John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 2/22/2020

The Mets will play their first Spring Training game today.

Per Mets.com: Rick Porcello, Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil and Wilson Ramos are slated to play in the home half of a split-squad game against the Marlins. Marcus Stroman, Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Davis, Amed Rosario and René Rivera will go on the road to face the Cardinals.

Per the NY Post: Bench coach Hensley Meulens will manage the traveling squad.

Also per Anthony DiComo in Mets.com: “As expected, Yoenis Céspedes will not participate when the Mets open their Grapefruit League schedule Saturday with split-squad matchups against the Marlins and Cardinals…Céspedes continued to work out on a limited basis this week in Port St. Lucie, taking live batting practice and running through outfield drills…Céspedes is only running in straight lines at the moment, and never at full speed.”

SNY.TV had Luis Rojas saying this about Cespedes: "Well I think it was a really big week for him. He's advancing, he's progressing, he's doing things every day that just impress you. He's out there taking fly balls with the rest of the outfielders -- obviously limited in the movement laterally and covering ground -- but he's out there, he's moving, getting behind balls, making throws in. He threw a couple to home plate yesterday, he made a couple of throws after a cutoff in relays. Facing live pitching."

Tim Healey of Newsday talked about today’s starting pitchers: “Rick Porcello seeking answers in pitching minutiae.” The article discusses how Rick worked with “pitching coach Jeremy Hefner: Porcello had a problem keeping his shoulders level in part because, as he delivered a pitch, his head veered off toward first base. Hefner said his advice to avoid that was ‘keep his chest like he’s chest-bumping the catcher.’”

Tim Healey of Newsday also had “Why Marcus Stroman changed to No. 0 (and what it has to do with Jose Reyes)” with this quote from Marcus: “I knew [Jeff] McNeil had No. 6, which I had [in Toronto]. So I just kind of said No. 7. I wore No. 7 in college. It was easy. Then once it settled in, I realized I was playing for the Mets, I watched Reyes growing up. It just didn’t feel right.”

Faith and Fear in Flushing has a short poetic piece of prose about today’s spring training game.

Per a tweet from Wayne Randazzo where he listed the entire Spring Training Broadcast schedule, today’s game against the Marlins will be broadcast on WPIX-TV and CBS-AM.

Speaking of Broadcasts, per Thornton McEnery in the NY Post: “James Dolan looking into buying SNY as Mets sale rumors swirl. Relax, Mets fans — James Dolan probably isn’t going to buy your team. He just wants the TV network.”

Vasilis Drimalitis in Amazing Avenue noted that Steven Matz will see his first action on Sunday at Port St. Lucie as the team faces off against the Cardinals again.

The NY Post’s Kevin Kernan said Mets already feeling the Luis Rojas difference. “The right leader at 38… The new Mets Way was written about in The Post two weeks ago. Rojas spelled out exactly what this will mean. ‘We want to get into a town and we want to be acknowledged,’ Rojas said. ‘Hey, the Mets do this: Go first to third, score from first on doubles, score from second on singles. They make the plays. They are fundamentally sound.’”

Anthony DiComo on Mets.com had Michael Conforto saying: 'This year feels like a special one' Aware that free agency is nearing, OF focused on taking a leap in 2020.”

John Harper of SNY.TV had Scouts and execs weigh in on Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard and included this quote from ex-Met Bob Ojeda: “’I think he needs to grow up," Ojeda said. ‘The job is hard enough. Sometimes your personality gets in the way of the talent when you're that talented, and his personality has jammed him up, in my opinion’… ’Experience tells me if somebody would help Syndergaard keep his focus on just being a monster athlete, he would thank them later on.’"

SNY.TV also had a deep dive on Mets Prospect Josh Wolf: “Wolf is a projectable 6-foot-3, 170-pound power arm with more room to physically mature. He currently sports a three-pitch mix, including a fastball that ranges from 92-97 mph that he shows the ability to throw for strikes.”

Per MiLB.com: GCL Mets outfielder Ryan Shinn has been suspended 50 games each for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Ryan hit .242, 3 HR, 20 RBIs, .385 OBP percentage for the GCL Mets last year as a 34^th round pick in the 2019 draft.

Per 90 Percent Mets: Mets sign former Binghamton Rumble Ponies Joey Terdoslavich to a minor league deal.

213 Miles from Shea had Get to Know a Non-Roster Invitee: Austin Bossart. About Bossart Elliot Teichman noted: “Bossart, he was one of the highest ranked defensive catchers but has really, really struggled at hitting.”

213 Miles from Shea did a 2020 Mets Conglomerate Projections: Luis Guillorme – 216.75 Plate Appearances, 166.75 At Bats, 3 HR, .246 BA., .662 OPS.

Per Amazing Avenue: ZiPS projections predict the Mets finish third in the NL East. The system sees the Mets as a coin flip to make the playoffs, tied with the Padres for the second Wild Card spot.

Mets 360 had a poll: Which Mets-related guy do you want to be?

The NY Times talked about Yoenis Cespedes not talking.

Derek Reifer of Metsmerized asked: “How Should Mets Handle Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis Defensively?”  He noted how high Jeff rated defensively at third base.

Michelle Ioannou of Metsmerized noted Mets Get Creative With New Murals at Clover Park.  The Mets have Vintage shots of Tom Seaver Pictures combined with Jacob deGrom and more.  Well worth the look.

Ernest Dove of MetsMinors.Net has MMN Top 30 Prospects: Hard Hitting Carlos Cortes at No. 15.

Dilip Sridhar of Metsmerized had MMO 2020 Top 30 Mets Prospects: No. 14 Junior Santos, RHP

Andres Chavez of Empire Sports Media noted that Tomas Nido hired a swing coach in the offseason to improve offensively.

Per NJ.com: Phillie Phanatic is getting a makeover.

Per MLB Trade Rumors:

Free agent righty Victor Alcantara has received an 80-game PED suspension.

Phillies, Hector Neris Avoid Arbitration.

Mariners claimed reliever Taylor Williams off waivers from the Brewers, Designate Phillips Valdez.      

    

Rockies Sign former Red Sox reliever Daniel Bard.

Diamondbacks closer Archie Bradley won his arbitration hearing.

Indians Carlos Carrasco Day-To-Day With Hip Flexor Strain.

Mack’s Blast From the Past comes from 2-22-13: Mack had a great report from 2013 Spring Training and talked about Prospect Camp with players like Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, Hansel Robles and more.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• J. J. Putz (1977)
• Kelly Johnson (1982)
• Tim Peterson (1991)

Died on this date:

• Mario Ramirez (2013)
• Jack Hamilton (2018)

Transactions:
New York Mets traded Bobby Klaus, Wayne Graham and Jimmie Schaffer to the Philadelphia Phillies for Dick Stuart on February 22, 1966.

New York Mets signed free agent Juan Berenguer on February 22, 1975.

New York Mets released Mark Bradley on February 22, 1984.

New York Mets signed free agent Mark Johnson on February 22, 2000.

Montreal Expos claimed Endy Chavez of the New York Mets on waivers on February 22, 2002.

Los Angeles Angels signed Jason Isringhausen of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 22, 2012.

From National Pastime.com:

2008

The Mets, who had not gone to arbitration with a player in 16 years, come out on the short end of the hearing when southpaw Oliver Perez (15-10, 3.56) gets a favorable decision in his case from arbitrators Steven Wolf, Robert Bailey, and Elizabeth Neumeier. The southpaw is awarded $6.5 million for this year, rather than the club's offer of $4,725,000.

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

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