John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 5/29/2020

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday to Steven Matz, Mike Vaccaro of the NY Post thinks Baseball may never fully recover if it loses season this way, and MLB releases hundreds of Minor League players.

Section Links: Mets Links, MLB Links, Minor League Links, Asian Baseball Links, and This Day in Mets History.

Mets Links:  

Jacob Resnick Metsmerized Online: Mets to Pay Minor Leaguers Through June, But Will Release Many.

Mike Meyer from Metsmerized Online tweeted the entire list last night.

Sources: The Mets released 39 minor league players today. Here they are: pic.twitter.com/OdJ92eza2E

— Michael Mayer (@mikemayerMMO) May 28, 2020

Very saddened to see Rob Whalen on the list.

Thank you @Mets for the opportunity to come back to such a great organization this year.

It sucks this tenure was so short lived but I enjoyed every minute! 🤙🏼#FreeAgent

— Rob Whalen (@RobWhalen38) May 28, 2020

Mack talked about Rob in one of his FWIW columns: “Folks, this was another poorly handled prospect that is young enough (25) to be given one more chance, at least at the AA or AAA level.” 

MiLB interviewed Rob Whalen on his return to the Mets.  "Coming to the [St. Lucie] complex for the first time in several years ... it felt like I never left. I'm so excited to be back with the Mets," Whalen said at the time.

Also on the list, West Islip’s Frank Valentino who helped Brooklyn win a Championship last year.

Thank you for all your support! We’ll be connected by the 2019 banners flying high for years to come in MCU 🙌🏻

— Frank Valentino (@F_Valentino33) May 28, 2020

MLB Trade Rumors: Which 15 Players Should The Mets Protect In An Expansion Draft? MLB Trade Rumors has been running a series looking at what players each team would protect if there was an expansion draft.  Here is there list for the first 12 Mets: Robinson Cano (no=trade clause); Jacob deGrom; Pete Alonso; Jeff McNeil; Noah Syndergaard; Michael Conforto; Amed Rosario; Brandon Nimmo; J.D. Davis; Steven Matz; Edwin Diaz; Seth Lugo.  The last three spots they ask readers to vote.  My picks? Tomas Nido, Dominic Smith, and Luis Guillorme.

Faith and Fear in Flushing’s Man for All Seasons series continues with R.A. Dickey.

Mike’s Mets talks about the current MLB vs. Player negotiations in “Driving Off a Cliff”.

Centerfield Maz: Steven Matz: 2015 NL Champion Mets Long Island Born Pitcher (2015-2019). Steven Jakob Matz was born May 29th 1991 in Stony Brook, Long Island.

12 Up.com: Former Mets GM Sandy Alderson Has Spot-On Take About 2015 World Series Loss to Royals. “’This business about us being the underdog – baloney. If we had won the first game we would’ve won the Series’…Sandy Alderson says they had counseled Familia against the quick pitch.”

Mike Puma NY Post: The ‘remarkable’ trait that has helped make Ronny Mauricio Mets’ top prospect. “Ronny Mauricio is so impressive because he has the potential to defend, throw, run, hit and hit for power — all while playing a challenging defensive position,” Mets executive director of player development Jared Banner said in an email. “He has shown remarkable poise playing against older competition so far.” In 470 at-bats last season Mauricio struck out 99 times, a big number for somebody who displayed little power, but the Mets saw improvement with his pitch recognition as the season progressed.

Metsmerized Online: Amazin’ Mistakes: Darren O’Day, The One That Got Away.

Metsmerized Online: Lucas Duda’s Offense Was Very Underrated.

SNY.TV: 3 reasons why Mets' Pete Alonso is a good bet to lead MLB in homers in shortened 2020 season.  Danny Abriano cites “The Weather”, “The East Coast-Centric Schedule”,  and “Fresher Alonso = No huge slump?”

Empire Sports Media: Obscure All-Stars to Play for the New York Mets: Michael Cuddyer.

NY Post: Robin Ventura’s grand slam that wasn’t finished an amazing Mets win.

The Empire Writes Back: New York Mets made possible by events of May 28, 1957.

Old Timers at Big Shea. Can you guess the year? From the Flagstaff Films Baseball home movie archive (16mm Unedited) pic.twitter.com/tBB9UrcnJC

— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) May 28, 2020

YouTube: New York Mets Videos - Mets Clinch 1986 NL East Crown.

MLB LINKS:

Mike Vaccaro NY Post: Baseball may never fully recover if it loses season this way.

NY Post: Mark Teixeira: MLB should be back, but owners better not ‘break’ union.

Joel Sherman NY Post: Baseball has a huge deadline problem. MLB wants to be playing regular season games on the July 4 weekend...I have talked to agents and teams that say players can be ready with two weeks of training...”

Reflections on Baseball: MLB Owners outplay the Players – putting the MLBPA in total disarray. “The player’s union lost the fight weeks ago when they patiently stood by waiting for the owner’s next proposal instead of actively and very publicly proposing one of their own.”

AP News: Boras to clients in memo: Don’t bail out baseball owners.

Ken Davidoff Ny Post: Reasoning behind Scott Boras’ rallying cry to MLB players.  “And as long as owners, especially those who operate their own regional sports networks, refuse to disclose all of their financial data, it always will be fair game to question how much pain they’re truly suffering.”

AP News: Texas to allow some fans at outdoor pro sports events.

AP News: At least 9 MLB teams pledge more stipends to minor leaguers. “The San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners are promising payments through August, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles have pledged to do so through at least June. The White Sox are even providing those stipends to 25 minor league players recently released. The Philadelphia Phillies also plan to continue allowances through June, but likely at a reduction from the $400 per week rate.”

MLB Trade Rumors: Mariners Release Carlos Gonzalez.

NY Post: How Esteban Loaiza blew $44 million before massive cocaine bust.

AP News: Not in Missouri anymore: Royals move legal home to Delaware. Many entities maintain a legal base in Delaware. The Royals have a Class A minor league team in Wilmington, “Corporate laws are much more universal in Delaware,” Royals spokesman Mike Swanson said.

Minor League Links:

The Diamondbacks have let go 64 minor leaguers in recent days. Tough days in baseball. They hadn’t let go any minor leaguers in spring as they usually do. The Dbacks also have committed to pay the $400 weekly stipend to holdover minor leaguers thru at least June. @EmilyCWaldon

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 29, 2020

Gwinnett Daily Post: Report: 'Hundreds' of minor leaguers released, season in peril.

MiLB: Be their guest: Wahoos go viral with park rental. Nights at the stadium sold out in less than 24 hours on Airbnb.

Pensacola News Journal: Photos: Blue Wahoos Stadium transforms into $1500-a-night Airbnb.

MiLB.com: Movie Night on a Minor League Baseball field. Tortugas screen Jackie Robinson biopic at namesake ballpark.

MiLB.com: Stacking up some of the biggest burgers in MiLB. National Hamburger Day offers reason to dig into team offerings.

Asian Baseball:

The Korea Herald: Ex-MLB player Kang Jung-ho expresses desire to rejoin KBO's Heroes.

Yesterday it was NC Dinos 9 Kiwoom 6.  Aaron Altherr 1 for 4 with run scored. (Box Score).

In Today’s game so far, Aaron is 1 for 1 with an RBI. (Box Score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- It Takes Two to Tango.

Tom Brennan - HOW FORBES FIELD DIMENSIONS KILLED FORMER MET 1B DONN CLENDENON'S POWER GAME.

Mack – Draft News – Austin Hendrick , Jacob Young, Carson Montgomery, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Parker Bates.

Mike's Mets - The Not So Funny Money Blues.

Mack’s Blast From The Past: Mack – 5-29-12. “Jordany Valdespin to ‘Los Marlinsitos”.

Bonus Blast from 5-29-12: Happy 21st Birthday, Steve Matz.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Dyar Miller (1946)
• Toby Borland (1969)
• Tyler Pill (1990)
• Steven Matz (1991)
• Luis Moreno (1999)
• Sebastian Espino (2000)

Transactions:

New York Mets signed free agent Gary Gentry on May 29, 1975.

New York Mets traded Dan Norman and Jeff Reardon to the Montreal Expos for Ellis Valentine on May 29, 1981.

New York Mets traded Al Pedrique and Scott Little to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Bill Almon on May 29, 1987.

New York Mets signed free agent Brandon Knight on May 29, 2008.

National Pastime.com: 

1990	The Mets fire their manager Davey Johnson, citing the lack of team discipline that resulted in limiting the talented team to reach the postseason only twice during his six years at the helm. The popular skipper, who will be replaced by third base coach Bud Harrelson, averaged 96 victories a season, leading the club to the World Championship in 1986.
2000	At the age of 104, Fred Roberts, the oldest living Dodger fan, makes his first visit to Dodger Stadium. Wearing a jersey with the number 104, the World War I veteran cheers as Shawn Green's sixth-inning grand slam helps to beat Al Leiter and the Mets, 4-1.

Baseball Reference:

1969 - With the Braves drubbing the Mets, 12 - 0‚ manager Lum Harris lifts Hank Aaron for another Lum - Mike Lum. Lum hits a pinch double off Al Jackson and takes over in LF as the Braves coast to a 15 - 3 win. It is the third time in his career that Aaron has been lifted for a pinch-hitter.

1971: The Mets feature firepower as Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver combine to strike out 26‚ tying the Mets' own major league record set on September 9‚ 1970, in a doubleheader sweep of the Padres. Seaver wins the opener‚ 5 - 1‚ with 10 K's and Ryan cops the nitecap‚ 2 - 1. Mets batters strike out 15 times: the 41 strikeouts ties the major league record.

1974 - The visiting Mets lose to the Reds‚ 3 - 2‚ when Tony Perez clubs a 10th-inning homer off Jon Matlack.

1981: Montreal trades OF Ellis Valentine to the Mets for P Jeff Reardon and OF Dan Norman. Valentine will play just 159 games for the Mets‚ while Reardon will blossom into one of baseball's best relievers.

1990: With the team struggling (20-22)‚ the Mets fire manager Davey Johnson‚ whose six-year winning percentage was .593. Coach Bud Harrelson replaces him and the Mets will win 20 of their next 23 games before cooling down.

1999: Arizona's Byung-Hyun Kim, 20-year-old Korean‚ makes his major league debut against the Mets. Relieving in the 9th‚ he strikes out Mike Piazza to end the game and preserve the 8 - 7 win.

2000: The Dodgers defeat the Mets‚ 4 - 1. Mets SS Rey Ordoñez breaks his left forearm on a tag play in the 1st inning and will be out for the rest of the season. His arm hits the helmet of a sliding F.P. Santangelo. The Mets will fill in with various bodies for two months before renting Mike Bordick from the Orioles. 

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