John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 4/8/2020

Good morning.  Happy Birthday to Jeff McNeil, reactions the idea of playing in front of empty stadiums in Arizona and Pete Alonso wants to be a great defender.  Let’s hit the links.

SNY.TV: Mets' Pete Alonso says he has a new personal goal for 2020 MLB season. "I want to be not just a force at the plate. I want to not just help my pitchers out, but help my other infielders out as well. I want to be the best defender I can possibly be, because if I keep working and helping other people out around the diamond I feel like that's just gonna improve the team.

Brian Joura Mets 360.com: Ranking Mets’ pitching opponents with the B-R Play Index tool.  Brian looked at the pitchers who have the best stats against the Mets including 1. Sandy Koufax, 1.44 ERA; Greg Maddux, 35 Wins; Lee Smith, 38 Saves.

Mike’s Mets looked at The Year of Pedro.

Centerfield Maz: Hall of Famer Gary Carter: The Mets Years (1984-1989).

Mets Police: Best Mets By Number: 8, great picture of Yogi Berra and Gary Carter.

LoHud: Edwin Diaz must bounce back in 2020, for many reasons.

Tim Boyle Rising Apple: Mets Box Score Flashback: It only took two hits to beat the Dodgers, April 7, 2000.

Elite Sports NY: Remember the New York Met: Catcher Ronny Paulino.

Metsmerized online: Best Five Defenders In Mets History. 5) Juan Lagares; 4) Jerry Grote; 3) Carlos Beltran; 2) Rey Ordonez; 1) Keith Hernandez;

Metsmerized Online: Mets Video Vault: 1992 Opening Night vs. Cardinals.  Bobby Bonilla makes his Mets debut.

SNY.TV: Gary, Keith, and Ron call simulated Mets at Astros game on MLB The Show.

Metstradamus recaps simulated game The Alternate Universe: Mets at Astros 4-7-20.

SNY.TV: Loud Mouths Great Debate: Do Mets need a better 2020 season from Robinson Cano or Edwin Diaz?

SNY.TV: Mets COO Jeff Wilpon sends letter to season ticket holders amid coronavirus pandemic. 'We are in unprecedented times and the current situation is bigger than any sport.'

SNY.TV: With support of health officials, MLB 'increasingly focused' on plan to start season in Arizona as early as May: report.

NY Post.com: What MLB players think of daunting coronavirus return possibility.  “That’s hell” is how one Met described what could be ahead for players if a plan MLB has mulled to play all of its games in Arizona is enacted. “I mean we’re talking 120 degrees every day and playing weekly doubleheaders and 20 days straight.”

USA Today: Opinion: MLB's crazy Arizona plan could have terrible consequences.

Yahoo Sports: How MLB players are reacting to potential quarantined season in Arizona.

12UP.com: MLB and MLBPA Considering Insane Roster Changes for 2020 Season Plan.  Part of the plan to play all games in Arizona would have teams support a 50-man roster.

Yahoo Sports: Christian Yelich believes there's a 50/50 chance MLB cancels 2020 season.

Kevin Davidoff NY Post: MLB can’t be remembered for reckless coronavirus risk.

Joel Sherman NY Post: How MLB’s suspect coronavirus return idea got to this point.

12UP.com: A-Rod Endorses MLB Ending Tied Games With Home Run Derbies for Some Reason.

Yahoo Sports: Former World Series champion Mark Hamilton (2011 Cardinals) to graduate from medical school a month early to fight coronavirus. 

1960’s Baseball: RIP Al Kaline.

Reflections on Baseball: The 300-win club is closed – but not for the reason you think.  

Baseball Mexico Blog: MEXICAN LEAGUE PLAYERS UNPAID DURING SHUTDOWN.

MLB Trade Rumors:

Robinson Cano May Not Be Done Yet.

Prospect Faceoff: Dodgers Dustin May v. Marlins Sixto Sanchez.

Shohei Ohtani Close To Throwing Off Mound.

The Cardinals’ Outfield Carousel.

Trade History: Reds’ Dick Williams.

The State Of MLB Trade Rumors.

Asian Baseball:

Joel Sherman NY Post: Japanese baseball delayed again in bad sign for all sports. Nippon Professional Baseball announced that the start of the Japanese baseball season, which was rescheduled for April 24, now will not happen until late May at the earliest.

Kyodo News: Nippon Professional Baseball is unlikely to alter its plans for a new schedule in response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's declaration Tuesday of a state of emergency to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, NPB Secretary General Atsushi Ihara said.

NY Times: In Korea, Watching ‘Tiger King’ and Training for Baseball Alone.

12UP.com: Taiwanese Baseball Team Will Use Dressed-Up Robots Instead of Fans When Season Begins This Weekend.

Korea Times: The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) is targeting an early May start to its regular season, after it was postponed from its original March 28 Opening Day because of the coronavirus outbreak. With the number of new cases staying in the double figures this week, down from triple digits over the past several weeks, the KBO has become quite hopeful. 

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Tom Brennan - MY TOP FIVE METS FIRST BASEMEN OF ALL TIME.

Mack – FWIW – Coronavirus Edition - Daily Thoughts 4-7.

Tony Plate - Pro Sports Year Looking Bleak.

Mack’s Blast From The Past talks about the Binghamton Mets beating the Erie Sea Wolves 7-2 on April 8, 2013.  Jack Leathersich, Danny Muno, Cesar Puello, and Erik Goeddel are featured.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Mac Scarce (1949)
• Gary Carter (1954)
• Pete Walker (1969)
• Timo Perez (1975)
• Eddie Kunz (1986)
• Jeff McNeil (1992)
• Jhonfran Escalona (1999)

Transactions:
New York Mets traded Chris DeWitt to the Chicago Cubs for Matt Franco on April 8, 1996.

Cleveland Indians claimed Jason Anderson of the New York Mets on waivers on April 8, 2004.

National Pastime.com:

1984

A pitch thrown by Mike Torrez, in the Mets' 3-1 victory over Houston at the Astrodome, damages Dickie Thon's face, compromising the promising 25 year-old shortstop's career. The orbital bone around the left eye is broken by the remorseful right-hander's fastball, ending the infielder's season and impacting his future as a major leaguer due to problems with depth perception as a result of the injury.

1988

Gary Carter, celebrating his 34th birthday with a 3-for-3 day including a home run, is doubled off second base after Howard Johnson lines out to right field to end the game on a bizarre play. Shortstop Juan Samuel, who had started to throw the relay from outfielder Chris James back to the mound, tags the Mets' catcher straying off the bag for the final out in the Phillies' 5-1 victory at Veterans Stadium.

2000	Blue Jay southpaw David Wells' nine-hit complete game 4-0 shutout against Texas at The Ballpark in Arlington snaps Kenny Rogers' 19-game home winning streak. 'The Gambler's' accomplishment, compiled while hurling for the Yankees, A's, Mets, and Rangers, is the third-longest in major league history.
2005	Jimmy Carter, who was not invited by the current administration to be part of the American delegation for today's funeral of Pope John Paul, attends the home opener at Turner Field. The former president and his wife Roslyn, who both stayed for the entire game, enjoy watching the Braves beat the Mets, 3-1.

2008	In the last home opener at Shea Stadium, the Mets are beaten by a pitcher who is older than their ballpark. Jamie Moyer pitches six strong innings, giving the 46 year-old the victory in the 45 year-old stadium when the Phillies rally to beat the Mets, 5-2.

Baseball Reference:

1969: Four expansion teams make their debuts. The Kansas City Royals, Seattle Pilots, Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres all win their inaugural games. At Shea Stadium, the Expos defeat the New York Mets, 11 - 10, to keep the Mets winless for openers. Pitcher Dan McGinn hits the Expos' first home run as the key hit, a three-run home run by Coco Laboy, is given up by Canadian-born Mets reliever Ron Taylor.

2008: Chase Utley ties a major league record by being hit by pitch three times in a game as the Phillies top the Mets, 5 - 2. Utley is hit by an Oliver Perez pitch in the 1st inning and is again plunked by Perez in the 4th. In the 7th, he is hit by Scott Schoeneweis to tie the record.

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