Mets News and Morning Links 1/28/2021

 

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Tsuyoshi Shinjo.  Mets Trade Steven Matz to Blue Jays for three pitchers, sign a lefty relief pitcher as the Angels are apparently out on Trevor Baurer.  

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

Mets Links and Links from SportSpyder:

Mack's Mets: The NY Mets trade Steven Matz to Toronto for three Prospects: RHP Sean Reid-Foley, RHP Yennsy Diaz and RHP Josh Winckowski.

According to MLB.com, Josh Winckowski is now their #26 prospecct and Yennsy Diaz is now their #30 prospect.

Best of luck to Steven Matz in Toronto.

Last season was ugly, but overall he was a serviceable starter — and at times a lot more.

A three-time Clemente Award nominee, Matz’s work through his Tru32 Foundation with FDNY, NYPD & others speaks for itself.https://t.co/WLLYbX76uN

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) January 28, 2021

and then there were two pic.twitter.com/ZbHS3YKpqR

— Shannon (@Miss_Met) January 28, 2021

MiLB.com: Mets net trio of arms from Jays for Matz. "Diaz, 24, works with a 60-grade fastball and has twice amassed more strikeouts than innings over five Minor League seasons...Winckowski was a 15th-round Draft pick out of a Florida high school in 2016. In 2018, he was the Pitcher of the Year in the Class A Short Season Northwest League (4-5, 2.78 ERA with 71 strikeouts over 68 innings), and the next year he was an All-Star in the Class A Midwest League (6-3, 2.32) before earning a promotion to the Florida State League (4-5, 3.19). At 6-foot-4, the 22-year-old throws a sinking fastball in the low 90s complemented by a 55-grade slider and an improving changeup."

Mike Puma NY Post: "With the Mets also pursuing stud right-hander Trevor Bauer, the payroll deduction could also help in trying to keep the team under the luxury-tax threshold of $210 million, should they reach agreement with last year’s National League Cy Young award winner."

Mike Puma NY Post: Mets sign Aaron Loup after missing out on top target. Loup, 33, pitched to a 2.52 ERA for the Rays last season, holding lefty batters to a .581 OPS. The lefty relief role the last two seasons with the Mets had been filled by Justin Wilson, who is a free agent.

90 Percent Mets: Extend Noah Syndergaard!

News: The Mets have named Zack Scott their acting general manager, effective immediately.

“Zack has plenty of championship experience to draw upon,” Sandy Alderson said in a statement.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) January 27, 2021

Here was Wednesday for the Mets: Zack Scott was named acting GM; Lefty reliever Aaron Loup signed a one-year contract; Steven Matz got traded to Toronto for three minor league pitchers. Bet you can't wait until Thursday. Except there is still 47 minutes left in Wednesday.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) January 28, 2021

This is very interesting, because the Mets were never going to be the team that blew everyone else away to sign Bauer. But if Bauer’s market fell to where they were comfortable? That’s the exact scenario where it happens. https://t.co/4Wz2GWpebu

— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) January 28, 2021

"Bauer previously worked with current Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway while in Cleveland from 2013 to 2017. They did not get along. [...] The relationship between Bauer and Callaway is believed to be eroded beyond repair" https://t.co/tp26xF2wnT

— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) January 28, 2021

Many people are frothing at the mouth over Bauer. He's a good pitcher, but not great. Look at his stats & tell me he's worth more than deGrom. His lifetime ERA is higher than Syndergaard, Stroman & Carrasco. He had 1 season where he pitched 200+ innings https://t.co/PoKuwsSxwz

— Russ O’Brien (@RussellTOB) January 27, 2021

Until they vote this man into the HOF, why bother voting at all? #LGM#GilHodgesDeservesToBeInTheHOF #GilHodges #GilHodgesHOFer pic.twitter.com/yZ4SxAor5e

— New York Mets Bob (@MetsBob) January 27, 2021

MLB and SportSpyder NL East and MLB Links:

Tanaka is back with Rakuten https://t.co/JOOz04zZ1t

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 28, 2021

MLB.com: 

MLB's most high-risk, high-reward rotation

Memories of Aaron shared at funeral service

Is this team lining up its push for Bauer?

1 move each NL Central team should make

23 innings might make him a top-tier reliever

Yanks finalize LeMahieu's 6-year deal

Roberts hopeful for Turner-LA reunion

Presenting the Top 10 outfield prospects (Spoiler no Mets - but there is Jarred Kelenic)

Outfielders have won Rookie of the Year Awards in 3 of the past 4 years. Will one of these guys win in 2021?

Here are #MLB’s Top 10 outfield prospects: https://t.co/eWRSgknUop pic.twitter.com/xyJzccGexD

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 28, 2021

SportsSpyder:

Winter Baseball:

In Mexico, Tomateros de Culiacan 4 Naranjeros de Hermosillo 3 (Box Score). Sebastian Elizalde, 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI; Ex-Met Carlos Torres 1.2 innings, no runs, a walk and a K. 

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Tsuyoshi Shinjo (1972)

Transactions:
New York Mets selected Ken Singleton in first round (third pick overall) of free agent draft on January 28, 1967.

New York Mets signed free agent Benny Ayala on January 28, 1971.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed Tom Martin of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 28, 2002.

New York Mets signed free agent Todd Zeile of the Montreal Expos on January 28, 2004.

New York Mets signed free agent Mike Matthews on January 28, 2005.

Houston Astros signed David Newhan of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 28, 2008.

New York Mets signed free agent Val Pascucci on January 28, 2010.

St. Louis Cardinals signed Ronny Cedeno of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 28, 2013.

Also per National Pastime.com:

2009

Aaron Heilman is traded for the second time this offseason when the Mariners swap the 30 year-old right-hander to the Cubs for utility infielder Ronny Cedeno and southpaw Garrett Olson. Seven weeks ago, the Mets dealt the much-maligned reliever to Seattle as part of a three-team trade that included the Indians.

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