John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 7/3/2020

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Danny Heep, Moises Alou, and Michel Otanez, it is anniversary of the Wilmer Flores 6 for 6 game, and Drew Gagnon and Aaron Altherr face off in Korea.

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

Mets Links:

Mike Puma NY Post: Mets sign Venezuelan pitcher Richard Brito who can throw 100 mph. “The 21-year-old Brito, whose fastball has a 101-102 mph ceiling, was considered a late bloomer. With MLB’s international signing period deferred until January, Brito’s bonus will be allotted from the 2019-20 pool.”

The Mets make a July 2 splash, signing a Venezuelan pitching prospect throwing 100 mph. https://t.co/Ybve0WCObg

— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) July 2, 2020

NY Post: LA real estate developer latest bidder for the Mets. “Kurt Rappaport, a 49-year-old Los Angeles realtor turned real estate developer, is leading a group that hopes to purchase the money-losing Amazin’s.”

Danny Abriano SNY.TV (no longer MetsBlog): Date set for bids on Mets sale, with Steve Cohen potentially back in picture: report. “Allen & Company, the firm handling the sale of the Mets, has set July 9 as the date for groups to submit bids, reports Charles Gasparino of Fox Business. According to Gasparino, those interested in bidding include billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, who was deep in negotiations to purchase the team in February before talks broke down.”

MLB.com: Here's the most electrifying star at each position. Pete Alonso makes the list at 1B. “Few rookies can inspire a city, but Alonso pulled it off, turning thousands of New Yorkers into raving Mets fans. He united the clubhouse around a brand new Mets catchphrase: Phil Mushnick may not like it, but LFGM propelled the team on a late winning streak and it's here to stay.”

Mets.com: Is Hall of Fame in late-blooming deGrom’s future? “Jacob deGrom already ranks among the most accomplished starting pitchers who debuted in their age-26 season or later. He’s fifth in Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball-Reference, among such hurlers since the start of the Live Ball Era in 1920…deGrom also needs another 37.8 WAR to reach the average among Hall of Fame starting pitchers (73.3).”

Ken Davidoff Ny Post: Mets’ Luis Rojas built to handle wild ride in first managerial job. Rojas explained what he did during the season suspension: “‘This time, we definitely took advantage of it to stay in touch with the players,” Rojas said. ‘… I read some books, obviously studied different things and it did help for preparation.’…Of the four or five books he read, Rojas said, he most enjoyed one by legendary Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.”

NY Daily News: New Mets manager Luis Rojas is calm, but the storm is coming.

Brian Joura Mets 360.com: Rick Porcello, Zack Wheeler and the anonymous experts. “My beef with anonymous sources is that these guys are trotted out like they’re experts on the subject and we have no way to confirm that. What are these sources’ track records in making predictions like these? Why is what these people have to say any more relevant than what, say, Metsense has to say?”

Prime Time Sports Talk: Breaking Down Mets’ Player Pool and Which Additions Could Follow.   Yehuda Schwartz thinks these players could be added for player development reasons: Ronny Mauricio; Mark Vientos; Francisco Alvarez; Franklyn Kilome; Ryley Gilliam; Adonis Uceta; Harol Gonzalez; Tim Tebow.

FANGRAPHS: Analyzing the Prospect Pool NL East. “The Mets player pool has just five prospects and I think the best one, shortstop Andres Gimenez, is pretty unlikely to debut this year given that Jeff McNeil is so versatile and can be moved around in ways that enable guys like J.D. Davis, Jed Lowrie, or even Luis Guillorme to fill in no matter what starting infielder gets hurt or, science forbid, sick.”

NY Post: Yoenis Cespedes’ long-awaited return gives Mets DH bonanza.

Newsday: Yoenis Cespedes as DH would be a 'luxury,' says Mets manager Luis Rojas.

Empire Sports Media: Yankees and Mets’ stars played “secret” games in recent weeks to stay sharp.

Metstradamus: The Alternate Universe: Giants at Mets 7-2-2020.

Mike’s Mets: Rob Manfred Inserts Foot Firmly in Mouth. “Rob Manfred went on the Dan Patrick radio show yesterday and essentially admitted that MLB never negotiated in good faith regarding the length of the season.”

Greg Prince “The Sweet Spot of Summer”.  Greg talks about some memorable July 2^nd games.

Metsmerized Online: Keys to Pete Alonso Leading Baseball in Homers Again.

Rising Apple: Mets: Jacob deGrom is better but Pete Alonso is more important in 2020. “Remove Alonso from the lineup…The team loses its best power hitter, run producer, and heart.”

Contrary to popular belief, polar bears enjoy the warm weather. ❄️🐻 @Pete_Alonso20 pic.twitter.com/4bzfh8z0vW

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 2, 2020

same exact energy https://t.co/tLGnDss7cQ pic.twitter.com/7nRg7fAQDD

— sam (@LeboMyEggo) July 2, 2020

“Matlack was a perfectionist. I can still picture his motion, arms up just far enough to see through the “V” in under his hands. He didn’t have an overpowering fastball, but he was still in the 90s. Excellent curve. Real good control. Jon was tough to hit.” - Jerry Koosman #LGM pic.twitter.com/h735WM2YPk

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) July 3, 2020

MLB LINKS:

ESPN.com: MLBPA doubles investments to $160M ahead of bargaining. “The Major League Baseball Players Association nearly doubled its liquid investments over two years as the sport heads toward collective bargaining that could lead to a spring training lockout in 2022.”

Yahoo Sports: Yankees owner says he expects to see fans at games this season. 

Pitching box score July 2, 1963: Juan Marichal, #SFGiants (227 pitches) vs. Warren Spahn, #Braves (201 pitches). We'll never see a game like this in major league baseball again! #MLB #History pic.twitter.com/WNJZswhRaH

— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) July 2, 2020

”Old Days”A great painting of NY Giants Willie Mays's 1954 World Series Catch against Cleveland Indians Vic Wertz at the Polo Grounds,by Artist Bill Purdom #artist #Giants #nyc #1950s #Cleveland #MLB pic.twitter.com/X32BodamDO

— Tom's Old Days (@sigg20) July 2, 2020

Minor League Baseball:

https://t.co/4FU1Ugt06y

Thanks for the shout out! @JoeAvento

— Clay Ramsey (@ClayRSportsFan) July 2, 2020

Bat dog training goes 365 days of the year!

🐾 @NationwidePet pic.twitter.com/PIsIShDhqM

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 2, 2020

.

Asian Baseball:

Yesterday in Japan:

Yakult Swallows 9 Hiroshima 5 Nori Aoki 2 for 5 with a 2 runs scored; Gabriel Ynoa 3 innings, 4 runs, 6 hits, 2 BB, 4 Ks.  (Box Score).

Nori Aoki is back in LF for today’s game (Box Score).

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.

Yesterday in the KBO:

NC Dinos 9 Lotte Giants 7 Aaron Altherr 3 for 5 with 4 RBIs (Box Score).

Today the NC Dinos are taking on the Kia Tigers and Drew Gagnon.   Aaron Altherr is so far 1 for 1 against Drew who has pitched 3 scoreless innings (Box Score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

John From Albany - WOO, WHAT A 2020 METS DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT.

Mack – Random Thoughts: The Draft Process.

Mike's Mets - Questions Answered, Answers Still to Come.

Metstradamus - The Alternate Universe: Giants at Mets 7-1-2020.

Mack’s Blast from the Past Mets Minor League Report – July 3, 2013. Las Vegas (45-39) shuts out Fresno (39-48) 2-0. Giancarlo Alverado: (W, 2-0) again pitched 6.0 scoreless innings, in his 2nd start for the 51’s: 6 H, BB, 2 K. Alverado outpitched our old friend, former Met prospect Yusmeiro Petit, who did well, but not well enough. Jack (the K man) Leathersich kept rolling: 2.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 4 K. Ike Davis: 3-4, HR, 2B, RBI, R.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Frank Tanana (1953)
• Danny Heep (1957)
• Moises Alou (1966)
• Michel Otanez (1997)

Died on this date:

• Gary Kolb (2019)

Transactions:

New York Mets traded John Hudek to the Cincinnati Reds for Lenny Harris on July 3, 1998.

Cincinnati Reds claimed Andy Phillips of the New York Mets on waivers on July 3, 2008.

National Pastime.com: 

1996	In a 10-6 Mets victory over Philadelphia, Alex Ochoa enjoys a 5-for-5 day at Veterans Stadium. With his eighth-inning homer, the 24 year-old right fielder becomes the sixth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle.

Baseball Reference:

1980: The Tulsa Drillers score three runs on a fly out in a 7 - 1 win over the Jackson Mets. With the bases loaded, Ron Gooch flies out to Archie Amerson. Amerson's throw home to get Mike Jirschele is off-target and the ball bounces away from C Stan Hough as Jirschele and George Wright score. Jackson pitcher Tom Thurberg recovers the ball but his throw is wild as well and hits on-deck batsman Phil Klimas. Mel Barrow charges home with the third run of the play, having legged it from first base.

1994: The Mets' Rico Brogna breaks up Andy Benes's no-hit bid with a double in the 8th inning. The Padres win, 7 - 0, as Benes fans 13 and walks only one in his one-hitter. He also drives home three runs with a double of his own.

2000: The Marlins defeat the Mets, 2 - 0, on Derrek Lee's two-run homer in the 9th, off Turk Wendell. Jesus Sanchez, 0-6 versus New York, is the winner. The loss ends C Mike Piazza's streak of 15 consecutive games with an RBI, two short of the major league mark.

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History (7/3/1996) Alex Ochoa Hits For the Cycle.

Centerfield Maz: Danny Heep: 1986 World Champion Mets Outfielder / Pinch HItter (1983-1986).

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History (2016) Wilmer Flores Ties Club Record With Six Hits.

You tube:

7/3/16: Syndergaard, Flores lead Mets in rout of Cubs. Wilmer Flores went 6-for-6 with two home runs and four RBIs and Noah Syndergaard tossed seven dominant innings in the Mets' win.

7/3/15: Plawecki's late sac fly lifts Mets to victory. Noah Syndergaard and Clayton Kershaw dueled, but the Mets would earn the victory on Kevin Plawecki's sacrifice fly in the 9^th.

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