2/18/21

John From Albany - Mets News and Breakfast Links 2/18/2021

 



Good Morning.  Good Morning. Happy Birthday Kevin Tapani, Shawn Estes, and Nick Meyer. Pitchers and Catchers reported to Post St. Lucie, Luis Rojas does a presser and there’s no Tim Tebow in Baseball. 

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Mets.com: Versatility a hot topic as Mets report to camp. “There’s multiple guys that can play multiple positions,” Rojas said. “In a camp like this, you want to give everybody a chance in the positions that they can come in and play. … There’s different strategies to the depth that we have in camp right now.”


NY Post: Luis Rojas: Fixing Mets’ defense is big priority.




Joel Sherman NY Post: The Mets really need to stop being Wilpon-ian. “The arrival of Cohen and — just as vitally — the disappearance of the Wilpons was supposed to summon a new day and a new way…But this administration promised it would assemble a state-of-the-art baseball braintrust. That didn’t happen… many competitors and agents are shocked that they did not capitalize further in a free-agent landscape in which few were bidding to pull down Bauer, Realmuto and, especially, Springer.”

Mets.com: Mets' Top 5 homegrown Draft picks.  #1. David Wright; #2. Jacob deGrom; # 3. Dwight Gooden; # 4. Darryl Strawberry; # 5. Mookie Wilson.

SNY.TV: Sources: Mets have serious interest in free agent pitcher Taijuan Walker. If he and the Mets do not agree, the team could pivot back to Jake Odorizzi.


The Brooklyn Trolley Blogger: Pressure on Marcus Stroman To Form One-Two Punch With Jacob deGrom. Mike notes that “Stroman has lost a full mph on his fastball” and greatly increased the use of his curveball in 2019.

213 Miles from Shea: Get To Know a 2021 Non-Roster Invitee: Oscar De La Cruz.  “Oscar De La Cruz is a former top prospect in the Cubs system who has not made it to the majors yet. The main blight in his career – in 2018 he was suspended for 80-games due to a positive test for a performance enhancing masking agent.”






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Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com: 

Born on this date:

Transactions:
Montreal Expos signed Ray Burris of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 18, 1981.

New York Mets traded Joe Dellicarri to the Detroit Tigers for Kevin Morgan on February 18, 1994.

Minnesota Twins signed Luis Ayala of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 18, 2009.

New York Mets signed free agent Buddy Carlyle on February 18, 2014.

New York Mets signed free agent Jason Vargas of the Kansas City Royals on February 18,

From National Pastime.com:

2009

The demolishment of the last remaining piece of Shea Stadium, the ramp to section 5, occurs at 11:25 a.m., marking the end of the New York venue where the Mets played for 44 years. The footprint of the old ballpark will become a parking lot for the team's new home, the $800-million Citi Field, which will open in April. Link to You Tube video of the demolition.

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1 comment:

Tom Brennan said...

Sherman does raise an interesting perspective. DId the Mets blow it by not going over cap to sign the really big guys? Time will tell. I think most of us expected we'd sign one or 2 of the big 3 going in, not none.

The Dibrell clip was good, but I would have preferred to hear about where he feels his pitching development is.

I have a sneaking suspicion Thor will be back before June 1.

Tatis Jr contract is huge - get ready to back up the Brinks truck for Lindor.