John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 12/21/2019

Happy Birthday David Kingman and Roger McDowell – this day in Mets history plus Tomas Nido and Carlos Cortes in action in the winter leagues last night, we will have the details below. 

Speaking about Winter ball and Mets Prospects, at MetsMinors.net, Ernest Dove has a very extensive report of the winter doings for a number of Mets minor leaguers including Hansel Moreno, Conner O’Neil, Cody Bohanek, Kevin Smith, Luis Guillorme, Steve Villines, and more.

Chris Mazza has a new home as MLB Trade Rumors reported that the Red Sox have claimed the now former Mets righty off waivers.

Amazing Avenue reported that Stephen Nogosek cleared waivers and has been assigned to Triple A Syracuse.

As we have been linking here, Faith and Fear in Flushing has been listing the top 100 Mets of the 2010’s. Yesterday, SNY.TV and Mets.com weighed in with their lists.

The SNY.TV list includes Manager Terry Collins and MLB.com has Jacob deGrom as the #1 selection.

Speaking of lists, Rising Apple had the Mets single season home run leaders at each position.

Rising Apple also says that Mets minor league catcher Andres Regnault became a prospect to watch.” In 2019, Regnault took his talents to the Kingsport Mets in the Appalachian League. His 192 plate appearances including 8 home runs, 49 RBI, and a slash line of .292/.328/.489.”

Reflections on Baseball had .300 reasons not to trade Dominic Smith. “What is not understandable, though, is the Mets would part with the only batter in their lineup who can hit .300 for the team – other than Jeff McNeil.”

Mets360 says the recent roster moves well position the Mets for 4^th place. “This holiday season, when one of your relatives boasts of the Yankees getting an ace or the Phillies stealing our starting pitcher or the Braves gobbling up all the good relievers, remind them – we got fourth place locked up, and nobody can take that away from us – not you and not the Marlins.”

MLB.com has statistical oddities for every MLB Team.  For the Mets: Jacob deGrom had two games in 2019 in which he struck out at least 13 batters while homering in the same contest -- he did it on April 3 against the Marlins in Miami (14 strikeouts), and on Aug. 23 against the Braves at Citi Field (13 strikeouts).

SNY.TV thinks Nolan Arenado is the perfect Mets trade target.

SNY.TV says that Brad Lidge thinks Edwin Diaz will have a bounce back season.

Metsmerized looked back at when the Mets acquired John Olerud as one of the most underrated trades in Mets history.

Elite Sports NY has Tom Seaver discussing Gil Hodges.

Elite Sports NY also says that the Mets are making minimal progress on a Starling Marte trade.

Yahoo Sports had how the average Major League salary has dropped in 2019 for the second straight year. “The 988 players on Aug. 31 rosters and injured lists averaged $4,051,490, the union said Friday, down 1.1% from $4,095,686 last year. The average peaked at $4,097,122 in 2017.”  After the recent run of free agent signings I think it may go back up next year.

MLB Trade Rumors looked at their Free agent predictions for this winter and how they have played out so far: For example, ”Zack Wheeler, SP – Predicted: Five years, $100MM. Signed: Five years, $118MM. Rick Porcello, SP – Predicted: One year, $11MM. Signed: One year, $10MM.”

MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Twins have signed former Mets infielder Wilfredo Tovar to a minor league deal.

MLB Trade Rumors reported that The Angels have inked righty Neil Ramirez to a minor-league deal.

The Astros re-signed Catcher Martin Maldonado.

Mack’s Mets blast from the past comes from December 2011: John Sickles had the Top 21 Mets Prospects – Matt Harvey headed the list.

In the Puerto Rican Winter League last night,

Tomas Nido DH’d for Criollos de Caguas going 1 for 4 with two strikeouts for Criollos in their 1-0 10 inning win (box).  Tomas is now 3 for 15 for a .200 Avg, 1 RBI, 5 Ks. 

Carlos Cortes was 0 for 1 in last night’s 4-0 win (box) for the Indios de Mayaguez. The 2019 St. Lucie Met is now 1 for 9 in three games with a strikeout for a .111 average.

No games last night in the Dominican League.

UltimateMets has this date in Mets History:

Born on this date:

• Elliott Maddox (1947)
• Dave Kingman (1948)
• Roger McDowell (1960)
• LaTroy Hawkins (1972)
• Buddy Carlyle (1977)
• Royce Ring (1980)
• Philip Humber (1982)
• John Mayberry (1983)
• Taylor Teagarden (1983)

Transactions:

Colorado Rockies signed Daryl Boston of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 21, 1992.

New York Mets signed free agent Pat Mahomes on December 21, 1998.

Matt Franco granted free agency on December 21, 2000.

Houston Astros signed C. J. Nitkowski of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 21, 2001.

Minnesota Twins signed Pat Strange of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 21, 2004.

New York Mets signed free agent Chad Bradford of the Boston Red Sox on December 21, 2005.

New York Mets signed free agent R. A. Dickey of the Minnesota Twins on December 21, 2009.

New York Mets signed free agent Rob Johnson of the San Diego Padres on December 21, 2011.

Want more?  Check out https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/news.  

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