John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 12/13/2020

 

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Joe Christopher, J.C. Martin, and Ron Taylor. Mets get James McCann and a new GM, and Steve and Alex Cohen meet Mets Fans at Citi Field.

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

Mets Links:

As we had yesterday on Mack’s Mets, Mets Sign Catcher James McCann.

Deesha Thosar NY Daily News: Steve Cohen’s club has agreed to a four-year deal with James McCann, according to multiple reports. The deal is expected to be worth just over $40 million and is pending a physical. The Mets have not yet made the signing official.

Newsday: “McCann’s track record of success is brief. Entering his age-31 season, he has one good full season on his resume….2019, when he was an All-Star with the White Sox…He had a hot first half, hitting .316 with a .371 OBP and .502 slugging percentage. In the second half, though, he struggled with a .226/.281/.413 slash line…In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was good again — .289/.360/.536 — while sharing time with Yasmani Grandal.”

Brian Joura Mets360: “The big improvement with McCann offensively the past two years was his performance against RHP, particularly in slugging. In 361 PA the past two seasons against righties, McCann has a .262/.310/.449. From 2014-18 versus RHP, McCann had a .357 SLG in 1,013 Abs.”

Mike Puma NY Post: “Over the past two seasons, McCann was plus-nine in defensive runs saved, according to fangraphs. In his previous two seasons he was minus-nine. McCann also has a strong throwing arm and nailed 21-of-45 runners (46.6 percent) attempting to steal against him the past two seasons.”

Metstradamus had this quote from a “Chicago sports expert: Big fan. Has some pop in his bat. Great behind the plate, great clubhouse guy. They tried to move Grandal to catching Giolito beginning of this season, it didn’t work and McCann went back to catch him again..and things clicked, a couple starts later and Giolito got his no-no.”

Faith and Fear in Flushing: “McCann isn’t here to make us forget Piazza (fat chance). He’s here to make our pitchers comfortable and us confident. He’s here to get to more balls in the dirt than landed in Wilson Ramos’s sadly flailing grasp. He’s also here to continue riding the defensive and offensive trajectories that transformed him from somebody the Tigers didn’t see the need to keep a couple of years ago to the most attractive free agent catcher this winter this side of J.T. Realmuto.”

Yahoo Sports: Angels narrowly lose to Mets in trying to sign catcher James McCann. ”The Angels made a push to match the offer but maxed out at a three-year commitment, according to a person with knowledge who was not authorized to speak publicly about the deal.”

Mike’s Mets: The Mets Get Their Catcher. “As for me, I like the move — as long as it is followed by the Mets doing everything possible to sign George Springer and/or Trevor Bauer. Hot stove moves aren't made in a vacuum. Choosing McCann over Realmuto only makes sense because it allows the Mets to add more players, and at least one of them needs to be a real impact player like Springer. As long as that happens, I'm all in.”

Joel Sherman NY Post: “I still assume the Mets will sign one of the big free agents, probably George Springer, maybe Trevor Bauer, before this offseason is over. But what if May and McCann are not an appetizer, but a strategy? What if the Mets decided, in Year 1 of the Steve Cohen regime, the best way to not only contend instantly, but also to set themselves up long term, is to use the new owner’s deep pockets to build the roster and payroll with high-end depth?”

Also as we had yesterday at Mack’s Mets: Mets hiring former Diamondbacks exec Jared Porter as general manager.

NY Post: Mets hiring Jared Porter as next general manager: ‘Very aggressive’. “Porter, 41, spent the past four seasons with the Diamondbacks after working under Theo Epstein with the Red Sox and Cubs, where he was part of three World Series winners”

Justin Toscano NorthJersey.com: 3 things to know about new general manager Jared Porter. “He was a GM candidate elsewhere:; He's played a part in four World Series - three in Boston, the other in Chicago; Two-sport athlete – Baseball and Hockey.”

Ken Davidoff NY Post: Mets’ new GM Jared Porter has some Sandy Alderson in him. “The anonymous talent evaluator said that Porter — in, say, meetings to prepare for the amateur draft — didn’t speak for the sake of hearing his own voice: “He didn’t get involved a lot. When he did get involved, I knew he had done his research and had something to say. Sounds like Alderson.”

SNY.TV: 5 things on the to-do list for new Mets GM Jared Porter, including “extending Michael Conforto. Figure out the situation with the star free agents (and lower tier ones); Talk Noah Syndergaard about an extension of his own; Round out the coaching staff; Fill out the front office and other key positions;”

SNY.TV: Steve Cohen shows his appreciation to the Mets' faithful: 'Our fans are the best fans in baseball'. Cohen and his wife, Alex, helped distribute bobbleheads outside Citi Field.

Steve and Alex Cohen were out at Citi Field today to greet Mets season ticket holders during a bobblehead giveaway.

Here's Cohen, courtesy of the Mets, on "the best fans in baseball." pic.twitter.com/159s0hnyKR

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) December 12, 2020

As soon as I saw the photo @alexmomof5 posted, I knew what had to be done. #TheCohenKing @StevenACohen2 @Mets pic.twitter.com/Q4Up8R52uO

— Athlete Logos (@athletelogos) December 12, 2020

NY Daily News: Mets fan favorite Lee Mazzilli happy to relive his days as a speedskating champ.

SNY.TV: Trevor Bauer ranks Mets' fan base as second most aggressive recruiters: 'The fanbase is super passionate... super excited, super energized'.

.@BauerOutage ranks the Mets fans as the SECOND best in recruiting him to their team behind the Angels.

Everything grades well except creativity, so come on Mets fans!

Watch the full video: https://t.co/25CSYYCu5b pic.twitter.com/SnwvuBVXRZ

— Mets Briefing (@MetsBriefing) December 13, 2020

Rogers Hornsby one said, “People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” I don’t. I watch Tom Seaver pitch. #LGM #MetsRewind pic.twitter.com/908t5Ngnqk

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) December 13, 2020

“The only real problem in working for the @Mets was working with M. Donald Grant. He didn’t know beans about baseball but thought he did. I’ve run into guys like Donald Grant a lot in my career, and everywhere they show up, they’re trouble.” - Whitey Herzog #LGM #MetsRewind pic.twitter.com/JpbQvyFl0E

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) December 13, 2020

MLB Links:

Bill Madden NY Daily News: Making the Hall of Fame case for (Omar Vizquel & Jeff Kent) and against (Dick Allen). “The problem was, Allen simply didn’t have enough of those Hall of Fame seasons and that’s why he was relegated to the Veterans Committee as a borderline Hall of Fame candidate. He played more than 125 games in only seven of his 15 seasons and didn’t have 2,000 hits (1,848), which has traditionally been the Hall of Fame bench mark for non-catchers.”

Yahoo Sports: Country star Charley Pride — part owner of the Rangers and Negro American League player — dead at 86.

Yahoo Sports: Will MLB's season start on April 1 as scheduled? Well, COVID-19 is making it complicated.

MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox Interested In Sugano, Odorizzi, Hill.

Yahoo Sports: Privilege of Play: Black communities need investment, true allyship if baseball wants to address decline.        

Winter Baseball:

Episode 11 – The Met and The Tiger

With less than a week until the start of the 20/21 ABL season, Blue Sox Banter dropped in to Blue Sox training to catch up with two of the team’s new import players – Adam Oller and Cam Gibson. pic.twitter.com/cunFdF14Gq

— Sydney Blue Sox (@SydneyBlueSox) December 13, 2020

In the Dominican Republic:

Los Toros Del Este 5 Gigantes del Cibao 1 (Box Score). Bruce Maxwell 1 for 4 with 1 K, .114 Batting Average this winter; Hunter Strickland, 1 scoreless inning, no hits, no walks, 1 K, 0.00 ERA so far this winter. 

Here is the rest of the Dominican Scoreboard.

In Puerto Rico the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente:

Criollos de Caguas 7 Atenienses de Manati 5 (Box Score). Johneshwy Fargas 0 for 4 with a Walk, now hitting .421 this winter.

Indios de Mayaguez 7 RA12 1 (Box Score). T.J. Rivera 1B, 1 for 3, 1 double, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2 walks, .400 Batting Average.   

In Venezuela:

Bravos de Margarita 18 Navegantes del Magallanes 6 (Box Score). David Rodriguez caught and went 2 for 4, scored 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 Walk.

Tigres de Aragua 14 Caribes de Anzoategui 4 (Box Score). Yeizo Campos 1 inning, 1 run on a HR – only hit allowed, 2 Ks, no walks, 9.00 ERA this winter.

Here is the full Scoreboard from Venezuela.

Charros de Jalisco 12 Los Caneros de los Mochis 3 (Box Score) Juan Uriarte 0 for 2 with a walk and a run scored; .209 Batting Average this winter.

Here is the full Mexican Pacific League Scoreboard from yesterday.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Joe Christopher (1935)
• J. C. Martin (1936)
• Ron Taylor (1937)
• Doug Saunders (1969)

Transactions:

New York Mets signed free agent Kelvin Torve of the Minnesota Twins on December 13, 1989.

New York Mets traded Chuck Carr to the St. Louis Cardinals for Clyde Keller on December 13, 1991.

New York Mets signed free agent Rodney McCray of the Chicago White Sox on December 13, 1991.

New York Mets released Kelvin Torve on December 13, 1991.

Mets drafted Kelly Stinnett from the Cleveland Indians on December 13, 1993.

Mets drafted Charlie Greene from the San Diego Padres on December 13, 1993.

New York Mets signed free agent Ryan McGuire of the Montreal Expos on December 13, 1999.

Atlanta Braves signed Kurt Abbott of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 13, 2000.

New York Mets signed free agent Dave Weathers of the Chicago Cubs on December 13, 2001.

New York Mets signed free agent Roger Cedeno of the Detroit Tigers on December 13, 2001.

Mets drafted Henry Owens from the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 13, 2004.

San Francisco Giants signed Andres Torres of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 13, 2012.

Centerfield Maz: J.C. Martin: 1969 World Champion Mets Back Up Catcher & His Amazing World Series Game Winning Bunt (1968-1969).

Centerfield Maz: Joe Christopher: Mid Sixties Mets Outfielder (1963-1965).

Centerfield Maz: Ron Taylor: 1969 World Champion Mets Closer Turned Medical Doctor (1967-1971).

Baseball Reference:

1998: The Mets sign free agent OF Rickey Henderson.

2001: The Mets sign OF Roger Cedeno to a 4-year, $18 million contract and P David Weathers to a 3-year pact worth $9.4 million.

Breakfast Links One year ago today - 12/12/2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Want something else tracked here each day?  Please leave a comment below.