John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 3/18/2020

Good Morning and Happy Birthday to Brooklyn Cyclones Pitcher Matt Cleveland.

No Baseball, so what’s on You Tube?  Monday they posted every Mets Pennant Clinch on YouTube. Tuesday they posted 10 Amazin’ Mets World Series Moments. Loved seeing Rusty Staub’s 3 run home run from the 1973 World Series.

SNY.TV: Mets shut down spring training workouts at Port St. Lucie. Clover Park's gym and treatment facilities will remain open.

Syracuse.com: Syracuse Mets close offices, postpone welcome home dinner.

Yahoo Sports: MLB teams each commit $1M to ballpark employees impacted by shutdown.

Yahoo Sports: Unpaid minor league baseball players struggle to make ends meet during shutdown. Assistance for minor leaguers remains on the to-do list for the league, which takes in an estimated $11 billion per year. The majority of teams, including the Angels, are awaiting guidance from the league. The San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays also are continuing to pay spring allowances to their minor leaguers, according to Baseball America. The Rays pay each minor league player $400 per week during the spring.

MLB Trade Rumors: The MLBPA has acted to provide emergency funds to certain players who are now staring at a potential loss and delay of wages. It has initiated a program to provide a $1,100 weekly stipend to players that depart camp. That said, the effort doesn’t address the biggest player-related need in the game: that of the many minor-leaguers who have now been thrust into quite a tough position.

Joel Sherman NY Post: MLB continued Tuesday to negotiate with the union in an attempt to reach an agreement on a variety of issues, including paying players during the suspension of play due to the coronavirus pandemic. Once a plan is in place for 40-man roster players, MLB will try to formulate a financial package to assist minor leaguers who are not union protected while they also miss games and, thus, paychecks.

Mets Minors: MLB Order Clubs To Halt Amateur Scouting. Major League Baseball has ordered all MLB clubs to pull all of their scouts — both domestically and internationally — indefinitely. Clubs will also not have the ability to host showcases for any player. Furthermore, teams will not be able to visit potential draftees in their house.

Reflections On Baseball: If baseball carried on during WWII, why can’t we have games now. Here are some of Steve’s ideas to play in spite of the National Emergency: “1. A reduced regular season schedule is in order; 2. All ticket holders must have their temperature taken before entering the ballpark. 3. All games must begin no later than 6 pm local time; 4. In the event that body to body contact is made during action on the field – such as a collision in the outfield or on a double-play ball at second base; all players must be removed from the game and provided with a test before a return to action is authorized. 5. Completely revise the playoffs for 2020.”  I can’t agree with all his points but at least he is thinking.

SNY.TV: Mets' Pete Alonso interested in pick-up games once it's safe. Organized workouts and games are on hiatus due to coronavirus. "Any pro guys in Tampa want to get together and play some pick up games?" Alonso tweeted, before clarifying that he would play MLB The Show "for now and pickup games when we're clear."

Kevin Kernan NY Post: Life without Mets devastating for Port St. Lucie. Don’t forget, Clover Park just underwent a $57 million makeover with $55 million coming from St. Lucie County. Now the ballpark is empty. Fans have left town. On Tuesday three vans were parked in front of the main entrance for the company Safe/Clean as Clover Park attempts to disinfect.

Mexican Baseball League season to be delayed five weeks.

MLB Trade Rumors:

Mets Made Offer To Edwin Jackson.

Extension Candidates: NL East. The Article names Jeff McNeil, Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Davis, Amed Rosario, Seth Lugo, Noah Syndergaard, and Marcus Stroman.

Phillies, J.T. Realmuto Pause Extension Talks.

Second Yankees Minor Leaguer Tests Positive For Coronavirus.

Justin Verlander Undergoes Surgery To Repair Groin Injury.

Matthew Cerrone SNY.TV: Buy, trade, or hold: Analyzing 4 key Mets and what their futures could bring. 1) Dominic Smith >> BUY; 2) Luis Guillorme >> HOLD; 3) Robert Gsellman >> SELL; 4) J.D. Davis >> BUY.

Mets.com: 1 prospect on each team who impressed in ST.  For the Mets, David Peterson. “After spending all of 2019 in Double-A, Peterson reported to Spring Training in better physical shape and saw his velocity tick up a bit as a result, with his ground-ball-inducing sinker touching 93-94 mph more often. The 2017 first-rounder was scored upon just once in three spring starts, striking out six and scattering five hits in six innings.”

Mets.com: Which roster decisions still await for Mets? When the club returns, it will have to decide on fifth starter, bench.

NBC Sports: 30 players hoping to have comeback seasons.  1 per team – they could have listed several for the Mets their choice was Edwin Diaz.  “In 2018 with the Mariners, Díaz recorded an MLB-best 57 saves with a microscopic 1.96 ERA, backed by an absurd 124/17 K/BB ratio in 73 1/3 innings. It didn’t appear to be a fluke as he had shown similar dominance since debuting in 2016. Last year with the Mets, however, Díaz stunk it up, earning 26 saves with a sky-high 5.59 ERA.”

Mets 360.com: Mets 2020 projections: Rick Porcello. Brian Joura’s projection: 180 IP; 3.95 ERA; 160 Ks; 44 BB; 24 HR.

Rising Apple: Tug McGraw’s ninth inning legacy in New York and in baseball.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Tom Brennan - SO HOW DID OUR METS' PITCHERS DO?

Blast From The Past - Mets 2010 Mock Dract v3.0

Tony Plate Alderson Calling for MLB Coronavirus Shutdown

Mack’s Blast From The Past comes from 3-18-13 – Mack had his projected 2013 Opening day lineup: 2B Jordany Valdespin; SS Ruben Tejada; RF Marlon Byrd; 1B Ike Davis; C John Buck; LF Lucas Duda; 3B Zach Lutz; CF Collin Cowgill; SP Jon Niese.  Mack came pretty close.  Here was the actual 2013 Opening Day lineup: CF Collin Cowgill; 2B Daniel Murphy; 3B David Wright; 1B Ike Davis; RF Marlon Byrd; LF Lucas Duda; C John Buck; SS Ruben Tejada; SP Jon Niese.  I don’t think anyone could have projected Collin Cowgill’s grand slam.   

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Matt Cleveland (1998)

Transactions:

New York Mets traded Jesse Orosco to the St. Louis Cardinals for Joe McEwing on March 18, 2000.

New York Mets released Luis Castillo on March 18, 2011.

Per National Pastime.com:

2000

After reacquiring Jesse Orosco from the Orioles in December, the Mets send the veteran left-hander to the Cardinals for utility player Joe McEwing. In 1978, the eventual four-decade hurler (1979-2003) was the player to be named later in the trade when New York dealt veteran southpaw Jerry Koosman to Minnesota.

2011

The Mets make a symbolic, but expensive, roster move when they release their second baseman, Luis Castillo. The embattled 35 year-old infielder, who will be best remembered by New York fans for the dropped popup in a 2009 Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium and his inability to stay healthy, is still owed the remaining $6 million on the four-year, $25 million contract he signed before the 2008 season.

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