John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 6/24/2020

Good Morning.  Baseball is back – we have links to all the details. Happy Birthday Mike Bruhert, Trey Cobb and Hunter Parsons, and the Mets may have some new international bidders. 

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

Mets Links:

Baseball is back baby!!!! And I only have one thing to say. pic.twitter.com/OgexHjxlSK

— Pete Alonso (@Pete_Alonso20) June 23, 2020

Clear eyes.
Empty park.
Play ball. pic.twitter.com/aNNIVPmlaK

— Greg Prince (@greg_prince) June 24, 2020

Mets.com: Mets' Top 5 general managers: DiComo's take. 1. Frank Cashen, 1980-91, '93 (Key moves: Drafted Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden; traded for Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter); 2. Bing Devine, 1966-67 (Key moves: Signed Tom Seaver; drafted Jon Matlack and Gary Gentry); 3. Johnny Murphy, 1967-70 (Key moves: Acquired manager Gil Hodges and players Donn Clendenon and Tommie Agee); 4. George Weiss, 1961-66 (Key moves: Signed Bud Harrelson, Cleon Jones, Ed Kranepool, Tug McGraw and Ron Swoboda); 5. Omar Minaya, 2005-10 (Key moves: Signed Carlos Beltrán, Pedro Martinez and Billy Wagner; traded for Carlos Delgado and Johan Santana; drafted Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom).

Faith and Fear in Flushing: The Man Who Was Untraded. Wilmer Flores.

Mike’s Mets: Everyone Gets Their Blocks Knocked Off.

MLB Trade Rumors: Third Bidder For Mets Emerges.  Scott Soshnick of Variety reports that brothers David and Simon Reuben, whose combined estimated worth is a whopping $14 billion, are now “exploring” a bid. Real estate opportunities in the area surrounding Citi Field are likely a driving factor in the interest, per the report.

NY Post: Yankees Stadium, Citi Field will be crowded for Yankees, Mets. Mets officials have discussed the possibility of utilizing MCU Park in Brooklyn — home of their Class-A affiliate — as an overflow site for workouts, according to industry sources...One source said MCU Park was “on the table,” as a possible workout locale, but nothing has been finalized.

Rising Apple: The importance of Turk Wendell on the 2000 roster. “He made 77 appearances on the mound—the most of any pitcher on the team. His 82.2 relief innings also bested everyone with Mahomes getting a portion of his 94 as a starter.”

6/23/2019 Pete Alonso hits his 27th home run of the year, breaking Darryl Strawberry’s club record for homers by a rookie. In 1983, Strawberry’s rookie year, he hit 26 home runs in 122 games. Alonso hit his 27th homer in his 77th game.@Pete_Alonso20 pic.twitter.com/AMhnF26CqM

— This Day in Mets History (@NYMhistory) June 23, 2020

MLB LINKS:

Yahoo Sports: Baseball is back after MLB, players agree to July 1 report date, health protocols.

AP News: Major League Baseball players agree to report training starting July 1, outstanding operations issues resolved.

Yahoo Sports: Here are the key dates in MLB’s new season: June 26: MLB’s transaction freeze ends; July 1: Players report to summer camp; July 23/24: Opening Day; August 31: Trade deadline; September 15: Playoff eligibility deadline.

MLB.com: FAQ: All you need to know about 2020 season. What will the rosters look like? To help ease players into competition, each club will have a 30-man roster for the first two weeks, 28 for the next two weeks, and 26 for the remainder of the season. Teams will submit lists of 60 players eligible to play in 2020 -- the 40-man roster plus a "taxi squad" of 20 players.

MLB Trade Rumors: 2020 Trade Deadline Will Be Aug. 31; Latest On Other Rules Changes.

Yahoo Sports: No bubble built, MLB considering contingency plans if coronavirus surges force teams out of home parks. “A source familiar with the league's thinking acknowledged it's possible that COVID spikes could force teams to relocate away from their home stadiums, with spring training facilities, minor-league parks, or other MLB stadiums standing in as potential options.”

Buster Olney ESPN: What to love, loathe, look forward to and fear about MLB in 2020 and beyond. “Here are things I do not understand: Why did it take so long for Major League Baseball and the players' association to get to this moment when they agreed on just about nothing? Why did the stewards of the game recklessly drag it over the past six weeks? Why is the relationship between the union and MLB so toxic and unproductive? Why was there such tone-deafness to the national and international context?”

USA Today: Embrace the chaos! MLB's 2020 season will be like nothing you've ever seen.

Mike Vaccaro NY Post: Despite recent drama, fans will fall in love with baseball again.

CBS Sports: MLB season: Seven big questions – including #4. When will the MLBPA file its grievance?

Kevin Davidoff NY Post: MLB is back: Answers to seven pressing questions. Q: “Did either side actually prevail? A: The players won by a score of -10,000 to -15,000 — which is to say that while both lost big, at least the players galvanized like we haven’t seen in a generation.”

CBS Sports: MLB negotiations winners and losers: Why owners and players union show up on both lists.

AP News: Phils say 2 more players, 2 staffers test positive; 12 total.

AP News: Canada open to MLB in Toronto but MLB has not submitted plan.

MLB.com: 20 reasons to be excited for the 2020 season. #14. Who's up for a Pete Alonso encore?

Vasilis Drimalitis Amazing Avenue: It still isn’t safe for baseball to return in America. As much as I miss the Mets, it would be best if MLB would officially cancel the season for everyone’s safety.

MLB Trade Rumors: Charlie Blackmon, 2 Other Rockies Test Positive For Coronavirus.

Minor League Baseball:

AP News: MiLB teams sue insurance providers over denied virus claims.

Albany Times-Union: Many feel loss of ValleyCats home opener. Tri-City would have made Bruno Stadium debut on Wednesday.

#Mets Minors 6.24.16: Tomas Nido gives St. Lucie true walk-off win https://t.co/2r1CFeRygk

— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinMedia) June 25, 2016

Asian Baseball:

Yesterday in Japan:

Hanshin Tigers 4 Yakult Swallows 1 Nori Aoki 1 for 3; Gabriel Ynoa 4 Runs, 5 innings, 7 hits, 2 Ks. (Box Score).  Video Highlights including nice catch from Nori Aoki. 

Nori Aoki is back in LF today for the Yakult Swallows (Box Score).

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.

The Korea Herald: Rays' infielder Choi Ji-man leaves for US to rejoin club.

Yesterday in the KBO.

Doosan Bears 9 SK 2 Chris Flexen 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 8 K’s, 0 BBs. (Box Score).

NC Dinos 4 KT 3.  Aaron Altherr 0 for 4 (Box Score).

Today’s games for Drew Gagnon’s Kia Tigers,  Aaron Altherr’s NC Dinos, and Chris Flexen’s Doosan Bears have been postponed.

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Amazing Avenue: CPBL Update, June 14 to June 20: Back to their old ways.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Tom Brennan - COVID'S FUTURE BASEBALL COMPENSATION IMPACTS.

Tony Plate A-Rod Interested in Mets Again.

Mike's Mets - Alex and Jennifer Still in It.

Mack’s Blast from the Past: Mack Ade – Morning Report – 6-24-13. “Brooklyn signed, and pitched, a new starter yesterday. Dario Alvarez was an undrafted international free agent that the Phillies brought to their DSL team in 2007. He pitched there for three years, disappeared (like so many of these guys do) for two years, and resurfaced yesterday for the Clones. The 6-1 lefty is now 24-years old and pitched well at this level far below where he should be at: 4.1-IP, 1-ER, 5-K.”

Mack’s Mets Bonus Blast from the Past: 6/24/2013: Ernest Dove - Should the Mets skip Noah Syndergaard to the SHOW next year?

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Mike Bruhert (1951)
• Trey Cobb (1994)
• Hunter Parsons (1997)
• Fernando Villalobos (2002)

Transactions:

New York Mets traded Al Yates to the Boston Red Sox for Dennis Bennett on June 24, 1967.

National Pastime.com: 

2005

Due to Bernie Williams dropping the ball in center field, the Mets become the first National League team to hit three sacrifice flies in one inning. Backstop Ramon Castro's sac fly to right ties the game at 1-1 as David Wright advances to third; the Yankees' center fielder then drops Jose Reyes' deep fly ball, allowing Wright to score; Mike Cameron skies to right, plating Doug Mientkiewicz, who had advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw.

2008

During an eventual 11-0 interleague loss to the Mariners at Shea Stadium, Brian Runge enrages Jerry Manuel when the ump appears to show up Carlos Beltran after calling a strike on the center fielder. The commissioner's office will suspend the home plate umpire for one game for bumping the Mets manager during the ensuing heated argument, with the New York skipper and outfielder, who were both thrown out of the game, fined for arguing balls and strikes.

2018

The Dodgers tie a National League record, last accomplished by the 2006 Braves, when the team socks seven solo shots, dealing the Mets a crushing 8-7 loss at Citi Field. Former New York infielder Justin Turner delivers the decisive dinger in the top of the twelfth inning to complete the series sweep and extend the team's consecutive win streak over the Amazins to twelve straight victories.

Baseball Reference:

1969: Richie Allen is fined $2,500 and suspended indefinitely when he fails to appear for the Phillies twi-night doubleheader game with the Mets. Allen had gone to New Jersey in the morning to see a horse race and got caught in traffic trying to return. He will stay suspended until July 20th. Allen picked up a $1000 fine in May when, for two straight days, he reportedly arrived at the ballpark after the game had started. Without Allen, the Phils drop a pair, 2 - 1 and 5 - 0. Larry Hisle's homer in the opener off Tom Seaver is the only Phils score. Jim McAndrew is the winner in the nitecap, allowing two hits in eight innings.

1971 - The Mets' Tom Seaver smashes an 8th-inning homer off Montreal's Bill Stoneman to win his own game, 2 - 1.

1972 - Culminating a long battle to reach pro baseball, Bernice Gera umpires the first game of a doubleheader between Auburn and Geneva (New York-Penn League). Several disputes take place and she ejects the Auburn manager, Nolan Campbell. Gera resigns before the second game, leaving in tears, saying resentment from the other umps was a factor in her decision. She will later work in the Mets' public relations department.

1992: The Mets, behind Doc Gooden, defeat the Cubs, 3 - 2, at New York. Danny Jackson takes the loss. Gooden has now beaten the Cubs 12 straight times. Before his loss in August 1987, he had another streak of 10 straight wins over the Cubs.

1993: The Mets tie an 86-year-old record when they lose to the Cardinals, 8 - 5. They have not won two straight games for the 61st consecutive time.

2012: The Yankees snap R.A. Dickey's streak of 44 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run with four 3rd-inning runs on their way to a 6 - 5 win over the Mets. Robinson Cano snaps a 5 - 5 tie with an 8th-inning homer off Miguel Batista. Dwight Gooden still holds the Mets franchise record with 49 consecutive innings without an earned run in 1985.

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History: (6/23/1963) Jimmy Piersall Rounds The Bases Backwards.

Centerfield Maz: Former Mets Pitcher & Fordham University Pitching Coach Mike Bruhert (1978)

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