John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 12/21/2020

 

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Dave Kingman, Roger McDowell, Royce Ring, and Andres Regnault. Winter Ball Highlights, Mets History and more. 

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

Mets Links:

Mike’s Mets: Depth Isn't a Four-Letter Word. “Solid depth comes from a lot of different places, and it's more than just signing some former major leaguers to your Triple-A club. It's building depth in your farm system beyond just a small number of top prospects.”

Brian Joura Mets360: Christmas wishes for the 2021 Mets. “Rest assured, this Santa already has received his gifts, with no one from the triumvirate of Robinson Cano, Brodie Van Wagenen or Jeff Wilpon darkening any Mets hallways this upcoming season.”

SportsTalk1240.com: Benny Agbayani, Author Brian Wright.

Rob Piersall Mtesmerized Online: An Ode to the Captain: Fifteen Can’t Miss David Wright Moments.

Metsmerized Online: 2020 Mets Report Card: J.D. Davis. “Primary Stats: 56 G, 229 PA, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 31 BB, 56 SO, .247 BA, .371 OBP, .389 SLG, .761 OPS.”

Mets Junkies: Mets Trade Target Luis Castillo.  “Luis Castillo has been a very good pitcher since his debut in 2017. Pitching in a hitters friendly home ballpark, he has pitched to a 3.62 ERA and a 3.77 FIP over 519.2 innings. With WHIP off 1.16 and a k per nine off 10, it shows he is a dominant front line starter.”

Prime Time Sports Talk.com: Three Free Agents Who Belong on the Mets Wish List This Christmas. George Springer, Trevor Bauer, Liam Hendriks.

Reflections on Baseball: On Why The Mets Need To Think Twice – And Then Again About Trevor Bauer.

Dave Magadan joined the @MetsRewind Podcast this weekend. He was one of five @Mets players who played in 1986, but didn't get a World Series ring. Thanks to Randy Myers, that changed in 1996. #MetsRewind #LGM #Mets pic.twitter.com/1WBLDldQt5

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) December 20, 2020

Which @Mets players have hold the franchise record for most single season home runs at their position? #LGM #MetsRewind #Mets pic.twitter.com/VfBMsYcdsQ

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) December 20, 2020

Rising Apple: New York Mets are becoming the Seattle Mariners farm system. They cite Seattle’s recent acquisitions of Rafael Montero and Chris Flexen.

Rising Apple: Analyzing Jerad Eickhoff’s minor league deal for 2021.

MLB Links:

Bob Klapisch NJ.com: MLB’s 2nd round with COVID-19: Delayed spring training and Opening Day likely as labor war looms; No line-cutting for vaccine. “…without a guardrail against the virus, camps can’t open without players agreeing to live inside a bubble. ‘And there’s no way every player on all 30 teams is going to leave their family behind for 6-7 weeks’ one executive said. ‘They hated the idea (of a bubble) last year, what makes you think they’ll say yes to it now?’”

MLB Trade Rumors: Walker Lockett Close To Signing With KBO’s Doosan Bears.

MLB Trade Rumors: Reds Reportedly Discussing Luis Castillo In Trade Talks.

MLB Trade Rumors: Jason Varitek Tests Positive For COVID-19.

MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Re-Sign Adam Warren.

MLB.com: The best non-Hall of Famer at every position.

MLB.com: 7 trades that could ignite the Hot Stove. Thankfully none involving Mets Prospects.

Tommy Lasorda is said to be doing much better and hoping to be home for Christmas. December 23 is the target date for release from the hospital to be exact. He got out of the ICU Thanksgiving and continues to improve. It was touch and go for a while. But he is an alltime fighter!

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 20, 2020

MLB.com: The wildest triple play ever? Probably! “nothing compares to the triple play that ended a Red Sox vs. Cleveland tilt on Sept. 7, 1935. Not only was this a walk-off triple play, but it started with a liner straight off third baseman Odell Hale's head at third base…The ball bounced off his head and, following the kind of bizarre physics that can only happen on a ballfield, popped up in the air emphatically enough that shortstop Bill Knickerbocker could race over and snag it before it dropped. Knickerbocker threw to Roy Hughes to double up the runner at second, and then Hughes threw to Hal Trosky to seal the game. That's right: It was a 5-6-4-3 walk-off triple play.”

MLB.com: Here are the 15 best MLB games of 2020. #9 on the list is Pete Alonso’s 9/3 walk off against the Yankees.

Winter Baseball:

In the Dominican Republic:

Toros Del Este 8 Leones del Escogido 4 (Box Score) Jenrry Mejia, started for Los Toros 4 innings, 3 hits, 1 run, no walks, 5 Ks, 1.86 ERA; Hunter Strickland,1 inning, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 K, 3.60 ERA; Pedro Payano 1 inning, no runs, 1 K, 3.86 ERA.

Game 1 Aguilas Cibaenas 3 Tigres del Licey 2 (Box Score). Robel Garcia 0 for 3, 2Ks.

Game 2 Tigres del Licey 5 Aguilas Cibaenas 1 (Box Score). Robel Garcia 1 for 3, 1K. .226 Avg.

Here is the full scoreboard from the Dominican Republic.

In Venezuela:

Bravos de Margarita 13 Caribes de Anzoategui 2 (Box Score). For Los Bravos David Rodriguez 1B 1 for 5 with a run scored, 1K. now with a .382 average. That one hit came off Mets Pitching Prospect Jaison Vilera 1 inning, 3 runs – all earned on 4 hits, 1K, 3.86 ERA.

Here is the full scoreboard from Venezuela.

In Puerto Rico the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente:

Criollos de Caguas 16 RA 12  0 (Box Score). Johneshwy Fargas had the night off. In 11 Games this winter, 44 at bats he has 18 hits, 5 doubles, 3 HRs, 16 RBI, 5 walks, 11 Ks, .409/.481/.727 – 1.209 OPS.

In the Mexican Pacific League:

Sultanes de Monterrey 3 Caneros de los Mochis 2 (Box Score). Juan Uriarte had the night off.  In 36 games and 100 at bats the Mets Catching prospect has also played LF, 21 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .210/.248/.330 - .578 OPS.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Elliott Maddox (1947)
• Dave Kingman (1948)
• Roger McDowell (1960)
• LaTroy Hawkins (1972)
• Buddy Carlyle (1977)
• Royce Ring (1980)
• Philip Humber (1982)
• John Mayberry (1983)
• Taylor Teagarden (1983)
• Andres Regnault (1998)

Died on this date:

• Jack Lamabe (2007)

Transactions:
Colorado Rockies signed Daryl Boston of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 21, 1992.

New York Mets signed free agent Pat Mahomes on December 21, 1998.

Matt Franco granted free agency on December 21, 2000.

Houston Astros signed C. J. Nitkowski of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 21, 2001.

Minnesota Twins signed Pat Strange of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 21, 2004.

New York Mets signed free agent Chad Bradford of the Boston Red Sox on December 21, 2005.

New York Mets signed free agent R. A. Dickey of the Minnesota Twins on December 21, 2009.

New York Mets signed free agent Rob Johnson of the San Diego Padres on December 21, 2011.

New York Mets signed free agent CF Gregor Blanco to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training on December 21, 2018.

Centerfield Maz: Dave Kingman: Part One- The First Mets Years (1975-1977).

Centerfield Maz: Remembering Mets History (1975): Kingman Blasts 480' HR Into Shea's Parking Lot.

Centerfield Maz: Roger McDowell: All Time Mets Right Handed Reliever (1985-1989).

Centerfield Maz: Eliott Maddox: Late Seventies New Jersey Born Mets Outfielder (1978-1980).

Breakfast Links One year ago today - 12/21/2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 21, 2009: @Mets signed free agent R. A. Dickey to a minor league deal and invited him to spring training. He was on the brink of being cut that following spring, but the team decided to retain him. What a move. In three seasons he was 39-28, 2.95 ERA and 2012 Cy Young. pic.twitter.com/RhpbmrlSYx

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) December 21, 2020

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