8/3/20

John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 8/3/2020


Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Kevin Elster and Mackey Sasser, Braves 4 Mets 0 as David Peterson pitches well but gets the loss, Yoenis Cespedes opts out and the Mets trade prospect Jordan Humphreys for OF Billy Hamilton.

Section Links: Mets Links, MLB Links, Asian Baseball Links, and This Day in Mets History.

Mets Links:

Braves 4 Mets 0. David Peterson (L,1-1) 6 innings, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, 5 hits, 1 walk, 8K, 87 pitches – 54 strikes; Edwin Diaz 1 inning, 1 BB, 1 K; Drew Smith 1 inning, 1 run, 1 earned run, 2 hits; Jeff McNeil 3 for 5 , 2 Ks; Amed Rosario, 2 for 4;  Robinson Cano 1 for 4, 2 Ks; J.D. Davis, 1 for 4, 2 Ks; ; Pete Alonso, 0 for 5 – now hitting .175, 3Ks, 6 LOB; Brandon Nimmo 0 for 3 with 2 walks. (Box Score).

You Tube: Mets vs. Braves Highlights 8/2.



SNY.TV: The Mets play the final game against Atlanta on Monday at 7:10 p.m. It will be the Opening Day battle on the mound again with Jacob deGrom and Mike Soroka getting the ball.

SNY.TV: Mets takeaways from Sunday's 4-0 loss to Braves, including lack of clutch hitting with runners on. New York went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on.

NY Post: Mets’ slump continues amid Yoenis Cespedes fiasco. Without the struggling and oft-injured 34-year-old slugger, the Mets didn’t perform any better. They actually out-hit the Braves, 10-7, but continued to be inept in big spots. Pete Alonso, looking completely out of sorts — he’s in a 1-for-16 slump with seven strikeouts over his past four games — failed three times with runners in scoring position. Robinson Cano and Tomas Nido each grounded into killer inning-ending double plays with multiple men on base.

NY Post: David Peterson shows more Mets promise during chaotic day.

Brian Joura Mets360.com: “David Peterson gave a Quality Start, going 6 IP with 3 ER, 1 BB and 8 Ks. Unfortunately, the one walk came with the bases loaded. Still, it was a solid effort from a guy who didn’t exactly dominate Double-A last year. He certainly deserves another start.”


SNY.TV: Mets' Yoenis Cespedes has opted out of the 2020 season due to 'COVID-related reasons'. Cespedes didn't show up to the ballpark in Atlanta on Sunday.



Yahoo Sports: Mets' relationship with Yoenis Céspedes unravels in one last burst of confusion. “The Mets responded initially — mid-game — with a statement wondering where Céspedes was and why he wasn’t answering his phone, then a few minutes later made sure reporters knew that they knew Céspedes was unharmed. This, according to the general manager’s story, was merely a byproduct of the club’s relentless efforts at “real time” transparency.”

Metstradamus: The Spectacular. The Strange. The End. “As for Cespedes, look … everything about Yoenis Cespedes’ Mets career was spectacular. Why would the end be any different? But for the same reason Brodie shouldn’t have put out a statement and scare anybody to death, Cespedes should have communicated his intentions and feelings better. (Dude, we thought you were dead.) If for no other reason than that, he probably should have told his bosses what he was doing. And if he did, and the Mets screwed this whole thing up worse than we imagined (which I would believe and it wouldn’t take much), then he should have said something immediately.”

Mike Vaccaro NY Post: Mets’ dysfunction made Yoenis Cespedes drama much worse. “…in the aftermath of one of the truly insane days in a Mets history book that often feels like it was authored inside the reading room of a sanitarium, let’s just put it in the simplest way possible: This could only happen to the Mets. This only does happen to the Mets.”


Greg Prince Faith and Fear in Flushing: Opting Out While the Opting’s Good. “This rather sudden if somehow not shocking parting of the ways could have been communicated better from every angle. Cespedes should have at least sent Luis Rojas a text or answered one his manager sent him. The Mets should have waited for definitive word before clearing their throats, and then simply wished their now former star player good health and happy trails once they were up to speed.”

NY Post: Yoenis Cespedes was frustrated with Mets before opting out.  “…multiple sources confirmed that twice in the first nine games of the season, Cespedes confronted Mets officials because he was concerned about playing time and that he would be kept out of lineups to prevent him from reaching lucrative performance bonuses. One of those instances came Saturday, when Cespedes knew before the buses left the team hotel Sunday that he was not in the starting lineup.”

Gotham Baseball.com: “When the Mets acquired Cespedes in 2015 he came with a great deal of baggage, and just as much potential greatness. Within what seemed like minutes, the greatness came through and before we knew it, Cespedes had played a key role in the Mets first place finish and was along for the ride to the World Series. From that point on, he supplied some great moments, some frustrations, a couple significant injuries, a variety of headlines, and whole bunch of ‘what ifs.’”

NY Post: Dominic Smith is likely Mets winner in Yoenis Cespedes mess. “Maybe a preview of the Mets’ plan was on display in Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the Braves in which J.D. Davis started at DH and Dominic Smith in left field. Smith, who had largely been relegated to the bench in the Mets’ first nine games of the season, will likely be the primary benefactor from Cespedes’ departure.”

SNY.TV: Mets strike trade with Giants for speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton. Minor-league hurler Jordan Humphreys was sent to San Fran.

NBC Sports Bay area: Why Giants traded center fielder Billy Hamilton to Mets for prospect.  “Humphreys appears to fit right in with the Farhan Zaidi model. The Giants are trying to stockpile arms and use their deep minor league staff to develop them into bigger pieces, and there certainly is a lot to like about the 24-year-old right-hander. Humphreys was ranked as the 14th-best prospect in the Mets' system by MLB Pipeline, which noted that the Mets were so impressed by his Arizona Fall League stint that they put him on their 40-man roster.”

SNY.TV: Mets RHP Tyler Bashlor traded to Pirates for cash considerations. 



MLB Links:


Yahoo Sports: 7-inning doubleheaders debut in MLB, Reds sweep Tigers. Reds 4 Tigers 3 (Box Score); Reds 4 Tigers 0 (Box Score).

Astros 6 Angels 5 Blake Taylor gets the win 1.1 innings 2 walks, 2 Ks (Box Score).

Yahoo Sports: Shohei Ohtani gets MRI test on pitching arm following dismal start in Angels loss.  

Here is the full MLB Scoreboard from yesterday. 

MLB Trade Rumors: Cardinals Have “Multiple” New Positive COVID-19 Tests.

MLB Trade Rumors: Latest On Mookie Betts.  “Mookie Betts was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of this afternoon’s game against the Diamondbacks. Betts’ finger has some swelling, but x-rays fortunately came back negative…He’s day-to-day.”

Yahoo Sports: The NBA and NHL are playing games all day with fans home by the TV. Why isn't MLB?

Yahoo Sports: Reds place Joey Votto on IL reportedly for COVID-19 related symptoms.

Asian Baseball:

Chunichi and the Yakult Swallows played to a 0-0 tie Nori Aoki 2 for 4 (Box Score).

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.


Doosan Bears 7 NC Dinos 4 Aaron Altherr had the day off yesterday (Box Score).

Lotte Giants 8 Kia Tigers 0 Drew Gagnon 4.1 innings, 7 hits, 5 earned runs, 4 walks, 3 Ks (Box Score).

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:
  • Rich Donnelly – Syracuse Mets Bench Coach (1946)
  • Mackey Sasser (1962)
  • Kevin Elster (1964)
  • Rafael Fernandez – Brooklyn Hitting Coach (1988)
Died on this date:
Transactions:

 New York Mets signed free agent Lee Mazzilli on August 3, 1986.

New York Mets signed free agent Alex Trevino on August 3, 1990.

New York Mets claimed Donnie Hart on waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on August 3, 2019.

Centerfield Maz: Kevin Elster: 1986 World Champion Mets Infielder (1986-1992).

Centerfield Maz: Mackey Sasser: Late Eighties Mets Back Up Catcher (1988-1992).


1962
With his sixth home run in three consecutive games, Frank Thomas ties a National League record when he goes deep off Cincinnati's Joey Jay in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Mets 8-6 loss at the Polo Grounds. The right-handed slugger, who equaled the mark with a pair of round-trippers in each game, will add another homer to his club leading total in tomorrow's contest.
1987
After his ejection in the bottom of the 12th inning for arguing a close call at first base, the Columbia Mets manager Butch Hobson yanks the bag out of the ground and brings it into the clubhouse in protest. The bounced skipper is convinced to return the base to the field because the team has only one set of bases, but not before he sprays it bright orange to make the bag easier to see for the umpire. 

1995
Making his first start for the Rockies since being acquired from the Mets, Brett Saberhagen gives up 13 hits and walks three batters, but gets the win in the team's 9-4 win over the Dodgers. The sellout crowd gives their new hurler an enthusiastic standing ovation when he departs the game with one out in the seventh inning.
2015
Mike Hessman breaks the minor league home run record with the 433rd round-tripper of his nearly 19-year career, a grand slam against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the Mudhens' 10-8 extra-inning International League (AAA) loss at Toledo's Fifth Third Field. The 37 year-old first baseman, who played parts of five seasons with the Braves, Tigers, and Mets, surpasses Buzz Arlett, who established the mark in 1936 while playing for the Minneapolis Millers.

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

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1 comment:

Tom Brennan said...

With his sixth home run in three consecutive games, the Mets' Frank Thomas ties a National League record when he goes deep off Cincinnati's Joey Jay in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Mets 8-6 loss at the Polo Grounds.

I did not recall that - WOW - let's see Pete do that.

Watch Humphreys turn into Seth Lugo II.

That said, maybe the speedy and defensively highly gifted Hamilton can shock the Mets' heart similar to what the departing Yo did in 2015.

August 3, 2020 at 8:59 AM

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