John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 11/18/2020

 

Good Morning.  Born Today Cal Koonce.  Happy Birthday Jay Hook, Steve Henderson and Gary Sheffield. Chris Flexen back on the mound in Korea, Lots of speculation on potential Mets’ Front Office Execs and interesting MLB Non-Tender Candidates.

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

Mets Links:

MLB Trade Rumors: Latest On Mets’ Front Office Search. “Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark of The Athletic note the possibility that New York might just hire a GM for now.  “The pool of available executives might not be deep enough for them to hire two top decision-makers to work under” team president Sandy Alderson.”

Source: #Mets have requested permission to speak with #Indians GM Mike Chernoff about their president of baseball operations position. It’s not clear if Indians have granted it.

Adding to the intrigue: The Mets are one suitor for Francisco Lindor. @MLB @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 17, 2020

One more #Mets update: Sources say #Rays highly regarded executive Bobby Heck is under consideration for a top front-office role with Mets. Since he is not the Tampa Bay GM, he likely would be permitted to leave for a GM role (or higher) in New York. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 17, 2020

MLB.com: The Mets’ request to speak with Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns about the same position in New York has been denied.

It sounds as if David Forst is a target for the Mets, not surprising considering he's worked with Sandy Alderson the past two years. Forst always has turned down every opportunity elsewhere, but I wonder if this one might intrigue him, especially with A's dim financial picture.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) November 17, 2020

MLB Trade Rumors: Theo Epstein Steps Down As Cubs President Of Baseball Operations.  

NY Post: “Despite being linked to potential front office openings with the Mets and Phillies, Epstein wrote a letter to “Cubs Friends” stating his intention to sit out next season.”

Sporting News.com: Theo Epstein might want to take a break, but that shouldn't stop the Mets.

CBS Sports: Former Marlins Exec. David Samson: Why Theo Epstein will end up working with Steve Cohen and the Mets. "You're looking at the new president of baseball operations for the New York Mets with a piece of the team…He will sign a long-term deal for $10 million a year with a piece of the team because Steve Cohen recognizes that you don't become pennywise and pound foolish. He's from Wall Street. You pay your best Wall Street guys $10-30 million and you give them bonuses.”

Mike’s Mets: “You'd obviously have to throw a whole f***load of cash at Epstein to get him to come to New York, but I can see it happening. If he really does have his heart set on taking some time away from the game, however, I wouldn't be in favor of the Mets trying to buy him out of that idea. Whoever the person winds up being that gets the head baseball job here needs to absolutely all in, nothing less, no matter how good a resume they possess.”

Ken Davidoff NY Post: Mets’ hunt for top baseball exec far trickier than superstar search. “Early indications, however, are that Cohen and Sandy Alderson, who aspired to make the hire by Thanksgiving, might not land the sort of full-blown, front-office stud whose move to Flushing would shake the industry. They might have to build baseball operations excellence through depth rather than star power.”

ICYMI, The “Mad Dog” Chris Russo had Sandy Alderson on High Heat last Week.  Mets.com has the interview.

Rising Apple: Mets sleeper prospect who can make an impact in 2021. 24-year old lefty Thomas Szapucki…in 2019… Over 61.2 innings pitched, he posted a 2.63 era to go with 72 strikeouts.”

MiLB.com looked at Friday’s deadline to add players to the 40 man roster to prevent teams losing them in the Rule 5 draft.  About the Mets they said: “The signs are all there for a slow Friday in Queens. The Mets have only three open 40-man spots. Their top ranked prospect eligible for this year's 2020 Draft is Newton, who was also eligible but went unpicked in 2019.”

Mets360: When did cheating become a way of life? Article includes how Trevor Bauer once penned “For eight years I’ve been trying to figure out how to increase the spin on my fastball because I’d identified it way back then as such a massive advantage…But eight years later, I haven’t found any other way except using foreign substances.”

The Sports Daily: Mike Phillips’ Mets Player Review Series: Jeff McNeil. 2020 Stats: 52 Games, 183 At Bats, .311 Batting Average, 57 Hits, 14 Doubles, 4 Home Runs, 23 RBI’s, 19 Runs Scored, .836 OPS, 1.3 WAR.

Empire Sports Media: New York Mets Player Evaluations: Pitcher Jeurys Familia. “In those final 18 appearances, Familia threw 20.1 innings, had a 3.10 ERA, and batters hit just .187 against him. While his walked rate slightly decreased, he still walked 13 batters over that period.”

Greg Prince Faith and Fear in Flushing looks back at Tom Seaver’s Passing in “A Rainy Goodbye”.

Amazing Avenue: A look at the 2021 Mets with and without the DH. MLB has not made a call on the universal DH yet for 2021, but it is clear it would greatly benefit the Mets.

ICYMI Yesterday At Mack’s Mets:

Tom Brennan - When Shopping in the Expensive Aisle, Consider J.T. Realmuto vs. Johnny Bench.

Tom Brennan – Which Reliever in Reese Kaplan’s Recent Article Should The Mets Get?

Mack - Scouting Report - SS - Matt McLain.

Mack - Scouting Report - OF - Joshua Baez.

MLB Links:

MLB Trade Rumors: 2020 Non-Tender Candidates. Mets players include Guillermo Heredia; Robert Gsellman; Steven Matz; Chasen Shreve; Nick Tropeano.  Big names on the list include Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Gary Sanchez.

MLB.com: Negro Leagues stats no longer stuff of legend. “Over at the Seamheads Negro Leagues database, a dedicated few have combed through newspapers and scorebooks, photo albums and microfiche to piece together the most complete statistical record of the Negro Leagues to date.”

MLB Trade Rumors: Arte Moreno: Angels’ Payroll “Not Going Down” In 2021.

MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox To Name Will Venable Bench Coach.

Winter Baseball:

Estrellas Orientales 3 Phil Regan’s Los Toros Del Este 1 (Box Score). Jordany Valdespin 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Former Binghamton Rumble Pony Matt Pobereyko threw a scoreless inning for Estrellas Orientales.

Gigantes del Cibao 9 Aguilas Cibaenas 8 (Box Score). Juan Lagares went 2 for 6 with a run scored and an RBI. Ex-Met Dario Alvarez 2/3 inning, 1 hit, 1 K, no runs.  Recently signed Met Minor League Free Agent, 2B Robel Garcia, did not play.

Here is yesterday’s full Dominican Scoreboard.

The Mexican Pacific League re-started yesterday after an 11 day shut down due to COVID-19. 

Los Caneros de los Mochis, the team that features Mets Minor League Catcher Juan Uriarte, had their game cancelled.  They will try again today.

Here is the full Mexican Pacific League Scoreboard from yesterday.

Baseball Mexico Blog: The schedule for the 2021 Caribbean Series in Mazatlan was released last Tuesday. Six nations will be represented at the event, in which 18 games will be played in a seven-day period beginning Sunday, January 31 and concluding with the championship game on Saturday, February 6.

Asian Baseball:

NC Dinos 5 Doosan Bears 3 as Aaron Altherr 1 for 3 with a 3 run HR, the big blow in the game (Box Score).

Game two of the series is this morning with Chris Flexen on the mound for Doosan. (Box Score).

(LEAD) Dinos' Aaron Altherr apologizes for refusing to wear mask during Korean Series https://t.co/iIWKbY0Z8Z

— Yonhap News Agency (@YonhapNews) November 18, 2020

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.   

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Jay Hook (1936)
• Cal Koonce (1940)
• Steve Henderson (1952)
• Gary Sheffield (1968)
• Allen Watson (1970)
• Matt Wise (1975)

Died on this date:

• Charlie Neal (1995)

Transactions:
New York Mets traded Pat Howell to the Minnesota Twins for Darren Reed on November 18, 1992.

New York Mets traded Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Roa to the Cleveland Indians for Dave Mlicki, Paul Byrd, Jerry Dipoto and Jesus Azuaje on November 18, 1994.

Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Cory Lidle from the Mets on November 18, 1997.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted Carlos Mendoza from the Mets on November 18, 1997.

New York Mets traded Mike Cameron to the San Diego Padres for Xavier Nady on November 18, 2005.

Washington Nationals signed Marlon Anderson of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 18, 2005.

Atlanta Braves signed Tom Glavine of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 18, 2007.

Colorado Rockies signed John Lannan of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 18, 2014.

Centerfield Maz: Tom Seaver (Part Two)- the Early Seventies (1970-1972).

Centerfield Maz: Tom Seaver (Part Three): 1973 Cy Young Award & Mets Pennant Season.

National Pastime.com:

1966	The Mets name Wes Westrum as the team's second manager in the franchise's brief history, replacing the legendary Casey Stengel who compiled a 175-404 (.302) record during his 3+ years with the expansion team. The new skipper had taken over the club's reins after the 'Old Perfessor' had fractured his hip in July.
1985	Pitching phenoms 20 year-old Dwight Gooden (Mets - NL) and 21 year-old Bret Saberhagen (Royals - AL) win the Cy Young Award. The right-handers become the youngest players in their respective leagues to win the coveted freshman pitching honor.

 

2014

The Mets announce the team is moving in sections of the Citi Field outfield wall, adjusting the distances from home plate to center and right field from three to 11 feet. According to New York's General Manager Sandy Alderson, the modifications are a refinement of previous changes made at the ballpark and will continue to be fair to both pitchers and hitters.

Want more?  Check out https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/news. 

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