John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 6/16/2020

Good Morning.  Today is the anniversary of the first Mets-Yankees regular season game, Happy Birthday Calvin Schiraldi, the Mets sign Non-Drafted Free Agents, and Rob Manfred continues to have disdain for “the best interests of baseball.”

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

Mike’s Mets: Going Down with the Ship. “Rob Manfred is no longer 100% confident that there will be a baseball season in 2020? Join the club, my friend. It's amazing how bad negotiations can go when the primary method of negotiating is by leaking stuff to the media.”

Joel Sherman NY Post: Rob Manfred failed MLB players by delivering wrong message.  The role of the commissioner of Major League Baseball was created at one of the lowest points in the sport’s history — much like today — in the aftermath of the Black Sox scandal. To take the job, Kenesaw Mountain Landis requested sweeping powers to act “in the best interest of baseball…The commissioner — make that the commissioner of all baseball — should still try even at this late moment in the negotiations to let the players know he cares. That what grows the game is good for all and that the people best positioned to grow the game are the players.”

Ken Davidoff NY Post: What’s next following this MLB dumpster firev. “There might not be a season no matter what thanks to COVID-19. At least, by navigating these tough times as embarrassingly poor as they have, the owners and players can know that they inflicted serious damage on their game. Nice job, folks.”

Mets Links:

Mack’s Mets: NDFA Sign - OF Brandon McIlwain California.

I’m excited to be starting my pro baseball career with the New York Mets! #LGM #Blessed 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/5kxYAfaGP1

— Brandon McIlwain (@Mc11wain) June 15, 2020

Mack’s Mets: NDFA Sign - Drake Nightengale, RHP, South Alabama.

Thankful for this Opportunity to join the New York Mets Organization.
It's a Dream Come True, I would like to thank my Agent James O. Covington for getting this deal done for me, as well as my coaches at South Alabama, Pearl River Community College, & Sumrall High School. pic.twitter.com/xSPR94h09i

— Drake Nightengale (@nightengale32) June 15, 2020

SNY.TV (MetsBlog): Mets sign undrafted free agent who grew up 20 minutes from Citi Field.

New Mets signee Joe Suozzi is is the son of Tom Suozzi, a Democrat congressman representing parts of Long Island and Queens. https://t.co/KOKDy7q5CD

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) June 16, 2020

Congratulations to our ace Dylan Hall on signing a professional contract with the New York Mets! Dylan has been a tremendous leader for the Broncho baseball team in his two years with our program! Bright future ahead for him! @IamDylannn pic.twitter.com/ecvcUdFLVE

— UCO Baseball (@UCOBaseball) June 16, 2020

3rd-rd @MLBDraft pick Anthony Walters signed by @Mets for $20K (Pick 91 value=$647,300). Redshirt Jr from @AztecBaseball has good hands at SS, sneaky pop, utility type profile. #MLBDraft

— Jonathan Mayo (@JonathanMayo) June 15, 2020

Forbes.com: Steelers Stake Doesn’t Impact 76ers Owners Harris, Blitzer’s Interest In Mets.

NY Post: Mets, Yankees stars join MLB players in Black Lives Matter video. New York stars including teammates Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton, as well as Mets starter Marcus Stroman and retired Yankee CC Sabathia.

Rising Apple: Mets unknowingly added two key championship pieces a week before 1977’s Midnight Massacre. The Mets Drafted Wally Backman in Round 1 and Mookie Wilson in Round 2 in the 1977 Draft.

Mets 360.com: The cursed 2020 is turning into 1994 – Joe Vasile does a great job on the negotiations and recalls how Rob Manfred came into baseball - “Selig also brought in labor lawyer Robert Manfred as outside counsel to the owners during the strike in 1994. Twice the MLBPA filed grievances with the National Labor Relations Board for bad faith negotiations and won both times. There has been relative labor peace in baseball since ’94, but now with Manfred serving as commissioner MLB has returned to its negotiating practices of more turbulent times.”

Ken Davidoff NY Post: How Mets’ Tom Seaver trade turned Pat Zachry’s life upside down. “It was a shame it didn’t work out better because of injuries and other stuff,” Zachry said. “The one thing I regretted was kicking the helmet and breaking my foot.* That was my own damn fault. It led to some other things that took away from my performance that shouldn’t have.

amNY.com: Source: Wilpons won’t put much in Mets in 2021 if they don’t sell, Steve Cohen ‘dodged a bullet’.

YouTube: New York Mets Videos - David Wright on Leadership.

Former @Mets reliever Turk Wendell told @EvanRobertsWFAN that Sammy Sosa was the “worst teammate ever.” They were teammates on the @Cubs (1993-97). “He only cared about himself hitting HRs. He didn’t care if we lost 20-1. If he hit a HR, he was happy. That was Sosa being Sosa.” pic.twitter.com/ISgxBA1qQI

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) June 16, 2020

MLB LINKS:

MLB Trade Rumors: MLB Authorizes Resumption Of Scouting Activities.

Joe Giglio NJ.com: How short-sighted MLB players botched labor negotiations. Joe feels with a litte negotiation the players could have gotten *Close to 100% prorated salary, with the idea of negotiating off that demand in order to achieve more; *As many games as possible for 2020; *More jobs; *Money and protection for what should be a chilling free agency after a year of little to no revenue in the sport.

Mexican Baseball:

Baseball Mexico: CITY OF MAZATLAN OKAYS 2021 SERIE DEL CARIBE.  “The City of Mazatlan has announced that the Mexican Pacific League team will be allowed to use the ballpark for the upcoming 2020-21 season, including hosting the 2021 Caribbean Series in early February.”  Also: “With an August 7 date tentatively set for finally beginning the 2020 Mexican League season, the Tijuana Toros were planning to re-open their training camp on July 15 in the southern state of Oaxaca.” 

Asian Baseball:

Amazing Avenue: KBO Update, June 07 to June 13: Keeping pace.

Aaron Altherr is back in CF this morning as the NC Dinos take on the Kia Tigers. (Box Score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Amazing Avenue: CPBL Update, June 07 to June 13: Is this winning?

2020/6/14 #Tainan baseball stadium, the home of #UniLions welcomed 1558 fans today! #CPBLwithFans pic.twitter.com/cK3Lh69pTv

— ELEVEN SPORTS TAIWAN (@ElevenSportsTW) June 14, 2020

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- What Can You Build Now That the Dust Has Settled?

David Rubin - On This Day, 43 Years Later, My Heart Still Breaks.

Mike's Mets - When Money Is All That Matters.

NDFA Sign - OF Brandon McIlwain California.

NDFA Sign - Drake Nightengale, RHP, South Alabama.

Mack’s Blast from Past: 6/16/2012: Thoughts About Friday – by Mack Ade: “I’m trying to remember to use Spell Check more often. I don’t try and look stupid on purpose. There is no excuse and I simply don’t respect it enough. I lost my job writing local sports for Morris Publishing because my editor refused to work with me. There is no patience for the brain impaired. Did I spell impaired correctly?”

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Bob Rauch (1949)
• Calvin Schiraldi (1962)
• Cole Kleszcz (1997)

Transactions:

Baltimore Orioles claimed Rich Becker of the New York Mets on waivers on June 16, 1998.

New York Mets signed free agent Heath Bell on June 16, 1998.

 National Pastime.com: 

1997	At Yankee Stadium, the Mets beat their crosstown rivals, 6-0, in the first-ever regular-season game between the two teams. Dave Mlicki throws a complete-game shutout, blanking the Bronx Bombers on nine hits.
2003	Dontrelle Willis throws a complete-game one-hit shutout in the Marlins' 1-0 win over the Mets at Pro Player Stadium. The D-Train's victory, which improves his record to 6-1, marks the start of the baseball world taking notice of the high-kicking southpaw phenom, who goes on to win the Rookie of the Year.

Baseball Reference:

2010: The Mets continue their roller-coaster season, winning their 6th in a row with an 8 - 4 decision over Cleveland. All nine Mets starters collect at least one hit and either score or drive in a run. Shelley Duncan, making a rare start in LF for the Indians, helps out with some poor defensive play but does atone himself somewhat with a two-run homer off winner Jon Niese.

2011: The Braves beat the Mets, 9 - 8, on an anticlimactic play in the 10th inning. After rallying from two runs down in the bottom of the 9th on Brooks Conrad's two-run homer off closer Francisco Rodriguez, the Braves take advantage of a balk by reliever D.J. Carrasco that allows Diory Hernandez to score the winning run. Before coming back, the Braves blow a 6 - 2 lead by giving up a four-run 5th inning to the Mets. Chipper Jones drives in 5 runs, tying a career best.

2013: Seemingly asleep for 8 innings, the Mets suddenly wake up in the bottom of the 9th as Carlos Marmol is trying to protect a 3 - 0 lead for the Cubs. Marlon Byrd starts off the inning with a solo homer, Lucas Duda draws a walk and John Buck singles. Omar Quintanilla bunts both runners into scoring position before Kirk Nieuwenhuis, hitting .097 for the season, connects for a walk-off three-run homer. Marmol is only pitching because closer Kevin Gregg, who has been perfect in 10 save opportunities so far, is unavailable after pitching in the Cubbies' last four games.

You Tube:

6/16/15: Harvey throws seven scoreless in Mets' win.

6/16/16: Colon, three homers power Mets past Pirates.

Matz, Conforto lead Mets to 5-1 victory: 6/16/18.

 Amazing Avenue: This Date in Mets History: June 16 — Calvin Schiraldi's birthday and other LOLpen antics.

Centerfield Maz: Calvin Schiraldi: Former Mets First Round Draft Pick (1984-1985).

Centerfield Maz: Dave Mlicki: Mid Nineties Mets Pitcher (1995-1998).

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