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5/31/20

Mike's Mets - The Return of Alex and Jennifer

One of the top blogger's in the business is back.  Mack's Mets welcomes back Mike's Mets with previews of some of his recent posts.



The Return of Alex and Jennifer


According to the New York Post, Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez haven't given up in their efforts to buy the New York Mets. The Post reports that the duo are now working with "senior  bankers" at JPMorgan Chase to put together the capital needed for the purchase. The article also states that they are putting hundreds of millions of their own wealth into the purchase.

Their thinking behind the purchase is interesting. Apparently they envision Citi Field as part of a larger entertainment and shopping venue. We've heard talk of something like that for years, but not much has really changed. The neighborhood around the ballpark is still pretty seedy. Unless your idea of entertainment is walking by rows of chop shops, there will need to be a huge investment involved in making the vision of Citi Field as an entertainment hub a reality.

It makes a ton of sense, really. That was supposed to be some of the justification behind building the new ballpark. Even back then they were talking about turning the area into a place people could spend the day. I remember seeing drawings envisioning what it might look like. I could only presume that the whole Madoff fiasco put an end to those dreams.

As I've mentioned previously on this blog, I worry that a group that needs to finance this purchase with a lot of debt will be under financial stress to pay off that debt, and may not be in the position to run this club as a large market franchise should be run. On the other hand, if you have a smart group of investors that aren't only interested in the club, but also making a long-term investment in the whole area, I can see that working out.

In that scenario, running the Mets as a first-class operation would be important to the long-term success of the whole endeavor. It would be much more likely to succeed if the Mets were a legitimate contender year after year. I could even foresee a point where money made from the operations around the park could be used to help finance the team, if the same folks were involved in team ownership and the surrounding shopping and entertainment areas. It would make sense to see the success of the club as the cornerstone of the entire project.

2010 Draft Recap



As we head towards the 2020 MLB Draft, we are going to detail the last ten years of drafts.  

We will see the hits and the misses.  Before everyone starts complaining that the Mets missed on this guy or that guy, please note, a lot of teams miss on multiple players each year.  Sometimes the best prospects just don’t make it while an under the radar pick does.  That’s what makes baseball so much fun to watch.

In my opinion, 2010 was a packed draft with lots of Major League players and stars starting with Bryce Harper at #1.

Other prominent picks are as follows:

Manny Machado at #3, Yasmani Grandal at # 12; Chris Sale at #13; Christian Yelich at #23; 

Aaron Sanchez at #34 (1st Round Supplemental); Noah Syndergaard at #38 (1st Round Supplemental); Andrelton Simmons at #70 (2nd Round); Addison Reed at #95 (3rd Round); J. T. Realmuto at #104 (3rd Round); 

James Paxton at #132 (4th Round); Corey Dickerson #260 (8th Round); Whit Merrifield #269 (9th round); Joc Pederson #352 (11th round); Robbie Ray #356 (12th round); Cody Allen #480 (16th round); Kevin Kiermaier #941 (31st round). 

Mack's Mets writer Tom Brennan added that this was one of the great drafts in this team's history.  Jake is arguably baseball's best starter, and Matt Harvey was elite as well, until he broke down.



The Mets were able to get two great starting pitchers from this draft, Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey.  They lost their second round pick when they signed Jason Bay which would have helped in a good draft crop, but two pitchers like Matt and Jacob makes for a very good draft in my opinion.  

Mack's Mets writer Tom Brennan added that this was one of the great drafts in this team's history.  Jake deGrom is arguably baseball's best starter, and Matt Harvey was elite as well, until he broke down.  Most of the top 10 selections after Harvey did not do much in the majors, but were still solid picks.


Here were the Mets 2010 picks from Baseball Reference:


Rnd Pick # Name Pos
1 #7 Matt Harvey  RHP
3 #89 Blake Forsythe  C
4 #122 Cory Vaughn  CF
5 #152 Matt den Dekker  CF
6 #182 Greg Peavey  RHP
7 #212 Jeff Walters  RHP
8 #242 Kenny McDowall  RHP
9 #272 Jacob deGrom  RHP
10 #302 Akeel Morris  RHP
11 #332 Adam Kolarek  LHP
12 #362 Bret Mitchell  RHP
13 #392 Brian Harrison  3B
14 #422 J.B. Brown  2B
15 #452 Tillman Pugh  CF
16 #482 Ryan Fraser  RHP
17 #512 Chad Sheppard  RHP
18 #542 A.J. Pinera  RHP
19 #572 Jonathan Kountis  RHP
20 #602 Luke Stewart  1B
21 #632 D.J. Johnson  2B
22 #662 Brandon Brown  SS
23 #692 Drew Martinez  CF
24 #722 Erik Goeddel  RHP
25 #752 Peter Birdwell  RHP
26 #782 Jet Butler  SS
27 #812 Todd Weldon  RHP
28 #842 Jeremy Gould  LHP
29 #872 Hamilton Bennett  LHP
30 #902 Josh Edgin  LHP
31 #932 Steve Winnick  RHP
32 #962 Patrick Farrell  C
33 #992 Hunter Carnevale  RHP
34 #1022 Justin Schafer  2B
35 #1052 Josh Easley  RHP
36 #1082 Jesen Therrien  RHP
37 #1112 Dylan Brown  CF
38 #1142 Peter Miller  RHP
39 #1172 Brian Cruz  SS
40 #1202 Brock Stewart  SS
41 #1232 Taylor Christian  RHP
42 #1262 J.J. Franco  SS
43 #1292 Donnie Tabb  SS
44 #1322 Kevin Gelinas  LHP
45 #1352 Terrence Jackson  LHP
46 #1382 Mike Jefferson  LHP
47 #1412 Sean O'Conner  RHP
48 #1442 Austen Smith  1B
49 #1472 Dillon Newman  RHP
50 #1502 Bobby Eveld  C

Mack – Draft News – Justin Dirden, Reid Detmers, Justin Fall, Drew Romo, Peter Zimmerman

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-25-seniors-we-want-to-see-in-college-baseball-in-2021/            -

12. Justin Dirden, OF, Southeast Missouri State

A product of Jefferson (Mo.) JC who began his career at East Carolina, Dirden has had an up-and-down go of it with the Redhawks. In 2018, he had a massive season, hitting .340/.437/.665 with 16 homers, but an encore performance in 2019 never got started, as he missed the entire season with injury.

Instead, that encore performance came in 2020, when Dirden was showing signs of being the same player he was in 2018. He finished the season hitting .414/.471/.900 with nine home runs, which was good for second in the country, behind only New Mexico State’s Nick Gonzales.

 

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https://prospectinsider.com/mlb-draft-prospects-rankings-veen-bailey-asa-lacy-torkelson/           -

10. Reid Detmers, LHP — Louisville

Detmers improved his stock over the short spring, showing a plus curveball — maybe the best in the class and certainly the best left-handed curveball in the group.

Detmers is athletic, touches 95 mph and the fastball plays up thanks to deception created by the delivery. I’m not as sold on the changeup as some, but if scouts are asked to pick nits, it’s “he is what he is,” not the stuff.

It’s true, Detmers doesn’t bring a lot of physical projection at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, but the floor is high and he might be the first of the 2020 class to get to the majors.

 

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https://athlonsports.com/mlb/2020-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects               offered up their list of their top 50 college prospects that will be available in the 2020 draft.

49. Justin Fall, LHP, Arizona State

https://thesundevils.com/sports/baseball/roster/justin-fall/10052 - Brookdale Community College

Was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 122 overall prospect in the country for the 2019 MLB Draft but chose to come to Arizona State instead

Drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 34th round with the 1009th overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft

Spent two years at Brookdale Community College after graduating from Toms River South High School

During his sophomore campaign, helped lead Brookdale to the Region XIX Tournament Championship, falling to Rowan to finish as the runners up

Pitched 64.1 innings while leading the team with a 1.82 ERA as a sophomore, striking out 68 with just 13 walks on the season and only 13 earned runs allowed

As a freshman, led Brookdale with 64.1 innings pitched, 72 strikeouts, and five complete games and finished with a 7-2 record in his first season at the Community College level

Brookdale went 36-21, including a 17-7 conference record and a trip to the Region XIX Tournament Championship Game

Ranked as the #1 prospect in the Atlantic Collegiate League last summer after compiling a 0.90 ERA, and 35 strikeouts in 20 innings…posted an impressive 35-to-12 strikeout to walk ratio.

2020 ASU stats:  4-starts, 1-0, 5.68, 1.53, 19-IP, 17-K, 16-H

 

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https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2020-mlb-draft-ranking-top-25-position-players-and-how-scouts-executives-view-these-hitters/   -

21. Drew Romo, C, The Woodlands (HS)

Romo is the best prep defensive catcher in the draft. He's a sure thing to remain behind the plate and he can do it all: block, throw, frame. As a point of comparison, scouts believe Romo has a better chance to hit than Will Banfield, the 69th pick in last year's draft who was heralded for his defensive polish. Romo, like Banfield, should go high enough to justify walking away from a commitment to a prestigious school. For Banfield, that was Vanderbilt; for Romo, it's LSU.

 

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https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-25-seniors-we-want-to-see-in-college-baseball-in-2021/      -

13. Peter Zimmerman, DH, Missouri

Missouri was ineligible for postseason play in 2020, but thanks to a talented roster, including Zimmerman, it was more than capable of playing spoiler within the SEC.

After hitting .287 with seven home runs in 2019, Zimmerman hit .333 with five home runs in the abbreviated 2020 season. Before the 2020 season, as a result of Mizzou’s NCAA sanctions, he had the chance to transfer somewhere else and play right away, but instead, he came back. Now, the Tigers will hope to have him back again in 2021.

 

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Bye Bye B-Mets and K-Port



So... it looks like the decision has been made to elliminate two Mets affiliates (AA-Binghamton, Rookie-Kingsport) and reassign Low A Brooklyn to replace Binghamton as a AA team.

This will leave the Mets three rookie teams (DSL-1, DSL-2, GCL) and four full season teams (AAA-Syracuse, AA-Brooklyn, A+ St. Lucie, A-Columbia).

Let's assume both Latin teams will remain stocked with International free agents. That leaves five teams times 30 players each, totalling 150 players. 

Let's start off with this assumption....I expect the DSL players will remain there for up to an additional season. These kids are 16-18 years old and are a long way from being ready for a full season in Columbia.

Second assumption... the GCL Mets will be the landing spot for most incoming domestic draft picks and free agents. 

This leaves our current minor leaguers to fill the full season teams.

Next assumption... Columbia will be stacked next year. Prospects like Matt Allen, Josh Wolf, Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Jake Magnum could all be there on opening day, pushing Jordan Humphreys, Ronny Mauricio, and Mark Vientos to Florida to play for St. Lucie. 

I for one will mourn the loss of the B-Mets. It was a great place to play a baseball game. The staff there always showed respect to this site, either through press releases or press passes to the writers. This year was the first season we were going to have a local writer cover all home games. Our luck is the franchise gets shut down.

Pulling back, the loss of two affiliates does have a silver lining. My pet peeve has always been that the Mets moved minor league prospects up the chain too slowly, That simply becomes an impossibility with the loss of two affiliates. New domestic and International signs will automatically push all players along.

What you will have is the loss of 'filler' players that were always needed to fill out a roster after a team picked the 'best players available' in a draft and some teams were short on specific position players. 

The end of this excess began with the 35 minor league players cut on Thursday.

Progress?

Your call.








5/30/20

Mike's Mets - The Red-Headed Stepchild

One of the top blogger's in the business is back.  Mack's Mets welcomes back Mike's Mets with previews of some of his recent posts.

The Red-Headed Stepchild


Since my return to blogging about 2-1/2 months ago, I've written several times about Minor League Baseball. I've speculated on what might be involved in developing prospects when there will likely be no Minor League season at all. I've shared my concerns over the future of the Minor Leagues, and the implications of MLB's plan to eliminate some affiliated cities. I wind up writing about the subject so often because I've come to understand the true importance of Minor League Baseball.

I didn't always feel that way. When I started watching baseball I didn't even know what the Minor Leagues were. I was ten years old, and it didn't even occur to me to question where the players came from before they appeared on my TV screen in New York Mets uniforms. Over a period of time I saw players coming to the Mets from their Triple-A affiliate in Tidewater, and slowly came to an understanding about how players were developed.

At one point in my teens I was so into baseball that I actually subscribed to The Sporting News, which was pretty much the only way to see what was happening down on the farm back in those days. I learned that there was a whole feeder system in places I never heard of, like Marion, Visalia, Wausau, Jackson and Tidewater. The paper might occasionally have a bit of info on a Mets prospect, but mostly they were just a list of names and their corresponding stat lines. No fancy analytics to be found, just old fashioned counting stats that were already a couple of weeks old by the time the magazine was delivered.

During this time period the Mets were desperately bad. I would scour the lines of stats for anyone who showed promise, at least as I understood promise. Look, this guy's batting .350! Why isn't he in New York right now? He has to be a better option than all the guys with .220 averages on the big club. Inevitably, it seemed, each new issue would show less promising numbers for that guy. I would simply jump back on the next prospect hot streak. It wasn't until I was a few years older that I got a clue over what player development really entailed.

As I advanced into my teens, my subscription to The Sporting News lapsed. Girls had replaced the Mets as the thing I spent most of my time thinking about. I still had little idea what Minor League Baseball really was. Despite the fact that there were several Minor League teams within a short drive from were I lived, excursions to ballgames were not something my family did. Even when I got my license and could take myself places, my focus was on going to Major League games, which you could still attend rather inexpensively back then.

It wasn't until I hit my early 30s that Minor League Baseball came into my life. Some old friends and I made a habit of attending New Haven Ravens games at Yale Field. That started a lifelong appreciation of Minor League ball for me. As Major League Baseball has grown more expensive and centered around corporate sponsors and selling luxury boxes, Minor League ball has replaced it as the most accessible way for families and working people to attend ballgames. As MLB's fan base keeps getting older, far more kids attend Minor League games than show up in Major League ballparks.

Mack – Draft News – Robert Hassell, Luke Little, Jared Kelley, Casey Opitz, Luke Smith





            New York Mets: CF Robert Hassell, Independence HS (Tennessee)   
 
       


  Robert Hassell III is a 2020 OF/LHP/1B with a 6-2 190 lb. frame from Franklin, TN who attends Independence. Lean high waisted athletic build, lots of physical projection and room to get stronger. 6.54 runner, moves well in the outfield with light feet and good overall athleticism and bounce, can use his lower half more throwing. Left handed hitter, wide slightly open stance, has fast hands he uncoils well to start his swing, uphill swing plane with good extension out front, projects power, ball jumps when squared, loose and easy swing. Also pitched, quick compact delivery with a clean and fast arm stroke, high 3/4's with some whip out front, some spinal tilt to get his arm through. Fastball topped out at 90 mph, shows a tight slider that bites hard and that he has feel for, flashed a change up. High level athlete with plenty of projection left, could end up as a two-way player if he goes to school.




Luke Little, LHP, San Jacinto (Texas) College


Luke Little is an imposing 6-8, 225-pound left-handed pitcher who displayed encouraging results in five appearances this spring. Little, whose top two pitches are his high-90s fastball and a wipeout slider, recorded a 2.00 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks allowed in nine innings as a sophomore at San Jacinto.


His success was an improvement over last year’s numbers when he posted a 2.04 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 36 walks allowed in 35 1/3 innings as a starter and reliever in 2019.


Little averaged 17.58 strikeouts per nine innings as a freshman. He followed that up with a 17.00 K/9 rate in his abbreviated sophomore season this spring.


Teams are familiar with Little, as he was in draft discussions last year. But his command struggles caused teams to fall short of Little’s signing bonus demands.


Although he tweaked his back and missed multiple starts this spring, Little showed improved command. He currently profiles better as a late-inning reliever but it wouldn’t shock me if a team tried him in the rotation due to his size and five-pitch mix.


Little likely will be drafted anywhere between the third to fifth round.


Little was recently clocked at 105 mph.






16. Jared Kelley, RHP — Refugio HS (TX)


Kelley is kind of the tweener between the other two top prep arms in the class. He doesn’t offer the physical projection of Abel or Bitsko and he’ll turn 19 in October, but relatively speaking Kelley offers more probability.
“He might be the safest of the three you’re talking about,” said one crosschecker. Love the fastball, the arm (action) is clean and he’s pretty aggressive with his changeup.


Kelley has the best velocity of the three at present, touching 98 mph and living 93-96.




https://athlonsports.com/mlb/2020-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects   offered up their list of their top 50 college prospects that will be available in the 2020 draft.


One is 

32. Casey Opitz, C, Arkansas




As a Junior (2020)


Entered the 2020 season as a Baseball America Third Team Preseason All-American … Rated as the “Best Catcher Arm” by Major League Baseball scouts (BA) … Ranked fifth at catcher in D1 Baseball’s Preseason Position Power Rankings … Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Watch List … Preseason All-SEC First Team (Coaches) … Played in all 16 games, starting 14 at catcher, entering the other two as a defensive replacement during the 2020 season … Hit fifth-through-eighth in the order as a junior, seeing five starts in the seven-hole … Finished the season with a .302/.509/.361 slash line at the plate over 53 at-bats … Tallied 16 hits, eight for extra bases, with six doubles, a triple and a homer … One of two Hogs with a triple in 2020 … Scored 10 runs, drove in 11 and walked six times … Threw out six-of-10 base stealers … Reached base safely in each of the first five games … Had two hits in the opening series against Eastern Illinois (Feb. 14-16), including a double, two RBIs, a run scored and a team-high four walks … Brought in two runs on a double, scoring once while drawing two walks in the finale against the Panthers … Punched out the one EIU runner attempting to steal … Hit .429 against Gonzaga on Feb. 20-23 with a .929 slugging percentage after four of his six hits when for extra bases … Opened the series with a two-hit, two-RBI showing, also scoring a run in the contest after hitting a double … Followed it up by coming a double shy of the cycle on Feb. 21, with a single in the fifth, a triple off the top of the right-center field wall in the sixth and a homer in the seventh … First Razorback in 2020 to come a hit away from the cycle … Recorded an RBI double in the finale against the Bulldogs … Tallied three hits at the Shriners College Classic (Feb. 28-March 1), including a multi-hit performance against Texas on Feb. 29 … All three hits in Houston were doubles … Produced a three-hit game against South Alabama on March 8, scoring twice with one RBI … Had two RBIs in the series opener on March 7 behind a sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout … Notched a knock in both games against Grand Canyon (March 10-11), driving in a run in the first game of the series, while scoring and walking in both contests … Part of an offense that finished with a .310 average at the plate with 175 hits and 118 runs scored in 2020.


2020 Stats:  16-G, 53-AB, .302/.361/.509, 1-HR, 11-RBI






5. Luke Smith, RHP, Louisville


Pitching alongside lefthander Reid Detmers and righthander Bobby Miller, Smith was the third most famous member of the Louisville weekend rotation this season, but he was more than holding his own, going 3-0, 3.42.
With the expectation that Detmers and Miller will be off to pro baseball next season, getting Smith back for another season in 2021 would be a huge boon for the Cardinals.

Reese Kaplan -- So What Will New Games Look Like?


One of the topics of conversation among baseball fans these days is how we will all react to games that feature an expanded roster, aggressive use of “openers” instead of traditional starting pitchers, and a playoff scheme that doesn’t mirror what we’ve grown accustomed to enjoying each fall.  Furthermore, what do we do about the inability to see games in person assuming that is a geographic possibility due to heightened guidelines about social distancing and precluding large crowds from gathering together.  


Nearly everyone agrees that they want baseball games to resume, whether in empty stadiums, mannequin-filled stadiums or even open for ticket sales to the brave and/or foolhardy who would put entertainment above health.  Some have said that they are past the 2020 season already and really are just looking forward to the abbreviated draft exercises and evaluating how the major league teams gracelessly clamp the padlocks on various minor league ballparks.  

Personally, I think players should have the option to play or not to play (which, of course, comes with the caveat of get paid or don’t get paid).  I can foresee a mix of mid range and younger veteran ballplayers mixed with fringe minor leaguers and ex major leaguers anxious to get the opportunity to show what they can do.  


Will teams push their top prospects up the chain rapidly to fill the larger-than-usual rosters?  I think not, as it will inhibit their normal growth and take away from the ever important number of games played in the majors which could wind up costing the owners more money sooner in the future.  No, I think the prospect of seeing an Andres Gimenez pales next to more of the Luis Guillorme and Matt Blackham types who are not really part of the long term architecture of the team.  Bringing fringe players who aren’t even on the 40-man roster up the chain could provide trade possibilities that otherwise didn’t exist if they perform reasonably well.  It’s a time for the low draft picks to shine when many are afraid to play the game.

What is most interesting to me is what you do with players who are in the last year of a conventional 2020 player contract before hitting free agency.  Does it make sense to give up at-bats to guys like Yoenis Cespedes or Jed Lowrie or innings pitched to Marcus Stroman or Justin Wilson?  After all, there’s no guarantee they are part of the 2021 and beyond New York Mets team.  Besides, the eventual “Fall Classic” is going to be fraught with a whole printing press worth of asterisks, so if they do well or don’t play really won’t amount to much in the annals of baseball metrics.


Perhaps the most important aspect of games returning is to fan the flames of interest in the sport.  It is rapidly becoming a baseball-less summer.  People are finding other things to do and that fact alone contributes not only to the reduced revenue at the gates but also the long term future of teams.  If you can get fans interested in the game in whatever morphed or hybrid version, then it’s possible you will find other businessmen interested in acquiring a team.  The Mets have not had much success in their ill-fated attempts to lure in a new owner.  Games will help in that regard since it doesn’t appear they are doing much else towards achieving that objective. 

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 5/30/2020


Good Morning.  Happy Birthday to Zack Wheeler and Fernando Salas, now that SNY will be included Alex Rodriquez and Jennifer Lopez are once again trying to buy the Mets, T.J. Rivera is released by the Phillies, and the KC Royals decide to not cut any minor leaguers. 


Mets Links:  

NY Post: Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez taking second shot at buying Mets. “The Wilpon family…have become more eager than ever to unload the franchise thanks to COVID-19 making their precarious financial condition even more dire. A strong signal of that desperation is the inclusion of SNY, the Mets’ television network, in a new deal. The Wilpons’ reluctance to sell any part of SNY, combined with cold feet from J-Rod’s original partner on the deal (Long Island pharma billionaire Wayne Rothbaum), initially led to a dead end.”

I thought Mack’s Mets Dave Ruben made a great point about this to me via text.  With only 5 rounds in the upcoming MLB Draft, the Mets need to get an agreement so the undrafted Free Agents would want to sign with them.  

SNY.TV: Sandy Alderson talks Matt Harvey's Mets career, what led to downfall: 'I love the guy'. 'For the most part, it was a good partnership between Matt and the Mets'.

NY Post: Mets hope top prospect Francisco Alvarez can be catcher of the future. “In his first season in pro ball, Alvarez quickly moved from the Gulf Coast League to Class-A Kingsport and showed promise. In 35 games in the Appalachian League, Alvarez — then just 17 — had an OPS of .820 over 131 plate appearances. And while he’s not a natural behind the plate, an NL scout who saw him play at Kingsport called him “serviceable defensively.’’ “For a kid with his build, you look to see if he can move around,’’ the scout said of Alvarez, listed at 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds. “He seems to have good instincts back there and had some agility, but he’s far from a finished product.’’

LoHud.com: How do you spot a Jeff McNeil when others don't? 'Your lens,' says coach who recruited him. Mark Kertenian…who recruited Jeff McNeil when he was an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge years ago…Kertenian noticed fluidity in McNeil’s movements. The high schooler possessed clear athleticism and a certain looseness. Most importantly, he had barrel accuracy: His bat found the ball almost every time he swung, which MLB organizations view as one of the most important tools.”


The Sporting News: Tim Tebow should be viewed by Mets as just another failed minor leaguer.







Brian Wright Metsmerized.com: Reliving the 2000 Mets: An October Preview in May. Beginning on May 22 and continuing through the Memorial Day weekend, Bobby Valentine‘s group jettisoned to San Diego, then east to St. Louis before u-turning to Los Angeles.







MLB LINKS:

NY Post Joel Sherman: Baseball needs an adult to step up and stop this madness. “It should start with you, Commissioner Rob Manfred. A statement can be this simple: If the political and medical worlds give their blessings, we are playing regular season major league baseball beginning July 3, continuing through the Independence Day weekend and — we hope — going without interruptions until there is a World Series. Period. End of statement.”

NBC Sports: Dodgers pitcher David Price will pay $1,000 out of his own money to each Dodgers minor leaguer who is not on the 40-man roster during the month of June.



Mets.com: These are the best throwing arms in the NL East.  For the Mets - Yoenis Céspedes. “Now that Juan Lagares is gone from Flushing, Céspedes possesses the strongest arm in the Mets’ clubhouse. The only question is whether he'll have a chance to use it, now 22 months removed from his last big league game, or if his leg issues will keep him limited to a designated-hitter role (or even off the field altogether).”






Minor League Links:





Asian Baseball:

Yesterday it was the Samsung Lions 5 NC Dinos 4.  Aaron Altherr 1 for 4 with an RBI. (Box Score).

Aaron is 0 for 3 so far today (Box Score).








Mack’s Blast from the Past: Herb G's Mets Minor League Report: May 30, 2014.  Rome (16-38) nips Savannah (35-16) 7-6. Gavin Cecchini: 2-3, BB, R.; Jeff McNeil: 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R. L.J. Mazzilli: 2-4, BB, R.; Dominic Smith: 2-5, RBI.


Born on this date:
Transactions:

New York Mets purchased 
Frank Lary from the Detroit Tigers on May 30, 1964.

New York Mets sold Kevin Lomon to the Atlanta Braves on May 30, 1995.

David Cone announced his retirement on May 30, 2003.

New York Mets released Eric Cammack on May 30, 2003.

New York Mets signed free agent Mike DiFelice on May 30, 2006.

New York Mets traded Ramon Castro to the Chicago White Sox for Lance Broadway on May 30, 2009.


1962
The Mets complete their first-ever triple play when shortstop Elio Chacon snags Willie Davis's liner, (1) who flips the ball to Charlie Neal to double off Maury Wills at second base (2), and the third out coming on a ball thrown to Gil Hodges, catching Jim Gilliam off first base (3). The expansion team will be the victim of the only other triple killing this season when Joe Pignatano, in his final major league at-bat, pops out to Cubs second baseman Ken Hubbs, who starts a 4-3-6 play to end the eighth inning in the season finale played a Wrigley Field.
1962
Frank Thomas strokes a double off Sandy Koufax in the Mets' 13-6 loss to Los Angeles, extending his franchise mark of consecutive games with a hit to 18 for the expansion team. The streak, which will be only one shy of Maury Wills' league-leading total for the season, is halted when the New York left fielder goes 0-for-4 in the nightcap of the Dodgers' sweep at the Polo Grounds.

2014
The Mets become the first team to have three players appear in a game whose last name begins with a lower case 'd, when Travis d'Arnaud, Jacob deGrom, and Matt den Dekker all play in the Mets' 6-5 walk-off loss to Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park. After having to use an upside-down capital 'P' on d'Arnaud's jersey last season due to lack of lower case letters, New York equipment manager Kevin Kierst asked Majestic, MLB's uniform supplier, to make 'small' uniform letters available, knowing there would be even more of a need this season.


2009: Thomas De Wolf of the DSL Mets becomes the first minor leaguer born and raised in Belgium. He goes 1 for 4 with a walk, run and RBI and will post a .432 OBP in the 2009 Dominican Summer League, leading his club.

2013: The Mets complete a four-game sweep of the Yankees with a 3 - 1 win behind the pitching of Dillon Gee, who strikes out a career-high 12 batters in 7 1/3 innings. It is the first time the Mets have ever swept a Subway Series against the Bronx Bombers, as those are the only four games the two teams will play against each other this year.


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