John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 3/4/2020

The Mets were back in action yesterday with Noah Syndergaard taking on the Marlins.

Marlins beat the Mets 6-1 in Port St. Lucie yesterday (Box) (Video Highlights).

Noah Syndergaard started for the Mets and went 3 innings striking out 5, 3 runs, 2 earned on 2 hits, including a first inning homer to Garrett Cooper, and a HBP. 

John Harper SNY.TV: "His times to the plate were a lot better," Manager Luis Rojas said. "That's been one of our goals in camp, not only with Noah but all of our pitching staff. Especially in our division, guys have profiles who have stolen bases and we want to shut that down." 

Harper also noted that Noah “throwing his slider at 86-88 mph with more downward break than in the past, creating more velocity separation from his fastball.”

Mike Puma NY Post: New pitching coach Jeremy Hefner indicated Syndergaard has steadily remained in range of 1.35-1.50 seconds to the plate with his delivery this spring. Last year, Syndergaard was normally in the 1.60 neighborhood. The 1.40 range is considered average for a pitcher. 

“I think it’s the leg lift, trying to get him where he thinks about his mechanics and what he thinks he needs to do to be able to throw 98 or 100 [mph],” Hefner said. “I think he can do that from a quicker leg lift, so we tried that and that’s proven to be successful so far.”

The Mets fielded a lineup that we will probably see on opening day: 1. Jeff McNeil 3B; 2. Brandon Nimmo CF; 3. Robinson Cano, 2B; 4. Pete Alonso 1B;  5. Michael Conforto RF; 6. Wilson Ramos C;  7. Amed Rosario SS; 8. Dominic Smith LF; 9. Jake Marisnick DH.

Jeff McNeil opened the Mets hitting with a homerun (SNY.TV video), but the Mets were not able to score again on a total of 6 hits.  Pete Alonso was 1 for 3 with a single.  Andres Gimenez was 1 for 2 and is now hitting .333 for the spring.

Per NY Post: Pete Alonso hit a fly ball to left-center in his final at-bat that appeared to have a chance of going out, which would have been his first homer of the spring. Alonso didn’t get quite enough and it was caught. He is 2-for-18 (.111) this spring.

Noah Syndergaard was followed in the game by Robert Gsellman (2 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 1 walk); Jeurys Familia (1 inning, no runs, no hits, 1 K); Brad Brach (1 inning, no runs, 1 hit, 1 K); Paul Sewald (1 inning, no runs, 2 hits); and Adonis Uceta (1 inning, 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 walk, 3 Ks).

SNY.TV had more game takeaways including: After giving up two runs in the ninth to widen the Marlins' lead to 6-1, the Mets loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the frame to make things interesting. But David Thompson hit a grounder to short in the game's final at-bat to end any chance of an extremely late comeback.

NY Post: The Mets face the Cardinals on Wednesday in Port St. Lucie with Marcus Stroman on the mound for his third start this spring. Daniel Zamora and Chasen Shreve are among the scheduled pitchers for the Mets.

Other Mets Links:

SNY.TV Video: Mets' Dellin Betances throws simulated game as he preps for Opening Day. Yoenis Cespedes and others took at-bats against Betances.

SNY.TV: Betances said: "I don't think it matters what (velocity) I'm throwing right now. I know it's not coming out the way it will during the season. It takes me a little bit to get that going. But I feel like everything's been good so far." Betances said he and the medical staff will see how he feels on Wednesday before deciding when he'll throw next and how soon it will be before he gets into a game.

NY Post: Betances must show team officials he’s mobile enough to field his position before he’s cleared to appear in the Grapefruit League. The right-hander previously indicated he would like to appear in seven or eight games this spring and be on the Opening Day roster.

Ryan Finkelstein Mets Merized Online: “Across the first 12 days of the season, the Mets will have three days off. With the ability to maneuver their bullpen easier during that time, the Mets should not rush Betances just to have him available for Opening Day.”

SNY.TV: The Mets' front office has discussed making Steven Matz a reliever.

MLB.com: Matz 'not going to acknowledge' trade talk.

Brian Joura of Mets 360.com looked at The difficulties in making a Steven Matz deal now.

Elite Sports NY: New York Mets pitcher Steven Matz was sent home on Tuesday morning with an illness according to David Lennon of Newsday. The organization also didn’t want him to be around his teammates so as not to get anyone else sick.

MLB.com also released the top 30 Mets Prospects. Here is the complete list: 1. Ronny Mauricio SS; 2. Francisco Alvarez C; 3. Andres Gimenez SS; 4. Brett Baty 3B; 5. Matthew Allan RHP; 6. Mark Vientos 3B; 7. Thomas Szapucki LHP; 8. Josh Wolf RHP; 9. Kevin Smith LHP; 10. David Peterson LHP; 

11. Junior Santos RHP; 12. Franklyn Kilome RHP; 13. Robert Dominguez RHP; 14. Jordan Humphreys RHP; 15. Shervyen Newton INF; 16. Alexander Ramirez OF; 17. Endy Rodriguez C/OF; 18. Freddy Valdez OF; 19. Dedniel Nunez RHP; 20. Joshua Cornielly RHP; 

21. Jaylen Palmer 3B/SS; 22. Carlos Cortes 2B; 23. Michel Otanez RHP; 24. Jordany Ventura RHP; 25. Walker Lockett RHP; 26. Ali Sanchez C; 27. Ryley Gilliam RHP; 28. Jose Butto RHP; 29. Tony Dibrell RHP; 30. Tylor Megill RHP. 

NY Post: Dominic Smith’s weight reversal never again a Mets narrative.

MLB.com had the top 10 breakout hitters this year.  This includes Amed Rosario of whom they write: “Key number: .291 expected batting average (xBA); It feels like we’ve been waiting for this for a while now, but Rosario only turned 24 in November, and he has shown considerable improvement since his August 2017 debut. 

The patience is paying off. Setting aside last summer’s defensive improvement at shortstop, Rosario also raised his offensive numbers across the board, lifting his OPS+ from 88 to an above-average 102. Underlying that was a hard-hit rate that jumped from 32.1% to 39.1% (MLB average was 36.6%) and showed that Rosario isn’t just a slap hitter.”

NESN,com: Mets’ Marcus Stroman Fires Shot At Boston While Defending David Price

Metsmerized.com: Justin Wilson’s Curveball Could Be A Weapon In 2020.

Amazing Avenue: Brad Brach looks to replicate last season’s second half success in 2020.

213 Miles from Shea: Get To Know a Non-Roster Invitee: Jarrett Parker.  Elliot notes: “Jarrett Parker continues an interesting trend for the Mets. Outside of Tim Tebow, who doesn’t count, no outfielder drafted by the Mets/first signed by the Mets received an NRI this year. Interesting.”

Other MLB News:

NBC Sports Washington: Spring Training or Spring Break? Under Davey Martinez, Nationals have no shortage of fun.

NBC Sports Bay Area: Watch Wilmer Flores hit no-doubt three-run homer vs. Rangers in spring.

Yahoo Sports: Verlander says groin tightness no longer a concern.

12UP.com: Dallas Keuchel Drops Ton of Money on White Sox Team Dinner in Group Bonding Session.

12UP.com: VIDEO: Jarred Kelenic Already Hitting His First Spring Home Run Should Make Mets Fans Cry.

MLB.com Video: Amazing Double Play started by Cardinals Kolton Wong.

NY Post: Brewers locking up Christian Yelich with $190 million contract extension.

AP News: Price makes 1st spring training appearance for Dodgers

Here’s all the Spring Training scores from 3-3-2020.

Yahoo Sports: MLB creates a coronavirus task force and tells players to limit autographs.

MLB Trade Rumors:

Chris Sale Headed For Elbow MRI.

Rays outfield prospect Garrett Whitley was struck in the face by a foul ball that entered the team’s dugout. He has been diagnosed with “multiple facial fractures.

White Sox sign righty Zach Putnam to a minor-league pact.

Mack’s Blast From The Past comes from 3-4-12 – Mack had a “Projected” Mets injury report that included such tidbits as “C Josh Thole fell off a bar stool while being interviewed on SNY at Duffy’s Sports Bar and Grill” and “SP Johan Santana’s attempt to be ready by opening day was derailed when he developed hamstring problems after tripping on his wallet”.  

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Clyde McCullough (1917)
• Bob Johnson (1936)
• Jack Fisher (1939)
• Danny Frisella (1946)
• Tom Grieve (1948)
• Sam Perlozzo (1951)

Transactions:
New York Mets signed free agent Tim Corcoran on March 4, 1986.

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