6/20/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 6/20/2020


Good Morning. COVID outbreaks close spring facilities, Addison Russell signs with the KBO, and we have a Baby Shark alert in Japan.


Mets Links:



The Empire Writes Back: Manfred, Wilpons failed New York Mets fans and players. “Maybe it took a pandemic to shine a light on the owners and Manfred’s greed, stubbornness, and unwillingness to compromise. People are starting to realize that it’s never been about winning but the bottom dollar.”

Rising Apple: The great John Stearns was not your ordinary catcher. “Stearns ran wild in 1978 with 25 stolen bases in 38 attempts. To put this into some perspective, Amed Rosario has never stolen 25 bases in a single season. And he’s the fast guy on the current Mets squads.”

Mets 360.com: Ditch Interleague play and bring back the Mayor’s Trophy game. Brian Joura notes how the Mets play the Yankees each year while other contending teams get to play 100 loss teams.  He also added this: “There were 19 Mayor’s Trophy games played between the Mets and Yankees, with the Yankees holding a 10-8 advantage. The 1979 game was a rain-shortened, 1-1 tie.”






Baseball Prospect Journal: Pete Crow-Armstrong is a high-end prep talent. “My defense sets me apart from other high school outfielders,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I just think I take more pride in it than most people. I think that’s a huge strength in my game.”

Amazing Avenue: Memorable Mets Game: Giants at Mets, June 5, 2019. A nondescript Wednesday night turned into an amazing evening thanks to the heroics of Jason Vargas.






MLB LINKS:

CBS Sports: MLB to close all spring training facilities for cleaning after COVID-19 outbreak, per reports. Players and staff will not be allowed to return until they test negative for COVID-19







Mike’s Mets: The Little Engine That Just Couldn't. “The ridiculously contentious talks between Manfred and Clark have sucked up all of the oxygen in the room…if you can't even find a way to reach an agreement with only a 10 game difference, how are you going to be able to work together to keep the virus from shutting it all down?”

NJ.com: 4 reasons why universal DH is good for baseball. Pitchers have never been worse in the batter’s box; It’s become the equivalent of the extra point in the NFL; The old-school strategy doesn’t really apply much in today’s game; We’ll see more young position players hit the majors earlier.






Minor League Baseball:

KSL.com: Independent Atlantic League cancels season due to virus. The Atlantic League said Friday that the High Point Rockers, Long Island Ducks and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are working with several professional clubs to put together a 70-game schedule starting in mid-July and that will by followed by five-game championship series at the end of September.

Syracuse.com: 7 issues Syracuse Mets, minor league baseball face in return to 2020 season. These include: “What health precautions will minor league teams need to take?; What is the profit point for minor league teams? – some teams with larger stadiums may be able to make it with 25% capacity; What do major league teams want to do?;  Both International League president Randy Mobley and Minor League Baseball spokesperson Jeff Lantz said it likely would take a few more days of talks beyond any MLB agreement to sort out the feasibility of minor league play. “There’s still a ways to go, but we’re hopeful,” Lantz said.



Asian Baseball:

Yesterday in Japan:

Chunichi 9 Yakult 7 Nori Aoki went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs and a walk in the loss for Yakult. (Box Score).

Rakuten 9 Onix 1 Adam Jones 0 for 3 in his Japan debut for Onix (Box Score).

Today’s games are already completed.

Yakult 6 Chunichi 2 Nori Aoki went 0 for 4. (Box Score).

Jballallen.com: 367 days after he introduced the Baby Shark to Washington Nationals fans, Gerardo Parra hit his first regular season home run in Japan in the Yomiuri Giants’ 11-1 win over the Hanshin Tigers. Yomiuri Giants 11 Hanshin Tigers 1 (Box Score).


Yonhap: KBO's Kiwoom Heroes sign ex-MLB All-Star Addison Russell. “As per the government mandate on all international arrivals during the coronavirus pandemic, Russell will have to be quarantined for 14 days before he can join the Heroes.”

Yesterday in the KBO.

Kia Tigers 5 Samsung Lions 4. Drew Gagnon 5.1 innings, 5 hits, 4 ER, 4 Walks, 4 Ks (Box Score).

NC Dinos 3 Hanwha Eagles 1 Aaron Altherr 1 for 4 (Box Score).

Aaron is back in CF for today’s game and is so far 0 for 2 (Box Score).



Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:






Mack’s Blast from the Past: 6/20/2013: Morning Report:Andrew Brown was recalled from AAA-Las Vegas. Brown has hit .346 in Vegas and deserves as much of a shot as anyone else has gotten this year.” As you’ll see in the You Tube clips below, that move paid off well that night.


Transactions:

New York Mets signed free agent Dennis Musgraves on June 20, 1964.

New York Mets released Dick Stuart on June 20, 1966.

New York Mets released Mike DeJean on June 20, 2005.


1963
In the Bronx, the Yankees and Mets participate in their first Mayor's Trophy Game, with former Bronx Bomber skipper Casey Stengel employing his best pitchers, Jay Hook (5) and Carl Willey (4), to defeat the reigning World Champions in the exhibition contest, 6-2. An enthusiastic crowd of 50,742, made up of mostly National League fans, sees many of their banners supporting the expansion club confiscated upon entering The House That Ruth Built.
1967
At Connie Mack Stadium, Phillies starter Larry Jackson one-hits the Mets, 4-0. It is the right-hander's eighteenth victory over New York without a defeat.


1967 - The Phillies' Larry Jackson gives up just one hit, a 2nd-inning double to Tommy Davis, in topping the Mets, 4 - 0.

1971 - Four grand slams are hit in the majors, by the Braves' Earl Williams, the Phillies' Deron Johnson, the White Sox's Rick Reichardt, and the Pirates' Willie Stargell. Williams' slam comes in a 5 - 4 loss, and the Braves drop a 2nd game, 2 - 0 to the Reds. The Pirates whip Montreal, 7 - 1, and the Sox pummel the Twins, 18 - 8. Johnson's slam, in the 11th, gives the Phils a split with the Mets.

2010: The Yankees are back in first place in the AL East, one game ahead of the surging Red Sox and slumping Rays, after CC Sabathia pitches 8 scoreless innings as the Bronx Bombers shut out the Mets and Johan Santana, 4 - 0. All the runs come on Mark Teixeira's grand slam.

2017: Corey Seager hits three homers in the Dodgers' 12 - 0 win over the Mets. He drives in 6 runs as the Dodgers have hit 9 homers in two games against the struggling Mets, while rookie Cody Bellinger continues his red hot hitting with his NL-leading 22nd homer. Brandon McCarthy pitches 6 innings for the win and Brock Stewart works the final three for his first career save.

Amazing Avenue: This Date In Mets History: June 20 — Four balls fly out of Shea for high-flying Amazins. Homers by Nady (2), Delgado, and, yes, Trachsel, beat Reds 9-2, put Mets 9.5 games up on June 20, 2006.



You Tube:

6/20/13: Satin's RBI double lifts Mets over Braves. 2 Homers from David Wright. Home Run from Andrew Brown and winning RBI from Josh Satin.   







       







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

5 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Addison Russell to Korea? Why not?

If John Stearns could steal 25, Rosario should steal 50.

My advice to Pete Crow Armstrong - don't emulate Juan Lagares, who in my opinion, was too reckless with his great defensive skills and missed an awful lot of playing time that he didn't have to miss. And perhaps ruined his career. Spectacular dives can be wonderful 9 times out of 10. That 10th time is a long term stint on the DL. And don't make spectacular dives or crashes into walls when up or down by 9 runs, something Juan did when he got hurt once and missed months. Be a great - and safe - outfielder.

Mack Ade said...

Tom -

According to someone I talked to out on the left coast, PCA is an artist in center field. These will be no need for any antics out there.

His +++ defensive skills start with lightning outfield speed which allows him to play deeper in center and see the whole field and the direction the ball is heading.

John From Albany said...

Tom - thought you'd be all over the Lockett outing from 6/20/19.

bill metsiac said...

I don't think that's realistic at all, Tom. Hreat OFers go by instinct. When Nimmo was hurt last year (not that he is one of the "great" defensive CFers), there were rumblings that he should become "wall-shy", but he continued to be aggressive.

Pete Reiser reportedly (I missed seeing him by a few years) was one of the greatest to put on a glove in CF, but destroyed his career career by repeatedly crashing into (UNpadded) walls.

It's just what they do, and when there is no wall involved the top guys will not hold back.

"He who hesitates is lost". Thinking "should I dive or not?" while going after a ball could destroy his brilliance.

Tom Brennan said...

Bill, I hear where you are coming from, but I remember Lagares in a game when they trailed by 9, he slammed into the wall....out for months. Another time diving with a sizable score difference, diving for a ball, tearing his hand, missing months. Both were unnecessary, and I want a player to act on instincts, but there are times a guy can size up a play’s difficulty, in relation to the score, and play it safe. When the game is on the line, in a meaningful game, go for the play.. I think a talented player can do both.