Mack - Tuesday Morning Observations

 

Bob Nightengale               @BNightengale

 

The Hall of Fame announces

this year’s Classic era committee ballot.

The electees will be announced Dec. 8

Dick Allen

Ken Boyer

Josh Donaldson

Steve Garvey

Vic Harris

Tommy John

Dave Parker

Luis Tiant

 

Batbeat                    @Batbeat2

According to Forbes, the Mets lost about $650 Million the last 4 years which has to be a record in sports. He did not sign big free agents this year, but due to previous mistakes, the Mets probably lost another few 100 million. He hates losing the money and will dial it back.

 

There are 10 Mets players eligible for arbitration –

David Peterson, Paul Blackburn, Tyrone Taylor, Tylor Megill, DJ Stewart, Alex Young, Luis Torrens, Sean Reid-Foley, Brooks Raley, and Joey Lucchesi.

To me, Peterson, Megill, and Torrens are a no-brainer. Tayler and SRF need some deep thought.

 

Ernest Dove             @ernestdove

https://t.co/ZxC4glfJ2a

Looking back a clip from my interview with Mets prospect D'Andre Smith who talked #Mets plans for him to be more versatile.  Smith went on to play 5 positions (2B 3B LF CF RF) also hit .325 in August.

DONT FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE

 

Will Sammon                      @WillSammon

The Mets are hiring Laiky Uribe as assistant director of international scouting, league sources tell The Athletic. Uribe worked as international cross checker for the Dodgers. He'll join James Kang, recently added from Guardians as Mets' new director of international scouting.

            Laiky Uribe              @LaikyUribe

I’ve been fortunate to have spent the past 8 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and I’ll forever be grateful to the org & everyone I worked with. Ending that chapter with a World Series win was the perfect send-off. Now, it’s time to head back to the Big Apple. Let’s go Mets!

 

Mets prospects Williams, Gilbert strengthening their bond in the desert

https://www.mlb.com/news/mets-jett-williams-drew-gilbert-rekindle-bond-in-arizona-fall-league?partnerID=web_article-share

In addition to making up for lost at-bats from the regular season, the Fall League is doubling as a crash course on getting Williams, primarily a shortstop, more reps in center field. (NL MVP candidate Francisco Lindor has the shortstop position on lock for the foreseeable future.) That means on days like Thursday, Williams jogs out to his spot on the grass right next to Gilbert.

“I think it's pretty cool just to have somebody out there that is very similar to you,” Williams said. “I feel like we play the game a little bit differently. He's more crazy, I'm more calm. So I think it's kind of perfect, like leveling each other out. But I think it would be awesome just to be able to play with him at Citi Field one day, hopefully next year.”

For the final six games of Triple-A Syracuse’s season, the lineup card featured both Gilbert and Williams. The tandem now sits on a parallel trajectory toward the Majors, ready to lead the next wave after watching former teammates Mark Vientos and Luisangel Acuña contribute to an NLCS run.

 

Anthony DiComo               @AnthonyDiComo

The Mets are on track to sign every free agent in baseball:

 

MetsMinors.Net                @Mets_Minors

Baseball America reports the Mets have re-signed RHP Joander Suarez, RHP Joshua Cornielly and C Hayden Senger to minor league deals.

            2024 –

                        Suarez (24) – AA/AAA:  10-6, 4.49, 128,1-IP, 124-K

                        Cornielly (23) – A+/AA:  2-5, 3.42, 55.1-IP, 71-K, only 19-K

                        Senger – (27) -  AAA/AA/A:  171-AB, .234

(Senger is not signed for his bat. He is the best defensive catcher in the system)

 

The Mets signed RP Dylan Covey

            Christopher Soto                @SotoC803

Covey was even better than his 2.66 ERA implies.

4 of the 6 ER he allowed this season were during his rehab appearances.

Once he was assigned to the (AAA) roster, Covey posted a 1.20 ERA, .177 AVG/.531 OPS against, and a 27.5% K rate.

Mack – I see no downside here. He can always be released, but there is a good chance he could bring stability to the Mets pen

 

Derrick Goold                     @dgoold

Cards are NOT picking up the 2025 options for Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, or Keynan Middleton. Each has a $1-million buyout.

            Gibson (37) – 2024:  0.9-WAR, 8-8, 4.24, 1.35, 169.2-IP, 151.1-K

            Lynn (37) -      2024:  0.3-WAR, 7-4, 3.84, 1.34, 117-IP, 109-K

            Middleton (31) – Career:  2.3-WAR, 2-2, 3.41, 1.25, 64-K

                        Out in 2024 with surgery on right arm – unlikely to be

                                    Ready for opening day

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10140737-8-bold-mlb-2024-25-offseason-predictions?s=03 –

8 Bold MLB 2024-25 Offseason Predictions

 

New York Mets Sign 3 $100+ Million Free Agents –

 

The New York Mets aren't going to match the more than $1 billion in contracts for free agents that the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to last offseason.

Becoming the first team to sign at least three free agents to nine-figure contracts in one year, however, is well within the realm of possibility.

The Mets did sign four players for at least $75M each just two years ago—Brandon Nimmo ($162M), Edwin Díaz ($102M), Justin Verlander ($86.7M) and Kodai Senga ($75M)—and they did have the highest payroll in baseball this season. But they have been setting themselves up to do some serious spending this offseason ever since the 2023 trade deadline.

The goal was to sign Juan Soto, but the main rationale behind our 'Yanks let Cole walk' prediction is the assumption that they'll be re-signing Soto for the $500M-$600M that the Mets will also be trying to throw his way.

If it becomes clear that Soto isn't happening for the Mets, though, Steve Cohen isn't going to just pack it in and embrace heading into 2025 with a modest payroll.

He's going to re-sign Pete Alonso for around $200M.

He's going to get at least one, possibly two of Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Blake Snell and Gerrit Cole to address the fact that all three of this season's team leaders in innings pitched are now free agents. (All four of those pitchers figure to sign for at least $100M.)

And he's going to add one more of the top OF/DH bats available, as Harrison Bader and JD Martinez were one-year stopgap solutions and Starling Marte isn't getting any younger or better. Whether that's Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander or maybe Cody Bellinger if he declines his player option with the Cubs, nine figures on a five-year deal could be in play for any member of that trio.

The Mets could also go the route of giving Gleyber Torres a huge contract, putting him at second base and banking on Jeff McNeil as a corner outfielder. However, Torres getting $100M might be a stretch.

Long story short, the Mets will be very busy, and they won't be sneaking up on anyone as an "underdog" in 2025.

 

 

Jim Koenigsberger            @Jimfrombaseball

 

“I’ve only known three or four perfect swings in my time. This lad has one of them"

Ty Cobb

“My mother used to pitch to me, and my father would shag balls. If I hit one up the middle close to my mother, I’d have some extra chores to do. My mother was instrumental in making me a pull hitter.”

Eddie Mathews

 

One night Dusty Baker saw Bob Gibson eating in a restaurant. His teammates encouraged him to walk over & say hello. “It’s OK, they told him. It’s away from the field. This is a good time. Bob will be happy to talk.” Then, while those teammates snickered, Baker and his wife walked & Dusty said,

“Excuse me, Mr. Gibson.”

And Gibson looked up and without even a hint of a smile he snarled,  “Why the *$*#&$* should I talk to you?” Then he looked past Dusty, to his wife, and said, “It’s very nice to meet you Mrs. Baker.”

 

            Tim Lambert                       @TLambert895

My Bob Gibson story:

I was an intern at KQV in Pittsburgh and was assigned to interview the Cardinals great. I started with, "Tell me about..." Before I even finished, he fired back, "I'm not going to tell you anything. Ask me a question and I'll answer it."

After a brief paralyzing fear, I realized I was verbally brushed back by one of the greatest pitchers ever. The rest of the interview went well and he was very gracious with his time. To this day, I have never started a question with, "tell me about..." again.

 

"Maybe tomorrow we'll all wear 42, so nobody can tell us apart."

Pee Wee Reese