John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 6/20/2020

Good Morning. COVID outbreaks close spring facilities, Addison Russell signs with the KBO, and we have a Baby Shark alert in Japan.

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

Mets Links:

NY Post: Mets may make Citi Field site of their spring training restart.

Meet the Mets, meet the Mets,
But please stay back six feet from Mets,
Wear your mask and wash your hands,
Never touch your face, your nose or your glands,

— Metstradamus (@Metstradamus) June 20, 2020

The Empire Writes Back: Manfred, Wilpons failed New York Mets fans and players. “Maybe it took a pandemic to shine a light on the owners and Manfred’s greed, stubbornness, and unwillingness to compromise. People are starting to realize that it’s never been about winning but the bottom dollar.”

Rising Apple: The great John Stearns was not your ordinary catcher. “Stearns ran wild in 1978 with 25 stolen bases in 38 attempts. To put this into some perspective, Amed Rosario has never stolen 25 bases in a single season. And he’s the fast guy on the current Mets squads.”

Mets 360.com: Ditch Interleague play and bring back the Mayor’s Trophy game. Brian Joura notes how the Mets play the Yankees each year while other contending teams get to play 100 loss teams.  He also added this: “There were 19 Mayor’s Trophy games played between the Mets and Yankees, with the Yankees holding a 10-8 advantage. The 1979 game was a rain-shortened, 1-1 tie.”

The Blogging Mets: Shea Stadium in Movies: “The King of Queens”.

The Blogging Mets: Shea Stadium in Movies: “The Sopranos”.

The Big Lead: New York Post Baseball Writers Laud Pete Alonso After Phil Mushnick Blames Him for 'Sports' Vulgarity Problem'.

Fangraphs: In Appreciation of R.A. Dickey, Former Best Player in Baseball.

12up.com: VIDEO: Marcus Stroman Uses Last-Second Burst to Beat Youth Baseball Player in Race Around the Bases.

Surprised myself with the burst at the end. My lil’ man was talking about how he was going to dust me. I had to let him know! Lol 😂 @9uHeat pic.twitter.com/OHGlHGPCah

— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) June 18, 2020

Baseball Prospect Journal: Pete Crow-Armstrong is a high-end prep talent. “My defense sets me apart from other high school outfielders,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I just think I take more pride in it than most people. I think that’s a huge strength in my game.”

Amazing Avenue: Memorable Mets Game: Giants at Mets, June 5, 2019. A nondescript Wednesday night turned into an amazing evening thanks to the heroics of Jason Vargas.

Metsmerized.com: All-Time Met Killers: Bullpen Edition. Don McMahon, Al Hrabosky, Kenley Jansen are mentioned in addition to Billy Wagner and John Franco.

YouTube: New York Mets Videos - Dave Mlicki and Matt Franco Flashback to First Subway Series Game.

Mets Celebrate Juneteenth.

MLB LINKS:

CBS Sports: MLB to close all spring training facilities for cleaning after COVID-19 outbreak, per reports. Players and staff will not be allowed to return until they test negative for COVID-19

Yahoo Sports: Reports: MLB reconsiders bubble plan, closes all 30 spring training sites after coronavirus surge.

MLB Trade Rumors: Five Phillies Players, Three Staff Members Test Positive For Coronavirus.

MLB Trade Rumors: MLB May Close Spring Camps To Establish New Protocols.

USA Today: MLB, with sights set on 60-game season, not making counter-offer to MLBPA, union says.

AP News: MLB tells players at most 60 games; 50 or fewer possible.

USA Today: MLB considering ties for 2020 season as part of modified extra innings plan.

Mike’s Mets: The Little Engine That Just Couldn't. “The ridiculously contentious talks between Manfred and Clark have sucked up all of the oxygen in the room…if you can't even find a way to reach an agreement with only a 10 game difference, how are you going to be able to work together to keep the virus from shutting it all down?”

NJ.com: 4 reasons why universal DH is good for baseball. Pitchers have never been worse in the batter’s box; It’s become the equivalent of the extra point in the NFL; The old-school strategy doesn’t really apply much in today’s game; We’ll see more young position players hit the majors earlier.

NJ.com: Yankees’ Michael Kay rips players again: ‘It was tell us when and where ... so we could file a grievance’.  

USA Today: Minnesota Twins remove statue of former owner Calvin Griffith outside Target Field over racist comments he made in 1978.

MLB Trade Rumors: Twins Agree To Terms With Sign Second- And Fourth-Round Picks.

MLB Trade Rumors: Nationals Agree To Terms With Cade Cavalli, Sammy Infante.

MLB Trade Rumors: Dodgers Sign First-Rounder Bobby Miller.

Minor League Baseball:

KSL.com: Independent Atlantic League cancels season due to virus. The Atlantic League said Friday that the High Point Rockers, Long Island Ducks and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are working with several professional clubs to put together a 70-game schedule starting in mid-July and that will by followed by five-game championship series at the end of September.

Syracuse.com: 7 issues Syracuse Mets, minor league baseball face in return to 2020 season. These include: “What health precautions will minor league teams need to take?; What is the profit point for minor league teams? – some teams with larger stadiums may be able to make it with 25% capacity; What do major league teams want to do?;  Both International League president Randy Mobley and Minor League Baseball spokesperson Jeff Lantz said it likely would take a few more days of talks beyond any MLB agreement to sort out the feasibility of minor league play. “There’s still a ways to go, but we’re hopeful,” Lantz said.

Syracuse.com: 1985: Remembering the 27-inning baseball game, played over 3 days, at Big Mac.

The Southern Illinoisan: Frontier League to make decision about 2020 season next week. 

Asian Baseball:

Yesterday in Japan:

Chunichi 9 Yakult 7 Nori Aoki went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs and a walk in the loss for Yakult. (Box Score).

Rakuten 9 Onix 1 Adam Jones 0 for 3 in his Japan debut for Onix (Box Score).

Today’s games are already completed.

Yakult 6 Chunichi 2 Nori Aoki went 0 for 4. (Box Score).

Jballallen.com: 367 days after he introduced the Baby Shark to Washington Nationals fans, Gerardo Parra hit his first regular season home run in Japan in the Yomiuri Giants’ 11-1 win over the Hanshin Tigers. Yomiuri Giants 11 Hanshin Tigers 1 (Box Score).

【プロ野球開幕第2戦⚾️】#巨人🆚#阪神
7回裏 #パーラ 選手が来日初アーチとなる3ランホームラン🏟巨人がこの回一挙8得点‼️#原辰徳 監督も #シャークダンス で迎えます🦈

📺日テレジータスで生中継⚡️
💡ジャイアンツLIVEストリームでも配信▶️https://t.co/KQyC8TtaEq#さあここからだ #withfans pic.twitter.com/ddPReadtEE

— DRAMATIC BASEBALL 2020 (@ntv_baseball) June 20, 2020

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.

Yonhap: KBO's Kiwoom Heroes sign ex-MLB All-Star Addison Russell. “As per the government mandate on all international arrivals during the coronavirus pandemic, Russell will have to be quarantined for 14 days before he can join the Heroes.”

#KBO note: Kiwoom Heroes' GM Kim Chi-hyun told me that before signing Addison Russell, the Heroes were in talks to sign Yasiel Puig, who ultimately decided to give MLB another shot in 2020.

— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) June 20, 2020

Yesterday in the KBO.

Kia Tigers 5 Samsung Lions 4. Drew Gagnon 5.1 innings, 5 hits, 4 ER, 4 Walks, 4 Ks (Box Score).

NC Dinos 3 Hanwha Eagles 1 Aaron Altherr 1 for 4 (Box Score).

Aaron is back in CF for today’s game and is so far 0 for 2 (Box Score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

2020/06/20 #GuardiansLive vs. #UniLions

After a walk-off victory last night, the Guardians look to take the series win against the Lions tonight! 22-year-old righty #12 Kuo-Hao Chiang will oppose 37-year-old Josh Roenicke on the mound.#ItsTime https://t.co/YeZyODTcdH

— Fubon Guardians (@FubonGuardians) June 20, 2020

2020.06.20 LIVE - @RakutenMonkeys ⓥⓢ #CTBCBrothers

Stay tuned with @CTBC_Brothers and @ELTASports at 6:35pm(GMT+8)!@CPBL #CPBL #LetsGoBrothers💪💪💪https://t.co/EACYX8XgeG

— CTBC Brothers (@CTBC_Brothers) June 20, 2020

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- What Should New Owners Do First?

Tom Brennan - GREATEST OVER 35 AGE PERFORMANCES IN MLB HISTORY.

NDFA Sign - RHRP Kody Davidson.

Mike's Mets - A Pyromaniac's Delight.

Mike's Mets - Agree to Disagree.

Mack’s Blast from the Past: 6/20/2013: Morning Report: “Andrew Brown was recalled from AAA-Las Vegas. Brown has hit .346 in Vegas and deserves as much of a shot as anyone else has gotten this year.” As you’ll see in the You Tube clips below, that move paid off well that night.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Transactions:

New York Mets signed free agent Dennis Musgraves on June 20, 1964.

New York Mets released Dick Stuart on June 20, 1966.

New York Mets released Mike DeJean on June 20, 2005.

National Pastime.com: 

1963

In the Bronx, the Yankees and Mets participate in their first Mayor's Trophy Game, with former Bronx Bomber skipper Casey Stengel employing his best pitchers, Jay Hook (5) and Carl Willey (4), to defeat the reigning World Champions in the exhibition contest, 6-2. An enthusiastic crowd of 50,742, made up of mostly National League fans, sees many of their banners supporting the expansion club confiscated upon entering The House That Ruth Built.

1967

At Connie Mack Stadium, Phillies starter Larry Jackson one-hits the Mets, 4-0. It is the right-hander's eighteenth victory over New York without a defeat.

Baseball Reference:

1967 - The Phillies' Larry Jackson gives up just one hit, a 2nd-inning double to Tommy Davis, in topping the Mets, 4 - 0.

1971 - Four grand slams are hit in the majors, by the Braves' Earl Williams, the Phillies' Deron Johnson, the White Sox's Rick Reichardt, and the Pirates' Willie Stargell. Williams' slam comes in a 5 - 4 loss, and the Braves drop a 2nd game, 2 - 0 to the Reds. The Pirates whip Montreal, 7 - 1, and the Sox pummel the Twins, 18 - 8. Johnson's slam, in the 11th, gives the Phils a split with the Mets.

2010: The Yankees are back in first place in the AL East, one game ahead of the surging Red Sox and slumping Rays, after CC Sabathia pitches 8 scoreless innings as the Bronx Bombers shut out the Mets and Johan Santana, 4 - 0. All the runs come on Mark Teixeira's grand slam.

2017: Corey Seager hits three homers in the Dodgers' 12 - 0 win over the Mets. He drives in 6 runs as the Dodgers have hit 9 homers in two games against the struggling Mets, while rookie Cody Bellinger continues his red hot hitting with his NL-leading 22nd homer. Brandon McCarthy pitches 6 innings for the win and Brock Stewart works the final three for his first career save.

Amazing Avenue: This Date In Mets History: June 20 — Four balls fly out of Shea for high-flying Amazins. Homers by Nady (2), Delgado, and, yes, Trachsel, beat Reds 9-2, put Mets 9.5 games up on June 20, 2006.

Centerfield Maz: Jacob deGrom: 2014 Rookie of the Year ( Part One- 2014-2017).

Centerfield Maz: Jacob deGrom (Part Two- Two Straight Cy Young Seasons).

You Tube:

6/20/13: Satin's RBI double lifts Mets over Braves. 2 Homers from David Wright. Home Run from Andrew Brown and winning RBI from Josh Satin.   

6/24/14: Four Mets homers back Colon in a 10-1 win.

6/20/15: Simmons' four-hit day fuels Braves' 6-4 win.

       

Rockies' offense prevails in 10-8 slugfest: 6/20/18.

6/22/19: The Cubs scored 6 runs in the 3rd and Adbert Alzolay gets his 1st win in his MLB debut in the Cubs' 7-4 win over the Mets.

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