John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 11/28/2020

 

Good Morning.  Born Today Wes Westrum. Happy Birthday Pedro Astacio and Jose Parra.  Steven Matz subject of Non-Tender Speculation, Winter Ball results with Robel Garcia, and Juan Uriarte, Mets History and more.

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

Mets Links:

George King III NY Post Talks about Next Wednesday’s Non-Tender Deadline (December 2) noting: “As for the Mets, they have to decide what to do with pitchers Steven Matz, Robert Gsellman and Miguel Castro…Matz, 29, made $5 million last season when he went a 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA in nine games (six starts)...Gsellman, 27, didn’t record a decision in six games (four starts) and posted a 9.64 ERA. He made $1.23 million in 2020. Miguel Castro…made 10 relief appearances for the Mets and had a 4.00 ERA. Castro, 26 in late December.” 

Newsday Mets' Steven Matz gets some special attention from Phil Regan. “Matz struggled despite, or maybe because of, his higher-than-normal velocity. His fastball averaged 94.5 mph and topped out at 97…[Matz] spent five days late last month at the Mets’ complex in Port St. Lucie…’We thought we could refresh him and get him going into spring training in a positive attitude..He told me because he was throwing so hard, he thought he could pitch up a lot more than he did in the past,’ Regan said. ‘I think as a result, he overthrew the ball a little bit and tried to throw the ball by guys. Even though you throw 97 mph, you gotta pitch. You gotta be able to hit those spots.’" 

SNY.TV: Stay or Go: Analyzing whether Steven Matz is a fit for the Mets in 2021 and beyond. 

Amazing Avenue: How Cohen and Alderson address the bullpen may be telling. The Mets have a lot of money and years invested in their bullpen. How will they fix it, and what does that say about the Cohen era? 

John Harper SNY.TV: Scouts and execs weigh in on 10 best free agent bargains available on the market. Kirby Yates, Trevor Rosenthal, Andrelton Simmons, Corey Kluber, and Marcus Semien are the top 5 listed. 

Mike’s Mets talks about the Mets-Yankees comparisons in “Damn (Yawn) Yankees”. “The goal is to be where the Yankees are now: a perennial contender that mostly gets both the big and little things right. But most definitely not an exact copy of them, not at all.” 

Rising Apple: Did the Mets do the right thing keeping Luis Rojas? “This is a huge opportunity to make sure that when people think of big market teams, the Mets are the first ones that come to mind. Rojas is going to have to really hit the ground running this year because he’s going to be scrutinized even more closely and the team wants to have a reputation for having excellent management…”

Rising Apple: Ranking each Opening Day starting catcher of the last 10 seasons. They rank Wilson Ramos #1, Travis d’Arnaud #2, Rene Rivera #3; John Buck #4; Kevin Plawecki #5; Josh Thole #6.

The Sports Daily: Mike Phillips' Mets Player Review Series: Wilson Ramos. 2020 Stats: 45 Games, 142 At Bats, .239 Batting Average, 34 Hits, 6 Doubles, 5 Home Runs, 15 RBI’s, 13 Runs Scored, .684 OPS, 0.2 WAR.

Matt Netter Mets360: Steve Cohen could top the 2008 Yankees spending spree. “Yankee fans celebrated Christmas all winter long as the Yankees committed a whopping $424 million in contracts to snatch up all three of the big off-season prizes…CC Sabathia…A.J. Burnett…Mark Teixeira”. 

Metsmerized Online: Anxiously Waiting For Mets to Flex Their Financial Muscle.

Rising Apple: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst with Noah Syndergaard.

Rising Apple: Mets signing R.A. Dickey was the ultimate Black Friday transaction.

Reflections on Baseball: Why Is MLB Dragging Its Feet On The NL DH Extension For 2021.

Metsmerized Online: The Time is Now to Extend Jeff McNeil.

Mets Police: No the Mets are not going to sign 47 year old Bartolo Colon.

Mets You Tube Channel: Jacob deGrom Discusses Unique 2020 Season.

MLB Links:

Yahoo Sports: Padres' Tommy Pham sues San Diego strip club where he was stabbed, claims 'catastrophic' injuries.

MLB.com: Is the Hall leaving out too many players?

MLB.com: 2021 FA class is STACKED with HOF arms: Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

MLB.com: Free agent decisions that shook up MLB.

MLB.com: Springer to Blue Jays? What it would mean.

MLB Trade Rumors: Blue Jays Planning For New Stadium.

MLB Trade Rumors: Latest On Phillies’ GM Search: Byrnes, Epstein.

MLB Trade Rumors: Angels, Giants, Reds Among Teams Interested In Dan Straily.

MLB Trade Rumors: Rangers Interested In Ha-Seong Kim. The 25 year old shortstop…“Since Opening Day 2019, he’s slashed .307/.393/.500 with 62 doubles, three triples and 49 home home runs through 1247 plate appearances — including 30 long balls in 2020. He’s walked 145 times to just 148 strikeouts over that same two-year stretch and also gone 56-for-62 in stolen base attempts.”

MLB Trade Rumors: NPB’s Yakult Swallows Sign Jose Osuna, In Talks To Acquire Cy Sneed.

Winter Baseball:

Leones del Escogido 2 Aguilas Cibaenas 1 (Box Score). For Aguilas, Robel Garcia, 2B, 0 for 3 with 2 Ks, .148 this winter. 

Estrellas Orientales 7. Los Toros del Este 4 (Box Score).  Former Minor League Met Nabil Crismatt (W, 2-0) 5 innings, no runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 3 Ks. 0.00 ERA so far this Winter.     

Here is the full Dominican League Scoreboard.

In the Mexican Pacific League:

Naranjeros de Hermosillo 9 Los Caneros de los Mochis 4 (Box Score).  Juan Uriarte, 0 for 4 with 2 Ks, .236 Avg. this winter.

Here is the full Mexican Pacific League Scoreboard from yesterday.

AP News: Venezuela’s baseball season kicks off but virus takes a toll.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Wes Westrum (1922)
• Pedro Astacio (1969)
• Jose Parra (1972)

Died on this date:

• M. Donald Grant (1998)
• John Strohmayer (2019)

Transactions:

New York Mets traded Gus Bell to the Milwaukee Braves for Frank Thomas on November 28, 1961.

Mets drafted Amos Otis from the Boston Red Sox on November 28, 1966.

Mets drafted Tommie Reynolds from the Kansas City Athletics on November 28, 1966.

Mets drafted Bart Shirley from the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 28, 1966.

New York Mets traded Juan Castillo and Todd Beckerman to the Houston Astros for Pete Harnisch on November 28, 1994.

New York Mets purchased Brian Stokes from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on November 28, 2007.

Baltimore Orioles signed Josh Edgin of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 28, 2017.

Centerfield Maz: Former Mets Manager, Coach & New York Giants Catcher: Wes Westrum (1964-1967).

Centerfield Maz: Howard Johnson "Hojo": (Part 1) The Eighties.

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History (1987): Ho Jo Joins 30-30 Club As Mets Take A Heartbreaking Loss On Terry Pendleton's HR.

National Pastime.com:

2005

Agreeing to a deal that pays him the highest average salary for a reliever in baseball history, the Mets offer Phillies left-handed free-agent Billy Wagner a $43 million, four-year contract to close for the team. The 34 year-old 'Billy the Kid,' who led the N.L. in games finished with 70, will compile 101 saves in his three-plus seasons with New York.

 

Baseball Reference:

1961 - The Milwaukee Braves trade slugger Frank Thomas to the New York Mets for a player to be named later (Gus Bell) and a reported $125,000.

1994 - The Houston Astros trade All-Star pitcher Pete Harnisch to the New York Mets for two players to be named later.

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