PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Nervous? Not at all. Bryce Harper said he was perfectly comfortable during his much-anticipated debut with the Nationals — maybe even too comfortable.
The 18-year-old phenom struck out twice and didn’t see any action in the field Monday as the Nationals beat the Mets 9-3 in their spring training opener. But the top pick in last year’s amateur draft cleared a hurdle with his first two at-bats against big- league competition.
“I felt really comfortable out there,” Harper said. “I might have felt a little too comfortable, so I’m going to go out there (today) and the next day and try to get a few base hits and see what happens.
“It’s like I feel way too strong. I feel way too quick. I feel like I can turn over a 150 mph fastball. I felt really good.”
Wainwright has surgery
JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright had Tommy John surgery on his right arm and the team said he would be out 12 to 15 months.
Wainwright, the 2010 NL Cy Young Award runner-up, felt stiffness after throwing his first live batting practice session a week ago.
Footnotes.
Red Sox right- hander Josh Beckett has mild concussion symptoms after he was hit in the back of the head during batting practice before Boston’s 7-6 victory over the Twins.
• Miguel Cabrera played his first game following his arrest Feb. 16 on suspicion of driving under the influence and resisting an officer without violence, going 0-for-2 with a walk as the Tigers’ designated hitter in a 6-2 victory over the Yankees.
• Brewers all-star right fielder Corey Hart is expected to be sidelined for two weeks with a strained lower abdominal muscle on his left side.
• Carlos Beltran is moving to right field for the Mets, with Angel Pagan taking over in center.
• Two days after right-hander Justin Duchscherer reported a sore left hip, he was able to throw for a second straight day and told Orioles manager Buck Showalter he was much improved.
• Right-hander Fausto Carmona was named starter for Cleveland’s season opener against the White Sox on April 1.
