John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 2/21/2020

Lots to get to, lets hit the links.

The NY Post had Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on the 2020 Mets and Pete Alonso’s response: “Pete Alonso: “is not hitting 50 homers again.” 

“I’m not picking the Mets to make the playoffs,” said Russo, who predicted the Amazin’s would win between 83 and 87 games. “Maybe that would do them some good because every time I pick them to go to the World Series … they go 82-80 and fire a manager…

“I just don’t think that they’re very good. You’re asking too many components to click,” he added. “Alonso, the top two in the rotation (Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard), (Amed) Rosario, getting something out of center field. Maybe (Yoenis) Cespedes adds something. Will (Jed) Lowrie play a game, outside the seven at-bats that he got last year for $10 million bucks? I just don’t think the Mets … too many questions.”  Pete Alonso— tweeted a one-word response: “Fuel.”

Kevin Kernan of the NY Post talked to Mets hitting Chili Davis about Amed Rosario “whom the Mets believe he could become an All-Star this season. ‘I could see that,’ hitting coach Chili Davis told The Post on Thursday at Clover Park. 

What changed? Rosario hit the books. ‘I think his preparation has been real nice before games,’ Davis said. ‘Looking at pitchers and not only preparing for the starter but taking the whole package, the bullpen and the starter, looking at them and seeing how they pitch and see where they make mistakes.’”

Baseball America posted their list of top 30 Mets Prospects.  90 Percent Mets posted the entire list: #1 Ronny Mauricio SS; #2 Francisco Alvarez C; #3 Brett Baty 3B; #4 Matthew Allan RHP; #5 Andres Gimenez SS; 

#6 Mark Vientos 3B; #7 Thomas Szapucki LHP; #8 Josh Wolf RHP; #9 Kevin Smith LHP; #10 David Peterson LHP; 

#11 Jordan Humphreys RHP; #12 Junior Santos RHP; #13 Franklyn Kilome RHP; #14 Michel Otanez RHP; #15 Robert Dominguez RHP; 

#16 Alexander Ramirez OF; #17 Shervyen Newton INF; #18 Freddy Valdez OF; #19 Jose Butto RHP; #20 Jaylen Palmer INF; 

#21 Dedniel Nunez RHP; #22 Walker Lockett RHP; #23 Tony Dibrell RHP; #24 Daison Acosta RHP; #25 Carlos Cortes 2B; 

#26 Ryley Gilliam RHP; #27 Ali Sanchez C; #28 Quinn Brodey OF; #29 Scott Ota OF; #30 Hayden  Senger C.

MLB.com had each team’s Best Power Hitting Prospect.  For the Mets it was Brett Baty.

Anthony DiComo on Mets.com explained how “four of the 35 pitchers in Mets camp – Jordan Humphreys, Drew Smith, Franklyn Kilomé and Thomas Szapucki -- spent last summer recovering from Tommy John… They have formed something of a club in the clubhouse, understanding how difficult recovery from the surgery can be.”  DiCome had this regarding Humphreys: “A former 17th-round Draft pick, Humphreys was raising two kids on a Minor League salary. His initial rehab did not go smoothly, necessitating a second operation to reposition a nerve in his forearm. There were days, he said, ‘when I didn’t even want to pick up a baseball, it hurt so bad.’”

Also per Mets.com: The Mets will play a March 24 exhibition against the Orioles at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., the team announced Thursday.

Tim Healey of Newsday described how Jacob deGrom and Yoenis Cespedes went mano a mano in spring training batting practice.  “Cespedes’ most square contact might have been a line drive to leftfield — a swing that resulted in a broken bat. That induced a big smile from deGrom, who cheesed some more on two swing-and-misses from Cespedes, including on the last pitch of their duel.” SNY.TV had in on video.

Also from SNY.TV:

Video: Michael Conforto talked about the walk off single against Washington where Pete Alonso ripped off his shirt and about improvement in 2020: "I felt like 2017 was the year that felt most like me, spraying the ball all over the field, playing well in the outfield, doing all the right things fundamentally as a baseball player," said Conforto. "That's who I want to be. It's not crazy to have those aspirations knowing that's who I've been before.

Video: J.D. Davis talks about his swing with SNY's Todd Zeile about hitting the ball to right field and staying off breaking balls. "I started really tuning into that right-center or at second base probably by college, it's just the way my swing worked," Davis said. "It helped me stay more on the fast ball and not really pull off on any off-speed."

Video: “Pete Alonso: Mets have what it takes to 'bring home a trophy'.”

Video: “Jeff McNeil looks forward to playing third base full-time; Robinson Cano changed his offseason routine this year in an attempt to strengthen his legs for the long haul in 2020; Dellin Betances believes the Mets could have one of the best bullpens in baseball with Seth Lugo, Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, and Justin Wilson, among others.”

Danny Abriano of SNY.TV said that Spring Training games do not matter noting that: “In 2009, the Mets went 18-15 in spring training before suffering the first of six awful regular seasons. The 1986 Mets were an even .500 in the spring before winning 108 games and the World Series. In 1994, the Mets went 21-13 in Grapefruit League play before going 55-58 in the strike-shortened regular season.”

Per the NY Post: Ex-National Matt Adams thankful to get opportunity with Mets.            

From Elite Sports NY: Jacob deGrom believes New York Mets have a ‘good shot’ at World Series.

213 Miles from Shea had Get to Know a Non-Roster Invitee: Adonis Uceta.

213 Miles from Shea did a 2020 Mets Conglomerate Projections: J.D. Davis – 470.5 Plate Appearances, 445 At Bats, 21.6 HR, .270 BA., .806 OPS.

Mets 360 had “‘Strike Zone; Scoreboard Lights’”. A song brought on by Art Shamsky’s visit to see Tom Seaver.

Bleacher Report ranked all 30 MLB Teams on home grown talent.  The Mets came in at #4 behind the #3 Twins, #2 Dodgers and #1 Astros.

Mets Minors had how Senator Chuck Schumer will meet next week with MLB officials at the Binghamton Rumble Ponies stadium.

Fangraphs had MLB Team payrolls as Spring Training begins. The graphs they posted showed the Mets were not big spenders this off season. 

Other MLB News:

MLB Trade Rumors had the power rankings of the Top 10 2020-21 Free Agents: 1. Mookie Betts; 2. J.T. Realmuto; 3. George Springer; 4. Marcus Semien; 5. Trevor Bauer; 6. Robbie Ray; 7. Marcus Stroman; 8. Justin Turner; 9. DJ LeMahieu; 10. Nick Castellanos.

Bleacher Report: J.T. Realmuto Expected to Seek Record Contract for Catcher.

Per Yahoo Sports: Batting champ Tim Anderson says he won't change his style. Anderson led the major leagues with a .335 average last season for the Chicago White Sox.

Per MLB Trade Rumors:

Yankees Luis Severino Shut Down Due To Forearm Discomfort.

Phillies Win Arbitration Hearing Against J.T. Realmuto.

Cleveland Right Hander Carlos Carrasco To Undergo MRI On Right Leg.

Mack’s Blast From the Past comes from 2-21-13: A look at Mack’s Mets #13 Prospect, Jacob deGrom.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Joe Foy (1943)

Died on this date:

• Vinegar Bend Mizell (1999)
• Sherman Jones (2007)

Transactions:

New York Mets signed free agent Joe Orsulak on February 21, 1998.

New York Mets traded Corey Brittan to the Colorado Rockies for Kane Davis on February 21, 2002.

Washington Nationals signed Chris Young of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 21, 2013.

From National Pastime.com:

1974	Tom Seaver becomes the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history when he signs a contract for $172,000 per season to hurl for the Mets. 'Tom Terrific' has posted a 135-76 record during his seven years in New York.

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

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