John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 7/13/2020

Good Morning. Happy Birthday Mike Fitzgerald. Yoenis Cespedes homers off Seth Lugo in the intra-squad game plus it is the anniversary of the 1977 “Blackout” game.

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

Mets Links:

SNY.TV: Steve Cohen's bid for Mets ownership appears to match asking price: report.

SNY.TV: Mets' Marcus Stroman ignoring all outside pressure heading into 2020 season.

SNY.TV: Manager Luis Rojas says Mets are 'definitely a built-to-win team'.

Prime Time Sports Talk: Mets’ Updated 60-Man Pool With IL. Yehuda Schwartz has the current 58 man list with recent additions Catcher David Rodriguez, RHP Matt Blackham, and RHP Franklyn Kilomé.

NY Post: Melky Cabrera embracing Mets opportunity long after Yankees triumph.

Mets.com: Melky to 'give it my all' in fight for roster. Anthony DiComo also included these notes on yesterday’s Intrasquad competition - Starting at designated hitter in the Mets’ simulated game Sunday, Yoenis Céspedes drove home a fourth-inning run with an RBI single off reliever Seth Lugo. Céspedes had homered off Lugo several days earlier. He spent the entire game at DH, despite manager Luis Rojas indicating he will see time at left field in the coming days.  Other highlights from the intrasquad game included Edwin Diaz striking out a pair in a perfect inning, and Rick Porcello stretching out to four innings of one-run ball.

SNY.TV: Mets' Luis Rojas on Yoenis Cespedes: 'I feel like his bat is ready for Opening Day'.

SNY.TV: Mets' Yoenis Cespedes eyes Opening Day: 'I know for certain now that I will be ready'.

NY Post: Mets hopeful Yoenis Cespedes, Jed Lowrie can play key roles.

NY Post: Keith Hernandez sees shades of 1986 in possible Mets lineup.

NY Post: Steven Matz’s curveball keeps impressing at Mets camp.

NY Post: Lack of drama gives Mets reason to ‘believe’.

NY Post: Mets’ Marcus Stroman wants to ‘dominate’ high-stakes season.

NY Post: Mets’ Marcus Stroman rips former Blue Jays teammate Randal Grichuk in Twitter spat.

Mets360.com: The 2020 season will try certain players’ souls.

Mike’s Mets: Great Pitchers Require a Great Catcher.  Mike looks back at Jerry Grote.

Metstradamus: The Alternate Universe: Mets at Marlins 7-12-2020.

The Mets Police: Edgardo Alfonzo wants you to step up your census game. “Today, I would like to ask you a favor that will be fundamental for our own future and the future of our families,” Alfonzo says in the PSA.

Reflections On Baseball - Steve Cohen, as expected outbid all others to buy the Mets – What’s next?

Elite Sports NY: The New York Mets will benefit from the shortened season.

Metsmerized Online: Don’t Forget About J.D. Davis.

Amazing Avenue: J.D. Davis’s bat has the potential to be invaluable to the Mets’ lineup.

Rising Apple: Mets trade for Rick White in 2000 was an effective yet forgotten deal.

7/12/2015 Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who entered the game with zero home runs, becomes the first Met in their 54 year history to have a three home run game at home. Since Nieuwenhuis’ monstrous feat, the Mets have had four 3-home run games with two of them occurring at Citi Field. pic.twitter.com/KO94DzSzJY

— This Day in Mets History (@NYMhistory) July 12, 2020

July 13, 1977: The NYC blackout resulted in looting to 1,616 stores, 1,037 fires and 3,776 arrests. The blackout resulted in more than $300m in damages (or roughly $1.2 billion today). It's also the nights went out at Shea: https://t.co/xz9LW4IUH6 pic.twitter.com/z48KPtTxjw

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) July 13, 2020

MLB LINKS:

NY Post: Aroldis Chapman’s coronavirus diagnosis has Yankees’ Brett Gardner ‘concerned’.

NY Post: Expect many more MLB players to opt out of 2020 season.

Buster Olney ESPN.com: Olney: Rob Manfred, Tony Clark should be front and center to answer coronavirus concerns.

CBS Sports: Why these seven impending MLB free agents have the most on the line in shortened 2020 season.  Yoenis Cespedes is included on the list. 

Phil Mushnick NY Post: Money driving MLB, others to risk coronavirus disaster.

NY Post: Astros cancel another workout amid coronavirus worry.

MLB Trade Rumors: Twins’ Wilfredo Tovar Tests Positive For COVID-19.

MLB Trade Rumors: Giancarlo Stanton Aiming To Play On Opening Day.

AP News: Yankees closer Chapman has COVID-19; Judge scratched.

July 13, 1993: Randy Johnson overwhelms John Kruk in this funny classic All-Star Game moment. pic.twitter.com/EF1GdRv8JC

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) July 13, 2020

Minor League Baseball:

Syracuse Mets to help with drive-thru food giveaway on Tuesday at NBT Stadium.

THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL MEXICO:
*It's official: Mazatlan okayed for '21 Caribbean Series
*LMP confirms plan to play in 2020-21, 3 foreigners per team
*Sultanes replace Rojas as manager with Gerardo Alvarezhttps://t.co/7dU5rMYW14 pic.twitter.com/o6n54WVrkd

— Baseball Mexico (@BBMbaseball) July 13, 2020

Asian Baseball:

Yesterday in Japan:

Yakult Swallows 3 Yomiuri Giamts 2 Nori Aoki 1 for 3, 2 runs, 1 BB, 1 RBI (Box Score).

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.

All the games yesterday in the KBO were postponed. 

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Today's attendance: 10,651! #CPBL pic.twitter.com/PLRZA7txgG

— CPBL STATS (@GOCPBL) July 12, 2020

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- The First Chapter of the Sale Saga...

Tom Brennan - DON BOSCH IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT IS HARD FOR A FAN TO PROJECT A MINOR LEAGUER'S FUTURE SUCCESS IN THE BIGS.

Mike's Mets - Fractured Fairy Tales, 2020 Edition.

Metstradamus - The Alternate Universe: Mets at Marlins 7-10-2020.

Mets360 - Steve Cohen and his extra hurdle to purchase the Mets.

Mack – Random Thoughts: COVID, Testing Mess, Conditions of a Sale, If I Owned SNY.

Mack – 2021 Draft News – Kumar Rocker, Adrian Del Castillo, Brady House, Bleacher Report’s 1st Round, Colton Cowser.

Mike's Mets - When BC Meant Before Cable.

Metstradamus - The Alternate Universe: Mets at Marlins 7-11-2020.

Mets360 - What if Robinson Cano opts out of the 2020 season?

Mack’s Blast from the Past: Mets Minor League Report – July 13, 2014: Binghamton (57-38) edges Erie (44-51) 5-4. Hansel Robles: 5.0 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 H, (HR) 2 BB, 4 K.; Brandon Nimmo: 3-5, R.; Dilson Herrera: 1-3, HR, BB, 3 RBI, 2 R.; Darrell Ceciliani: 2-2, 2B, 2 BB.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Jack Aker (1940)
• Mike Fitzgerald (1960)

Transactions:

New York Mets purchased Joe Pignatano from the San Francisco Giants on July 13, 1962.

New York Mets signed free agent Bob McClure on July 13, 1988.

New York Mets signed free agent Jeurys Familia on July 13, 2007.

New York Mets released Juan Padilla on July 13, 2008.

National Pastime.com: 

1977

With New York third baseman Lenny Randle at the plate in the sixth inning, Shea Stadium goes dark when the Big Apple suddenly experiences a blackout. Before the game against the Cubs is suspended due to the power shortage, the Mets' players drive their cars onto the field and amuse the crowd by performing a variety of antics in front of the headlights. (My thanks to Anthony Ventarola for submitting this event).

Baseball Reference:

1975 - The Reds score four runs in the 8th inning to defeat Tom Seaver and the Mets, 5 - 3. The Reds have won 41 of their last 50 games.

1977 - At Shea Stadium, the Cubs' game is suspended due to a major black-out which darkens New York City. The Mets players amuse the crowd by performing antics in front of the headlights of cars which they drive onto the field.

2001: Mets C Mike Piazza hits his 300th career home run in New York's 3 - 1 loss to Boston.

2012: Chipper Jones ties Mike Schmidt for second place on the all-time list for RBI by a third baseman, knocking in his 1,595th run with a homer in Atlanta's 7 - 5 win over the Mets. Jones is now one RBI behind George Brett among players who played the majority of their careers at the hot corner. C David Ross filling in for Brian McCann, who is on paternity leave, drives in 4 runs for the Braves, who also benefit from 11 walks issued by New York pitchers.

Centerfield Maz: Mike Fitzgerald: Mets Main Catcher During Dwight Gooden's Rookie Season (1983-1984).

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History: (7/13/1977) Shea Stadium During The '77 Black Out.

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History: (7/10/1973) Jon Matlack Tosses First Career One Hitter.

You tube:

7/13/14: Offense for Mets backs deGrom in big win.

Syndergaard lifts Mets past Nats in return: 7/13/18.

Thor K's 9 to lead Mets in 4-2 win | Mets-Marlins Game Highlights 7/13/19.

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