Worth noting

By Anthony DiComo

March 7, 2013

• Second baseman Daniel Murphy (strained right intercostal muscle) hopes to make his Grapefruit League debut sometime next week, though he is hesitant to put a firm timetable on it. Murphy, who has been taking soft toss swings in an indoor batting cage, remains confident that he will be ready to go well in advance of Opening Day.

• Outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis (bone bruise in left knee) ran in an indoor pool Thursday, and said his leg was feeling significantly better. Nieuwenhuis remains on track to return to the lineup at some point next week.

• Tickets for All-Star FanFest and Taco Bell All-Star Sunday will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. ET, at mets.com, AllStarGame.com or at the Citi Field box office. FanFest will run from July 12-16 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. All-Star Sunday includes the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game.

Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo.