John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 2/17/2020

Jed Lowrie showed up to Spring Training wearing a knee Brace.  The SNY.TV post includes video of Jed Playing with the brace.

Mike Puma in the NY Post had this quote from Jed: “This is just a brace that alleviates my symptoms and makes me feel like myself,” Lowrie said. “I am just going to manage the best I can.”

Per MLB.Com: Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith, Paul Sewald, Michael Conforto, Tim Tebow, and others were among those Mets who took part in a clinic this afternoon for Special Olympics athletes and their families.

12UP.com had more video of Tim Tebow at the event, and MLB.com had more video of Tim talking about the Special Olympics athletes.

Per SNY.TV: “Mets' Tim Tebow says 'there was some communication' with XFL "But for me, this is what I wanted to do.”

Lohud.com: “On Sunday, when asked if he had experienced doubt during his Mets journey, Tebow genuinely embraced the idea and focused on his “why,” showing perspective and purpose.” Tim said: “Yeah, of course. It’d be a lie to say no. I think it’s: What do you do with that doubt? What do you do with the uncertainty? What do you do when you feel like you’re struggling with something? I think that’s important because I think we all have that in our lives at places and times when we’re going through things. And ultimately, in a lot more important situations than sports.”  12UP.com had the video of Tim saying that.

Per Newsday: “Tebow is slated to return to Triple-A Syracuse, where he toiled last year, his worst in baseball. He hit .163 with a .495 OPS, struck out in more than one-third of his plate appearances and missed the final month-plus due to a deep cut on his left pinky.”

Per SNY.TV: “Mets' Robinson Cano on his outlook for 2020: 'If I'm healthy, I know that I can play at my level'.”

SNY.TV had a “Prospect Deep Dive: RHP Matthew Allan, a power arm Mets drafted in third round.”

Brian Joura of Mets 360.com had: “The top five middle infield combos for the Mets.”  Ranking them by their OPS+ marks, he includes Jose Valentin & Jose Reyes in 2006 and Edgardo Alfonzo & Mike Bordick in 2000.

213 Miles from Shea had: “2020 Mets Conglomerate Projections: Pete Alonso.” Elliot Teichman took “projections from several different places, averaged them together and then compared the line that spits out to the player’s performance from last year”.  The average Pete projection is 44 Homers and .254 BA.

Tim Boyle of Rising Apple said: “Mets of the Future: Meet Alexander Ramirez, the potential future CF in Flushing.”

Per the NY Post: Mike Puma had Brad Brach’s explanation on why he turned things around with the Mets last year - “The biggest thing was using the cutter a lot more, I was able to be a lot more aggressive in the zone and I think it kind of just made everything else a little bit better,” Brach said.

Tim Boyle of Rising Apple also had: “New York Mets most underrated transactions of the winter: Brad Brach, Rene Rivera, avoiding arbitration with everyone.

John Harper of SNY.TV had scouts weigh in on Mets' Marcus Stroman for 2020 season. Here’s one quote that I thought made sense: "My only concern is that I think he's at his best when he's not over-amped and he's not overthrowing. You saw that when he came over to the Mets last year. He wanted to dominate so badly that he was overthrowing his sinker and his slider, and his location was off.”

Thomas Hall in Elite Sports NY says: “New York Mets’ Marcus Stroman can dominate through ground balls in 2020.”

Faith and Fear in Flushing had “Last Played at Shea” talking about recent retirees Curtis Granderson, Carlos Gomez and the passing of long time Mets Usher Luke Gasparre.

Rob Piersall of Metsmerizedonline.com asked: “Will Matt Harvey ever pitch again?”

Per Empire Sports Media: Daniel Marcello points to the shirtless prank on Noah Syndergaard to say “The New York Mets Are Relaxed and Loose to Start Spring Training.”

90 Percent Mets had some Bold Mets Predictions: These include – Brandon Nimmo will have a better season that Starling Marte; Zack Wheeler will be a top 3 pitcher in the NL East; Amed Rosario becomes a star; Noah Syndergaard improves on his 2019 season; Mets will win the NL East.

Sign Stealing:

Before the latest “he said”/”he said”…apology/non-apology…on the sign stealing scandal, 12UP.com posted yesterday Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo rant from January on the scandal and the Astros Players.

Per Yahoo Sports: “Rob Manfred says Astros' apology 'was not successful'”

Per AP Sports: Manfred: “No tolerance for beanballs in wake of Astros’ scam”.

CBS Sports had “Rob Manfred defends Astros' punishment, says he would've penalized players in 'perfect world'”

Per 12UP.com: “3 Dumbest Comments From Rob Manfred's Press Conference on Astros Sign Stealing: 3. Upset About Leaked Luhnow Letter; 2. Unsure About Buzzers; 1. No Need to Strip World Series Title.”

Per 12UP.com: “Manfred says he didn't strip Astros of title because "the idea of...asking for a piece of metal back seems like a futile idea."

213 Miles from Shea had lots of player’s tweets on the scandal.

Per Boston.com: “Red Sox sign-stealing findings will be out by the end of next week”

From ESPN.com: “Astros, rivals wage cheating scandal war of words that won't end soon…Only time will slow it, and until then, as baseball's cheating scandal metastasizes, as it dirties all it touches, remember that what caused it in the first place will guide its direction going forward: the choices of individuals looking out for themselves.”

Per 12UP.com: “Astros Cheating Makes Nationals World Series Upset All the More Impressive.”

12UP.com: “Former MLB Pitcher Phil Hughes Wonders if Players Could Consider Work Stoppage Over Lacking Astros Punishment.”

Yahoo Sports said that the Astros should embrace the Heel Role.

Phil Mushnick of the NY Post said: Astros owner Jim Crane just latest leader to devalue the truth. He included this quote from Crane - “Our opinion is this didn’t impact the game. We had a good team. We won the World Series, and we’ll leave it at that.”

90 Percent Mets discussed instances of gambling and cheating in baseball saying this: “Several members of the 1951 Giants team have admitted the presence of a high-powered telescope that was positioned behind a window in Manager Leo Durocher’s office in the center-field clubhouse.  A Polo Grounds electrician allegedly constructed a buzzer system that was connected to the Giants’ dugout and right-field bullpen.”

Other MLB News:

Per The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Former Phillies GM and Mets Coach, Ruben Amaro Jr., taking analyst role with NBC Sports Philadelphia.  Amaro declined an opportunity to remain with the New York Mets after last season and made it clear that he'd relish a chance to work in Philadelphia again.”

12UP.com: JT Realmuto Open to Spending Rest of Career With Phillies and Isn't Worried About Extension Talks.

Section 215.com said: “You have to love Joe Girardi’s approach.”

Phillies Nation had: “Bryce Harper: Phillies have chance to go deep into the playoffs.”

From MLB.com: “Though he was bothered by being removed from the 40-man roster this offseason, Charlie Culberson arrived at Spring Training on Sunday with the same great personality and sense of humor that has made him a beloved member of the Braves’ clubhouse.”

MLB.com also had Don Mattingly talking about the Marlins’ pitching prospects and non-roster invitee Matt Kemp.

Per FishStripes.com: Francisco Cervelli is excited to work with the Marlins’ group of young pitchers in what will be his 13th MLB season.

MLB.com had how Starlin Castro is happy to be reunited with Dave Martinez in Washington DC.  Post includes video of Castro making a great defensive play against the Mets while playing third base for the Marlins last year. 

From the Detroit Free Press: “Why some Detroit Tigers prospects have a new motto: 'Live Like Numi'. Chace Numata, a catcher at Double-A Erie last season, died Sept. 2 after a skateboarding accident.

12UP.com: Chris Sale Ate Ribs for 4 Days Straight After Losing Weight Due to Pneumonia.

Per MLB Trade Rumors:

Mack’s Blast From the Past comes from February 17, 2015: The Morning Report – 2-17-15: Jerry Seinfeld, Dillon Gee, Harvey talks World Series, Gabriel Ynoa, Bovada.

Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Roger Craig (1930)
• Juan Padilla (1977)
• Thomas McIIraith (1994)

Died on this date:

• Red Ruffing (1986)
• Brock Pemberton (2016)
• Tony Phillips (2016)

Transactions:
Chicago Cubs signed Jerry Morales of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 17, 1981.

Colorado Rockies signed John Maine of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 17, 2011.

New York Mets signed free agent Dana Eveland on February 17, 2014.

From National Pastime.com:

1976	Future National League Cy Young Award winner Mike Scott pitches a perfect game for Pepperdine against California Lutheran University. The right-hander, who will throw a no-hitter as a major leaguer for the Astros, will be selected by the Mets in the second round in the June draft.

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