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4/1/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 4/1/2020


Good morning.  Happy Birthday Daniel Murphy, Brooklyn Cyclones Pitcher Mitch Ragan, and Willie Montanez, and 38 years ago today the Mets traded Lee Mazzilli for Ron Darling and Walt Terrell, that and more, let's hit the links.

First Robinson Cano, Pete Alonso, and Darryl Strawberry talked to A-Rod on his Instagram show now it was Keith Hernandez’ turn. Per SNY.TV here is one of the best quotes: "I'm a traditionalist. You've got speed at the top, the one-two hitters. Guys that can handle the bat, get on base, second hitter is a guy who can hit-and-run, but that's another lost art of the game. They don't believe in that. Guys who can take pitches and allow the steal, then your big boppers come in, your traditional third hitter, your best hitter in the lineup average-wise, clutch hitter, line-drive hitter, then comes your 4-5-6 hitters. …That's the meat of the order."


NY Daily News: New study says 2019 playoff balls were de-juiced, but MLB still has no answers. The 2019 MLB season saw a record 6,776 home runs, up nearly 1,200 from the previous year and far exceeding anything from the infamous “steroid era.” Then, suddenly, whatever caused the baseball to rupture the atmosphere from April through September vanished in October. Fly ball distances plummeted through the postseason. Bradford William Davis has the extensive report here including his talk to Dr. Meredith Wills, a sports data scientist with a PhD in astrophysics who found out that the postseason ball acted differently, because some of them were different. Some, but not all. 


Mets 360.com: Mets 2020 projections: Michael Wacha. 105 IP; 5.10 ERA; 90Ks; 50 BB; 18 HR; - At this point, any Mets Baseball would be great – even if Michael Wacha has a 50 ERA.   



SNY.TV: Ron Darling describes his Opening Day memories.

LoHud: Will Jacob deGrom achieve the three-peat? If deGrom captured the honor in 2020, he would join Greg Maddux (1992-1995) and Randy Johnson (1999-2002) as the only NL pitchers to win at least three Cy Young Awards in a row.

NJ.com: Will coronavirus wipe out Baseball Hall of Fame weekend for Yankees great Derek Jeter, others? While the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum closed to the public indefinitely as of 5 p.m., March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hall of Fame Weekend still hasn’t been postponed.

Elite Sports NY: New York Mets greatest forgotten players: 3B Wayne Garrett.  Great piece.  Includes footage of Wayne hitting pivotal home run in game 3 of the 1969 NLCS.


Rising Apple: Mets starting pitching in 2000 is what got them over the hump.



Call to the Pen: When baseball returns, watch the passion swell, say managers. “New York Mets manager Luis Rojas believes the core passion players and fans alike have will revive the patient. It’s ‘going to be higher than ever because we miss it so much, including the fans,’ Rojas says. ‘I think that passion is going to be higher than ever.’”


NJ.com: ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy is not hopeful for sports this year: “I don’t think we’re going to play NBA basketball again this year. I don’t see Major League Baseball happening and I see the NFL and college football starting late.”

NY Post: Ex-Yankee and Met Al Leiter has challenge for MLB in shortened season. “I think this is a chance for central baseball to come up with some really creative stuff that will be accepted… You are probably going to see expanded rosters, especially with pitchers. Come out, have starters go three innings and let that be the norm in the real big-league game for a couple of go-arounds.”



MiLB had the Top Prospect Team for 20 year olds. Besides Jarred Kelenic who made the team as an outfielder, Brett Baty is the lone Mets representative as the designated hitter. “The left-handed slugger has already shown off a solid approach and good power with a .368 OBP, .452 slugging percentage and 25 extra-base hits in 51 games across three levels, the top being Class A Short Season Brooklyn. Strikeouts could be an issue, but the power alone has the chance to make up for it. Given his size at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, it's a question of whether he'll move over to first someday soon.”



Fredricknewsport.com: Orioles minor league knuckleballer Jannis used any chance he could in spring to show off unique pitch. Though [former Syracuse Met and Binghamton Rumble Pony Mickey] Jannis was summoned to the Orioles’ major league games many times this spring and warmed up a few times, he didn’t get into a game before the coronavirus pandemic shut things down. It could be a while before he gets a chance to show his knuckleball off a game. But whether it’s a bullpen session or live batting practice at minor league camp, he knows those opportunities are valuable.

NJ.Com: Failed Yankees prospect’s $1.6-million lawsuit vs. Reds strikes out. Former New York Yankees third base prospect Garrison Lassiter sued the Yankees for $34 million and the Reds for $1.6 million. Both lawsuits were dismissed. 

Yonhap News Agency: The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) did an about-face last week, when it required foreign players who'd recently returned from overseas to self-isolate for two weeks.


Jballallen.com: 2-time PL champion manager Masataka Nashida won Pacific League pennants with the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Nippon Ham Fighters tested positive for the new coronavirus.


Baseball Leagues In Korea, Japan Face Ongoing Coronavirus Challenges. Although NPB had been pushing for an April 24 start, Sports Nippon in Japan reports that league officials are now questioning whether that’s a viable target date.  Meanwhile, in a full column for Yonhap, Yoo reports that the KBO is contemplating weekly Monday doubleheaders as the league mulls season lengths of 124 games, 117 games and 108 games (all declines from the traditional 144-game length).










Born on this date:
Died on this date:
Transactions:

New York Mets purchased Duke Snider from the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 1, 1963.

New York Mets traded Ed Bressoud and Danny Napoleon to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jerry Buchek, Art Mahaffey and Tony Martinez on April 1, 1967.

New York Mets released Bruce Boisclair on April 1, 1980.

New York Mets traded Lee Mazzilli to the Texas Rangers for Ron Darling and Walt Terrell on April 1, 1982.

New York Mets traded Tucker Ashford to the Kansas City Royals for Tom Edens on April 1, 1984.

New York Mets released Tom Gorman on April 1, 1986.

New York Mets traded John Gibbons to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Craig Shipley on April 1, 1988.

New York Mets released Kelly Stinnett on April 1, 2005.

Seattle Mariners claimed Wilson Valdez of the New York Mets on waivers on April 1, 2005.


1963
Former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider returns to New York when the Mets purchase him from LA for $40,000. The 36 year-old outfielder, who will represent New York in the All-Star Game, will be told at the end of the season by Buzzi Bavasi, his former GM, that the Yankees had asked for him to back up Mickey Mantle before he was dealt to the team the across the river.
1982
The Mets send outfielder Lee Mazzilli to Texas for rookie starters Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. This deal isn't well-received at the time, but the trade turns out to be a steal for New York when the two right-handers combine for 118 victories during their tenure with the team.

1987
Mets phenom pitcher Dwight Gooden avoids suspension for substance abuse by agreeing to enter a drug rehab facility. The talented 22 year-old right-hander will make his first start on June 5 and will win 15 games for the team despite missing the first two months of the season.
1996
The Mets rally overcome a 6-0 deficit, beating the Cardinals at Shea Stadium, 7-6. The decisive run in the biggest Opening Day comeback of the century scores as a result of an unusual double play when Bernard Gilkey, the base runner on first, is doubled up on Rico Brogna's short sac fly to right field (RF-1B-SS-1B-SS), allowing Lance Johnson to cross home plate on the play.

1997
Setting a record for the most runs scored in one inning of an Opening Day contest this century, the Padres score 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 12-5 rout of the Mets. Chris Gomez, Rickey Henderson, and Quilvio Veras lead the attack with back-to-back-to-back home runs.
2002
The Mets, with a 6-2 victory over the Bucs at Shea Stadium, improve their mark for Opening Day victories to 26-15 (.634), a major league record. The New York expansion team didn't win their first season opener until the ninth year of the franchise's existence.

2008
With two outs in the 10th inning, Robert Andino's first career round-tripper is a memorable one as his walk-off homer to deep left off Matt Wise gives the Marlins a 5-4 victory over the Mets at Dolphin Stadium. The post-game celebration is short-lived when the Miami native takes off for home to meet police after getting a text message from his wife informing him their house may have an intruder.
2015
Auction items featured in Sotheby's "New York Sale" include the 1967 Mets' bullpen cart, which is shaped like a baseball wearing a cap. The electric-powered vehicle, valued between $20,000 and $30,000, fetches an amazing high bid of $125,000.


1963 - The New York Mets purchase veteran outfielder Duke Snider from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Snider, one of the most popular players in the New York City area, starred for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947 to 1957. The future Hall of Famer will hit 14 home runs for the Mets this year.

1982 - The New York Mets trade popular center fielder and teen idol Lee Mazzilli to the Texas Rangers for minor league pitchers Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. Darling will emerge as an important member of the Mets' starting rotation and a key contributor to their win in the 1986 World Series.

1985 - Today's issue of Sports Illustrated contains a fictitious article about a New York Mets pitching prospect named Sidd Finch, whose fastball has been timed at 168 miles per hour. Author George Plimpton offers bogus quotes from real-life members of the Mets, as well as several staged photos, and fools readers nationwide.

2011: Marlins P Josh Johnson takes a no-hitter into the 7th inning, and C John Buck, in his first game for the team, hits a grand slam in Florida's 6 - 2 Opening Day win over the New York Mets. Logan Morrison also homers for the Fish, while Willie Harris breaks the no-no bid with a double to lead off the 7th.

2013: For the first time since the New York Mets started play in 1962, both New York teams open the season at home on the same day. The Mets improve their Opening Day record to a major league best 34-18 by crushing the Padres, 11 - 2, behind the pitching of Jon Niese and a double and grand slam from new CF Collin Cowgill. Things aren't so good for the Yankees, who lose to the Red Sox, 8 - 2.




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2 comments:

  1. Opening day posts: will there be an opening day in 2020? Fan-free games if necessary to start the season by July.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow. 10 free agents at the end of this non-season. And an owner with no money. Woo who.

    Watched the first home game back after 9-11. Mike still went yard. Still created goosebumps.

    ReplyDelete