Good
Morning. Happy Birthday R.A. Dickey,
Karim
Garcia, Dana
Eveland, and Arismendy Alcántara. Will De Blasio Block Steve Cohen? Mets decline Wilson Ramos’ option, and Josh Wolf impresses.
Section Links: Mets Links, MLB Links, Winter Baseball, and This Day in Mets History.
NY
Post: Bill de Blasio is trying to kill Mets sale to Steve Cohen. “Bill de Blasio has privately told Major
League Baseball that he will do everything he can to stop Steve Cohen from
buying the Mets…‘De Blasio can make this ugly and he can even try to stop it,’
said one lawyer with knowledge of the situation. ‘But he has no real standing,
and Cohen will sue him. And Cohen will win.’”
SNY.TV:
Mayor Bill de Blasio told Rob Manfred he objected to Mets sale. MLB vote
will proceed Friday despite mayor’s delay.
"Cohen will still be approved on Friday in a vote of other MLB owners but it is uncertain how long this delay will last"@martinonyc provides an update on Mayor de Blasio's involvement in the Mets' sale to Steve Cohen: https://t.co/kIarYKvG24 pic.twitter.com/CnWLW3ugyT
— SNY (@SNYtv) October 29, 2020
Newsday:
Bill de Blasio spokesman denies report that mayor is 'trying to kill' Mets sale
to Steve Cohen. Bill Neidhardt, a
spokesman for de Blasio, said the juiciest part of the [Post] story is false. "The
Mayor did call Commissioner Manfred, but the rest of this isn't true"
The Mayor did call Commissioner Manfred, but the rest of this isn't true.
— Bill Neidhardt (@BNeidhardt) October 29, 2020
The NYC Law Dept is doing their due diligence of examining a new lease on incredibly valuable city-owned land. That's what the call was about.https://t.co/WGAZURVRHV
Mike
Vaccaro NY Post: De Blasio’s shameful Steve Cohen ploy traces back to Alex
Rodriguez. “See: most fans want no
part of A-Rod…They want no part of his own fractured and folly-filled history
with baseball, which he dishonored both by his willingness to use PEDs and also
his later brazen attempts to legally wrestle with the sport when it disciplined
him…[Mets Fans] finally saw a beacon of light in the darkness when Steve Cohen
— himself a lifelong Mets fan — and his $14 billion fortune entered the room…The
mayor wants to try and extinguish that flame? Good luck with that.”
ESPN.com:
New York Mets decline options on Wilson Ramos, Robinson Chirinos, Todd Frazier.
SNY.TV: 14 Mets
become free agents, with team officially declining Wilson Ramos' option. Besides Ramos, Todd Frazier, and Robinson Chirinos, Yoenis Cespedes, Jared Hughes, Jed Lowrie, Jake Marisnick, Eduardo Nunez, Rick Porcello, Erasmo Ramírez, Rene Rivera, Marcus Stroman, Michael Wacha, and Justin Wilson all officially became free agents
Wednesday morning.
Deesha
Thosar NY Daily News: The Mets have until Sunday at 5 p.m. to tender Marcus
Stroman’s qualifying offer of $18.9 million, which the club is expected to do.
It’s likely that Stroman will decline that offer and explore a thin starting
pitching market.
Jason
Fry Faith and Fear in Flushing has their 1989 Met for all seasons: Ron Darling.
Greg
Prince talks about Justin Turner and the Dodgers WS win in “Pie In the Face”.
Girl
At The Game: Legendary Ladies: Joan Payson. Lots of great information on
the first woman to purchase a Major League team including the fact that she was
an Art lover like Steve Cohen.
Metsmerized
Online: 2020 MMO Report Card: Robinson Cano. Primary Stats: 49 G, 182 PA, 10
HR, 30 RBI, 9 BB, 24 SO, .316 BA, .352 OBP, .544 SLG, .896 OPS.
The
Sports Daily - Mike Phillips' Mets Player Review Series: Edwin Diaz. 2020 Stats: 26 Appearances, 25.2
Innings Pitched, 2-1 Won-Loss Record, 1.75 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 6 Saves, 4 Blown
Saves, 1 Hold, 50:14 K:BB Ratio, 1.3 WAR.
Empire
Sports Media: New York Mets Player Evaluations: Second Baseman Brian Dozier.
“Dozier only started four of seven games over a two week period and only
recorded two hits.”
Metro.com:
Report: JT Realmuto prefers to stay with Phillies, not ‘keen’ on playing in New
York.
Mets You Tube Channel: Josh
Wolf Impressive at Mets Instructional Camp.
The big, bad, @JoshWolf30 is blowing batters away. 🐺💨 pic.twitter.com/dbBvkgI4aC
— Mets Farm Report (@MetsFarmReport) October 28, 2020
ICYMI Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:
Reese
Kaplan -- Positional Analysis: Bullpen.
Scouting
Report - RHSP - Jack Leiter.
Scouting
Report - C - Ian Moller.
USA
Today: MLB offseason begins: 147 players become free agents.
CBS
Sports: MLB free agency: Full list of 147 players on the market, including J.T. Realmuto and George Springer.
ESPN.com:
Colorado Rockies opt for $6 million buyout to Daniel Murphy.
ESPN.com:
St. Louis Cardinals not picking up 2021 option on Kolten Wong.
ESPN.com:
Washington Nationals decline 2021 options for Adam Eaton, Anibal Sanchez, Howie
Kendrick.
AP Sports: World Series TV ratings average drops 32% below previous low.
AP
Sports: MLB says Turner violated protocols when he returned to field.
CBS
Sports: Dodgers' Max Muncy takes shot at MLB commissioner Rob Manfred while
celebrating World Series title. “What a Nice Piece of Metal.” “[A] reference
to a comment Manfred made earlier this year when he referred to the World
Series trophy as "piece of metal."
Today,com:
Minor League baseball team offers stadium stays on Airbnb.
WRAL.com:
The Durham Bulls turn their outfield into 'Lollygagger Links'.
The
Brooklyn Trolly Blogger: A Team Grows in Harlem: The New York Lincoln Giants.
In the
Mexican Pacific League Last Night -
Caneros de
los Mochis 1 Mayos de Navojoa 0 (Box Score). Mets Catching Prospect Juan Uriarte 0 for 2 and is overall hitting for
a .273 average this winter.
Here is the full Mexican Pacific
League Scoreboard.
Today
in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:
Born on this date:
- R. A. Dickey (1974)
- Karim Garcia (1975)
- Dana Eveland (1983)
- Arismendy Alcantara (1991)
Transactions:
New York Mets traded Ken
Boswell to the Houston Astros for Bob
Gallagher on October 29, 1974.
Pedro Astacio granted free agency on October 29,
2003.
Shawn Green granted free agency on October 29,
2007.
New York Mets released Jesus
Feliciano on October 29, 2007.
Raul Valdes granted free agency on October 29,
2007.
Jose Reyes granted free agency on October 29,
2018.
|
2010 |
The Mets officially
introduced 62 year-old Harvard Law School graduate Sandy Alderson as the
team's new general manager at a Citi Field news conference. The former
president and GM of the A's and chief executive officer of the Padres is
being allowed to leave his current administrative position with MLB to take
on the challenging role of rebuilding the directionless organization, which
includes the hiring of a new manager for the team. |
1969 - Tom Seaver,
who won 25 games to help lead the Mets to
one of the most unlikely World Championships in major league
history, is voted the National League Cy Young Award winner.
2018: The Mets hire
prominent player agent Brodie Van Wagenen as their General Manager, replacing Sandy Alderson. Other GMs have worked briefly
as agents in the past, but none so prominent as Van Wagenen, who heads his own
firm, CAA Baseball, and has a number of his clients currently playing in the
organization.
Want
more? Check out https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/news.
Want something else tracked here each day? Please leave a comment below.
Happy birthday, Alcantara.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of names that start and end in A, I miss the exploits of Arozarena.
I won't miss Jed Lowrie - I already did.
If de Blasio doesn't want to risk more riots, approve Cohen quickly and get it over with.
And, if Billy Dum Dum had to do a review at all, why wasn't it started sooner and done already without theatrics? It was crystal clear for some time he'd be the next owner.
I do not see the point of doing a season end review of Brian Dozier. Any more than doing one of Jed Lowrie. When does the season review of Ali Sanchez come out - that one should be exciting, right?
Nice MLB-level quality pitches from Wolf - add maturity and refinement and maybe he could be an MLB starter in say 2022 at some point? Hard to tell with the loss of 2020.
147 free agents? Almost enough to fill 6 teams. Very few are likely worthwhile, though. If they are not demonstrably better than Wacha and Porcello, no thanks.
I think the Jed Lowrie player evaluation will be introduced by Little Roger and the Goosebumps classic version of Silent Night - a blank record.
ReplyDeleteActually the Ali Sanchez review could be very interesting if they include how the Marlins stole 2nd, 3rd, and then home against him in one inning.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Ali Sanchez is one of those guys who slowly gets better with the bat and it takes him 8 or 9 years to arrive. So much more speculation than normal due to the largely missing 2020 season, no performance to judge by.
ReplyDeleteI would think it can't be a positive that Mazeika's MLB career consists of being called up a few times in 2020 but not used. I hope he got MLB salary those times. He is now 27. Maybe he will be good enough in 2021, if still in the system, where if our catcher gets hurt, he gets a call up.
I always thought, after his rookie league debut, that he'd be a better hitter than he turned out to be. Two AA seasons hitting .240 is not good enough, although be is otherwise solid, and only fanned once every 7 plate appearances in the minors. But he hasn't proven he can hit as well as Eric Campbell, and we saw how that went. All that said, he seems to be on the doorstep and he does hit lefty.
He badly deserves AAA in 2021. He just has to up his hit production.
Probably the best Mazeika comparison is Lefty C/1B Mike Jacobs. Jacobs showed more power but was able to make the jump from AA. Mazeika seems to be the better catcher and would not be limited to 1B if he is ever on the roster.
ReplyDeleteMazeika did fix Jeff McNeil’s hitting earlier this year, so at least batting coach is in play.
ReplyDeleteAlways liked that kid and can’t understand why he has stalled, but I did read last winter that in 2019 he spent so much time doing defensive drills that he was too tired come game time. When they stopped the drills during the last month of the season, his OPS was .953. Very possible their hiding him away for Rule 5 draft purposes?
Gus. I like Mazeika a lot as well. Think he fits in great as a lefty with power off the bench who can also catch.
ReplyDelete2005 / David Wright and Mike Jacobs Homeruns
ReplyDeleteWas exciting them two boys.
CF Mets 2021:
Betts is out of the question, $30+ mill. a season until like 2032? Good Luck.
Nice dream. Pop!
An idea for the CF
Adam Eaton CWS.
He is still in his late twenties. Had a nice 2020. Is quick and defensive minded CF of high quality. But is now relegated behind Luis Robert and no longer a starter in the OF. Affordable as well.
Has all the skills, still flies, and gets a great jump on the balls hit out there.
Catcher Stretcher
ReplyDeleteMets need to stop relying on the "older boys of summer" being brought in each season and playing one or two seasons part time.
Tomas Nido should be fine. Just need that second guy behind the dish, someone who can get on base and hit, to go into the platoon.
The MLB catcher position is (to me) a lot like the NHL goalie situation going back to the 1970's era with Gilles Villemure (age 80) and always Steady Eddie Giacomin (81). Got to have two dish boys for the long season now in MLB. It's dangerous back there I tell ya'!
Another "maybe idea" is bringing in what the Mets have available right now (close) from their own MiLB, and then a mentor like a Mike Piazza (for instance) to work with them each prior to ST. Just to see what Mike thinks about them being that platoon guy they need and estimating how far away from the bigs they are.
Otherwise the Mets will need to trade for a younger catcher like a Connor Wong from Boston's Pawtucket AAA. I like this kid a lot. He has a smooth and somewhat compact swing, but quick arms and wrists that can ignite the long ball effortlessly. Makes sound contact.
Pitching the Pitch
ReplyDeleteI really, really like Jake deGrom and David Peterson. If Noah Sandergaard was healthy and Zachary Wheeler hadn't asked for the "moon contract" then 2020 would have been a NY Mets playoff team for certain.
But I get it. Zachary knew this was his one chance for "that dream contract" and I am proud of him actually for getting it. Kudos! I did however concur with GM Brodie VW on not making that offer to Zach here, due to mainly his health history. It happens. It's baseball. Can't cry, remember?
The trick will be who the Mets can get to fill both Noah's top end starter slot to open 2021, and then the two new arms for the four and five slots. That's a lot people. It ain't chopped liver.
Can it be done?
A: Absolutely it can. But it will take brilliance to accomplish it correctly. We'll see.
I really like my recent pitcher ideas that I have made on this blog. Yes, I am a bit biased I suppose. There is risk to it, sure, but where is there none really? Staying in bed I suppose. (Maybe)
FA Taijuan Walker is a good start I think.
Affordable. Has tasted some success. Has that nice compact smooth throwing mechanics. Generates very sufficient speed and he has multiple pitches. And he's under 30 years of age, like 27. Just bring him to camp and start him slow, work up as ST moves along.
Then, if everything falls right the Mets have three kids of their own to look at in ST: Adonis Uceta, Thomas Szapucki, and Harol Gonzales too. Not bad.
If they can easily enough add in two or three more solid young starters from smaller trade deals, it's like bingo with Wingo!
On Mack
ReplyDeleteMr. Mack I think you sir should throw out the "first pitch" at Citi Field this year!
I am putting your name on the ballot right now!
Then, John from Schenectady throws out the second game's first pitch there.
You've both done a great job here and it has not gone unnoticed.
KUDOS to you both!
On Catcher Patrick Mazeika
ReplyDeleteHe's 27 now.
Patrick has not gone above AA, I don't think. If "that MLB dream of his" is still very much alive, and I am certain it must be, what I might suggest to him right now might go something like this. Who knows.
"Build up your body some more."
Get your body optimal in strength. You are nearing age 30 when body mass and bulk can be made optimal through more workout for you. That dream in you can still be yours, so don't give up now. You are close!
Me, not so. I am 200 and I tore my rotator cuff back when there was no operation or even any operating rooms for that matter. I tell ya'.
If your fitness center is not yet open near you, then maybe try 500 pushups over the course of the day (like 50 or 100 at a time, you decide). It works brother. Trust me. Still doing it.
Then the jogs.
1-3 miles a day. Your speed, not someone else's. Rocky speed is fine. Or even slower, Adriene speed in a culotte even.
Speed isn't the most important thing here at all.
It's for your endurance, breathing, and mind focus. The mind focuses better on things when there is more oxygen coming in. It's almost like getting smarter I swear. Don't ask me why. Maybe it is because jogging is so boring to most people. But this is a good thing!
Build up if you have not already.
Make your body primal for this challenge you so richly deserve. I want to see you at Citi Field playing a lot!
Okay?
500 push-ups? Wow. I used to be impressed by Rickey Henderson 100 each night and 100 each morning. 500? - you rock Anon!
ReplyDelete