The Morning Report 1.28.2016 | Collins Setting High Expectations for 2016, Edgin Unlikely to Begin 2016 Season Until May, Potential Trade Match-up with Cardinals.

Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media- Coming off a World Series appearance and armed with one of the best starting rotations in baseball, the Mets will enter the 2016 season with high expectations. Even manager Terry Collins plans to hold his club to an elite standard with the hopes of steering the Mets back to the Fall Classic. "We've got to go back,'' Collins said. "Let's win it all. You got to have those expectations. If you are afraid of it, you are in the wrong sport. You talk about goals in baseball, there is no bigger goal, and until you get to the World Series, you don't really understand how much fun it is.''

(Chris Soto: Terry Collins is correctly putting high expectations on the 2016 season. We as Mets fans have had a taste of the glory and fun that comes with a World Series appearance and we will rightfully feel spoiled enough to demand another one. Should a 100-62 record with a loss in the NLCS a failed season? No of course not....but with us having a better team than last year when we DID make the World Series....it sure as heck will FEEL that way.)



David Hong | Metsmerized Online- According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Edgin is on pace to return about a month into the season and the Mets are anticipating his return to be around May 1. Edgin was the team’s top left-handed reliever in 2014, when he posted a 1.32 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings. The Mets re-signed fellow southpaw Jerry Blevins this offseason and he will be the primary lefty specialist until Edgin returns. The Mets also recently signed left-hander Antonio Bastardo to a two-year, $12 million dollar deal.

(Chris Soto: I'm not sure why but I was under the assumption all off-season that Edgin would be ready to go come 4/1. I understand now the Front Office's desire to acquire another solid left handed option......it was actually a need. When the Mets got off to that fast start early in the season, Collins was taking advantage of a 3 lefty bullpen. He will do so once again with Gilmartin being the low leverage lefty, Blevins the high leverage lefty, and Bastardo as the 8th inning guy who can face lefties or righties.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• According to Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Cardinals aren’t exactly certain of when Yadier Molina will be healthy enough to make his 2016 debut. Molina underwent thumb surgery back in October and had to undergo a second operation in December after the first one did not fully correct the ligament issue.
• This is interesting news of note because the Cardinals do not have an internal replacement for Molina. While Travis d'Arnaud is certainly still an injury risk, this can be a strong opportunity for potential discussions between the Mets and Cards for prospect Kevin Plawecki.
• The Mets announced that they have designated outfielder Darrell Ceciliani for assignment, which will clear clear a spot on the team’s 40-man roster for the newly re-signed Yoenis Cespedes
• At first glance, it seems like Ceciliani will likely clear waivers and report to AAA-Las Vegas, however, lately there has been a strong history of Mets CF capable players being claimed away from them. 
• According to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports, Lefty Eric O’Flaherty is set to throw for scouts in Seattle. He’ll be looking to prove that he’s not only healthy, but has worked out some mechanical kinks.

The Morning Report 1.21.2016 | Mets Sign LHRP Antonio Bastardo, Is He Ready for Higher Leverage Work?, Nationals Putting Pressure on Mets for Cespedes

Brian Joura | Mets360- The Mets have signed free agent reliever Antonio Bastardo to a two-year, $12 million deal. Bastardo had a very nice year in 2015, with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.134 WHIP. While he only compiled 57.1 IP in 66 Games, he’s not a LOOGY. He’s done quite well lifetime against RHB, with a .640 OPS allowed in 839 PA, which makes you wonder why his managers haven’t let him face more righties. A few things that we should be aware of in regards to Bastardo: 1. While he had a very nice year last year, he was not used in high leverage situations. 2. Bastardo has very high strikeout rates. He also has very high walk rates. 3. The last three years, Bastardo has done a good job in suppressing home runs. 4. Only once in his career has Bastardo recorded a 1.0 fWAR

(Chris Soto: Bastardo is an excellent addition for the Mets and gives Terry Collins multiple options and depth within his bullpen. In the 7th and 8th innings, he can use Blevins against the tough lefties, Robles against the tough righties, and use Addison Reed and Antonio Bastardo to fill the gaps in between. The move also seemingly bumps Sean Gilmartin out of the bullpen and gives the club an option to send him back to AAA to stretch out as a SP for 2016. Yes, Bastardo was mostly used in low leverage situations by the Pirates last season, but he has been a capable arm in the medium and high leverage situations as well during his time with the Phillies from 2011 - 2013.)



Bredan Kuty | NJ Advance Media- The Mets remain in talks with Cespedes, according to GM Sandy Alderson. That was reportedly echoed by owner Fred Wilpon at the Owners Meetings in Florida on Wednesday. The Mets are willing to give Cespedes a three-year, $60-million deal, according to a New York Post report. [Meanwhile], Washington has made an offer to Cespedes, but it's not worth as much money as slugger Justin Upton got from Detroit. Cespedes landing with the Nationals might be a small PR disaster for the Mets, who might end up roundly criticized for not just failing to retain its star, but for letting him go to its biggest National League East competitor.


(Chris Soto: When the Nationals interest was first reported, I figured that it was just a bluff tactic by Roc Nation to get the Mets to start being serious about their interest in re-signing him. However, now that there is a confirmed offer on the table....the Mets really need to get moving. If the club were to not re-sign him and he goes back to the American League.....that's fine. However, as good as their pitching is, the Mets CANNOT afford to let Cespedes end up in Washington and have to face him at the plate 60-80 times a season. Such a move would severely harm the Mets chances at repeating 2016 as the NL East champs.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Nothing new.....Everything is circling around Yeonis Cespedes.

The Morning Report 1.20.2016 | Antonio Bastardo's Market Heating Back Up, A Prospect Trade Worth Considering, Marlins Out of Cespedes Sweepstakes

Robert Murray | Baseball Essential- The market for free agent reliever Antonio Bastardo is beginning to heat up, with the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets all interested. Bastardo’s market has been somewhat quiet this offseason, but, he very well could land the three-year deal he seeks. It’s possible it could be for $5-6 million per season. Bastardo, 30, was very solid in his first full season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA and a 64/26 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

(Chris Soto: $5-6M per season may still be a little too rich for the Mets blood. While Bastardo does not have severe splits, which makes him a good candidate for the set-up role, the club is already paying Addison Reed $5.3M to be their set-up man. In addition, the club already has 3 other lefties projected to be in the bullpen with Josh Edgin, Jerry Blevins, and Sean Gilmartin. In fact, if used correctly, the compination of Blevins vs lefties and Robles vs righties could probably match the statistical performance that Bastardo would bring.)



J.J. Cooper | Baseball America- Prospect-for-prospect, challenge trades rarely happen. More often prospects are traded for big leaguers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t sketch out of some realistic trade. Here [is one] possibilty: Red Sox trade 2B Yoan Moncada to Mets for LHP Steven Matz and SS Luis Carpio. Moncada is one of the best position prospects in baseball. Matz is among the best pitching prospects in the game. And a swap would help fill big needs for both. Moncada could be the Mets long-term answer at second base (where Neil Walker has been acquired as a short-term replacement) but his versatility means he also could become a rangy, explosive center fielder.


(Chris Soto: Ohhh.....man.....that is enticing. At this very moment...I would have to say no to this potential swap. However, if you could guarantee me that Zack Wheeler will be back 100% healthy, I think I may actually be willing to pull the trigger on this one. Moncada is a FREAK athlete capable of becoming a 15 HR/60 SB talent that would wreck HAVOK at the top of anyone's starting line-up. There's also no doubt in my mind that he could add even more power and maybe settle into an Andrew McCutcheon style 20 HR/30 SB guy. He's that good.....)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Marlins President of Baseball Ops told Ken Rosenthal, "we have no interest in signing Cespedes" due to their already "crowded OF." Currently the club has Marcell Ozuna in LF, Christian Yelich in CF, and Giancarlo Stanton in RF.
• In an interview with MLB Network, Rockies’ GM Jeff Bridich, indicated that the team is not pushing to trade one of his 4 MLB starting caliber OF's. "I know it’s popular to expect a trade, but it’s tough to put odds on it right now. The last thing I want to do is apologize for bringing more talent into this organization. Adding another professional, talented young outfielder is overall a good thing. Having too much depth is a good thing.”

The Morning Report 1.19.2016 | Cespedes Market Shrinks Again As Upton Signs, Terry Collins Wants Cespedes Back in NY

Danny Abriano | Rising Apple- Free agent outfielder Justin Upton has agreed to a six-year deal with the Detroit Tigers worth $132.7 million which includes an opt-out after the second year. Signing with the Tigers takes another potential Yoenis Cespedes suitor out of the equation, but the length of contract Upton received can’t be viewed as a good development for any team that was hoping to get Cespedes on an extremely short-term deal.

(Chris Soto: This contract is a bit of a mixed bag for Cespedes. The 6 year length of the contract bodes well for Cespedes chances of securing a longer term contract, however, on the flip side, the Tigers were one of the few remaining teams capable of providing that kind contract length. The $22M per season value of the deal also seems like it bodes well for the Cespedes camp considering he is capable of playing CF which increasing his value. Only problem there....multiple teams are already brushing up on the top end of their budgets, including the LA Angels, who are only ~$15M under the $189M limit before they have to start paying luxury taxes. At the end of the day a 4 yr/$80M is still probably what I would guess is the contract he will end up signing.)



Barry M. Bloom | Mets.com- Mets pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in exactly 31 days, and manager Terry Collins said he's already getting ready for it. "I talked to Sandy today, and hopefully we'll continue to move forward in those [Cespedes] negotiations" said Collins. "I don't know where Cespedes is at contract-wise with anybody else, but I know he wants to come back to New York if he can. He's a great player and we'd love to have him back." Collins also said he anticipates no restrictions this year on younger pitchers Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom. "No, fortunately we're not going to have to worry about innings this year. We're going to be fine," he said. "One of the things I've learned is that you've got to be careful early in the year. If you're planning on having them pitch in October, then they have to be ready."


(Chris Soto: Here is the interesting part of Collins comments. Over the weekend, when discussing the possibility of signing Cespedes. Baltimore manager, Buck Showalter, was adamant about NOT wanting a guy like Cespedes. Meanwhile Collins is speaking the opposite tune. It sounds like the Mets are really trying to market themselves as "home" for Yeonis so that he should provide a discount on his services in order to stay "home.")

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Besides the Upton deal.....nothing else of note.

The Morning Report 1.13.2015 | Pressure is now on Wright to Perform, Mets Re-Sign Keith Hernandez, Parra Signs with Rockies; Potential Trade Looming?

James Newman | Mets360- Without signing Yoenis Cespedes, the lineup for the Mets will put a lot of confidence in David Wright to make up for the loss of Cespedes. Unfortunately, the captain has been injured over the past couple of years, and has played in over 120 games two times in the past five years. The last time Wright had over a 2.0 WAR was in 2013, when he made the All-Star Game. In 112 games, Wright hit .307, with 18 homers and 58 RBIs. With only Duda, Granderson, and Walker having [potential to] hit more than 20 home runs a season, the Mets may need a little bit more production from Wright if they are going to compete for the division title again.

(Chris Soto: I don't see how you can realistically place any hopes of a good offense on the shoulders of an aging David Wright. His back condition has sapped him of whatever HR power he had left. I believe that the David Wright we saw in the 30 games he played in August/September is going to be the new norm for him.....which is ok. That David Wright still OPS'd .814 which would have been 7th best in the MLB at the 3B position had he played enough games. Wright is no longer a reasonable #3 or a #4 hitter in any line-up.....however.....he can still be a VERY strong #2 hitter behind Curtis Granderson.)



Mike Puma | New York Post- One big free agent is returning to the Mets. Keith Hernandez, whose SNY contract was set to expire, has a new deal that will keep him in the Mets broadcast booth at least through the 2018 season. But an industry source indicated Hernandez’s new contract may extend even longer than the previous three-year deals he had received from the network. The former first baseman has teamed with Ron Darling and Gary Cohen to form one of the game’s most popular and colorful broadcast crews. Hernandez will receive a substantial raise in his new contract, according to a source. SNY wasn’t about to risk losing the popular Hernandez, who has become an iconic presence in the booth.

(Chris Soto: I have the premium SiriusXM and DirectTV packages, in my car and at home, which can get all of the home team broadcasts and let me tell you....I have listened to a wide variety of broadcasters and can realistically say that SNY has built one of, if not the best, away from the field broadcasting experience both on the radio AND on TV in the entire MLB. You just do not get bored listening to these guys. Replacing Keith, while still providing that same level of experience, would have been far too difficult to do so I am very glad they were able to come to a new agreement.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• The San Diego Padres are close to signing one of either SS Ian Desmond or SS Alexei Ramirez.
• The Colorado Rockies signed OF Gerardo Parra to a 3 yr/$27.5M deal ($9.16M per season). The consensus around the MLB is that with the signing, the Rockies could now be more aggressive in their desires to trade one of Corey Dickerson, Charlie Blackmon, or Carlos Gonzalez for some SP.
• The Miami Marlins have signed LHSP Wei-Yin Chen to a 5 yr contract worth $80M. The contract is backloaded and has an opt-out clause after the second year. The value of the first two years is $14M per season with the remaining 3 being worth $17.33M per year.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to dominate the international Free Agent market. This time they have signed 25 yr old Cuban RHP Yasiel Sierra to a 6 yr contract worth $30M. Sierra was not subject to the international bonus rules due to his age so the Dodgers will not have to pay a 100% tax of the contract value to the MLB like they did with youngster Yusniel Diaz.

The Morning Report 1.12.2016 | Cricket Superstar Trying Out for New York Mets, Lazarito Declared a Free Agent, Yadiel Hernandez Defects

Devon Teeple | Examiner- Kieran Powell is one of the most talented batsmen in cricket. At age 25, he’s played at the highest professional level including his Twenty20 debut at age 16. Powell is also one of only 81 players in history who have scored centuries in both innings of a Test match. It was recently announced the Powell, who has dealt with some contract disputes, has decided to take some time off from the game and will attempt to transition to professional baseball. He peaked the interest of scouts immediately and has already has some tryouts, including with the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets.

(Chris Soto: This is an interesting story...cricket is a BRUTALLY long sport that last 5! days. The batter continues to swing his bat and runs across the pitch and back over, and over, and over again, until he is retired. In the First Class cricket league, Powell scored 139! runs before finally being retired, so if anything, the guy could have good ball to bat skills and crazy insane endurance. Heck, why not....give the guy a try with the GCL Mets and see how he performs and then move him wherever it seems appropriate.)



DJ Short | NBC Sports- 16-year-old Cuban prospect Lazaro Armenteros has been declared a free agent by MLB and will be eligible to sign with a team beginning on February 10. Known as “Lazarito” on the international baseball scene, he’s expected to end up in a corner outfield spot in the long run, but he has experience at both corner infield positions. It’s important to note that because of Armenteros’ age and experience level, he will be subject to MLB’s international spending limits. You might recall that there was a similar situation with Yoan Moncada about a year ago. He ended up signing a $31.5 million deal with the Red Sox. The total outlay of the deal ended up being $63 million due to the penalties involved for exceeding the international spending limit.

(Chris Soto: Before this past weekend's showcase, talent evaluators were calling Lazarito, "the next great one." Reminiscent of Bo Jackson and Willie Mays but at a younger age. I'm not quite sure how to take the showcase results though. Here's a guy who hasn't played organized baseball in over a year because he got caught trying to defect from Cuba twice and ended up getting suspended. The last line is very important here too.....Lazarito IS subject to international signing rules which the Mets, along with multiple other teams are unlikely to exceed. It is also important to note that with a new CBA scheduled to be negotiated; an international draft is very likely in 2017. Team's ARE expecting this and a number of them have indicated a plan to blow through international spending limits in the 2016-2017 signing period since penalties wouldn't be able to carry over into the draft.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Another top level Cuban player has defected and is now preparing for showcases. OF Yadiel Hernandez will hold a showcase for MLB clubs on February 23rd in Mexico City. According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, Hernandez is one of the best position players available in a deep current pool of talent from the island nation. The 28-year-old has had his way with Cuban pitching at times — including a ridiculous .369/.509/.535 batting line that included 77 walks in 369 plate appearances last year — although Badler has explained previously that Hernandez is undersized and doesn’t possess loud tools.

The Morning Report 1.11.2016 | Wheeler Rehab On Schedule, Alderson in no Rush to Overpay for Bullpen, "Lazarito" Showcase, Cardinals Sign "The Final Boss"

Steven Marcus | Newsday- In terms of a possible return date, “I said from the beginning of June or July." Wheeler recently said. “That’s still the timetable for me. There’s this process; you never know if you’re going to have setbacks. They could be late, could be earlier. You never know. I’m not really trying to set a timetable." According to Sandy Alderson, “Zack is progressing very well. We expect him to be ready sometime midseason. His call demonstrated a strong desire to stay with the Mets. He is loyal to his teammates and believes in the direction of the team. This says a lot about Zack and about the Mets.”

(Chris Soto: Sounds like Zack Wheeler's rehab is progressing as scheduled. Tommy John Surgery is always a crap shoot. You never know just how well a guy is going to bounceback. For every strong Matt Harvey/Jose Fernandez return we see, there is just as many Bobby Parnell's and Josh Johnson's in the league. A healthy Zack Wheeler is better than Bartolo Colon and is WELL beyond what 90% of MLB teams have as their respective #5 SP option.)


Bill Baer | NBC Sports- The defending National League champion Mets are searching for bullpen help, but seem content to wait for free agent demands to diminish. GM Sandy Alderson would prefer to avoid multi-year contracts for relievers. “Does it really improve the team to give a reliever a one-, or two-year contract if we don’t believe he is better than what we have?” Two targets left in free agency include Antonio Bastardo and Tyler Clippard. Bastardo, 30, posted a 2.98 ERA with a 64/26 K/BB ratio in 57 1/3 innings for the Pirates this past season. Clippard, who came over to the Mets from the Athletics ahead of the trade deadline, compiled an aggregate 2.92 ERA with a 64/31 K/BB ratio over 71 innings.

(Chris Soto: I am ok with not spending a multi year deal on a RP. History will show that, outside the premier closers of the game, multi-year deals for mid inning relievers almost NEVER work out well for teams. There is always a significant degree of volatility with relievers year over year. Heck....25% of the league's closers, let alone middle inning guys, on 4/1 end up losing their jobs over the course of the season.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Sixteen-year-old Cuban outfielder Lazaro Armenteros held a showcase for scouts on January 8th. Approximately 150-200 scouts were in attendance to see the kid known only as "Lazarito." While the Cuban phenom has been compared to a young Willie Mays and Bo Jackson, the early word from the showcase that that he seemed "too muscular & stiff" and "unable to play CF."
• The San Franscisco Giants have signed CF Denard Span to a 3 yr/$31M contract pending he is able to pass his physical.
• The St. Louis Cardinals are close to a deal with Korean RP Seung-Hwan Oh "The Final Boss."The deal comes on the heels of a report that Oh was going to be suspended for 72 games if he had returned to the Korean Baseball Organization for allegedly gambling at a foreign casino, which is against South Korea’s laws.

The Morning Report 1.7.2016 | Mike Piazza Elected to the Hall of Fame, Tommy Tanous to Replace Paul DePodesta, Cespedes Playing 2nd Fiddle to Justin Upton

Michael Papandrea | Empire Writes Back- Long time New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza has been elected to the baseball Hall of Fame by accumulating 83 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America. His offensive stats alone were probably good enough to get him into the Hall. He had 427 career home runs and a .308 career batting average. As for his defense, people often overly criticize him on how poor he was, but realistically, he was a fine catcher. In terms of throwing base runners out, he was one of the worst, however, his strong suit behind the plate was blocking balls and framing pitches.

(Chris Soto: Congrats to Mike Piazza on his overdo election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is likely to be enshrined as a New York Met making him only the 2nd Met, besides Tom Seaver, in the HOF. It's too bad that him and Griffey Jr. were the only ones elected this year; I thought for sure we were going to have 4 with Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines joining them but they lost too much ground at the end.)


Michael Baron | Just Mets- The Mets appear inclined to promote DePodesta’s replacement from within as the Mets are likely to promote Tommy Tanous, their current scouting director, to the head of player development and amateur scouting. This is probably the most logical move the Mets can make, and certainly going with someone in-house who knows the system that’s in place and the people involved in that system is wise as well.

(Chris Soto: Tommy Tanous was basically Depodesta's right hand man. Anywhere Depo went, Tanous was right there with him as his shadow. He probably know just as much about the organizational plan and structure as Depodesta did so the pain felt from losing Depo shouldn't be that significant. One big difference is that Tanous did more physical scouting then Depo did so, in all honesty, Tanous might actually have a leg up on Depo when it comes to who he thinks the best players in the 2016 Draft class are.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, The Miami Marlins are in heavy negotiations with the Texas Rangers about a trade surrounding OF Marcell Ozuna and either SP Chi Chi Gonzalez or SP Nick Martinez.
• With OF Alex Gordon off the Free Agent market, interest in fellow OF'ers Justin Upton and Yeonis Cespedes seems to be picking up. However, most of the chatter from organizations continues to be more about Upton than Cespedes leaving most to believing that Cespedes is now going to have to wait for Upton to sign before getting legitimate offers. The Alex Gordon 4yr/$72M deal is believed to have depressed the value for both players.

The Morning Report 1.6.2016 | Hall of Fame Voting Results Announced Tonight; Is Piazza a Met or a Dodger?, Impact of DePodesta's Departure, Mets In Talks with LHRP Antonia Bastardo

David Hong | Metsmerized Online- If Piazza gets in, the question then is whether he gets in with a Mets or Dodgers hat. He spent his first seven seasons in Los Angeles and then eight seasons in New York. It’s also possible that he gets in with no logo at all.“The museum staff works with each inductee by suggesting an appropriate logo option, or no logo at all,” said Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson. A cutting remark from [Piazza's] own autobiography says it all. “If the Hall came to me and said, ‘We want you to go in as a Dodger,’ I’d say, ‘Well, then I’ll go in as nothing, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable with LA stamped on my head for all of eternity.”

(Chris Soto: I don't think there's that big of a question about which cap Piazza would where in the Hall of Fame, should he maintain his current voting trend numbers. Mike has made no secrets about where is heart lies in terms of a location's impact on his career. Piazza played over 150 more games for the Mets than he did the Dodgers and made his only World Series appearance with the Amazin's. There was also the very emotional post 9/11 HR memory as well as a number of career defining moments that occurred in NY, not LA.)


Ken Davidoff | New York Post- Paul DePodesta’s departure for the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, created industry-wide shock and a healthy diversion from Hall of Fame vitriol. We never will learn for certain if DePodesta would have succeeded Alderson. He seemed more comfortable working under the radar, evaluating talent and not needing to perform as the club spokesman for every maneuver. When Alderson missed both the GM meetings and the Winter Meetings, the Mets appointed VP and assistant GM John Ricco as their primary mouthpiece.Therefore, DePodesta’s emigration from baseball doesn’t mean as much to the Mets’ long game as it does to their immediate future.

(Chris Soto: DePodesta's departure has a significant impact on the 2016 draft and that is probably it as his role in the organization was not as large as everyone makes it sound like. He oversaw the scouting department and was Alderson's point person for the Rule 4 Drafts. The scouts are still there....they'll just report to someone else. It's not like these guys just up and vanish either, there are specific transition plans to move all the valuable insight from the old guy to the new guy that way the organization doesn't miss a beat.)

Ryan Thibs | BBHOF Ballot Tracker(updated 1.6.2016 10:55am EST | 43% of Ballots Made Public)

Ken Griffey Jr. | 100%
Mike Piazza      | 86.3%
Jeff Bagwell     | 77.5%
Tim Raines       | 76.5%
_______________________________________

Trevor Hoffman | 62.7%
Curt Schilling    | 60.8%
Mike Mussina    | 52.5%
Barry Bonds      | 51.5%
Roger Clemens  | 51.0%
Edgar Martinez  | 47.1%

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, The Mets are in negotiations with LHRP Antonio Bastardo on a major league contract. Bastardo is said to be searching for a 3 yr deal but the Mets are unwilling to sign a RP for that kind of length. The club is willing to wait out the market to see if Bastardo is successful in obtaining that agreement elsewhere.

The Morning Report 1.5.2016 | Hansel Robles Poised for a Breakout Season, The Season of Celebrations for the Mets, Multiple HOF Candidates Losing Ground

Rob Rogan | Mets 360- The Mets are, again, looking to add from the fringes to strengthen a part of the team they deemed so in need that they unloaded several pitching prospects at the 2015 deadline to improve it. The bright side here is that the team may actually already have a player in their bullpen that may be poised to make the leap into a dominant reliever in 2016: Hansel Robles. Now, there’s nothing about his stat line in 2015 that makes you think “shutdown reliever.” His ERA of 3.67 and 3.91 FIP are nothing special and, while his 10.17 K/9 rate was great to see, his 3.00 BB/9 was not. His debut was a positive one albeit nothing to write home about. However, his 2nd half was much better; his ERA was 3.16, while his K/9 was 12.06, which is simply phenomenal. He had 23 more strikeouts in just 8.9 more innings. His second half BB/9 of 2.59 was more palatable and his WHIP of 0.89 was fantastic.

(Chris Soto: Last year in our prospect series, we had indicated that Robles could be the first of the superb 2012 Cyclones rotation to crack the majors which he did successfully. His conversion from SP to RP, his close relationship with Juerys Familia, and the development of his slider with Dan Warthern, has really elevated his game to a level where his ceiling has increased from a 2 pitch low leverage RP to a true impact high leverage late inning guy. He could be a breakout candidate in 2016 and could possibly improve enough to steal some 8th inning work from Addison Reed.)


Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media- The Mets will honor the 30th anniversary of the 1986 World Championship team during Memorial Day weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. All players from the squad, along with manager Davey Johnson and his coaching staff, have been invited to participate in a pregame on-field ceremony on May 28. The celebratory weekend will include special giveaways, including a 1986 themed t-shirt on May 27 and a replica ring on May 29. 

(Chris Soto: The Mets are planning on 2016 being a wonderful celebratory year. With Piazza likely being elected to Hall of Fame, finally, the modern day team doing well, and the 30 year anniversary of the last championship, Citi Field should be a rocking house for a good portion of the season. That is....as long as the team performs to it's expectations that is.)

Ryan Thibs | BBHOF Ballot Tracker(updated 1.4.2016 | 35% of Ballots Made Public)

Ken Griffey Jr. | 100%
Mike Piazza      | 86.7%
Jeff Bagwell     | 79.7%
Tim Raines       | 77.8%
_______________________________________

Trevor Hoffman | 61.4%
Curt Schilling    | 59.5%
Mike Mussina    | 53.2%
Barry Bonds      | 49.4%
Edgar Martinez  | 46.8%
Roger Clemens  | 48.7%
Alan Trammell   | 46.2%

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• The Miami Marlins have signed SP Edwin Jackson to a 1 year major league contract worth the league minimum.

The Morning Report 11.30.2015 | All Eyes on Ben Zobrist, Recker Signs with Cleveland, Nationals Lose Zimmerman to Detroit, Arias Signs with San Diego

Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media- The Mets appear to be making a strong effort to sign Ben Zobrist. According to sources, the Nationals along with Braves, SFGiants, others are also in. Per Ken Rosenthal, the Zobrist market likely will become more defined in next few days. A team's willingness to guarantee fourth year likely will be the deciding factor.

(Chris Soto: Ugh...I just don't like this potential move one bit. You've got a guy who's already 34 yrs old and his primary asset is "versatility." Versatility is only good if the defensively play at each position is average to above average. Unfortunately for Zobrist, his defensive metrics have been in decline the past 2 years and will likely only get worse as he continues to age. This is not the way to spend the first $12M+ of the off-season.)



Steve Schreiber | Amazin Avenue- After a disappointing final season with the Mets, Anthony Recker is headed to the Cleveland Indians' organization via a minor league deal that includes an invitation to spring training. Recker, who served as Travis d'Arnaud's backup for parts of 2013, 2014, and 2015, was removed from the 40-man roster on November 6 after clearing waivers. With Kevin Plawecki positioned as the backup for 2016, the Mets have no immediate need for Recker.

(Chris Soto: Say what you want about Recker...but the back-up catcher's main job is to be a solid defensive provider on days where the main catcher needs some rest. From that angle.....Recker did a great job during his time with the Mets as most of the starters praised his work behind the plate with some showing even better results with him over d'Arnaud. That said...despite providing the occasional super clutch HR...he struggled to stay over the Mendoza line on an annual basis. With Plawecki now MLB ready, it was time for Recker to go. GOOD LUCK in Cleveland!!)



Joe D. | Metsmerized Online- Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a deal with free agent RHP Jordan Zimmermann. The former Washington Nationals rotation mainstay will receive a five year deal worth $110 million dollars. He is the Nationals’ all-time leader in wins, innings, strikeouts and games started. He is also one of four pitchers to work at least 190 innings and make 32 starts in each of the past four seasons.

(Chris Soto: Here's the first big blow to the Nationals 2016 team. Zimmerman has been a major piece of the Nationals rotation for years and was the guy behind Scherzer and Strasburg that you could always count on to provide you with a quality start week in and week out. His replacement, Joe Ross, certainly has talent and the potential to become a solid arm himself....but the immediate downgrade from Zimmerman will likely result in 2-3 more losses in 2016 alone.)



HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Mets lost a minor league free agent over the Thanksgiving Break, RHSP Martires Arias signed a new minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. Despite being 25yrs old, Arias only reached A-ball Savannah with the Mets organization. Before 2014, Arias was statistically one of the worst arms in the Mets system due to his poor control. However, he finally was able to harness his stuff and posted solid numbers in Brooklyn, and Savannah including double digit K/9 rates.
• Nothing else......just Zobrist, Zobrist, Zobrist, Zobrist......

The Morning Report 11.9.2015 | HOT STOVE: Rockies Interested in Murphy, Mets Interested in Span and O'Day, Jason Heyward the Perfect Fit

Michael Baron | Just Mets- It’s been less than 24 hours since teams have had free reign to sign free agents from other clubs, and one of the Mets free agents is already garnering discussion. The Rockies are essentially set around their infield with Nolan Arenado, Jose Reyes, and DJ LeMahieu left to right, but really lack a viable, everyday option at first base now that Justin Morneau is a free agent. Coors Field would be a good ballpark for Murphy’s game, given the large dimensions and his ability to spray the ball gap-to-gap. He would also see an uptick in power as well, as do most players who play in that ballpark.

(Chris Soto: I don't quite see the fit here for the Rockies. They have an excellent line-up already with Jose Reyes, Charlie Blackmon, Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez, Corey Dickerson, and DJ LeMathieu which is already quite lefty heavy. Murphy only adds to the lefty-ness and doesn't provide too much of an upgrade over Ben Paulsen in terms of offense. But hey....I won't complain if the Rockies want to give us a 1st round pick.)



Danny Abraino | Rising Apple- The Mets might have interest in free agent OF Denard Span. The Mets might be in search of a lefty-hitting center fielder who can platoon with Juan Lagares — who hits left-handed pitchers well — and Span would be a perfect fit if not for the amount of injuries he’s dealt with over the last 12 months. In their free agent preview, MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Span would receive a three-year deal worth $39 million. If Span stays healthy, that could be a bargain, but his three recent surgeries should give any interested team pause.

(Chris Soto: Yuck....no thanks. If I'm Sandy Alderson, I'm already paying Michael Cuddyer $12.5M to be a bench player in 2016, so there is no way I'm giving Span $13M to be a platoon player with Lagares. I would much rather use that $13M per season in a larger deal for a greater impact bat such as Jason Heyward that could send Lagares to the bench as my late inning defensive wizard.)



Rob Rogan | Mets 360- Jason Heyward is going to get paid this off-season, and he’s going to get paid a lot. Part of that has to do with how Major League Baseball free agency works, what with insane contracts that get crazier and crazier each year. Most of it, though, is because of just how great a player he’s been over the last six seasons and the potential for more. A major-yet-temporary caveat here is that Heyward is primarily a right fielder and the Mets currently have Curtis Granderson entrenched there for two more seasons. If the team was willing to shove Yoenis Cespedes out there, there should be no qualms about having Heyward man center.

(Chris Soto: I am 100% in agreement with Rogan here. Jason Heyward is the best defensive RF in baseball and he steals 20+ bases a season. The altheticism is there to play CF on a regular basis and he is surely a better potential defender there than Yeonis Cespedes. The best part is that he is only 25 yrs old! Your not paying for a Jason Bay who was on the wrong side of 30 when he signed; your signing a guy just entering the prime of his career who has major upside in what he could eventually produce for you. He is the one guy that fits all the needs of the Mets, a middle of the order bat, improving team defense, and increasing team speed.)



Scot Cohen | Amazin Avenue- The Mets are interested in 33-year-old relief pitcher Darren O'Day. O'Day has spent the last four years with the Baltimore Orioles and had the best season of his career in 2015, as he made 68 appearances for and finished the year with a 1.52 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 2.49 FIP. He struck out 82 hitters and walked just 14 in 65.1 innings.

(Chris Soto: I would LOVE to have Darren O'Day in the Mets bullpen, however, there is a major elephant in the room in regards to him. No Qualifying Offer was made from the Baltimore Orioles, which means no team is going to have to shell out a draft pick in order to sign him. This is going to make him the most popular bullpen arm on the market which means he'll likely get a multi year deal for over $8M per season. That is a price tag that I'm not sure the Mets are willing to match, especially, with Addison Reed already on the payroll for ~$5.3M next season.)

The Morning Report 11.5.2015 | Should the Mets Give Murphy a QO?, Geren Interviewing for Dodgers Position, No SPs on the Trade Block, Lagares Elbow Being Examined

Andrew Gould | Amazin Avenue- Days after falling short in the World Series, the Mets must make a pivotal off-season decision. With Friday's deadline looming, the club has not decided whether it will extend a one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer to Daniel Murphy. If Murphy declines the qualifying offer and signs with another team—and no player has accepted one since the creation of the qualifying offer—the Mets would receive a compensatory draft pick in next year's amateur draft.

(Chris Soto: I personally do not believe that Murphy's agent thinks he can get more than $15.8M per season on the open market, and because of that, there is actually a high probability that Murphy would accept the Qualifying Offer. Per research at Fangraphs, the general consensus is that Murphy could get a maximum contract of 4yrs $48M or $12M per season. It comes down to whether Murphy wants the long term security or the big dollar value. While a 1 yr deal is hardly debilitating to a team's payroll, that money could certainly be used to improve the elsewhere.)



Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- The New York Mets have invited all of their coaches to return for the 2016 season, general manager Sandy Alderson said Wednesday. First, though, bench coach Bob Geren will interview for the managerial job with the Los Angeles Dodgers. ESPN’s Jim Bowden reports the candidates also include Kirk Gibson, Bud Black, Gabe Kapler, Dave Roberts, Dave Martinez, Darrin Erstad, Ron Roenicke and Tim Wallach. Geren may not be the favorite to land the job, but he does have a relationship with Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi from their days with the Oakland Athletics. Geren managed the A’s from 2007 through 2011, compiling a 334-376 record.

(Chris Soto: You have to wonder....lets say hypothetically that Bob Geren is hired as the Dodgers new Manager. That leaves Terry's bench coach position open to be filled, anyone think that they would promote Wally Backman into that position? Me personally, I think that would be too much of a distraction at first, but eventually no one would care.....that is unless the Mets somehow struggle next season. Honestly I think you could see someone like Binghamton Mets manager Luis Natera get the call instead of Backman.)



Brian Devine | Metsmerized Online- According to Sandy Alderson, the Mets are unlikely to trade any of the team’s top young starters during the offseason. While the Mets will certainly be looking for upgrades on offense, Alderson thinks that dealing any of them will end up hurting the team unless somebody is willing to make them a great offer. “I can’t see it happening,” Alderson said Wednesday about the quartet of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. “You never know what comes up. But I think it’s unlikely.”

(Chris Soto: Nor should he....Alderson said it perfectly in his interview yesterday. Next year, if they haven't already, the Mets Full 5 SP Rotation is going to be the envy of the entire MLB. Quite honestly, anyone of Harvey, deGrom, or Syndergaard could easily be next year's CY Young award winner. It' actually more likely that all 3 end up in the Top 5 in voting for the award. Keep the beasts intact and spend the free agency money on hitting.)



Danny Abriano | Rising Apple- Mets manager Terry Collins said on Wednesday that Juan Lagares, who has been dealing with a right elbow issue since 2014, will probably not require surgery for the injury. According to Collins, Lagares was set to be examined on Wednesday and likely be prescribed rest for the elbow. Lagares missed the end of the 2014 season due to the elbow issue and was compromised at times because of it in 2015, with some saying he altered his positioning in the outfield due to his inability to unleash throws as he’d been accustomed to.

(Chris Soto: Terry Collins doesn't exactly have the best track record in regards to projecting potential injuries. Due to the fact that he said Lagares should only need rest, probably means Lagares is heading for Tommy John Surgery. If that is the case, then it actually opens the door wide open for possible additions to the team for the CF position. Free Agent possibilities include Dexter Fowler, Colby Rasmus, Austin Jackson, or Denard Span. You could also get creative and go after athletic corner OFs and try them in CF....this list includes Alex Gordon, Gerardo Parra, Justin Upton, and Jason Heyward.)

The Morning Report 11.3.2015 | Marcos Molina Under the Knife, Free Agency Filings, 40 Man Becomes Active Roster

Steve Sypa | Amazin Avenue- Mets' pitching prospect Marcos Molina has undergone Tommy John surgery. Molina made six starts with the St. Lucie Mets before being shut down on May 14 due to a strained right elbow. After exploring the possibility of needing Tommy John surgery, Molina and the team opted to have him rehab the injury naturally instead. On August 5, he returned to the mound for the first time in roughly two-and-a-half months, starting a rehab game for the GCL Mets. Molina returned to the St. Lucie Mets a week later, but had his season come to an end after only two more appearances due to lingering elbow issues.

(Chris Soto: Damn....what a shame. Molina is one of the more talented arms left in the system after Alderson depleted some of it's depth via mid-season trades. It is quite troubling how the situation was handled. Generally prospects are handled with great care so it's surprising that the organization let Molina go back out there and pitch again. My initial thoughts are that Molina himself had reservations about getting the surgery and the Mets couldn't convince him otherwise. Either way, sadly, we will not be seeing Molina in 2016.)

OFF-SEASON UPDATE

• The Following players have filed for free agency and are no longer members of the team. The Mets will have a 5 day exclusive negotiating window with all of these players before free agency opens.
• LHP Jerry Blevins, $2.4M
• OF Yeonis Cespedes, $10.5M
• RHP Tyler Clippard, $8.3M
• RHP Bartolo Colon, $11M
• UT Kelly Johnson, $1.5M
• IF Daniel Murphy, $8M
• LHP Eric O'Flaherty, $5.5M
• RHP Bobby Parnell, $3.7M
• IF Juan Uribe, $6.5M
• Total Salary Reduction: $57.4M
• 40 Man Roster Size: 31 players

• Per MLB Rules, all players on the 40 man roster must be placed on the active roster. The following Players have been placed on the active roster
• RHP Carlos Torres
• RHP Gabriel Ynoa
• RHP Logan Verrett
• LF Eric Young Jr.
• 2B Dilson Herrera
• RHP Akeel Morris
• C Anthony Recker
• 3B Eric Campbell
• SS Ruben Tejada
• LHP Dario Alvarez
• SS Matt Reynolds
• RHP Erik Goeddel
• C Johnny Monell

(Chris Soto: The 2015-2016 Off-season has officially begun with the procedural moves being first. One thing to take note of is that the Mets will need to activate all of their players currently on the 60 Day Disabled List. Currently the 40 man roster has enough space to accommodate the 7 guys on the DL but it doesn't leave too much room for Rule 5 Draft protections so additional removals from the 40 man roster will need to be made.)

The Morning Report 11.2.2015 | Collins Blames His Heart, 2015 Mets Team is Mirror image of 1984 Team, Off-Season Mode Begins Immediately.

Craig Calcaterra | NBS Sports- Terry Collins’ decision to leave Matt Harvey in the game for the ninth inning last night will be long-discussed in New York. Maybe there were good arguments against it and maybe those good arguments were right. But there was a lot of emotion and drama and gut instinct to it all as well. Collins, somewhat surprisingly, admitted that it was all about his heart: "I told him that we were going — that was enough. And he just came over and said, “I want this game. I want it bad. You’ve got to leave me in.” I said, “Matt, you’ve got us exactly where we wanted to get you.” He said, “I want this game in the worst way.” So obviously I let my heart get in the way of my gut. I love my players. And I trust them. And so I said, “Go get ’em out.”

(Chris Soto: I don't blame Terry Collins....not one bit....there isn't a manager in baseball who would've taken the fiery Harvey out of this game with as well as he had been pitching last night. Especially when you factor in how well the Royals had been performing against the Mets bullpen during the series. I always say that if the ship is gonna go down, you better make sure it goes down with your best guns firing. Harvey was the best gun last night and had every right to still be out there. 2015 was a GREAT, lemme say it again....a GREAT season. Mets fans should be unbelievably proud of this team.)

Dan Capwell | Mets Today- The Mets’ magic carpet ride crashed and burned last night at Citi Field. This one will hurt for a while but the reality of the situation is that the Mets, while vastly improved over last year, (or even mid-season), just aren’t completely ready and on the biggest stage in baseball their flaws were finally exposed. That’s why I loved Darling’s pre-game comments on SNY last night. He compared the 2015 team to the 1984 team, which like this one, won 90 games, which was the first winning season in over half a decade for a beleaguered franchise. Like their 2015 antecedents, the 1984 team rose to the top mainly due to the emergence of some young arms. Niether team was quite ready. The 1984 team improved and the rest was history. Will the 2015 team improve? Time will tell.

(Chris Soto: This is both extremely accurate and an extremely important point that needs to be made. This is not some 1 and down team here. The only end of year starting players that will be reaching free agency this off-season are Daniel Murphy and Yoenis Cespedes. One of which [Murphy] is viewed as easily replaceable since, despite his consistency, he's generally only worth about 2.0 WAR per season thanks to his horribly bad defense. While there is certainly no guarantee that they will be back in the World Series, this team is certainly capable of fighting for another chance.)

Michael Baron | Just Mets- The Mets may have lost the World Series a few hours ago, but all that means is the Mets and the front office will go back to work in an effort to ensure they are on the other side of the celebration they witnesses in their home ballpark a year from now. All non-free agents and free agents who do not sign file for free agency currently on the 60-day disabled list must be activated and placed on the 40-man active roster today. The Mets must also consider 40-man roster decisions as it pertains to minor leaguers eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December. The name that headlines that list is Brandon Nimmo, Matt Bowman, Wuilmer Becerra, and Robert Gsellman.

(Chris Soto: No rest for the weary. The team now needs to quickly change gears into off-season mode almost immediately. Buddy Carlyle, Zack Wheeler, Josh Edgin, Rafael Montero, Jack Leathersich, Wilfredo Tovar, Jerry Blevins, Darrell Ceciliani must all be activated today. The team will naturally clear some 40 man roster spots via players filing for Free Agency such as Cespedes, Murphy, Parnell, Uribe, Johnson, Blevins, and Clippard. That's 7 on versus 6 off so someone is going to have to be DFA'd off the 40 man roster....I expect that this will likely be either Carlyle or Eric Young Jr., who surprisingly, is still only eligible for Arbitration.)

The Morning Report 10.29.2015 | Concern about deGrom's Arm Slot, Royals Strength Scaring the Mets Away from their Strength, Syndergaard looks to Right the Ship

Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- The Kansas City Royals produced four runs in the fifth inning against ace Jacob deGrom and beat the Mets 7-1 on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium. That dropped the Amazin’s into an 0-2 series hole. Said deGrom: “I felt like my stuff was good. I just wasn’t locating very well. I wasn’t really surprised by it because we kind of knew that going in. Early on, my pitch count was staying pretty low because I knew they were going to be attacking early.”

(Chris Soto: This is the same story we have been telling almost all month on deGrom. His fastball command has just flat out disappeared during the playoffs. In my opinion.....he's just flat out gassed out for the season as his workload is now 40 IP over his previous career high. More concerning than that is the fact that his shoulder and release point is dropping quickly as the postseason continues on. During the season, deGrom's vertical release point was in the 5.83 ft range....during the playoffs though....that release point has been on a steady decline down to 5.61 ft last night. It may not sound like a major difference, but, an unrecognized change in release point can put strain on a shoulder and open a guy up for injury.)

John Harper | NY Daily News- As relentless as advertised, the Royals have negated the Mets’ most lethal weapon, one that has carried them through the postseason. That is, they don’t strike out. They rarely even swing and miss. And for a team that is built around power arms accustomed to blowing hitters away at will, there is bound to be something of a psychological impact at some point for the entire ballclub when they can’t do it. Terry Collins admitted the obvious: “We win because we ride our starting pitching," he said. “When they struggle we’re going to struggle, and that’s what’s happened."

(Chris Soto: This was my MAJOR concern heading into this series. Unlike the Cubs, the Royals just flat out....dont strike out. A huge strength of the Mets just completely mitigated by a team philosophy on 100% attack attack attack. That said though, as good as the Royals are at hitting 95+ mph fastballs, in my opinion....the Mets are deviating too far away from what makes these young arms so good. 43.6 % non-fastballs from deGrom last night, 62.5% non fastballs from Harvey in Game 1....this is not how we got here. These are power arms! Not finesse pitchers. Rather than trying to work around the Royals strength....its time to man the hell up and put your strength up against there's.)

Kevin Kernan | New York Post- Thor is ready, make no mistake about that. The Mets are down 0-2 in the World Series after Wednesday night’s 7-1 wipeout at the hands of the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. “I’m really excited about Friday’s start,’’ he told The Post in the quiet of the Mets clubhouse. Then his next comment said all you needed to know about his approach: “It’s just another game.’’ “He’s throwing the ball as well as anybody in the playoffs,’’ said Wright, who slogged through an 0-for-4 night. “I think when you have that type of stuff and the command he has shown especially in the playoffs, you should have a lot of confidence. “Just look at him, he’s ready to roll.’’

(Chris Soto: Of the 3 big arms the Mets have....Syndergaard has the most power behind his arm. The Mets need Thor to step up big time tomorrow as no team has ever come back from down 0-3 in a World Series. I'm going to be looking for Syndergaard to go up their and just rear back and blow 100 mph fastballs past these Royals hitters. Still mix it up of course....but stick with what has made you a stud so far this season.)

The Morning Report 10.27.2015 | Harvey Ready for Game 1, Match-up in the Royals Favor, David Aardsma on the Mets SP, Cecchini Participating in International Ball.

Dan Martin | New York Post- He was the first of the Mets current crop of young starters to make the jump from the minors, perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that even after all the innings-limits controversies, Harvey will start Game 1 against the Royals. “I think for all of us, we’re kind of sitting around the locker room all talking to each other and I don’t think anything has really set in for us yet,” Harvey said. “Which in our minds I think is a positive. We still realize that it’s a baseball game. And for me this is another start. Obviously, it’s a start on a different level.”

(Chris Soto: I think it is extremely important that Harvey comes out and pitches a great game tonight. 1 psychological advantage the Mets have against the Royals is that their SP is just SOOO Good.....and everyone in the MLB knows it. However, if the Royals are able to come out Game 1 and put a hurting on Harvey, it changes the mentality of the whole series. Hitters thoughts go from "Yea their good....its going to be a challenging series." to "We know we can hit these guys.....We just need to execute." It may not sound like much....but in the game of baseball, mentality and approach are huge parts of the game.)

Thomas Boswell | The Washington Post- The Royals will win because of one main advantage that many people have spotted, yet not seen clearly. The consensus wisdom is that K.C.’s high-average contact hitters do well against power pitchers like those of the Mets. Even Manager Ned Yost said, “We do tend to do well against power pitchers.” The Royals hit .284 this year on pitches that were 95 mph or faster. While this is true, it misses the point: The Royals actually cope particularly well with right-handed power pitchers. Why? Five of the Royals’ best hitters bat left-handed or are switch-hitters — so, sweet matchups. The Royals tend to handle high-strikeout righties. They beat 2014 Cy Young winner Corey Kluber four times this season despite his 245 strikeouts.

(Chris Soto: Hey Mr. Boswell.....go shove it! He makes a fair point though. The Royals have excellent statistics against high profile, high strikeout right handed starting pitchers. If the Mets SPs are going to win these games, they are going to need to trust in the defense to make some plays because unlike the Cubs....these Royals aren't going to strike out.)

David Aardsma | Baseball Essential- There was one moment this season that showed me how special the New York Mets’ young arms are. In mid-June of this season, I was sitting in the Atlanta Ritz-Carlton bar with fellow pitcher Dana Eveland talking baseball. As we were hanging out, we both noticed Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen walk in. After a little small talk about the game we had just played, I asked him the question both Dana and I had been wondering for five days: Why did all the other starters stand in the bullpen and watch that day’s starter throw, then follow him into the dugout before the game? Dan got a huge grin on his face the moment I asked him the question, He looked me right in the eyes and said, “That was completely their idea.”I knew exactly what Dan’s grin meant. Dan knew these kids were different — he knew these kids were special.

(Chris Soto: It's nice to see some good praises coming by way of former MLB players. I wasn't aware that this was an uncommon practice. I guess we have gotten so used to the idea of all the SPs watching each other that it hadn't dawned on us. It honestly has gotten to a point where....what is Dan supposed to do? Like a parent watching their children post college graduation, you just kinda stand there is awe of how much they have grown and just how talented they are...but you standby for the occasional question or point where they need to be reeled in and reminded just how talented they are.)



Mike Rosenbaum | MLB.com- USA Baseball named its team for next month's WBSC Premier 12 Tournament, and it's highlighted by a pair of prospects -- Milwaukee's Brett Phillips and Gavin Cecchini of the Mets -- who rank among the best in baseball. The 27-man roster is comprised of players who are not on a Major League team's 40-man roster and features players from 14 different organizations. The team will be managed by former Mets skipper Willie Randolph. the Mets have four players on the squad: SS Gavin Cecchini, RHP John Church, C Dan Rohfling, and RHP Cody Satterwhite.



(Chris Soto: Hey, lets not forget that their is non-World Series related things going on too. This is an excellent opportunity for Cecchini to really grow as a player as he will get to face talented players from all over the globe. The U.S.'s Premier 12 team will take on Canada in a three-game exhibition series in Phoenix, Ariz., from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, before leaving for Taipei. They begin pool play on Nov. 10 with a contest against the Dominican Republic.)

The Morning Report 10.26.2015 | Position by Position Breakdown, World Series Rotation Order, How Much Will Murphy Get Paid?, Uribe and Cespedes Ready for World Series.

Associated Press | New York Times- A position-by-position look at the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium: 1B: Even, 2B: Mets, SS: Royals, 3B: Mets, C: Royals, LF: Mets, CF: Royals, RF: Mets, DH: Royals, SP: Mets, RP: Royals, Bench: Mets, Manager: Mets......Outcome: Mets in 6. Again, if Cespedes is healthy.

(Chris Soto: This is a very even World Series matchup....one that could end up going the distance. Unlike the Cubs, who the Mets just obliterated due to the Cubs propensity to strike out, the Royals are a scrappy bunch who can put the ball in play and make things happen on the basepaths. In order for the Mets to be successful, they will need their SP to go right after these Royals hitters. DO NOT try for the K, they will just run up your pitch count, instead....try and induce weak contact and let your defense do the work....Hopefully Flores is up to the task.)

Josh Peelman | Empire Writes Back- The wait is over. The New York Mets have revealed who they intend to start for their first four games of the World Series versus the Kansas City Royals. Up first, the Mets have decided to go with Matt Harvey as their starter for Game 1 and Jacob deGrom in Game 2. Next up in Game 3 will be Noah Syndergaard, followed by Steven Matz in Game 4. Collins was cautious of using deGrom as his starter in Game 1, mostly because he felt the young pitcher was experiencing fatigue, and the task of playing beyond the regular season was catching up to him. He has struggled to find location with his fastball in recent games leading to quite a few tight spots for the young pitcher.

(Chris Soto: Collins is making the right choice here in terms of his rotation for the World Series. deGrom has in fact looked tired and has seriously labored through his last 2 starts. This configuration will give him a full week of rest in between starts that will hopefully re-energize him to go out and pitch brilliantly once more. Also....should the Mets fail into early trouble in the series, This allows them the capability of pitching both Harvey and deGrom on 3 days rest should they need to for Games 4 + 5, thus pushing Matz to Game 6 since Syndergaard would only be on 2 days rest by then.)

Jacob Shafer | Bleacher Report- Each one of Daniel Murphy's home runs this October wasn't accompanied by a cartoon cash-register sound effect, though they all probably should have been. Murphy slugged the New York Mets to the World Series, sure. But he's also bashing himself toward a hefty free-agent payday this winter. How hefty will it be? And how hefty should it be? "Obviously, he's not going to be as hot as he’s been in the postseason, but he plays positions where his power plays well," an unnamed American League general manager said of Murphy "[but] He’s going to be sought-after and get a five-year deal at around $75 million. Maybe more."

(Chris Soto: My oh my....I love Murphy! But....if $15M per season for 5 years is going to be the running rate for his services....then I'm sorry but I'm passing. I'd rather re-allocate those funds into locking up Cespedes. $15M per season is roughly equavilent to a 3.0 to 4.0 WAR player....I have much more in Cespedes reaching that 4.0 WAR mark on an annual basis then I do Murphy, who's WAR production suffers greatly from his poor defense.)



David Hong | Metsmerized Online- Mets veteran infielder Juan Uribe, who missed the NLDS and NLCS with a chest injury, could possibly be ready to join the Mets World Series roster. But even if he is not, he will still be present with them during the Fall Classic. “Because he’s been to this dance before,” manager Terry Collins said. “I think his presence in the clubhouse and on the bench would be huge.” Yoenis Cespedes looks to be improving. He took batting practice Sunday for the first time since his injury and expects to be ready for Game 1 of the World Series. “Compared to the first day, I feel a lot better,” Cespedes said. “I thought I could probably do a little bit more today, but I didn’t want to push myself. I wanted to give myself another day before I started doing stuff again.”



(Chris Soto: Good to see that Uribe and Cespedes will both be ready to go. This is the World Series guys.....it's all hands on deck time!)