Mets News and Morning Links 1/7/2021

 

Good Morning. Happy Birthday Francisco Rodriguez and Matt Blackham.  Jake Odorizzi wants a 3 year deal, and James McCann talks Mets pitchers.

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

Mets Links:

Mike Puma Baseball America: Sam McWilliams Provides Valuable Depth. “’He has changed the way he approaches his game,’ Mets big league pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said. ‘Certainly the results in 2019 weren’t great, but with the changes he made at Tampa Bay's alternate site, we expect his performance to be far better and far more consistent.’”

Danny Abriano SNY.TV: The way too early Mets 26-man roster prediction for 2021 season.  C: James McCann; 1B: Pete Alonso; 2B: Jeff McNeil; SS: Andres Gimenez; 3B: Amed Rosario; LF: Brandon Nimmo; CF: George Springer; RF: Michael Conforto; DH: Dominic Smith. Danny also has Brad Hand, Jake Odorizzi, and Jake Marisnick on the team.

Empire Sports Media: Mets’ target Jake Odorizzi wants three-year deal worth between $36 million and $42 million.

Metsmerized Online: Free Agent Jake Odorizzi Primed For Bounce-Back Season.

Metsmerized Online: Mets Should Bring Back Jake Marisnick.

Rising Apple: Jackie Bradley Jr. is not a good consolation prize for George Springer. “In 2016, JBJ was an All-Star. He hit .267/.349/.486 while ripping 26 home runs, driving in 87, and posting a defensive WAR of 2 playing exclusively in center field...Bradley Jr.’s offensive numbers have been mostly pedestrian since. Lifetime, he’s now slashing .239/.321/.412 with an average of 18 home runs per 162 games.”

90 Percent Mets: 3 Wildcards For The 2021 Mets. 1. Will there be a DH? 2. Edwin Diaz. 3. Pitching Staff.

Rising Apple: Is Liam Hendriks or Brad Hand more vital to the bullpen? “…with a closer already in place in Edwin Diaz, and also with the potential of having Seth Lugo reinserted into the bullpen, it may be best to allocate the funds to a bigger need which is a left-handed reliever.”

SNY.TV: Latest on potential Mets target Francisco Lindor: His trade market has yet to develop.

SNY.TV: Mets' James McCann excited to work with Steven Matz: 'I look for him to take a step forward'.

Which @Mets hurler is @McCannon33 most excited to catch?#MLBNHotStove | @STR0 | #LGM pic.twitter.com/KEhcAnE35O

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 6, 2021

SNY.TV: Latest on Mets target Brad Hand: White Sox among teams in pursuit.

Mike’s Mets talks about the Mets offseason so far in “Opening the Vault”.

Amazing Avenue: Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2021: 10-6. #10: Franklyn Kilomé. #9: J.T. Ginn. #8: Jaylen Palmer; #7: Josh Wolf; #6: Mark Vientos.

Amazing Avenue: Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2021: 15-11. #15: Junior Santos; #14: Freddy Valdez; #13: Isaiah Greene; #12: Shervyen Newton; #11: Thomas Szapucki.

🔥🔥Newest NinjaCast🔥🔥

Al Leiter discusses:
-Growing up in a Baseball family
-His 32K game in HS!!
-Pitch Grips
-Learning from Tom Seaver
-Being a Baseball Dad/Jack Leiter

A must watch for all Pitchers & Pitching Fans!

Watch👉https://t.co/h5hu7tPYQj pic.twitter.com/8IB4o4VuDY

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) January 6, 2021

MLB Links:

MLB.com: 5 ROY contenders from each league. No Mets listed but Ex-Met Jarred Kelenic makes the list.

MLB.com: These 2 teams could be Lindor trade partners.  Mets and Blue Jays.

Here is every NL team's best draft pick, according to @MLBPipeline ⚾️

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/tHsJ0cUFvS

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 6, 2021

Ken Davidoff NY Post: Unorthodox MLB hot stove season has been profitable for some players. Leading that pack is new Mets catcher James McCann, whose four-year, $40.6 million commitment surpassed projections to the point at which, as The Post’s Joel Sherman reported, a competing official called it “bananas.” Ken also feels that Drew Smyly, Carlos Santana, Mike Minor, and Chris Flexen did well.

MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees To Acquire Greg Allen From Padres.

MLB Trade Rumors: Reds Acquire RHP Art Warren For Cash Considerations.

MLB Trade Rumors: Pirates Sign Chase De Jong To Minor League Deal.

MLB Trade Rumors: White Sox, Dodgers Among Potential Brad Hand Suitors.

MLB Trade Rumors: Justin Smoak To Sign With Yomiuri Giants.

Winter Baseball:

No Games in Puerto Rico yesterday.

In the Dominican Republic:

Aguilas Cibaenas 4 Toros Del Este 1 (Box Score). Robel Garcia LF 2 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 K; Juan Lagares CF 2 doubles in for 4 at bats, run scored, 1 K. For Los Toros, Jordany Valdespin went 0 for 5.

Estrellas Orientales 7 Gigantes del Cibao 6 in 10 innings (Box Score). Robinson Cano 2 for 4, 2 runs scored, an RBI and 1 K - .412 in the playoffs; Nabil Crismatt started for Estrellas, 1 2/3 innings, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 2 walks, 2 Ks; Matt Pobereyko (S) 1 inning, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 1 walk, 1 K.

In Venezuela:

Cardenales de Lara 2 Bravos de Margarita 0 (Box Score). For Los Bravos David Rodriguez DH 0 for 3 with a walk as his average dropped to .381.

Caribes de Anzoategui 4 Leones del Caracas 3 (Box Score). Wilfredo Tovar 2 for 5, double, RBI, 1 K, .302 average.

Here is the full scoreboard from Venezuela.

Here is Yesterday’s Mexican Pacific League Scoreboard.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Carlos Diaz (1958)
• Craig Shipley (1963)
• Jorge Toca (1975)
• Francisco Rodriguez (1982)
• Matt Blackham (1993)

Transactions:
Houston Astros signed Kevin Bass of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 7, 1993.

New York Mets signed free agent Marlon Anderson on January 7, 2005.

Los Angeles Dodgers signed Val Pascucci of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 7, 2009.

Tampa Bay Rays signed Chris Carter of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 7, 2011.

Atlanta Braves signed Alex Torres of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 7, 2016.

New York Mets released David Wright on January 7, 2019.

Centerfield Maz: 1986 World Champion Mets Pitcher: Sid Fernandez (1984-1993).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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