John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 3/26/2020

Good morning.  Happy Birthday to Briam Campusano, the Mike’s Mets blog is back, and the reality of a delayed Opening Day is here.   

AP News: MLB ballparks will remain eerily empty on ‘opening day’.

MLB.com: Today, Major League Baseball will present “Opening Day at Home” -- a full slate of 30 games broadcast nationally across various platforms, including digital streaming and social media, creating a full-day event on what would have been Opening Day.  Mets fans can Watch Game 5 of the '15 NLDS LIVE: 6 p.m. ET. In addition, on MLB Network, you can watch classic Opening Day games all day, beginning at 1 p.m. ET with Derek Jeter’s first Opening Day in 1996, and ending at midnight with Tuffy Rhodes’ unforgettable three-homer day for the Cubs against Doc Gooden and the Mets in 1994. Meanwhile, ESPN2 will air a Home Run Derby marathon beginning at 6 p.m. ET, starting with Pete Alonso’s 2019 triumph.

Brian Wright of Metsmerized Online had Mets Video Vault: Oct. 1, 1985 vs. Cardinals.

Greg Prince Faith and Fear in Flushing: “Without a baseball season starting, we don’t know precisely what we’ll be missing. Some things, however, we do know. We do know our familiar rhythms will be off from being on collective hiatus, as what was going to be Opening Day dawns as just another weekday. We do know what waking up on Opening Day is like and how, come Thursday morning, we won’t have rushing through our veins that annual blend of nervousness and anticipation that inevitably attends the very first pitch of a brand new year.”  

Greg goes on to talk about 4 Mets who ‘showed up and immediately “changed everything’ to an extent that transcended the team’s record”: Pedro Martinez in 2005; R.A. Dickey in 2010; Yoenis Cespedes in 2015; Pete Alonso in 2019.

AP News had Opening day memories: From Seaver to Scully, Ted to the Ted.  The April 5, 1983 return of Tom Seaver to the Mets was remembered as such: What I’ve always remembered was the roar. Way off in the distance, coming full throat from an afternoon crowd I couldn’t even see yet. We were trapped in bumper-to-bumper traffic, inching our way toward the Shea Stadium parking lot. Still must have been a half-mile from our seats — maybe more. Inside that huge, horseshoe-shaped ballpark, a favorite son had returned. 

Tom Seaver was back with the New York Mets six years after being traded away. And when The Franchise walked in from the bullpen following his pregame warmup, fans let loose with a loud and unbridled outpouring of love. You could begin to make out the ovation even with the windows up. Muffled, like the ocean echo when you hold a seashell to your ear. So my dad rolled down the glass, and let that intoxicating sound fill our station wagon. -- AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick.

If you miss past Opening days, you may want to take another look at Faith and Fear in Flushing’s Every Mets Opening Win Ranked.

Or Ultimate Mets listing of every Mets Opening Day lineup.

Yahoo Sports: MLB and the MLBPA are nearing a deal that would allow players to gain a year of service time even if the 2020 season is shortened or canceled, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.  That means Mookie Betts, Trevor Bauer, Marcus Stroman, George Springer, JT Realmuto also would be eligible for free agency, even if the season is canceled.

Yahoo Sports: 7-inning doubleheaders? MLBers open to considering new ideas. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he would be open to considering seven-inning games in doubleheaders. He said averaging eight or nine games a week would require a couple more roster spots above the current 26, with at least 14 pitchers.  No mention in the article of Hobie’s Doubleheaders of a 3^rd kind.

Yahoo Sports: Scott Boras wants the baseball playoffs to take place in December at neutral stadiums: “He has submitted proposals for how a 162-game schedule starting on June 1 could work and how a 144-game schedule starting on July 1 could work. Boras has reason to suggest such a plan. More games means his players would be more likely to be paid their full salaries, which means he gets paid more.”

Yahoo Sports: Rob Manfred says MLB could cancel season if coronavirus does not pass.

Yahoo Sports: Rob Manfred says Red Sox investigation is complete, but he's too busy with coronavirus to write report.

MLB.com: Pete Alonso released a video Wednesday on Twitter thanking doctors at four Atlantic Health System hospitals in New Jersey.

MLB.com had the most hyped catching prospects of the 2000s.  For the Mets it was Travis d’Arnaud.

Faith and Fear in Flushing talked about Thor’s Tommy John surgery.

Mike’s Mets is back! Mike talked yesterday about Noah Syndergaard, his dogs, and more.

NY Post: Mike Francesa blames Mets ‘dummies’ as Noah Syndergaard surgery ignites coronavirus outrage: “You’re going to get people furious, and they are,” Francesa said Tuesday while on the WFAN airwaves. “They’re going crazy everywhere. ‘How does he get elective surgery? I thought the hospitals closed elective surgery’ … And you know what? They’re right. The people are right. “Don’t rub it in their face,” Francesa said. “Shut up and give him the surgery and don’t say a word about it. Let people guess when he got the surgery, and two weeks from now you can say he already had the surgery.” Francesa added, “You do not then announce that your big star baseball player is having elective surgery on Thursday, you dummies!”

MLB Trade Rumors posted a video discussing Thor’s Stormy career.

Syracuse.com: What does Noah Syndergaard’s injury mean for the Syracuse Mets staff?

Empire Sports Media: What do the New York Mets have behind the top five healthy starters?

Mike Puma NY Post: The challenges Mets may face in Noah Syndergaard-less world.

The Mets Police says Topps Project 2020 looks pretty pretty snazzy!  Real nice preview of this card set.

Ryan Finkelstein Metsmerized Online: Time for the Return of the Dark Knight?  With Noah Syndergaard out, Ryan talks about Matt Harvey and the Mets.

Metsmerized Online: 2016 Wild Card Game: One of Noah Syndergaard’s Finest Moments.

Tim Boyle Rising Apple: Rey Ordonez had one of the greatest defensive seasons ever in 1999.

The Morning Call: How Fightin Phils outfielder Aaron Brown became Fightin Phils pitcher Aaron Brown.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- Filling the Thorless Rotation Vacancy.

John From Albany - Mets Song: The answer is Edgardo Alfonzo.

Mack’s Blast From The Past comes from 3-26-12 – Mack Ade - The Downside of Drafting High School Players.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Mickey Weston (1961)
• Shawn Hare (1967)
• Jose Vizcaino (1968)
• Briam Campusano (1996)

Transactions:

New York Mets sold Buzz Capra to the Atlanta Braves on March 26, 1974.

New York Mets sold Mike Vail to the Cleveland Indians on March 26, 1978.

New York Mets released Bobby Valentine on March 26, 1979.

New York Mets traded Randy Milligan and Scott Henion to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Mackey Sasser and Tim Drummond on March 26, 1988.

New York Mets signed free agent D. J. Dozier on March 26, 1990.

New York Mets purchased Joe Crawford from the Boston Red Sox on March 26, 1996.

New York Mets released Alvaro Espinoza on March 26, 1997.

Howard Johnson announced his retirement on March 26, 1997.

New York Mets released Hideo Nomo on March 26, 1999.

New York Mets released Tobi Stoner on March 26, 2012.

Baseball Reference:

2001 - In a trade of pitchers, the Colorado Rockies send Brian Rose to the New York Mets in exchange for Mark Leiter. Rose will make three appearances for the Mets before being waived to the Florida Marlins.

2019 - This spring's trend of major league teams locking up key players with long-term deals continues. Following recent extensions granted to Mike Trout, Chris Sale and Justin Verlander, among others, today the Mets agree to a five-year extension with ace P Jacob deGrom for $137.5 million.

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