12/4/19

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 12/4/2019


Biggest story yesterday was news that the Mets want to dump bad contracts.

Centering around a Jon Heyman tweet, and Ken Rosenthal article in the Athletic, Metsmerized and the Bleacher Report had how the Mets are thinking about giving up Dom Smith to dump the of the Jeurys Familia or Jed Lowrie contracts.  Bleacher Report goes on to say: “With little money to spend, Rosenthal reported that the Mets are considering an in-house concept that would include matching bad salaries with other low-cost players: ‘As the Mets try to clear money for other moves, here's a concept they are considering, according to major league sources: Trading infielder Jed Lowrie and/or reliever Jeurys Familia by packaging him with a low-cost, zero-to-three year player such as first baseman Dom Smith.’”

Mets Daddy put all the blame for the Mets payroll problems on last year’s Robinson Cano trade:  “Robinson Cano Trade May Cost Mets Dominic Smith.”  He goes on to say “The Cano trade has so far meant the Mets do not get to see Jarred Kelenic play in Queens. It has meant the Mets will not be able to just replace Zack Wheeler in the rotation with Justin Dunn while using their money to fill other needs. One of those needs is now the fifth starter spot, and right now, Wheeler is not going to be a part of that equation.”



Esteemed writes, please stop offering up J.D. Davis in trades.  As noted previously,  “In 2019, JD Davis had the best year in Citi Field’s 11 year history hitting .354 with 16 HRs and 33 RBIs in 206 at bats.  Furthermore, while most Mets hit far better on the road, JD hit almost 100 points less on the road, .260 with 6 HRs and 24 RBIs.  Compare that for instance to Pete Alonso who hit .297 on the road in 2019 to .218 at Citi Field.” 



Reflections on Baseball says that the quiet Mets winter makes you wonder. “Is the eerie quiet a buildup to something big – or does indecision once again stymie them…”




The Empire Writes back thinks some former Yanks can help the Mets: Dellin Betances, Austin Romine, and Brett Gardner.


MLB Trade Rumors broke down the skills of the recently non-tendered pitchers: Hardest Thowers - Blake Treinen, RHP: 96.7; Top Strikeout Arms - Yimi Garcia: 26.7 K%, 9.53 K/9; Fewest Walks - Josh Osich: 5.5 BB/9, 2.00 BB/9; Best Groundball Rates - Alex Claudio: 57.4; Least Hard Contact - Alex Claudio: 30.2.
The Mets Police has a post comparing past Cubs and Red Sox Baseball Conventions (with lots of pictures and details of those conventions) to the upcoming Mets baseball convention.  Real quick, those are way better than what the Mets plan to do.

In Winter League games last night:

After starting in his last two appearances, Chris Mazza came in relief to pitch two innings and get the win in a Toros Del Este, 8-2 win (box).  He went 2 innings giving up 1 run on 1 hit, no walks, two Ks. 

Entering in the top of the fourth, the first batter reached on an error, then Chris Mazza gave up a single with the runner moving to third, the next batter hit into a double play which allowed the runner to scrore.  Chris struck out former Marlins and Red Sox Hanley Ramirez to end the inning.

In the fifth, Chris faced the minimum with a strikeout and two ground outs.

Overall this winter, Chris Mazza is 1-1, with a 3.38 ERA, 5 games, 10.2 innings, 15 hits, 5 runs, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 10 Ks. 

As North Jersey.com reported this past summer: “Mazza spent eight long years in the minors before debuting for the Mets earlier this season, then spending more time with the club recently. With all we hear about long bus rides, low pay and the other drawbacks of that not-so-glamorous life, it seems incredible that someone would do it for so long.”

The Mets picked up Chris from the minor league portion of the rule five draft last winter.  In this phase the player is not required to be added to the major league roster.  With the current Mets roster filled at 40, this may be an option for the Mets in next week’s draft.

UltimateMets has this date in Mets History:

Born on this date:
Transactions:

New York Mets traded 
Jack DiLauro to the Detroit Tigers for Hector Valle on December 4, 1968.

Kansas City Royals signed Dan Schatzeder of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 4, 1990.

Boston Red Sox drafted Joe Crawford from the Mets on December 4, 1995.

New York Mets traded Butch Huskey to the Seattle Mariners for Lesli Brea on December 4, 1998.

New York Mets traded Willie Blair to the Detroit Tigers for Joe Randa on December 4, 1998.

New York Mets signed free agent Gustavo Molina of the Baltimore Orioles on December 4, 2007.

New York Mets signed free agent Raul Casanova on December 4, 2007.

New York Mets signed free agent Henry Blanco of the San Diego Padres on December 4, 2009.


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6 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

McNeil article makes a good point - the salary structure is unfair.

He won't be a free agent until age 33 - there probably should be a rule that any player becomes a free agent if 31 years of age by the end of the season, since baseball performance is so utterly age-limited.

Tom Brennan said...

If Dom Smith got included in a salary dump deal involving Familia or Lowrie, it would be another ripple effect of the Cano trade. The calculus of the Cano deal HAD to be that year one would be GREAT and justify the trade. Now, Cano is a year older, and Diaz had a bad 2019, so the GREAT season was a bad one.

Short of a miraculous and sustained turnaround by Cano and Diaz, the trade will be remembered as a ripple effect disaster.

John From Albany said...

Agreed Tom. But feel Brodie's biggest mistake was firing Fonzie. Pitching, speed, and defense wins and it is cost effective. Fonzie showed what can happen when you do those things and Brodie dismissed it though the evidence was right in front of him.

Jon B said...

Trading Smith to get another team take your bad contracts is an utter disgrace.

Gary Seagren said...

I hope I'm wrong but BVW seems more and more like he trying to be the smartest guy in the room to make up for no prior GM experience and of course we've also tried that same formula with Callaway and now Beltran instead of going with experience and I hope it's not just for financial reasons but us fans know better. Look the amazing seasons of Alsonso and McNeil saved his ass (can I say that here?) but the Cano deal will hurt for years.

Met monkey said...

"Cohen in serious negotiations to buy 80percent of the Mets?" I usually believe the opposite of what the truth whore ny times says, but let's hope!