John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 2/7/2020

Good Morning and Happy Birthday to Endy Chavez.  Lets hit the links - 

Per MLB Trade Rumors: Talks End Between Mets, Steve Cohen Over Ownership Bid.

Per the NY Post - Steve Cohen released a message for Mets fans: “I gave it my best shot… I’m very disappointed we couldn’t work out a deal,” Cohen wrote. “But as an 8% holder I’m looking forward to a higher bid for the team… I want to thank the fans for their support and the respect they showed me and I want to thank Commissioner [Rob] Manfred and MLB for their support through the process.”

Per the NY Post: “At the late stages of his agreement to buy 80 percent of the franchise for $2.6 billion, Cohen was informed by Fred and Jeff Wilpon that their plan was for Jeff to maintain total operational control of the Mets throughout the pre-agreed-to five-year transition period and then maintain a senior role within the organization even after Cohen took over.”

Per MLB.com MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred weighed in on the sale/no sale: “The first is that there is not going to be a transaction. My belief is that’s accurate. The second is, exactly what happened with respect to the transaction, I can tell you, and it’s based on conversations with the buyer and the seller on an ongoing basis, the assertion that the transaction fell apart because of something that the Wilpons did is completely and utterly unfair.”

Per Mets.com: “However, the Wilpon family still intends to sell the team, and has hired a local investment bank to spearhead that process.”

Ken Davidoff of the NY Post asks: “Where Wilpons and Mets go from here is the big question... We can play the blame game all the way until Jarred Kelenic’s Hall of Fame induction. The key question remains, what now for the Mets and their beleaguered stewards?... Look, when a dumpster fire like this produces such wildly divergent accounts of what transpired, the truth typically lies somewhere in the middle. Yet the Wilpons get crushed thanks to their general history of ineptitude as well as their specific history of dancing this dance nearly nine years ago with hedge-fund magnate David Einhorn, only to have that agreement fall apart, too…If someone else as prominent and as loaded as Cohen exists, that person flies successfully under the radar. Which is why you still can’t wholly rule out a reconciliation with Cohen.”

Larry Brown Sports reported on a tweet from Jon Heyman: “Also, after what happened here, belief is Stevie Cohen, despite his reported  $13B, will have trouble ever buying any team.”

Per Mets.com: Yoenis Cespedes posted a video of him working out.

Per SNY.TV: Mets' Steven Matz reflects on winning minor league championship with Luis Rojas. "2013 we won a South Atlantic League championship. That's a pretty hard thing to do, go through the minor league season together, win that championship. So I have great memories with him, that was a really fun season. I learned a lot that year, it was a big step to my career as well."

Also Per SNY.TV: Noah Syndergaard discussed his off season workouts: "This offseason was much like the last -- just keep on learning more about my body and trying to train in the smartest way possible, but also knowing I'm a professional athlete and I need to challenge myself in the weight room in order to get better on the field," he said. "Just a really solid offseason season, it went by just as fast as any of the other ones go."

SNY.TV also posted video of the Mets workout from yesterday with Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom.

Per SI.com: Report: “Mets' Spring Training Stadium Renovation Won't Be Finished By Start of Workouts…According to the Treasure Coast Palm, citing a December quarterly construction report St. Lucie County sent to the state, the renovations of the Mets' 7,100 seat stadium in Port St. Lucie, Fla. is only 62% complete. County officials told the paper that they hope to have work on the stadium done by Feb. 24, two days after New York's first Spring Training home game. The entire project is projected to be finished by June 3, according to the report. The Mets told the paper they are "100% confident" the stadium will be ready for pitchers and catchers on Monday and for fans to watch preseason workouts on Thursday.”

Empire Sports Media projects the Mets Bullpen: Edwin Diaz; Seth Lugo; Dellin Betances; Jeurys Familia; Justin Wilson; Robert Gsellman; Brad Brach; and Michael Wacha. 

Per Mike Puma in Baseball America: Franklyn Kilome Nears MLB Debut. “To a fair amount of people in the public, because he didn’t pitch last year, he’s become a little bit forgotten, but he certainly isn’t forgotten to us,” assistant general manager Adam Guttridge said. "The ingredients are there, we feel like. He’s a big guy and he’s an athlete. There is a lot to work with there.”

Brian Joura of Mets 360.com has 2020 Projections for Jeff McNeil. “It looks like a done deal that McNeil will be at 3B in 2020… 620 PA; .285 BA/.355 OBP/.560 SLG; 27 HR; 86 RBIs.”  I’ll take it.

Per Amazing Avenue: One Last Move - Brock Holt.

213 Miles From Shea looks at the 2019 Projection Vs. result for Mets #19 Prospect: Will Toffey. “2019 Binghamton: 323 PA, 269 AB, .219 BA/.347 OBP/.349 SLG, .696 OPS… First off, Toffey hit as advertised last year, putting up an on base percentage way higher than his batting average. That’s a positive sign. His power just wasn’t there, which is the opposite of a positive sign. Unlike BA’s prediction, Toffey did not get bumped to Syracuse last year and was the average age in Double A last year. Unless some crazy roster stuff happens, he’ll probably get bumped up to Syracuse this year.”

Foul Territory Baseball has “Carlos Beltran Conspiracy Theories for Your Consideration: What if Carlos Beltran stepped down to cover up for somebody else?”

The Mookie Betts Trade has hit a snag.

Per Yahoo Sports: Report: Red Sox trying to 'reconfigure' part of Mookie Betts trade to avoid deal falling apart. “Pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol’s medicals are reportedly holding up the still-unannounced deal.”

Per NBC Boston: “Everyone knew Brusdar Graterol was damaged goods — everyone except the Red Sox, apparently. So let's get this straight: the 265-pound reliever who has already undergone Tommy John surgery and missed two months last year with a bad shoulder is damaged goods? Who could've seen this coming?”

Per 12up.com: “Red Sox Reportedly Saved Money Last Year by Giving Fake World Series Rings to Scouts and Staffers.”

ClutchPoints.com had the small market teams with the best chance to make the playoffs: Twins, Rays, and Padres.

Per Yahoo Sports: Commissioner Rob Manfred on Kris Bryant decision: ''The club has the right to decide who is going to be on its roster,'' Manfred said Thursday after an owners meeting. ''That's a fundamental management right because it's got to do with the core of our product, and that is the competition.''

Per Yahoo Sports: Hank Aaron thinks Astros cheaters should be banned for life from MLB.

The Mayors of Columbia, S.C, Chattanooga, Tenn, and Dayton, Ohio penned a piece for Fortune.com saying: “Supporting these teams also serves MLB’s interests. Right now, owners are dealing with the repercussions of a massive sign-stealing scandal. Like any good business, they need to earn and keep the trust of their fans. The fact is that there are no greater ambassadors for the sport than the minor league teams. Those linked with big league teams serve as great brand advertisements for the league and its players.”

Per Yahoo Sports Ex-Met Chris Young replaces Joe Torre as MLB disciplinarian.

Per the Associated Press: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred concerned with team/media roles of Pedro Martinez, Jessica Mendoza.

Per Syracuse.com: The 7 Line Army announced it will visit NBT Bank Stadium on Friday June 5 to watch the Syracuse Mets host Columbus. They plan on then on attending the Saturday Game June 6 in Binghamton.

Per MLB Trade Rumors:

MLB Hires Ex-Syracuse Met Gregor Blanco, Nick Hundley As Senior Directors Of Baseball Operations.

Indians Reportedly Nearing Deal With outfielder Domingo Santana.

Dodgers Extend Max Muncy, three-years, $26MM.

The Twins win their arbitration hearing against right-hander Jose Berrios. “He’d filed for a $4.4MM salary but will now be paid at the $4.025MM figure submitted by Minnesota.”

The Cardinals claimed left-hander Ricardo Sanchez off waivers from the Mariners, infielder Ramon Urias was designated for assignment by St. Louis.

Bruce Bochy To Serve As Special Advisor For Giants.

Domonic Brown “Ready To Call It Quits”.

Winter Ball:

Yesterday the Caribbean series in Puerto Rico had their semi-finals games. 

Despite being out hit 9-2, Venezuela beat Mexico 1-0 (box).

Mexico over Columbia 4-0. (box).

The Dominican Republic came back from a 3-2 deficit with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to beat Puerto Rico 4-3 (box).

Jordany Valdespin went 1 for 3 with a walk and scored the tying run in the eighth on a wild pitch.

Tim Peterson threw a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout.

Peter O’Brien, former Yankee and Marlin, recently signed to a minor league deal with the Braves and the MVP of the regular season in the Dominican Republic, continued to hit going 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored.

Venezuela and the Dominican Republic now play the Series Finale tonight.

Mack’s Blast From the Past comes from February 7, 2012 – Mack talked about a David Wright to Philly trade for, among others, Dominic Brown. At one point Dominic was the number ranked prospect in baseball ahead of Bryce Harper.

Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Benny Ayala (1951)
• Charlie Puleo (1955)
• Endy Chavez (1978)

Transactions:
New York Mets traded Hank Webb and Richard Sander to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Rick Auerbach on February 7, 1977.

Mickey Lolich announced his retirement on February 7, 1977.

New York Mets released Ross Jones on February 7, 1986.

New York Mets claimed David Lamb on waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on February 7, 2000.

Seattle Mariners signed Kelly Shoppach of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 7, 2013.

New York Mets signed free agent Todd Frazier of the New York Yankees on February 7, 2018.

Per National Pastime.com:

1979	Jesse Orosco becomes 'the player to be named later' in the Mets' trade of Jerry Koosman to the Twins. The left-handed reliever will spend 24 seasons in the major leagues, setting the record for appearances with 1,252.

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