Pages

1/14/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 1/14/2020


Tough game for Jonathan Niese in the Dominican league last night.  That, and lots more links this morning.


Also as Mack’s Mets had yesterday, MLB handed down the punishment to the Astros for the sign steal scandal in 2017. “MLB will fine the Astros $5 million and take away their first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts”.

Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated that “Firing AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow Was Jim Crane's Only Option. Has anybody else been fired on live TV, let alone two successful shepherds of a franchise at the same time? Stunning as it was, Crane acted logically given the findings of the commissioner’s investigation.”

Per the NY Post’s Joel Sherman: “But if we have learned anything in modern America, it is hard to get consensus on much, including whether these penalties were too lenient or too harsh. So I will offer this — they were harsh enough to get across what Manfred wanted to deliver: That those who cross the line by using technology to cheat do so at the peril of losing their jobs and perhaps their right to ever participate in Major League Baseball again.”

Also Per the NY Post fired manager AJ Hinch said the following: “I regret being connected to these events, am disappointed in our club’s actions within this timeline, and I accept the Commissioner’s decision,” Hinch said in a statement. “As a leader and a Major League Manager, is it my responsibility to lead players and staff with integrity that represents the game in the best possible way. While the evidence consistently showed I didn’t endorse or participate in the sign stealing practices, I failed to stop them and am deeply sorry.”



Per the NY Post: “Mets’ Carlos Beltran avoids discipline in Astros cheating scandal. Carlos Beltran was the only player singled out in Major League Baseball’s exhaustive report involving the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, but the new Mets manager avoided punishment. After repeatedly denying any involvement, Beltran was mentioned prominently in the report released by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday…”

Per Bill Madden in the Daily News: “And speaking of managers, though Carlos Beltran was reportedly one of the ringleaders in the Astros’ cheating in 2017, he was a player at the time and Manfred chose to mete out discipline only to those in management. But just because Beltran avoided suspension, on the occasion of his being named Mets manager, he lied to the New York media about having any knowledge or involvement in the Astros’ 2017 cheating. Say what you will, but with Astros owner Jim Crane taking Manfred’s action a step higher by firing Hinch and Luhnow and the Red Sox expected to do likewise with Cora, the Mets keeping Beltran is a bad visual.”

Call to the Pen says no punishment for Carlos Beltran, yet. Manny Gómez points out that just like the PED players are not being into the Hall of Fame, Carlos Beltran may face a similar fate with the cheating scandal. “Baseball writers have had zero problem withholding players they deem to be cheaters, like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, from Cooperstown. I can think of no reason why they wouldn’t hold Beltran to the same standard.”

Mets 360 noted that “Drafting mistakes necessitate Jake Marisnick deal.” David Groveman wrote: “All of this leads to the Mets trading a couple of prospects for a $1.9 Million Dollar 1.2 WAR center fielder with a career .227 batting average. Jake Marisnick is not a bad player, but no team should ever “need” to trade for a fourth outfielder. Teams are supposed to stockpile the key defensive positions so that such trades are never necessary. Based on the Mets draft history, it looks like that might be something Sandy Alderson forgot.”



Rising Apple’s Tim Boyle had how Marcels Projections on Baseball Reference had some high projections for Tomas Nido: “In 281 trips to the plate, Nido is projected to slash .222/.279/.381. While far from great, they’re much better than he has done in his major league career thus far. In addition to hitting for a much better average than I would predict, Nido is projected to knock 12 doubles and 9 home runs.”


MLB Trade Rumors reported that Eric Hanhold cleared waivers and was outrighted by the Orioles to Triple-A.



Last night in the Dominican Republic, Jonathan Niese lasted just 1.2 innings and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and a walk in a 7-4 loss for the Aguilas Cibaenas against the Tigres del Licey (box).

Carlos Gomez went 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.

In the other game, the Leones del Escogido beat the Toros Del Este 2-0 (box). 

Cesar Puello went 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Jordany Valdespin went 2 for 4.

In Puerto Rico, the Indios de Mayaguez beat the Gigantes de Carolina 6-5 (box).  No current or ex-Mets participated.  


Born on this date:
Died on this date:
Transactions:
New York Mets selected Terry McDaniel in sixth round of free agent draft on January 14, 1986.

New York Mets traded Masato Yoshii to the Colorado Rockies for Bobby Jones and Lariel Gonzalez on January 14, 2000.


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

17 comments:

  1. Will Beltran escape fully this cheating incident? Will there still be blow back? I guess time will tell.

    We hoped to get Superman - but instead, we got the Man of Steal.

    I wonder if Niese is trying to latch on to a big league team in 2020. One would presume yes. Games like yesterday can't help.

    If Nido slashes for .222/.279/.381, as the referenced article suggests, that will be VERY "far from great." Do we really want a guy with a .279 OBP? And, supposedly a defense first catcher, he has only thrown out 8 of 63 in the big leagues. And an average 34% in the minors. Makes TDA look like a defensive wizard by comparison.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I never understand the motivation of players like Niese. Is he independently wealthy?

    He's wasting critical life building years to a game that has long past him by.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When he goes 7 scoreless it looks like he has a lot left. Last night, Niese did not look good. I am sure he sees Oliver Perez still going and thinks "why not me?"

    ReplyDelete
  4. Per MLB Trade Rumors: Twins to sign Josh Donaldson. “Donaldson will earn $84MM over the first four years of the contract, tweets Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. The option is valued at $16MM and comes with an $8MM buyout.”

    ReplyDelete
  5. Red Sox fired or "mutally agreed" to part ways with Alex Cora (depending on the headline you read).

    ReplyDelete
  6. Niese figured to give it one more try.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Niese

    Reboot.

    With young lefty pitchers like David Peterson, Kevin Smith, Tom Szapucki waiting in the wings getting ready for their Mets shot, why then are we supposed to care about Jon Niese I ask you?

    He looked done the last time here. Did he not?

    ReplyDelete
  8. N.Y. Mets Off Season Press Coverage

    To me, the NY Mets press coverage in the off season thus far, tends to be somewhat comparable to watching tonight's Sunny Side-Up Assisted Living Democratic Debate tonight. And I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican, so forget any bias here on my part.

    The player choices and their positional preferences for those Mets players that they like, clearly shows that they never once played this game.

    Sad. Very sad.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The NY Mets appear to have signed onto the Houston Garbage Can Mess. It goes to show you, that cell phones may be instead the right way to go here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I wanted Eduardo Alfonso for manager actually.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tom Brady now wants to be a NY Jet and a five-year.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Neise is part of the past.

    I want The Fonz as our bench manager

    ReplyDelete
  13. Maybe true.

    But Alfonso had at least managed Brooklyn Cyclopses. Beltran nada thing.

    Mack, this on Knicks.

    Horrible game last night. Only Randle and Robinson showed up for it. I think a redo there may be in order. Not really sold yet totally on Barrett either. May be too young. Here's my team idea.

    C Jonas Valanciunas (Memphis has Jarne Jackson as well. Jonas is big and powerful underneath. Won't be pushed aside like Mitchell. Trade Morris and D. Smith Jr. for.)
    PF Julius Randle.
    SF Danilo Gallinari (Should still be here and not been traded away. Is a big boy now and has consistent game.)
    SG Ignas Brazdeikis (There is something about this kid that spells winner. Barrett needs more time before starting job handed over to him. Quick and fearless.)
    PG Frank Ntilikina (Best guard on the current Knick team and will be an All-Star if mgt. doesn't give up on him foolishly. Smooth as silk and is quickly grasping this league now.)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Eduardo Alfonso (to me) had some additional class about him that other manager candidates maybe did not have.

    The thing I recall the most about the Beltran/Delgado/Valentine/Lo Duca era of Mets baseball (and it is it not assuming anyone person's fault here either) is that the Mets 25-man roster seemed divided into two racial camps. It was the very first time that I ever saw that here with this team, and hopefully the last. Did not impress me at all, nor very many Mets fans I know.

    I don't blame any one person from either racial camp from back then, but rather felt it did hurt the one team approach and unity needed to become truly champions.

    Sort of like the two political party system in this country does now. It sets a really bad, immature, embarrassing, and divisive tone for all the new and legal/illegal immigrants here to notice and report back to home about. And it makes our country look weak.

    It's sad.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The Mets will regain their footing thru this Houston Astro debacle. To be honest here, this sort of thing has probably gone on in baseball since there was baseball.

    Look at the Shoeless Joe Jackson era for example. Pete Rose. And others as well.

    Cheating is sort of Americana. Actors getting their kids into the better colleges through payoffs and bribes. On and on.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anon, Fonzie was the best Mets Manager I saw since Gil Hodges. Case closed. The Brooklyn team ran the bases like I never saw a Mets team do before. A thing of beauty to watch. They bunted, they ran hard, they led the league in defense. He played the entire roster (which is huge at that level). How he could not be rewarded with a promotion last year is shocking.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks like Jon Niese is finished. Was surprised to see he hadn't pitched in the Majors since 2016.

    ReplyDelete