12/9/20

John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 12/9/2020

 



Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Del Unser, Bruce Boisclair, and Juan Samuel.  Puerto Rican Winter Ball gets underway, and Mets sign another Trevor but not Bauer.

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

Mets Links:

SNY.TV: Mets sign reliever Trevor Hildenberger to minor-league deal. “The soon-to-be 30-year-old side-arming righty appeared in 132 games for the Twins…from 2017-19. He has a career 5.35 ERA, but he also has the ability to get both righties and lefties out, as left-handed hitters hold a .258 batting average against him (compared to .286 from right-handers). He’s also stuck out 129 hitters in his 131.1 career innings.”



SI.com: How Come the Mets Gave a Major League Deal to a Lifetime Minor Leaguer? The Mets won a bidding war for Sam McWilliams, who's never pitched in the bigs and posted an 8.18 ERA in Triple A last year[ 2019]. “One executive from a club not involved in the bidding admitted he was surprised that the Mets gave McWilliams $750,000 and a major league deal...’These days you need 20-some odd pitchers on hand who you know are capable of competing in a major league game right now. I know Sandy is looking to improve their depth, so that fits.’”




Brian Joura Mets360: The remarkable obsession with the feeble Mallex Smith. Among other good points Brian notes this: “Smith is very fast and he uses his speed well…Unlike Billy Hamilton and Juan Lagares, Smith is not a good defensive player. In the past two seasons, Smith has a combined (-8.8) UZR and (-11) DRS.”

Mike’s Mets talks about the Mets Off Season and the DH in “It's All About Balance”.

Amazing Avenue: Assessing the Mets’ biggest needs going into the winter meetings. Catcher, CF, Starting Pitching, “Figure out what to do with Dominic Smith”, GM.

Rising Apple: Chasen Shreve earned another shot in the bullpen next year.  

Rising Apple: NY Mets are three moves away from checkmating the rest of MLB. George Springer, Trevor Bauer, and either James McCann or J.T. Realmuto.

Rising Apple: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of a Sonny Gray trade.

MLB Links:

Jonathan Mayo on Mets.com: Gave a full Preview of tomorrow’s Rule 5 Draft.  He noted these Mets Prospects that other teams may choose: Shervyen Newton, INF; Dedniel Nunez, RHP; Michel Otanez, RHP; Tony Dibrell, RHP; Daison Acosta, RHP.



MLB Trade Rumors: Giants Re-Sign Chadwick Tromp.

MLB Trade Rumors: Giants Sign Matt Wisler.

MLB Trade Rumors: Royals Sign Carlos Santana.

MLB Trade Rumors: White Sox Interested In Liam Hendriks, Michael Brantley.

MLB Trade Rumors: Mel Rojas Jr. Signs With NPB’s Hanshin Tigers.

MLB.com: Lynn trade 'could cause a domino effect'. Execs weigh in on market for starting pitching.

MLB.com: These are the 'missing' Hall of Fame pitchers. Only two pitchers born in past 50 years are in Cooperstown. Billy Wagner and Johan Santana are included in the discussion.


MLB.com: Vlad Jr. aims to reclaim 3B with winter work.

NY Post: Disgraced Thom Brennaman gets gig for league in Puerto Rico.

Winter Baseball:

In Puerto Rico the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente got underway.

Criollos de Caguas 7 RA12 5 (Box Score). Johneshwy Fargas 3 for 5 with 3 Doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 Ks. Former Binghamton Rumble Pony Joshua Torres (S,1) 1 inning 2 K’s.


Atenienses de Manati 7 Indios de Mayaguez 1 (Box Score). T.J. Rivera played first base for Los Indios 0 for 3 with 1 K.

In the Dominican Republic:

Los Toros Del Este 15 Aguilas Cibaenas 4 (Box Score).  For Aguilas Robel Garcia played 2B and went 1 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 K, .208 Batting Average this winter. Bruce Maxwell caught for Los Toros, 0 for 3, 1 run scored, 1 Walk, 1K, .118 Batting Average. Hunter Strickland 1 inning, 2 hits, 2 Ks, no runs, 0.00 ERA.

Game 1 of Double Header, Tigres del Licey 5 Gigantes del Cibao 4 (Box Score) featured a pair of former Minor League Mets. For Tigres, Ervin Santana 4 innings, 4 hits, 1 HR, 2 runs, 2 Walks, 3 Ks; For Gigantes, Gabriel Ynoa 1 inning, no hits, no walks, 2 Ks,  0.00 ERA. 

Here is the full Dominican Republic Scoreboard.

In Venezuela. 

Tigres de Aragua 7 Caribes de Anzoategui 1 (Box Score). Jaison Vilera 1.2 innings, no runs, no hits, 1 walk. 

Here is the full scoreboard from Venezuela.

In Mexico:

Aguilas de Mexicali 6 Caneros de los Mochis 4 (Box Score). Juan Uriarte did not start but was a defensive replacement late in the game without an at-bat, .221 Avg. this winter.

Here is the full Mexican Pacific League Scoreboard from yesterday.


Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

Died on this date:

Transactions:

New York Mets released Donn Clendenon on December 9, 1971.

New York Mets traded Leon Brown and Brock Pemberton to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ed Kurpiel on December 9, 1976.

New York Mets traded Roy Staiger to the New York Yankees for Sergio Ferrer on December 9, 1977.

New York Mets traded Blaine Beatty to the Montreal Expos for Jeff Barry on December 9, 1991.

Montreal Expos drafted Guillermo Mota from the Mets on December 9, 1996.

Colorado Rockies signed Mike Hampton of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 9, 2000.

New York Mets signed free agent Julio Franco of the Atlanta Braves on December 9, 2005.

New York Mets released Andy Green on December 9, 2009.

Washington Nationals drafted Elvin Ramirez from the Mets on December 9, 2010.

Mets drafted Pedro Beato from the Baltimore Orioles on December 9, 2010.

Mets drafted Brad Emaus from the Toronto Blue Jays on December 9, 2010.

New York Mets signed free agent Garrett Olson of the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 9, 2011.

New York Mets signed free agent Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees on December 9, 2013.

New York Mets traded Jon Niese to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Neil Walker on December 9, 2015.

New York Mets signed free agent Asdrubal Cabrera of the Tampa Bay Rays on December 9, 2015.

Philadelphia Phillies signed Zack Wheeler of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 9, 2019.

Centerfield Maz: Del Unser: Mid Seventies Mets Outfielder (1975-1976).

Centerfield Maz: Gene Clines: Mid Seventies Mets Outfielder (1975).

National Pastime.com:

2003

Kazuo Matsui, a Japanese seven-time All-Star shortstop, agrees to a three-year $20.1-million deal with the Mets. Twenty-eight year-old 'Little' Matsui hit .305 with 33 home runs while driving in 84 runs last season with the Seibu Lions.

2013

The Mets sign Curtis Granderson to a four-year, $60 million contract, the team's richest free-agent deal since Sandy Alderson became the GM in 2010. The 32 year-old outfielder, who hit 84 homers in two seasons for the Yankees before being limited to 61 games last year due to injuries, is expected to provide some much-needed power for the team that ranked 25th in the long ball in 2013.

 

2015

Major League Baseball issues a recommendation for all its 30 teams to install netting to protect their fans who are sitting in front of the most exposed field-level seats. The suggested protective shield, which would extend from one dugout to the other, will be implemented by most of the clubs before opening day, with the Mets, Pirates and Twins already in compliance, having netting down the the first and third base foul lines.

Baseball Reference:

2015: At the Winter Meetings in Nashville, TN, the Pirates trade 2B Neil Walker to the Mets in return for P Jonathon Niese; the Yankees send reliever Justin Wilson to the Tigers for prospects Luis Cessa and Chad Green; and the Athletics send 3B Brett Lawrie to the White Sox for two prospects.

Breakfast Links One year ago today - 12/9/2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Hader for Davis or Gimenez and Oswalt? Where do I sign?

Sonny Gray trade proposed on Hot Stove? That would work too.

Fargas - keep up the hitting - it is your path to the big club.

Rule 5 - hopefully, Sandy finds someone worthwhile. I'd be surprised if we lose anyone.

December 9, 2020 at 8:07 AM
Remember1969 said...

I love reading the daily reading about the old guys. . it has been 40+ years since I gave any thought to Leon Brown or Gene Clines :-) Brings back my teenage years as a Mets fan.

December 9, 2020 at 8:15 AM
Remember1969 said...

I really hope they don't trade Gimenez at all. I have no issue with Davis or Rosario being the base of a trade for either Hader or Gray, but there is just something in me that believes that Gimenez will be upper echelon shortstops in a year or two, building on his solid 2020.

December 9, 2020 at 8:18 AM
John From Albany said...

Tom - Big Rule 5 Draft fear is Wilmer Reyes - long shot I know. Since Wilmer as well as Newton and Michel Otanez have never played above A Ball likely OK.

Think there is a real possibility that the Mets lose two good catchers in Minor League portion: Andres Regnault and Wilfred Astudillo.

December 9, 2020 at 8:19 AM
John From Albany said...

Glad you like the history pieces like I do 1969.

I agree on Gimenez as well. He is my Mets SS for the next ten years. He is the next Bud Harrelson - and I think a better hitter.

December 9, 2020 at 8:25 AM
Ernest Dove said...

I'm still officially predicting Newton is taken. I'm not stating my reason lol.

December 9, 2020 at 8:46 AM
Tom Brennan said...

Ernest, as long as no one claims my Fig Newtons :)

Newton's K rate gives me flashbacks to another athlete, Ivan Wilson. Champ Stuart also. Neither ever fixed their K issues.

Assuming they keep Newton, it will be fascinating to see if he has added a lot of power AND figured out how to cut his K rate. Remember, he hit much worse than Tebow did. Tebow also hit severe headwinds against high minors pitching.

Remember 1969, I don't want to lose Gimenez either, but Mauricio can't be too far off, and Guillorme can capably back up Rosario.

Hader in the pen with May and Diaz? Reminds me of the Yanks when they had Miller and Chapman and a few other flame throwers. Jake would grin from ear to ear.

John, I am always rusty on Rule 5 rules, and what we all don't know is how much closer Wilmer got to being MLB ready in 2020. My guess is he will be considered too far off still.

December 9, 2020 at 9:10 AM
John From Albany said...

Could easily happen Ernest. Maybe a team like the Rays will see something in him that can help him realize his full potential. Overall it is predicted that this will be a very active Rule 5 Draft this year as teams place a high value on controllable players.

December 9, 2020 at 9:10 AM
Remember1969 said...

I'll comment here in reference to the post from Rising Apple re: "NY Mets are three moves away from checkmating the rest of MLB"

I entered the following comment with that piece which was immediately followed by "This comment may offend some readers and will be reviewed by our editors" or something of that nature - it is still out for review. I can't see the offensive remark, but I'll let you guys take a look (let me know if anything is out of bounds)

I am on board with Springer and McCann (or Realmuto on a reasonable deal), but I am concerned about Bauer.
I cannot dispute your claim that he is the best pitcher available, especially if you qualify that with "on the list of free agents'. Where I struggle is whether he is the 'best value'. He had the good fortune of pitching well against mostly inferior teams with only 11 starts for his career year leading up to free agency. Had he been a free agent last year, we would be talking about Jake Odorizzi now.
I cannot help think of a potential parallel with another certain Cy Young award winner. Yes, one that the Mets traded away the winter after he won the award. R.A. Dickey had some awful seasons before a couple decent ones prior to his outstanding one in 2012. They were able to take advantage of his new found hype and gain a couple top prospects in d'Arnaud and Syndergaard in exchange. Dickey went on to have four 'replacement level plus' seasons in Toronto with high 3.x and low 4.x ERAs. That would be fine for a team looking to fill a 4th or 5th rotation slot, but that is not $30M value.
I'm not saying Bauer will do the same thing, but in looking at his entire palette of work, he has had two good years of nine. Which Bauer are you hyping, the one who started 11 games in 2020 or the one who pitched to a 6.39 ERA in the 10 starts he made for Cincinnati the year before?


December 9, 2020 at 9:12 AM
Remember1969 said...

Tom, agree 100% with you ... Fig Newtons are completely out of play for this draft! :-)

December 9, 2020 at 9:32 AM
Tom Brennan said...

I must confess I did not see Bauer pitch in 2021, but my brother did and he said he looked NASTY! I like our pitchers to be nasty. And he holds on runners very well.

December 9, 2020 at 9:39 AM

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