John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 11/2/2020

Good Morning. Happy Birthday Tom Paciorek and Greg Harris. Steve Cohen takes tweets from fans, Mets shut down Instructional Camp – send players home, and Marcus Stroman gets Qualifying Offer.

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

Mets Links:

SNY.TV: Steve Cohen joins Twitter to ask Mets fans what they want to see from new ownership.

I would love to hear your ideas to make YOUR Mets experience better.

— Steven A Cohen (@StevenACohen2) November 1, 2020

We do need to honor Mets history

— Steven A Cohen (@StevenACohen2) November 1, 2020

Darell, No brainer to have Old Times Day , done

— Steven A Cohen (@StevenACohen2) November 1, 2020

Steve Cohen says it’s a “no brainer” to have Old Timer’s Day.

Who would you want to see out there for the Mets? 👀 pic.twitter.com/gSrghj5gsR

— Amazin' Army (@WE_ARE_MET_FANS) November 2, 2020

Forbes.com: New York Mets, Steve Cohen, Can’t Trade Top Prospects, Repeat Brodie Van Wagenen’s Mistakes.

If Sandy Alderson decides to change GM's, here's what he said he would look for in today's game (audio courtesy of Leadership Under Fire) #LGM #MetsRewind #Mets pic.twitter.com/KhTM45u3CW

— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) November 1, 2020

Per multiple sources I'm told Mets instructional league camp is officially ending. Players to be sent home.

— Ernest Dove (@ernestdove) November 1, 2020

SNY.TV: Mets extend qualifying offer to Marcus Stroman.

MLB Trade Rumors: Other Players Extended Qualifying Offers - Trevor Bauer; Kevin Gausman; DJ LeMahieu; J.T. Realmuto; George Springer.

MLB.com predicts that Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman will accept the qualifying offer. They predict everyone else will decline.

Ken Davidoff NY Post: Ranking MLB’s top 30 free agents and predicting where they’ll sign. Ken sees the Mets getting George Springer and James McCann and re-signing Marcus Stroman. 

Mets Junkies.com: Taking a look at Springer’s Defense. “Springer had his best defensive year in 2019, where he collected 8 OOA overall (5 in RF and 3 in CF). Last season he was an average CF’er with 1 OOA in CF. Small samplesize, but we can conclude his last two years, he has been a solid CF’er and for that reason an improvement over our current CF’er.”

Brian Joura Mets360: The Mets’ offensive core is Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo.   Brian also looks at the Mets possibly adding George Springer. 

Rising Apple: J.T. Realmuto is one of the top free agents this offseason. The New York Mets must ignite a bidding war to steal him from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Amazing Avenue: The Mets should consider extending the Edwin Díaz experience. 

Mets Junkies.com: Nick Tropeano to the Mets is an underrated Move. “In 2020, Tropeano had a 1-0 record, with a 1.15 ERA and 19 strikeouts and a 1.15 WHIP. He didn’t start in 2020, but could be used as a swing man out of the bullpen.”

NY Post: Dellin Betances exercises option for chance at Mets redemption.

Dellin Betances should give his agent a raise. Not only did Betances get a $5.3 million signing bonus for '20 (where as straight salaries were pro-rated), he is cashing in on a $6 million player option in a market flooded by relievers. Betances pitched to a 7.71 ERA in 15 games.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) November 1, 2020

Mike’s Mets talks about Betances, Stroman, and the Mets Off Season in Decisions, Decisions.

Metsmerized Online: 2020 Mets Report Card: Jeff McNeil. Player Stats: 52 G, 183 AB, .311 AVG, .383 OBP, .454 SLG, .836 OPS, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 19 R, 0 SB, 57 H, 20 BB.

Mets Minors.net: Mets 2020 Minor League Free Agent Watchlist.  “Barring late changes, 20 Mets minor leaguers will be declared free agents at 5 p.m. ET on the fifth day following the conclusion of the World Series” Players included - RHP Matt Blackham; OF Johneshwy Fargas; RHP Harol Gonzalez; OF Braxton Lee; OF Hansel Moreno; RHP Francisco Rios; C David Rodriguez.

Beisbol101.com: Gilberto Flores: a baseball soldier. Memories on the 1978-79 Mets Infielder (In Spanish – use google translate).

Rising Apple: Mets best trades made in November throughout the franchise’s history. Art Shamsky, Bob Ojeda, and Carlos Delgado are mentioned but the trade getting Felix Millan and George Stone is listed as the #1 November trade [BTW it happened OTD in 1972].

ESPN.com: My 5-year-old couldn't go to a New York Mets game this year -- so I sent him to all of them.

MLB Links:

CBS Sports: Why the 2020 season may be a sign of things to come for Major League Baseball. The uncertainties of 2020, COVID-related and otherwise, will still be felt in 2021. The New Rules, Looming Labor War, Restructuring pf the Minor Leagues are mentioned. 

MLB.com: Position by position: Top free agents available. For Catcher it’s J.T. Realmuto followed by James McCann, Yadier Molina, Kurt Suzuki, Jason Castro (Wilson Ramos not mentioned).  

Yahoo Sports: Giancarlo Stanton does not opt out of contracts “keeping the remaining $218 million and seven guaranteed years in his New York Yankees contract rather than opt out after a pair of injury-decimated seasons… As part of terms of the trade, because Stanton did not opt out, the Marlins will send the Yankees $30 million to offset part of what remains in his contract: $5 million each on July 1 and Oct. 1 in 2026, 2027 and 2028.”

NY Post: Yankees’ Carlos Mendoza competing with Alex Cora for Red Sox manager.

MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox Decline Option On Martin Perez.

MLB Trade Rumors: Orioles Exercise Jose Iglesias’ Club Option.

MLB Trade Rumors: J.D. Martinez Will Not Opt Out Of Red Sox Contract.

MLB Trade Rumors: Padres To Decline Mitch Moreland’s Option.

MLB Trade Rumors: Angels Among Teams Interested In Kolten Wong.

19-year-old San Francisco Giants prospect Marco Luciano with a 119mph exit velo piss missile and 80-grade bat toss. pic.twitter.com/xOqUeJJMsj

— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) November 1, 2020

Winter Baseball:

In the Mexican Pacific League Last Night -

Tomateros de Cuilacan 11 Caneros de los Mochis 1 (Box Score). Mets Catching Prospect Juan Uriarte, 1 for 3 with a double and the sole Caneros RBI, .275 this winter.  Sebastian Elizalde, former Mets minor league free agent, 2 for 4 with a 3 run HR 7^th of winter, run scored, 3 RBI, .348 batting average this winter for Tomateros.

Here is the full Mexican Pacific League Scoreboard.

THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL MEXICO:
*Yaquis at 15-2, swing a pair of deals
*Tigres, Valenzuelas to remain in Cancun for 2021
*LMB: Rieleros to stay put, expansion team for Veracruzhttps://t.co/7dU5rMYW14 pic.twitter.com/4pmbveRRTq

— Baseball Mexico (@BBMbaseball) November 2, 2020

Asian Baseball:

The Korea Herald: Two starters for Bears shortlisted for KBO's top player award for Oct. “Right-handers Chris Flexen and Raul Alcantara, the one-two punch at the top of the Bears' rotation, headline the list…Flexen, who'd missed time earlier in the year with injury, capped off his first KBO season with a 4-0 record and a league-best 0.85 ERA in five October starts. He struck out 42 in just 31 2/3 innings to also lead the league in October.”

Yonhap News: The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), following talks with the sports ministry and national health authorities, said the cap on the crowd size will be raised to up to 50 percent for the postseason…Currently, teams are filling up about 30 percent of seats.

Here is KBO’s Scoreboard.

JBALLALLEN.com: BayStars win 2nd virus test. For the second straight day, the DeNA BayStars threw open the doors to Yokohama Stadium as 24,537 on Friday and 27,850 on Saturday became the first normal-sized crowds to watch a sporting event in Japan since February.

Here is the Japan Baseball Scoreboard.

CPBL Stats: Brothers Take G2 of Taiwan Series With Strong Pitching.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Dick Sisler (1920)
• Bill Connors (1941)
• Tom Paciorek (1946)
• Greg Harris (1955)

Died on this date:

• Roy McMillan (1997)
• Joe Ginsberg (2012)

Transactions:

Mo Vaughn granted free agency on November 2, 2004.

National Pastime.com:

1972

The Braves trade southpaw George Stone and second baseman Felix Millan to the Mets for hurlers Danny Frisella and Gary Gentry, who will combine to win just nine games for Atlanta over the next three seasons. New York's acquisitions will play key roles in the team's success next season when their recently acquired infielder hits .290, and their new left-hander posts a 12-3 record along with an ERA of 2.80 for the National League champions.

Baseball Reference:

1976 - San Diego Padres pitcher Randy Jones beats out Jerry Koosman of the New York Mets for the National League Cy Young Award. Jones led the league with 315 innings pitched and posted a 22-14 record for the fifth-place Padres.

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