John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 7/17/2020

Good Morning. Happy Birthday to Roy McMillan, and Jeremy Vasquez.  Jacob deGrom eyes Opening Day start, and Alex Rodriguez won’t call Mets games on ‘Sunday Night Baseball’.

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

Mets Links:

NY Post: Mets’ Jacob deGrom eyeing Opening Day start after injury scare. “’I feel good,’ Jacob deGrom said at Citi Field. ‘That’s the goal, to pitch on Opening Day.’ ‘He was loose, so the response from treatment was excellent,” Manager Luis Rojas said. ‘It was a productive day for him for sure. The concern for him got out of the way with the MRI and now going through treatment and being able to also feel looser from the muscle-tightness standpoint, I think is good news.’”

SNY.TV: Mixed signals over Mets ace Jacob deGrom’s readiness for Opening Day.  “At about 3 p.m., the situation grew murkier, when manager Luis Rojas declined to offer a plan for deGrom, beyond repeating that his ace was ‘day to day.’ That throwing that deGrom planned to do tomorrow? Unconfirmed. Pitching plans for the Yankee exhibition? Unclear.”

NY Post: Jacob deGrom says he’s OK, and the Mets need him to be right.

Watch live as @JdeGrom19 addresses the media. #Mets https://t.co/vVxRUKIBRE

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 16, 2020

NY Post: Robinson Cano trying to find swing before Mets’ season starts.

SNY.TV: Robinson Cano was away from Mets for 'personal' reasons, aims to be ready for Opening Day.

SNY.TV: Mets 30-man roster prediction 3.0 for 2020 MLB season. Danny Abriano sees Walker Lockett, RHP; Tyler Bashlor, RHP; Daniel Zamora, LHP; Hunter Strickland, RHP; and Melky Cabrera making the team.

Newsday: Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera glad to be together again as Mets. “Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera were two of the young fan favorites on the Yankees when they won the 2009 World Series. Cabrera was signed as a free agent at the end of June and the Mets hope he can be a key player off the bench in the outfield. Last season he slashed .280/.313/.399 for Pittsburgh.”

Amazing Avenue: Chasen Shreve is chasin’ a spot on the 2020 Mets. The position of “lefty that isn’t Justin Wilson” is pretty wide open.

NY Post: Alex Rodriguez won’t call Mets games on ‘Sunday Night Baseball’.

NY Post: Alex Rodriguez gets pushback for calling for MLB salary cap.

NY Post: Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez talk Mets development project with Robert Kraft.

Mike’s Mets: The A-Rod and J-Lo PR Blitz Intensifies.

Mets.com: Intrasquad notes – “Wacha dominant. Slated to stretch out to around 65 pitches in Thursday’s intrasquad game…Michael Wacha recorded four outs in the third inning, five in the fourth and four in the fifth, as the Mets bent the rules of a normal game to give Wacha the work he needed. All told, Wacha retired 19 of the 20 batters he faced…’Tremendous changeup,’ Rojas said. ‘He kept batters off-balance’…Drew Smith…struck out Yoenis Céspedes and Pete Alonso in succession to strand two runners on base, showcasing a mid-90s fastball in the process.

Drew Smith (pictured here during tonight's game) has been throwing mid-90s and above in Mets summer camp, per Luis Rojas. A very intriguing arm now 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery. Have to think the Mets will strongly consider carrying him on the Opening Day roster. pic.twitter.com/P6Cp4z4X4B

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 17, 2020

🐃 power. @WRamosC3 pic.twitter.com/qfRcGAYxEX

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 17, 2020

Reflections On Baseball: A Steve Cohen Dilemma: How To Stop Himself From Screwing This Up.

1st round of bidding is so investors can announce their intention to bid, the #MLB to verify they could conceivably buy the team from a financial, public relations perspective Investors only see the books in 2nd round I'm hearing the Wilpons aren't in a hurry to open books #Mets

— Laura Goldman (@laurasgoldman) July 16, 2020

Mets360.com: Ray Knight threw a right – started a fight. Jim O’Malley looks back on that epic game on July 22, 1986. 

Faith and Fear in Flushing “Friends Who Thrive”. Greg Prince looks at some recent “Mets-related projects a few of our friends on the other side of the screen have lately crafted.”

Metsmerized Online: Mets Updated Top 30 Prospects. Michael Mayer adjusted his prospect list to include Pete Crow Armstrong at #7; J.T. Ginn at #9 and Isaiah Greene at #17. 

Rising Apple: Unknown Mets minor leaguers will need to wait for their “Jeff McNeil Year”.

The Mets' fan cutouts are being installed at Citi Field in preparation for Opening Day. (📸 @Mets) pic.twitter.com/FB81Ix0QY8

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 16, 2020

METS pic.twitter.com/jzvcoX5hR4

— 90 PERCENT METS (@90_mets) July 15, 2020

MLB LINKS:

MLB.com: Here are all 30 teams, ranked into 7 tiers.  Mets are in Tier 3 – Strong contenders.

NY Post: Nationals may need new 2020 home field because of local coronavirus protocols.

Ken Davidoff NY Post: The MLB teams hurt the most by fanless games.  Ken says the Nationals would be hurt the most.  The Rays and Marlins tied for least hurt.  He ranked the Mets at #4 – but drop them to #24 if Jacob deGrom‘s back problems persist.

Yahoo Sports: Empty ballparks and the Astros: Are MLB's newly appointed villains still feeling the scorn?

ESPN.com: Recapping MLB's offseason moves, from blockbusters to those you probably forgot.

ESPN.com: Rays' Austin Meadows tests positive for coronavirus, put on IL.

Forbes.com: Dusty Baker Among Big Baseball Names Forming Equity Group For Player Marketing And Business Opportunities.

AP News: As MLB 60-game season draws near, careful optimism prevails.

AP News: Ballparks to use crowd noise from video game during season.

MLB Trade Rumors: MLB Season Will Begin Without Live Scouts.

MLB Trade Rumors: Phillies Release Bud Norris.

MLB Trade Rumors: Cole Hamels Likely To Miss Start Of Season.

MLB Trade Rumors: Royals Acquire Franchy Cordero, Ronald Bolanos From Padres For Tim Hill.

Asian Baseball:

Hanshin Tigers 6 The Yakult Swallows 4 Nori Aoki 1 for 4, with a walk; (Box Score).

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

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.

Yonhap News: Ex-major league infielder Tyler White signs with KBO's SK Wyverns. “White, who appeared in 256 games for the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2016-2019, is taking the foreign player spot vacated by pitcher Nick Kingham, who was released on July 2 after being limited to two starts due to an elbow injury.”

NC Dinos 9 Kiwoom Heros 1 Aaron Altherr 0 for 4 (Box Score).

Aaron Altherr is in CF again today for the NC Dinos (Box Score).

Doosan Bears 4 SK Wyverns 2   Chris Flexen started but pitched just one inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 Ks (Box Score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

John From Albany - Brodie’s unforgivable sin.

Mets360 - The most indispensable Met in 2020.

Mike's Mets - The Mets Do Some Stuff Right.

Metstradamus - Back To The Real World For A Sec.

Mack’s Blast from the Past: Mets Minor League Report – July 17, 2014: Binghamton (58-38) trashes Trenton (44-54) 8-4. Steven Matz: (W, 3-1) 5.0 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K. Ryan Fraser: 2.0 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K. Randy Fontanez: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB. K. Jack Leathersich pitched a perfect 9th inning, striking out the side. He’s Ready?  Dustin Lawley: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R.  Dilson Herrera: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Roy McMillan (1929)
• Deron Johnson (1938)
• Jeremy Vasquez (1996)

Died on this date:

• Pumpsie Green (2019)

National Pastime.com: 

1979

At Seattle's Kingdome, Pirates outfielder Dave Parker, who cuts down Brian Downing at home with an amazing throw, is named the All-Star Game's MVP when the National League wins its eighth straight Midsummer Classic. In the 7-6 victory over the Junior Circuit, Mets outfielder Lee Mazzilli homers to tie the game in the eighth, and then walks in the ninth to bring in the eventual winning run.

1993

Southpaw Frank Tanana becomes the second of only two pitchers, along with Rick Reuschel, to give up a home run to both Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds when the Giants' left fielder takes him deep for the lone run he gives up in the Mets' 3-1 victory at Candlestick Park. In 1976, Hank Aaron, finishing his career with the Brewers, hit a three-run homer, the 748th of his then-record 755 round-trippers, off the left-hander, who was pitching for the Angels at the time.

Baseball Reference:

2016:  In another excellent pitching performance, Jacob deGrom tosses a one-hitter as the Mets defeat the Phillies, 5 - 0. Only a 3rd-inning single by P Zach Eflin keeps deGrom from making history.

Centerfield Maz: Roy McMillan: Former Mets Short Stop (1964-1966) Coach (1973-1976) & Manager (1975).

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History: (7/14/1989) El Sid Sets Team Record For Lefties With 16 Ks.

You tube:

7/17/19: Smith, Rosario fuel Mets' 14-4 rout of Twins.

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