John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 6/4/2020

Good Morning today is the anniversary of Dave Kingman hitting 3 home runs against the Dodgers, we have a Mookie Wilson Highlight video and MLB owners reject the players 114 game schedule. 

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

Joel Sherman NY Post: MLB plowing toward tiny season after rejecting players’ 114-game proposal. MLB rejected the players association’s proposal for a 114-game season and is building internal consensus around implementing a season of roughly 50 games for full prorated pay for players, unless the union is willing to accept 82-ish games at less than proration, sources told The Post.

Mets Links:  

Rising Apple: New York Mets best first-round draft pick at every position. Pitcher – Dwight Gooden; Catcher – Kevin Plawecki; First Baseman – Ike Davis; Second Baseman– Wally Backman; Third Baseman – David Wright; Shortstop – Tim Foli; Left Fielder – Michael Conforto; Center Fielder – Lee Mazzilli; Right Fielder – Darryl Strawberry.

MLB.com: The best No. 1 Draft pick in every team's history. For the Mets it is Mets: “Dwight Gooden, RHP 5th overall, 1982…Gooden earns the edge based on his spectacular peak from 1984-86, which included both an NL Rookie of the Year Award and Cy Young Award…Overall, Gooden amassed 53.0 WAR over 16 seasons, more than any other Mets Draft pick.”

Rising Apple: New York Mets players who hailed from Flushing: Ed Glynn.

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History (1969) Mets Sweep Dodgers- Win Streak at Seven.

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History (6/4/1988): Kevin McReynolds Extra Inning Walk Off HR Ends A Wild One At Shea.

Mike’s Mets talks about how he learned to never turn off the Mets game until the final out in “The Greatest Fan”.

SNY.TV: 3 catching prospects Mets could target in 2020 MLB Draft. Patrick Bailey, North Carolina State; Tyler Soderstrom, Turlock High School (CA); Dillon Dingler, Ohio State.

Metsmerized Online: Al Leiter Deserves to Be a Mets Hall of Famer. “Al Leiter wore the orange and blue from 1998 to 2004... Leiter pitched to a 3.42 ERA and a 3.92 FIP while accumulating a 95-67 record.”

Mets 360.com posted some John Milner Baseball Cards.

Empire Sports Media: New York Mets: Is Jacob deGrom the greatest draft pick in team’s history? “It’s hard to argue against a 2.62 lifetime ERA in 1,101.2 frames. Jacob deGrom might as well be the greatest draft pick in New York Mets’ history.”

Andres Chavez Empire Sports Media: Who is the most underrated hitter in the New York Mets? “ However, when it comes to sheer offensive talent, there isn’t a more underrated offensive asset in the Mets than J.D. Davis. The Astros’ castoff finally received the opportunity he deserved in Queens, and boy, did he not disappoint. In 140 games and 453 plate appearances, Davis slashed .307/.369/.527 with 22 homers and an impressive 136 wRC+.”

LoHud.com: Analyzing the NY Mets' Top 10 prospects: No. 7 Mark Vientos. “In 2019, the Mets gave Vientos their Minor League Hitter of the Year award…Last season, Vientos hit .255 with a .300 on-base percentage. He homered 12 times and drove in 62 runs over 111 games. The Mets selected Vientos in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He was 17 at the time.”

NY Post: Yankees, Mets adding May games to awkward refund policy.

NY Post: No one saw this Mets dominance coming: ‘How did they do it?’. “…the big stars of this [2015] postseason run were Murphy and the young fire-balling starting rotation. Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom all turned in dominant outings to give the Mets a 3-0 series lead over the Cubs.

Elite Sports NY: New York Mets C Wilson Ramos is back at it in St. Lucie (Video).

June 3, 1990: Appearing as a pinch-hitter in the 8th inning, @Mets catcher Dave Liddell singles. It would prove to be his first and only @MLB at-bat of his career. #LGM #MetsRewind pic.twitter.com/6ik70rG6r6

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) June 3, 2020

June 4, 2006: Lastings Milledge hits his first HR, a two-run shot off former @Mets closer Armando Benitez to tie the game. Milledge creates controversy when he high fives Shea Stadium fans on his way to his position in RF, angering @Mets and @SFGiants players. #LGM #MetsRewind pic.twitter.com/m9cNGruLie

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) June 4, 2020

YouTube: New York Mets Videos - Mookie’s Best Moments.

MLB LINKS:

Joel Sherman NY Post: Jackie Robinson is the hero baseball — and this country — needs right now.

Yahoo Sports: Will brazen cheapness finally turn the public against MLB team owners?

MLB.com: The best Draft pick from every state, Canada, PR. New York: Manny Ramirez, OF. Ramirez’s gorgeous right-handed swing earned him a first-round (13th overall) selection by Cleveland in the 1991 Draft, and he went on to become a four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner with the club, batting .313 with 236 homers and 804 RBIs across eight seasons.

NJ.com: MLB rumors: Mookie Betts bolting Dodgers after 2020 season? 3 teams that could sign star outfielder.  Former Nats GM thinks it will be the Rangers, Cardinals, or the Nationals. 

MLB.com: Top HS Draft prospect Veen: 'I want to be an MVP'.

MLB Trade Rumors: Chris Archer Undergoes Thoracic Outlet Surgery.

MLB Trade Rumors: Several Prospects Withdraw From 2020 Draft. Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo reports that high school outfielders Dylan Crews and Brandon Fields have withdrawn their names, as has Florida State outfielder Reese Albert, who’ll return to FSU for his senior season. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel adds that high school catcher Kyle Teel is also withdrawing.

Last Word On Sports: Last Word On Baseball: Justin Lange 2020 MLB Draft Profile. “A live arm always draws the attention of scouts. That is precisely what Justin Lange, the 57th-best prospect according to MLB.com, possesses. Lange, a right-handed pitcher, is a senior at Llano High School in Texas where he has flashed the potential to be a first-round pick although teams are most comfortable taking him in the second round because of a lack of a track record.”

Minor League Links: 

Mets #7 Overall Prospect Thomas Szapucki takes the mound this Saturday (6/6) as the @RumblePoniesBB take on the @BowieBaysox at 2:00 PM on @wicztv My 8!

Don't miss your chance to cheer on the Rumble Ponies from the comfort of your home!#LetsRumble pic.twitter.com/IlimMYgU4i

— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) June 2, 2020

Asian Baseball:

NC Dinos 8 SK Wizards 6 (Box score). Aaron Altherr was 1 for 3 with a walk and RBI. 

Aaron is back in CF for today’s game (Box score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Random KBO Sights: After LG's Casey Kelly hit Samsung's Kim Sang-su; Kelly bowed to say sorry and Kim accepted at first base. pic.twitter.com/jUS4Is7dTu

— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) June 3, 2020

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- Roster Protection Issues Are Never Easy.

OPEN THREAD - Expansion Draft.

2013 Draft Recap.

Mike's Mets - A Sliver of Daylight.

Mack’s Blast from the Past: 6-4-13: 2013 SAL All-Stars Announced, Sand Gnats Will Send Nine. “Sand Gnats Manager Luis Rojas will be managing the Southern Division squad along with Sand Gnats pitching coach Frank Viola…Catcher Kevin Plawecki and first baseman Jayce Boyd earned spots in the starting line-up for the Southern Division. Plawecki is batting .343 with six homeruns and 39 RBIs through 53 games…Outfielder Brandon Nimmo was named as a utility player and will see action during the All-Star Game. Although Nimmo spent some time on the DL in May, the young outfielder is hitting .304.” 

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

 Born on this date:

• Phil Linz (1939)
• Rick Wilkins (1967)

Died on this date:

• Don Zimmer (2014)

Transactions:

New York Mets selected Bruce Boisclair in 20th round of free agent draft on June 4, 1970.

New York Mets selected Mauro Gozzo in 13th round of free agent draft on June 4, 1984.

New York Mets selected Jeromy Burnitz in first round (17th pick overall) of free agent draft on June 4, 1990.

New York Mets selected Aaron Ledesma in second round of free agent draft on June 4, 1990.

New York Mets selected Pete Walker in seventh round of free agent draft on June 4, 1990.

New York Mets selected Fernando Vina in ninth round of free agent draft on June 4, 1990.

New York Mets selected Raul Casanova in eighth round of free agent draft on June 4, 1990.

New York Mets selected Brian Daubach in 17th round of free agent draft on June 4, 1990.

New York Mets selected Dicky Gonzalez in 16th round of free agent draft on June 4, 1996.

New York Mets traded Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Hideo Nomo and Brad Clontz on June 4, 1998.

New York Mets selected Kevin Plawecki in first round (35th pick overall) of free agent draft on June 4, 2012.

New York Mets selected Gavin Cecchini in first round (12th pick overall) of free agent draft on June 4, 2012.

New York Mets selected Corey Oswalt in seventh round of free agent draft on June 4, 2012.

New York Mets selected Tim Peterson in 20th round of free agent draft on June 4, 2012.

 National Pastime.com: 

1976	Mets right fielder Dave Kingman, in the team's 11-0 victory at Dodger Stadium, hits three home runs. Sky King's two-run dinger and two three-run round-trippers drive in eight runs, a new club record.
1980	Mets right-hander Pat Zachry (7) and Neil Allen (3) combine to throw a three-hitter against the Cardinals at Shea Stadium. Unfortunately for the Mets, the third Redbird hit is a home run by Ken Reitz leading off the tenth inning of team’s eventual 1-0 loss to St. Louis.

1980	At Shea Stadium, Jim Kaat, recently traded from the Yankees, goes the distance when the Cardinal left-hander blanks the Mets in 10 innings, 1-0. The 41 year-old hurler, who didn't start a game last season, gets the victory thanks to third baseman Ken Reitz's extra inning solo home run.
1998	The Dodgers trade the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year Hideo Nomo (2-7 with a 5.05 ERA) and reliever Brad Clontz to the Mets for pitchers Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael.

2000

Esteban Yan becomes the 14th player in baseball history to hit the first pitch thrown to him in a professional game for home run. In addition to his historic homer, the Devil Rays hurler picks up the victory in the interleague contest against the Mets.

2003

At Puerto Rico's Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Jeff DaVanon of the Angels joins Lee May (1969, Reds), Frank Thomas (1962, Mets), and Gus Zernial (1951, A's) as the fourth player to have three consecutive multi-homer games. At the same time, the Anaheim outfielder also becomes the third player to do it from both sides of the plate in two back-to-back contests, matching Ken Caminiti (1995, Padres) and Eddie Murray (1987, Orioles).

2006

After going 1-for-11 in his first four games, Lastings Milledge collects three hits, including his first big league dinger. The two-run home run off Giants All-Star closer Armando Benitez, which ties the game in the tenth, sparks controversy when the Mets rookie, on his way to his position in right field in the 11th inning, high fives some of the Shea Stadium fans in the front row, much to the displeasure to many players in both dugouts.

Baseball Reference:

1968: At Wrigley Field‚ the Mets' Jerry Koosman strikes out the leadoff Cub for his 7th straight strikeout‚ then wins, 2 - 0.

1984: The New York Mets select 17-year-old Shawn Abner with the first pick in the annual June free-agent draft. Thirteen members of the U.S. Olympic team are drafted in the first round‚ including Mark McGwire by the A's with the 10th pick.

Amazing Avenue: This Date in Mets History: June 4 — Dave Kingman homers three times in rout of Dodgers.

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