John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 12/28/2019

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday to Ray Knight, John Milner, and Benny Agbayani.

Starting off today is a post from Reflections on Baseball that hits home on many levels.  Guest columnist Michael Tirella had this: “Here’s my take on why ALL PRO SPORTS are on the downswing…1.)  The quality of the game itself is close to unwatchable. The NBA leads the pack but MLB is right in line. There’s no more strategy. The sacrifice, suicide, push, and base hit bunts have been close to removed from baseball.”

As I said previously here on Mack’s Mets, it made the Mets decision to fire Brooklyn Manager Edgardo Alfonzo even more frustrating after the way he lead the Brooklyn Cyclones to the NY Penn League Championship.  “More than the fact that Fonzie won, it was the way he won, how the team played, the emphasis on fundamentals, the emphasis on defense, the emphasis on the running game and the emphasis on manufacturing runs.  They scored runs on outs time and time again.  Brooklyn was a flat-out exciting team all year.”

The NY Post had the top 15 NY debacles of the decade.  Two Mets moves made the list: #2 - Wilpon/Madoff association means Mets don’t spend and #12 – Yoenis Cespedes injury/mishandle/reinjury.

Yahoo Sports had MLB's decade-defining moments: The Cubs finally win the World Series.

Rising Apple had how bad defense sunk the Mets in the 2016 World Series.  Did it ever! From Yoenis Cespedes turning the Royals first hit of the series into an inside the park home run in Game 1 to Lucas Duda not being able to throw out Eric Hosmer at the plate in Game 5.

Metsmerized had the best and worst trade of every Mets GM.  Great rundown of some great and not so great Mets moves. 

Also on Metsmerized, a state of the Mets projected 26-man roster.

Mets.com had the case for Jeff Kent for Hall of Fame.

SNY.TV says “Why Dellin Betances was a necessary gamble for the Mets”.  “…the signing of Dellin Betances this week was both a necessary gamble and a desperately needed way for Brodie Van Wagenen to energize a highly skeptical fan base in an otherwise uneventful winter. The GM simply didn't have any credibility in trying to sell the notion that the Mets could bank on bounce-backs from Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz as the cure for the bullpen that wrecked their season.”

NJ.com says the Mets signing Dellin Betances is good news for the Yankees. By signing Betances to a creatively-structured deal, the Mets are likely out of the running for Milwaukee Brewers lefty Josh Hader. That, of course, takes one suitor out of the Hader bidding for the Yankees to compete with.

Elite Sports NY says New York Mets’ Dellin Betances: A risk? Absolutely. The right move? You bet.

Empire Sports Media says that Brandon Nimmo is an asset thanks to his plate discipline. “In fact, among players with at least 250 plate appearances, Brandon Nimmo’s 18.1 BB% ranked second in MLB. Do you care to guess who was number one? Yes, him. Mike Trout led all players with a 18.3 BB%.”

Mets 360 had a poll if the Mets should trade for Starling Marte.  (At last look the No’s were in the lead.)

The NY Times had a story of when Baseball made an appearance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. “In 1936, more than 100,000 spectators were, in the words of one sportswriter, ‘unbearably bored’ by America’s pastime.”

MiLB had news of four minor league players being suspended for Drugs. "Four Minor League players were suspended Friday after violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Pirates right-hander Andy Maldonado and free-agent right-hander Daniel De Leon received 72-game suspension for testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug Stanozolol. Red Sox catcher Elih Marrero and free agent left-hander Cole Watts were handed 50-game suspensions after testing positive for the stimulant Amphetamine."

MLB Trade Rumors took stock of the First Base Market. “If a team would rather land a younger, longer-term option, the Mets have a pair of possibilities on offer. Dominic Smith doesn’t appear to have anywhere to play in New York with Peter Alonso hogging all the action at first. While J.D. Davis is capable of playing third base or the corner outfield, which boosts his appeal, some teams would surely rather stash his bat (if they believe in it) at first base rather than exposing him to the more difficult defensive positions.”

Syracuse.com had the Syracuse images of the decade including the Mets visit before the 2019 season with Noah Syndergaard waving the Syracuse flag and Tim Tebow on the Syracuse Mets as part of the Syracuse Chiefs becoming the Syracuse Mets.

Speaking of Tim Tebow, Tiger.net had Tim’s prediction for today's Fiesta Bowl between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Clemson.

The Phillies signed Christian Bethancourt to a minor league contract. Per MLB Trade Rumors: “Bethancourt came up as a rifle-armed catcher, but has been utilized in creative ways since cracking the majors back in 2014. The Padres put him in the outfield, at second base, and even on the mound. He has also seen professional action at first base.”  Christian went 2 for 3 with a run scored in the Dominican last night.

Media Goon had how the Queens Baseball Convention scheduled for January was cancelled.

Don Imus, morning host of Sports Radio WFAN in NYC for years, passed away on Friday.

Mack’s Mets blast from the past comes from December 2009: Mack looked at Mets prospects Carlos Gomez, Ruben Tejada, and Wilmer Flores.   

In the Puerto Rican Winter League last night:

Tomas Nido DH’d once again for Criollos de Caguas going 1 for 4 with an RBI in the 4-2 Criollos loss (box). In 7 games this winter, Tomas is 6 for 25 for a .240 Avg, 1 double, 3 RBIs, 5 Ks. 

No current Mets played last night in the Dominican but here are some notable ex-Mets and minor league Mets that played:

Jordany Valdespin went 0 for 4.

Jenrry Mejia had a rough night coming into the ninth with his team, Toros Del Este, up 5-0.  Jenrry gave up 3 runs on 4 huts and recorded two outs but Toros held on for the 5-3 win (box). 

Carlos Gomez went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. 

Cesar Puello went 3 for 5 with 2 RBIs.

Former Binghamton Rumble Ponies Joey Terdoslavich went 2 for 4.

Matt Pobereyko pitched a scoreless inning.  He has pitched well this winter going 4 and 1 in 29 games with a 1.67 ERA, 30 Ks in 27 innings. 

UltimateMets has this date in Mets History:

Born on this date:

• Nelson Burbrink (1921)
• John Milner (1949)
• Ray Knight (1952)
• Benny Agbayani (1971)

Transactions:

New York Mets traded Pat Zachry to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jorge Orta on December 28, 1982.

Chicago White Sox signed Darrin Jackson of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 28, 1993.

New York Mets purchased Gary Matthews from the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 28, 2001.

New York Mets signed free agent Tim Hamulack on December 28, 2004.

New York Mets signed free agent Manny Aybar on December 28, 2004.

New York Mets signed free agent Chris Woodward of the Toronto Blue Jays on December 28, 2004.

Chicago Cubs signed Taylor Teagarden of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 28, 2014.

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

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