12/29/19

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 12/29/2019


In the Puerto Rican Winter League last night:

Tomas Nido did not play for the Criollos de Caguas in an 11 inning 3-2 Criollos win (box).

FYI, in 7 games this winter, Tomas is 6 for 25 for a .240 Avg, 1 double, 3 RBIs, 5 Ks. 

In that game however two ex-minor league Mets saw action for Criollos opponent, Cangrejeros de Santurce.

Former Brooklyn Cyclone, Binghamton Mets, etc. Mike Antonini pitched one inning giving up one hit with two strikeouts.  In 5 games this winter, Mike has pitched 6 games this winter – 5 in the Dominican League and now one game in the Puerto Rican League and has not allowed any runs with 7 Ks in 5.1 innings.  In 2019 Mike pitched in the Mexican League where he was 0-1 in 26 games, 20.1 innings pitched, 11 walks, 19 Ks with a 4.87 ERA. 

Former 2018 Las Vegas 51, Bryce Brentz, went 0 for 4 with a strikeout and a bases loaded walk.  In 4 games and 16 at-bats this winter, Bryce is hitting .063.

No current Mets played last night in the Dominican but here are some notable ex-Mets and ex-minor league Mets that played:

Jordany Valdespin went 0 for 4 as his team Toros Del Este, lost 6-3 (box). 

In the other Dominican game last night, the Aguilas Cibaenas beat the Leones del Escogido 4-1 (box).  In that game -

Carlos Gomez went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. 

Cesar Puello went 0 for 3.

Joey Terdoslavich went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Gerson Bautista pitched 1.1 innings giving up no hits and no runs. 

Matt Pobereyko also pitched a scoreless inning giving up just one walk. 

There have been all sorts of decade and end of the year lists posted on various sites this month. 


Today we have more –


NBC Sports has been running a series of Top 25 Baseball Stories of the Decade.  Yesterday they posted #8: Biogenesis scandal. Some others: #9: Bullpens take over; #10: Rise of the young player; #11 Baseball goes from Dead Ball to Juiced Ball.

MiLB.com had the Minor League Ballparks of the Decade.  A Mets affiliate made the cut! “Segra Park (Columbia Fireflies, South Atlantic League) -- After playing their final season at Grayson Stadium in 2015, the Savannah Sand Gnats relocated to Segra Park [initially called Spirit Communications Park] and became the Fireflies. The facility, part of a larger development project, is located on the grounds of a former mental hospital.”


The NY Post ranked the top 10 NY Sports moments of the decade. Of Mets note: #2: Santana’s No-Hitter, June 1, 2012; #7: Mets World Series Run, Oct. 2015. 

Metsmerized had the top 5 Mets draft picks of the decade. 5. Pete Alonso, 4. Seth Lugo, 3. Jeff McNeil, 2. Michael Conforto, 1. Jacob deGrom.

MLB.com had the trades that shaped the 2010s. No Mets trades.  I guess the fact that the Mets landed Yoenis Cespedes and he led them to a National League Championship was no big deal.    

Rising Apple had the 10 worst seasons by starting pitchers in the 2010s. #10 Chris CapuanoDillon Gee, and Jon Niese in 2011; #9: Johan Santana in 2012; #8: Seth Lugo in 2017; #7: Matt Harvey in 2016…you get the idea but listed as #1 was Matt Harvey in 2017.





Metsmerized says the Mets can’t afford to trade Stroman or Matz. “The removal of either would put the Mets in position to need Michael Wacha to become their fifth starter, which would, in turn, make Rick Porcello their fourth starter.”

Fangraphs.com had MLB teams projected WAR for 2020.  Based on this, the Mets currently have the highest in the NL East with 43.9; Nationals 41.0; Braves 40.0; Phillies 36.1; Marlins 20.4. 


The San Francisco Chronicle had the story of a very dangerous trend: the failure to hire African American Managers.  “I told somebody about 10 years ago that I saw this coming, with the decline in African American players,” said Dusty Baker, who ranks 15th all-time with 1,863 victories. “I’ve lived long enough to see trends, and this is a very dangerous trend. Everybody talks about it, but who’s doing anything about it?”



MLB Trade Rumors had the Braves plan for third base including Nolan Arenado. "The Braves are unlikely to “aggressively” pursue a Nolan Arenado trade as long as incumbent starter Josh Donaldson remains on the market, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported on Saturday citing unnamed sources (link)."


UltimateMets has this date in Mets History:

Born on this date:
Died on this date:
Transactions:

Texas Rangers signed Kenny Rogers of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 29, 1999.


Want something else tracked here each day?  Please leave a comment below.

4 comments:

Mack Ade said...

Mike Antonini was a rising Mets star after the 2008 season. He went 13 starts, 2.71 for Savannah, followed by 7 starts, 1.74 for St. Lucie.

He was invited to the Big Boy spring training team and these were back in the days that a scrimmage game was played, Mets vs, Mets, the day before Game 1 of the spring training season.

Mike (I had got to know him pretty well in Savannah) was given the honor of being the starting pitcher of one of the teams.

I was standing out by the picnic tables that are above the Mets bullpen down left field and watched him to never get out of the first inning.

In fact, he gave up a 3-run home run and was then pulled by Terry Collins.

The ball flew over the left field fence and landed in the grass behind it. I hurried down the back stairs that led to the press room and clubhouse, went out of the gate, and jogged over and secured the ball.

I then went into the clubhouse where I found Mike. I told him what I had secured and gave it to him as a momentum of the day, hoping it would motivate him to pitch better the next time he had that opportunity.

I don't believe he ever got it.

Oh yeah... the guy that hit the homer?

Carlos Beltran.

bill metsiac said...

Has anyone heard any more about off-season plans for Diaz? About a month ago, I read somewhere that he was going to play some Winter League ball, and so was Familia.

Familia and Betances have been working out at an indoor facility in Jersey, but I've heard nothing recently about Diaz.

John From Albany said...

Bill,

I have not seen any news on a Puerto Rican Team yet. There was video of him throwing in Puerto Rico about a week ago on twitter but I can't seem to find it now.

Around December 11th the NY Daily News reported that the Mets had sent nutritionists to Puerto Rico to work with him.

Sorry, I don't have more than that.

bill metsiac said...

I read about the nutritionists and others, but don't remember hearing about the location.
Thanks again for keeping us up to date on the news, John.