Mets News and Breakfast Links - 12/10/2019

Winter meeting updates on the anniversary of one of the Mets worst winter meeting trades – Nolan Ryan (and others) for Jim Fregosi.

Brodie Van Wagenen met with the Media and SNY.TV had video.  Quick highlights: On Jake Marisnick: “Center field, left field, right field, he's a plus defender in all three.” On Cespedes: “He started his running progression. He started his throwing and obviously his hitting, and hopefully he can continue to move forward.” Zack Wheeler: “…over the course of the last six weeks it started to become more clear that the price point was going to go beyond how we valued him."  The offseason started in July: “I think that part of our offseason strategy started in July. We traded for Marcus Stroman recognizing that starting pitching was going to be expensive and difficult to acquire…”.

About Jake Marisnick, Mack’s Mets Tom Brennan asked yesterday: “Is Jake Marisnick Really Just Keon the Second?”

Rising Apple says the Keon Broxton trade is even uglier now. 

Elite Sports NY said that Marisnick is a great addition to the Mets outfield.

The NY Daily News also had how Cespedes is progressing asking: “Is it still too soon for fans to start dreaming of a lineup that consists of Cespedes and 2019’s MLB home run leader in Pete Alonso? For these 2020 Mets, it’s all about dreaming big.”

The NY Post reported on Brodie’s press conference as well calling it the “underwhelming Zack Wheeler replacement plan”.

SNY.TV: Joe Girardi says Zack Wheeler is just starting to reach his potential.

The NY Daily News also had how Joe Girardi is not surprised by the Astros cheating scandal.

The NY Post’s Kevin Davidoff says Brodie is letting the Mets fall behind.  As noted “Until the Mets’ imperfect savior arrives, though? As Cosmo Kramer once advised, look away. They’re hideous.”

USA Today had a story listing the GM’s on the hot seat at the winter meetings.  Brodie was not included!

Metsmerized says the Mets are spinning wheels as others whiz by.

From MLB Trade Rumors the latest news in the NL East is how the Nationals retained Steven Strasburg. “It’s a stunning seven-year deal that guarantees the Scott Boras client a whopping $245MM, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com.”

MLB Trade Rumors also had that the Mets signed catcher David Rodriguez to a minors pact with an invitation to MLB camp, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Rodriguez, 23, spent his first seven professional seasons in the Rays’ system, making it to the Double-A level in each of the past two years. He hit .225/.303/.366 with seven homers over 295 PA in 2019.

SNY.TV’s John Harper had three potential Dominick Smith trades.  John had him going to the Red Sox with Familia for Nathan Evoldi and Brandon Workman; going to the Blue Jay for Ken Giles and Simon Woods-Richardson; Going with David Peterson to the Tigers for Buck Farmer and Tarik Skubal. 

SNY.TV’s Steve Gelbs and Andy Martino discussed a trade of Franciso Lindor for Amed Rosario and Noah Syndergaard. 

Syracuse.com had more on Tony DeFrancesco’s promotion to NY. “DeFrancesco said his responsibilities in New York will include working with the catchers and base running instruction.”

Empire Sports Media says the Mets are “stoked” about their coaching staff.

SNY.TV said David Wright called Carlos Beltran “one of the smartest baseball men I have been around.”

Lohud says that Hensley Meulens goes from one extreme to another (working with the Veteran Manager Bruce Bochy to new manager Carlos Beltran).

Mets 360 looked at how the Mets minor leagues may stack up after teams are reduced in 2021.  In the writer’s opinion “baseball could likely get rid of either the Advanced Rookie League or the Short Season A league and not greatly impact the development process.”

The Mets Police is not a fan of MLB’s new Nike Mets uniforms.

MLB.com has a great preview of the Rule 5 draft coming up this Thursday.  We will have more about this later in the week.  The article lists the following Mets minor leaguers are potential targets - Shervyen Newton, INF; Patrick Mazeika, C; Desmond Lindsay, OF; Luis Carpio, 2B/SS.  I would include Matt Blackham and Harol Gonzalez as well. 

Yahoo Sports discussed ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball schedule.  The World Champion Nationals are left off while the Mets are scheduled three times. 

No Games in the Dominican Republic last night due to the All-Star break. Ex-Met Jordany Valdespin was named player of the week in the Dominican after hitting .471 last week. 

Faith and Fear in Flushing had Jordany as their #57 top 100 Mets of the decade. “It’s been a while since they made Characters of the Game like they used to, but in 2012 and ’13, Jordany Valdespin presented himself as a throwback, whether he meant to or not. At bat, he was lightning in a bottle, setting the Met season record for pinch homers (5) as a rookie…By the middle of 2013, the lightning in the bottle was losing its fizz and after a testy exchange of NSFW words with Terry Collins, Jordany Valdespin could be termed an ex-Met right now.”

UltimateMets has this date in Mets History:

Born on this date:

• Doc Edwards (1936)
• Ted Martinez (1947)
• Doug Henry (1963)
• Mel Rojas (1966)
• Dan Wheeler (1977)
• Victor Diaz (1981)

Transactions:

New York Mets traded Nolan Ryan, Leroy Stanton, Francisco Estrada and Don Rose to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi on December 10, 1971.

From National Pastime.com: In one of the worst deals in franchise history, the Mets trade Nolan Ryan and three prospects to the Angels for six-time All-Star third baseman Jim Fregosi. The fireballer from Texas will set the all-time strikeout record (5,714) and will become a member of the Hall of Fame, while their new 30 year-old infielder (.232, 5, 32) plays less than two full seasons in New York, providing little help for the team.

New York Mets traded Mike Scott to the Houston Astros for Danny Heep on December 10, 1982.

New York Mets traded Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans to the Montreal Expos for Gary Carter on December 10, 1984.

St. Louis Cardinals drafted Clint Hurdle from the Mets on December 10, 1985.

New York Mets traded Hubie Brooks to the California Angels for Dave Gallagher on December 10, 1991.

New York Mets signed free agent Frank Tanana of the Detroit Tigers on December 10, 1992.

New York Mets traded Marc Kroon and Randy Curtis to the San Diego Padres for Frank Seminara, Tracy Sanders and Pablo Martinez on December 10, 1993.

New York Mets traded Chuck McElroy to the Baltimore Orioles for Jesse Orosco on December 10, 1999.

Pittsburgh Pirates signed Derek Bell of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 10, 2000.

New York Mets signed free agent Kaz Matsui on December 10, 2003.

Texas Rangers signed Richard Hidalgo of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 10, 2004.

Washington Nationals signed Paul Lo Duca of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 10, 2007.

New York Mets signed free agent Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels on December 10, 2008.

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