duda's 5th inning grand slam helped the Mets take a 7-3 lead over the Tigers, but Detroit rallied back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, then added the game-tying run in the 8th.

The game remained tied at 7-7 and ended that way after one extra inning.

Duda had just the one hit in two at-bats on the day, his first homer of the Spring.

Flourishing for the oft-injured Mets last season, Duda batted .292 with 10 homers and 50 RBI in 100 games. He is expected to be the Mets' regular right fielder this season.

Cactus League

Juan Rivera

Don't talk to Juan Rivera about singles. This Spring, Rivera has four hits in 16 at-bats, all of them for extra bases. In the Dodgers 9-1 win over the Angels on Monday, Rivera doubled in the first inning off Angel ace Jered Weaver, bringing home two runs. It was his first hit that wasn't a home run of the exhibition season.

Later on, Rivera got his home run groove on, socking his third fence-clearing smash of Spring, driving in two more runs.

Rivera left the Angels for the Toronto after the 2010 season, and then went to the Dodgers after playing in 70 games for the Blue Jays. A skilled RBI guy, Rivera had 23 doubles and 11 homers last season, driving in 74 runs with a .258 batting average.

The Dodgers lead the Cactus League with a 6-1 record.