John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 4/28/2020

Good morning, Happy Birthday Dillon Gee, Michael Conforto is taking regular batting practice,and A-Rod may look to a Taiwanese Billionaire to help buy the Mets.  

NY Post: Mets to cut pay for full-time employees.  Plans were unveiled Monday by the team for pay cuts that will take effect June 1, according to an industry source. All full-time employees will be affected, and the cuts will remain in place for the remainder of the season, whether games are played or not. The Athletic first reported the cuts.

NY Post: The Dellin Betances red flag that could make or break his Mets tenure. “…Dellin Betances, who arrived on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, had appeared in only two exhibition games, and his normally plus-fastball was sitting in the 90-91 mph range.

NY Post: Mets mailbag: Marcus Stroman’s future rides on ironic trade possibility.  In this article Mike Puma broke the news that Michael Conforto “is taking regular batting practice and team officials seem encouraged by his workouts”. About extending Marcus Stroman he says: “The Mets have enough money coming off the books this winter (Yoenis Cespedes, Jed Lowrie, David Wright and Wilson Ramos, among others) that addressing the rotation should be a top priority. Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz are the only healthy Mets starting pitchers under contract for next year.”

Chris Dial Mets 360.com: Mets’ all-time best defensive fielders by runs saved.

LoHud: NY Mets: For now, Amed Rosario is the shortstop of the future.

Centerfield Maz: Dillon Gee: Mets Pitcher Who Set Team Record For Most Consecutive Rookie Wins: (2010 - 2015).

Centerfield Maz: Lute Barnes: Early Seventies Top Mets Infield Prospect (1972-1973).

SNY.TV: Mets hitting coach Hensley Meulens is going above and beyond for Curacao during pandemic. Meulens helps out the food bank everyday to provide families with groceries.

Mike’s Mets talks about the return of MLB baseball in “Not If But When... Maybe?”

Forbes: Alex Rodriguez And Jennifer Lopez Looking To Tap Taiwanese Billionaire For Money To Buy Mets.

The Mets Police: Best Mets By Number: 28 Daniel Murphy.

Rising Apple: New York Mets History: The day Scott Hairston hit for the cycle.

Metsmerized Online: Re-Examining The Heart Of Mets’ Lethal 1999 Order.

MLB LINKS:

ESPN: Passan's 20 questions: There will be MLB in 2020. It's just a matter of when, where and how.  Jeff Passan goes into all the details of where we are with the return of Major League Baseball and what still needs to happen. 

SNY.TV: Potential timeline for the beginning of the 2020 MLB season could be emerging. “According to SNY's Andy Martino, and with the caveat that the coronavirus will determine the outcome, the first step toward the 2020 season could be an agreement between the league and players in May on how the season will proceed.  After that, the next step would be a few weeks of spring training in June and the start of regular season games in July.”

AP News: New Rangers park among possible MLB ideas for season start.

CBS Sports: 10 rule changes MLB could test during the shortened 2020 season, including universal DH and a mercy rule. “A universal DH would allow the Mets to easily put both Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith in the starting lineup.” (Not to mention Cespedes and Cano.) 

Minor League links:

Charleston Gazette Mail: West Virginia Power: No concrete decisions yet on MiLB contraction.

Baseball Mexico: LMB LOOKS AT JULY START; LMP OPENER IN NOVEMBER? 

MLB Trade Rumors:

The Yankees’ Rotation Is Facing Big Changes.

Optimism Building For 2020 MLB Season.

Posey & Perez(es) Lead 2021-22 Free Agent Catching Market.

Three Years Ago, The Padres Got An Elite Reliever For Nothing.  On April 26, 2017, the Padres took a low-risk flier on reliever Kirby Yates via waivers.

The Ridiculous Class Of Free Agent Shortstops In 2021-22.

Quick Hits: Puig, Giants, Daniels, Starling.

A Max Return On Investment. On April 29, 2017, Friedman and the Dodgers announced the signing of infielder Max Muncy to a minor league contract. What looked like a nondescript signing then has turned into yet another of Friedman-led front office’s wise moves in Los Angeles.

What Might A Max Scherzer Extension Look Like?

Asian Baseball:

Yonhap News: ESPN nearing deal to broadcast S. Korean baseball games.

Yonhap News: Slugger to miss protection from fellow bopper.

Yonhap News: The South Korean baseball league will hold its annual season-opening media day via videoconference. This year, the coronavirus pandemic forced the KBO to postpone the start of its season from March 28 to May 5.

The Korea Times: Son Hyuk of the Kiwoom Heroes has joined four other skippers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in criticizing the league office for forging ahead with the usual, 144-game schedule, despite the delayed start to the season.

Tom Travels: 2020 CPBL weekly round-up – No 3.  Tom has one of the best weekly recaps of Taiwan baseball on the net.

No games yesterday in The CPBL but the Fubon Guardians vs. the Rakuten Monkeys today. Monkeys’ LHP Justin Nicolino vs. Guardians’ RHP Bryan Woodall. Game starts 6:35 AM today.

2020/04/28 #GuardiansLive vs. @RakutenMonkeys

The defending champs come to town as @BWOODALL15 is set to duel @J_Nicolino22 tonight! It's the only @CPBL game today so don't miss our Twitter live stream, starting 6:28PM (GMT+8)!#ItsTime @ElevenSportsTW https://t.co/gZ7UFZzUZ9

— Fubon Guardians (@FubonGuardians) April 28, 2020

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- MLB Hitters Who Thrived Post-Mets.

Tom Brennan - BAD LUCK JERRY KOOSMAN.

Mack’s Blast From The Past Morning Report - Apr 28, 2014 - Jeff Reynolds, Donald Sterling, Weekend Mets, Trade Chips, Michael Conforto, Travis d'Arnaud.  About Michael Conforto Mack said: “(.414/.557 /.594/.976, 3-HR, 42-RBI), who seems to be a lock for a top 10 pick in the upcoming draft… ‘above average hit tool, bat will play’… This alone gets you a top ten pick and a seven figure bonus.”

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Tom Sturdivant (1930)
• Lute Barnes (1947)
• Jorge Sosa (1977)
• Dillon Gee (1986)

National Pastime.com:

1965	As Houston fans cheer their pregame ascent, Mets announcer Lindsey Nelson and a radio engineer climb into the Astrodome's gondola and are hoisted 208 feet above second base to broadcast the game. The umpiring crew determines that any ball hitting the pair will be in play, since an existing ground rule also calls a ball hitting any part of the dome is also in play.
1995	Showing their displeasure at the recent baseball strike, three fans jump a Shea Stadium fence with one out in the top of the fourth inning, and begin scattering dollar bills at the feet of the Mets' players on the field. As a finale to their defiant act, the trio stands on second base with arms raised, showing the Opening Day crowd T-shirts that are stenciled with the word Greed.

2010	David Wright surpasses Ed Kranepool to become the Mets all-time leader in doubles. The 27 year-old third baseman, who collected his 1,000th career hit yesterday, strokes his 226th two-bagger in the second inning of the Mets' 7-3 victory over L.A. at Citi Field.

Baseball Reference:

1962 - Frank Thomas, Charlie Neal and Gil Hodges hit consecutive home runs in the 6th inning to lead the expansion New York Mets to an 8 - 6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The victory is a rare occurrence for the Mets - one of only 40 during their inaugural season.

2001: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals ties the major league record for home runs in April by a rookie with 8, but St. Louis falls to the Mets, 6 - 5, in 11 innings. 

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