1/15/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 1/15/2020


Red Sox Fire Alex Cora.  Josh Donaldson goes to the Twins.
 
Before we get to more on the cheating scandal, a great report from MiLB.com had Prospect Projections for all the NL East teams.  For the Mets, they really like David Peterson: “Peterson isn't a Top-100 prospect nor is he even the Mets' top pitching prospect, but Steamer is a big fan. How big a fan? His 2.6 WAR projection is higher than that of fellow southpaw Madison Bumgarner…The system is a believer because of Peterson's peripherals; his 3.19 FIP over 116 Double-A innings was much better than his 4.19 ERA in that span, and his 2.9 K/BB ratio was a career best. The Mets have three excellent-to-good options in Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman to lead the rotation…with Peterson slated to open 2020 at Triple-A Syracuse, New York shouldn't hesitate to look toward him once an opening arises in the early months.”

Per the NY Post: Red Sox fire Alex Cora in wake of Astros cheating scandal.  “We collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways,” the Red Sox said in a statement.



We have had requests to post the full MLB Manfred report.  So here is a link to it.  It includes this: “Approximately two months into the 2017 season, a group of players, including Carlos Beltrán, discussed that the team could improve on decoding opposing teams’ signs and communicating the signs to the batter. Cora arranged for a video room technician to install a monitor displaying the center field camera feed immediately outside of the Astros’ dugout…One or more players watched the live feed of the center field camera on the monitor, and after decoding the sign, a player would bang a nearby trash can with a bat to communicate the upcoming pitch type to the batter.”   
            
Per SNY.TV: "What the Mets have not done today is put out any kind of statement or made any kind of comment saying 'Carlos Beltran is our manager. He will be our manager. Let's move on. Let's move forward.' That kind of thing has not come out," said SNY's Andy Martino.

Kevin Davidoff in the NY Post says: “Lying Carlos Beltran must come clean in Astros cheating scandal”.

The Empire Writes Back says: "The Mets HAVE to fire Beltran. There is simply no other way for the organization to proceed without him dragging the team down a dark rabbit hole. Astros manager A.J. Hinch drew a year-long suspension, and lost his job, for simply allowing it to happen. Hinch also was verifiably opposed to the tactics but didn’t want to sell out his team." 


Per Larry Brown Sports - Paul Lo Duca took a shot at Beltran over the scandal by tweeting: “I wish Carlos Beltran had the signs after I walked in the 2006 playoffsThe New York Mets have not won a World Series since 1986, and one of their most heartbreaking defeats came in the 2006 NLCS when Beltran left the bat on his shoulder for the final out of the game. The strikeout came after Lo Duca walked with two outs to load the bases with the Mets trailing 3-1

John Fox of Mets 360 suggests that Wilson Ramos may be overrated: About Wilson Ramos he says – “It is disturbing that Ramos’ production with the stick fell off as the season progressed. In the last month he played in 20 games and put up a dismal line of .219/.301/.344. That last month was important too, as the Mets were still in contention for a good chunk of that period…. an offense-first catcher whose bat has diminished, and could well diminish even more in 2020.”




Per MLB Trade Rumors: Twins to sign Josh Donaldson. “Donaldson will earn $84MM over the first four years of the contract, tweets Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. The option is valued at $16MM and comes with an $8MM buyout.”





Last night in the Dominican Republic, the Toros Del Este beat the Tigres del Licey 7-3 (box).

Jordany Valdespin went 1 for 4, with a walk, RBI and a run scored.

Ramon E. Ramirez pitched a scoreless ninth with no walks, hits, or strikeouts.   

In the other game, the Leones del Escogido beat the Aguilas Cibaenas 9-4 (box). 

Cesar Puello went 1 for 5 with a run scored.

Carlos Gomez went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.


Dario Alvarez pitched to three batters in the eighth and gave up a wild pitch, a walk, a single and an earned run.  

No Games yesterday in Puerto Rico.  


UltimateMets has the date in Mets History:

Born on this date:
Transactions:
New York Mets traded 
George Altman to the Chicago Cubs for Billy Cowan on January 15, 1965.

New York Yankees signed John Candelaria of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 15, 1988.

Toronto Blue Jays signed Dick Schofield of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 15, 1993.

Chicago Cubs signed Mark Guthrie of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 15, 2003.

New York Mets signed free agent Willie Harris of the Washington Nationals on January 15, 2011.


Want something else tracked here each day?  Please leave a comment below.

8 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Beltrán is in the cross hairs.

#13 for Harol Gonzalez is a tad aggressive...but I thought the same of Dillon Gee. I have Harol at # 21.

Encouraging view of David Peterson. I hope he makes me eat my hat in 2020.

John From Albany said...

Thanks Tom. Let's hope they are right about David Peterson.

Mack Ade said...

I just can't see Beltran walking away from here wearing a Mets uniform.

I will write more about this on the weekend.

John From Albany said...

Mets do not do controversy well. I can see more information coming out and it getting worse.

John From Albany said...

Per Joel Sherman in today's NY Post: "Brodie Van Wagenen made a big deal about “trust” in explaining why he was hiring Beltran in early November. How does that read today for the organization? Did Beltran tell the Mets the truth about his involvement with the Astros at the outset of these revelations? Or did they have to find out from the Commissioners Office what he told investigators? How is that trust today before pitchers and catchers have even reported?"

John From Albany said...

Makes the Fonzie diss even worse.

Jack Flynn said...

Sherman and a lot of other reporters playing the "trust" angle, but we don't know what Beltran told BVW when he was asked the question - or if he was even asked the question about what happened in Houston. Writers tend to get outrageously offended when a player lies to them, and they are always shocked to find out that a lot of people don't much care if players lie to reporters.

John From Albany said...

Very true Jack. The beat reporter/manager relationship can be interesting but in the end it us winning baseball that matters.