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1/25/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 1/25/2020


The Mets introduced Luis Rojas as their new manager in a press conference broadcast on Twitter yesterday.


SNY.TV also had more quotes from the Press conference including this: "It's according to the players you have in your hands. If you have a team that can run, you run. If you have a team that can play that way, you play that way. It's according to what you have. We have a really good roster. We have really good starting pitching, we have a really good bullpen, and we can score some runs. So I feel really good about it."

Per SNY.TV Brodie Van Wagenen gave these reasons why Luis Rojas was chosen: "His communication not only to the players, but you'll learn his communication with you will be genuine," Van Wagenen said. "And certainly from a management standpoint, the ability to know that when we speak to Luis, it's gonna be the truth."; “When he speaks, he has impact.”; “He's just steady. He is unflappable.”

Kevin Kernan in the NY Post spoke to Omar Minaya about Luis Rojas: “He is the first manager to start in the Dominican Summer League, I know of, to manage a major league club… Luis has that special quality, he is just real. It’s a confidence. His connection to players is strong and I am talking about all players, Anglo players, Latin players, everybody just attached themselves to this guy.’’

Per Mike Puma of the NY Post: “Luis Rojas said he chose uniform No. 19 because his birthday is Sept. 1 and in Spanish the date leads with the day, followed by the month. Rojas noted his father, Felipe Alou, wore No. 17 and his brother, Moises Alou, wore No. 18.”



Per SNY.TV: Regarding additional trades or adding Starling Marte, Brodie Van Wagenen not looking to “disrupt what we have”.  "At this point we feel very confident in the group we have," said Van Wagenen. "We're excited about the guys that we have invited to camp. We're excited about the returning players that we'll have back on the roster, and we think we've added some key pieces from the outside that will help us this year.”

Per MLB Trade Rumors on this topic: “At the same time, Van Wagenen says he’s open-minded to changing the cast. “If there’s an opportunity to continue to improve our roster, we’ll explore it,” he says, “but our aggressiveness right now is focused on getting ready for Spring Training with the players we have.” It’s a bit unclear just what it means to aggressively prepare to open camp. What does seem evident from this comment is that the Mets (quite understandably) prefer to focus public energy on the existing roster … but aren’t ruling out further moves.”

Matt Netter of Mets 360.com says the “2020 Mets not yet ready for prime time”. “The projected starting rotation, lineup, bullpen, and bench all look good to very good, but there’s little room for injuries and not enough competition. The Mets have too many older and injury prone players to not add more insurance to the roster. Most of the names listed as “others in the mix” are uninspiring. Right now the roster is less than 30 legitimate players deep. It needs to be closer to 40.”

James Schapiro of Elite Sports NY explains “Why the New York Mets should stay far away from Nolan Arenado.”: “Arenado has an opt-out after the 2021 season. Either he’ll hit free agency in two years, or he’ll make the full $234 million left on his contract. Either way, it’s not worth emptying the farm system and assuming an enormous contract for someone only slightly better than Jeff McNeil.”  


Nicholas Kyriacou of Rising Apple has Three Marcus Stroman predictions for 2020:  1: Perfect third starter material; 2. Double-Digit wins, an ERA near 3.00; 3. Marcus Stroman saves Van Wagenen’s tarnished trade reputation. 



213 Miles from Shea is looking how Baseball America’s 2019 Top 30 Prospects did last year.  Yesterday they looked at Tylor Megill. Tom will love this quote: “Personally, I’m always intrigued by pitchers with his height (6’8”) who can throw 96 mph.





ESPN.Com said the Astros Penalties are harsh enough despite calls for more. The writer, Bradford Doolittle, goes on to list many instances of cheating in Baseball History and how Houston’s penalty is “unprecedented”.  


Per Mass Live.com: “In potential Mookie Betts-Padres deal, Boston has ‘expressed interest in’ Padres Catching Prospect Luis Campusano (report)”. Luis Campusano “batted .325 with a .396 on-base percentage, .509 slugging percentage, .906 OPS, 15 homers, 31 doubles, one triple and 81 RBIs in 110 games for High-A Lake Elsinore Storm during 2019.”




Blue Jays Sign Rafael Dolis.  Rafael Dolis headed for Japan after his MLB chances dried up a few years ago, and it proved to be an excellent decision. The hard thrower posted a tremendous 2.49 ERA with 96 saves and 9.9 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9 over 206 innings with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball from 2016-19.”





Last night in the Final Series in the Dominican Republic, the Toros Del Este beat the Tigres del Licey 3-1 (box).  The Toros Del Este now lead the series 3-1.

Jordany Valdespin played went 1 for 4 with a run scored.

Tim Peterson was the winning pitcher with two scoreless innings in relief allowing one hit and recording one strikeout.

Ramon E. Ramirez got the save with no hits, walks, or strikeouts in a scoreless inning.


UltimateMets has the date in Mets History:
Born on this date:
Died on this date:
Transactions:
New York Mets traded 
Damon Buford to the Texas Rangers for Terrell Lowery on January 25, 1996.

New York Mets sold Angel Pagan to the Chicago Cubs on January 25, 2006.

New York Mets signed free agent Aaron Sele of the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 25, 2007.


1980: The Mets' new owners are formally introduced to the local media at Shea Stadium's Diamond Club. Nelson Doubleday will be the new chairman of the board, replacing the outgoing Lorinda de Roulet, who will play no role in the future of the franchise, and Fred Wilpon is named the president and CEO of the club.

1999: After being aired on WOR, Channel 9 since the team's inception in 1962, Mets games this season will broadcast by WPIX, Channel 11. The Yankees games, which had aired for nearly 50 years on the Amazins' new station, will now be seen on Channel 5, a Fox affiliate.

2005: Carlos Delgado (.269, 32, 99) and Florida come to terms on a four-year, $52 million contract. The 32 year-old first baseman's deal stops the intense bidding war between the Marlins, Mets, Orioles, and the Rangers for the coveted free agent.

2007: Willie Randolph, who brought New York within one game of a World Series appearance, agrees to a $5.65 million, three-year deal to continue as the manager of the Mets through 2008. The skipper's new deal doubles his present salary from $700,000 to $1.4 million.


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6 comments:

  1. I am glad that someone else is intrigued by Megill.

    Omar Minaya thinks Mets did very well with choice of Rojas. Sounds plausible to me.

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  2. And he picked the same uniform number as Sam Haggerty.

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  3. I never understand how some blog writers project someone that, not only has never thrown a pitch of organized ball, but also has no pedigree.

    Projected someone like Alvarez is easy because of how much bonus money he got and what the writers said about him.

    Projected a WILD pitcher who received a buck twelve for a bonus, has had no one write anything written about him until he threw a 99 moh pitch, is crazy.

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  4. Megill Thrills will be coming to Queens in 2020, baby!

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  5. I am sure I will see Mr. Megil in Binghamton this year. I will most likely be right behind home plate. It should be fun to see him pitch again. First two times I saw him in 2018 were not his best.

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  6. John, you will be our Megill super scout.

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