Mets News and Morning Links - 12/24/2023

 

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Frank Taveras and Miguel Castro.  Mets get record MLB $101M tax bill, Mets.com has Mike Vasil as the Mets Prospect to watch and Ex-Mets in action in Winter Ball.

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

Mets Links: 

NY Post: Mets must pay record $101 million luxury tax bill after disastrous 2023. "After a 2022-23 offseason in which team owner Steve Cohen splurged to add starting pitching and re-sign his own stars, the Mets will pay a record luxury tax of $100.7 million...The Mets finished with the highest payroll in major league history at $374.7 million, as computed for luxury-tax purposes...Previously, the 2015 Dodgers had the highest payroll in MLB history at $291.1 million. The luxury tax on that payroll was $43.6 million"

How does Yoshinobu Yamamoto affect the Mets' chances for Juan Soto next offseason?@ConnorJRogers and @PSLtoFlushing discuss on The Mets Pod: https://t.co/dz9ahIChEp

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➡️ Tri-State @Cadillac pic.twitter.com/lcBEqaNoQY

— SNY (@SNYtv) December 23, 2023

Festivus is your heritage, George.

Happy Festivus! pic.twitter.com/lmPt5MNuB5

— New York Mets (@Mets) December 23, 2023

Mets.com:

• Here are the prospects to watch for every MLB team - for the Mets it is Mike Vasil: "The organization’s eighth-round Draft pick in 2021, Vasil thrived in his first taste of the upper Minors last season, producing a 3.71 ERA over 10 starts at Double-A Binghamton. Although Vasil struggled a bit following a midseason promotion to Triple-A Syracuse, he still profiles as the pitching prospect most likely to make a significant impact with the big league club in 2024."

MLB.com:

• 30 key questions before Spring Training -- 1 for every team for the Mets they ask "How will the front office create enough rotation depth?"

Yahoo Sports/Mets:

• Phillies to pay $7 million penalty as one of eight teams over MLB luxury tax
• Mets were the most expensive flop in MLB history
• Mets' Steve Cohen gets 100% honest on losing Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Dodgers
• Mets Owe Record MLB Luxury Tax Despite Disastrous Season 
• Mets to pay record-shattering $100 million luxury tax for sky-high payroll: report

Metsmerized: 

• Mets Hit With Record $101 Million Luxury Tax Bill
• Evaluating The Remaining Free Agent Market
• Breaking Down Mets New Outfielder Tyrone Taylor

Mets360:

• Christmas wishes for the 2024 Mets

Mack's Mets: 

• My Spin - Arriving DSL players
• Happy Birthday to Ray Savage
• Tom Brennan - Updated Retrospective on Mets 2013 Draft
• Reese Kaplan -- So Who's "Left" for the Starting Rotation?

SportSpyder Mets Links: 

Winter Baseball:

In the Dominican - 

• Adonis Medina 2 inning, no runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 K - 1.93 ERA;

In Puerto Rico -

• Carlos Cortes RF 1 for 4, 2 Ks - hitting .182 with a .432 OPS;
• Albert Almora Jr. CF 0 for 3 - .207 batting average with a .545 OPS; 
• Binghamton Rumble Pony Wilkin Ramos 1 inning, no runs, 1 hit - 4.50 ERA.

In Venezuela -

• Jose Peraza 2B 2 for 5, double, 1 Run, 1 RBI - hitting .309 with an .784 OPS;
• Lorenzo Cedrola PR-RF-CF 1 run scored - hitting .331 with an .818 OPS;
• Wilmer Flores 3B 0 for 2, 2 runs scored, 2 walks, 1 K - hitting .287 with an .790 OPS; 
• 2021 Syracuse Met Jose Martinez DH 2 for 4, 2 RBIs - hitting .347 with an .960 OPS;
• Wilson Ramos C 1 for 5, 2 RBIs, 1 K - hitting .319 with a .840 OPS;
• Ex-Syracuse Met David Rodriguez RF 3 for 4, double, 2 RBIs, 1 walk - hitting .335 with a .890 OPS;
• Ex-Binghamton Rumble Pony Yeizo Campos 2/3 inning, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 K - 5.94 ERA;

No Winter Ball Games tomorrow, Mexico returns to action on Christmas Day. All other leagues on Tuesday.

MLB Links:

NY Post: Padres sign Japanese pitcher Yuki Matsui to rare MLB reliever contract. San Diego agreed to a five-year deal with Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui, the team announced Saturday evening. The deal is worth $28 million and has opt-outs after the third and fourth seasons, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. In making their first signing of this offseason, the Padres handed out just the third current free-agent contract for a reliever that is of at least five years.

MLB.com: 

• Here are the prospects to watch for every MLB team
• The market for this FA ace is starting to heat up
• The unexpected breakout stars of 2023
• What Yuki Matsui will bring to Padres' bullpen
• Here is the best season by each HOF ballot newcomer
• Finally reunited, Alvarado family having a Christmas to remember
• This team is reportedly making Snell its top priority
• The All-Holiday team of your dreams
• Red Sox 'showing strong interest' in this veteran lefty (report)
• What impact will Yamamoto signing have on Hot Stove?
• 5 reasons Billy Wagner should be in Hall of Fame
• Verdugo wants to 'see some fire, some fight for the guys' from his manager
• Breaking down the best free agents still available
• Love ’em or hate ’em, you’re going to watch these Dodgers

MLB Trade Rumors:

• Padres Sign Yuki Matsui To Five-Year Deal
• Padres Release Michel Baez, Jorge Ona
• Blue Jays Reportedly Sign Paolo Espino
• West Notes: Buehler, Kershaw, Rangers, Astros, Giants, Yamamoto
• Red Sox Reportedly Showing “Strong Interest” In James Paxton
• Twins Sign A.J. Alexy To Minor League Deal
• Hazen: Diamondbacks Looking To Add Another Bat
• Angels Sign Chad Wallach To Minor League Deal
• Padres Discussed Jake Cronenworth Trade With Blue Jays
• Eight Teams Combine For Record $209.8MM In Luxury Tax Bills
• Giants Sign Tom Murphy
• KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes Re-Sign Ariel Jurado
• NPB’s Chunichi Dragons Sign Alex Dickerson
• Phillies Prioritizing Extension With Zack Wheeler
• Red Sox Sign Mark Kolozsvary To Minor League Deal

Yahoo Sports: 

• Padres and Japanese reliever Matsui agree to $28 million, 5-year contract
• Melvin defends San Francisco's reputation amid negative noise
• Why signing Snell does, does not make sense for Giants

ESPN: 

• Passan: The Dodgers built a superteam -- but that doesn't mean they'll win it all
• Padres, reliever Matsui agree to 5-year deal
• 4th-place Mets hit with record $101M luxury tax

CBS Sports: 

• Mets rack up record $100M luxury tax bill, Padres, Yankees, Dodgers among eight teams paying CBT, per report
• MLB rumors: Giants interested in Blake Snell, Phillies focus on Zack Wheeler extension, Angels on trade lists
• Dodgers' 2024 rotation still has question marks after major signings, trades, but 2025 could be full of aces
• Festivus grievances for all 30 MLB teams: Disappointing owners, bad pitching and more 2023 failures

FanGraphs:

• Sunday Notes: My Friend Sam Has an Interesting CBT/Bird Rights Idea
• Effectively Wild Episode 2102: The Dodgers Are Buying a Waaampionship
• Relentless Dodgers Splash Cash To Add Yamamoto on $325 Million Mega-Deal
• There’s a Hole in J.T. Realmuto’s Tool Box
• I Want a Conference Realignment Story for Christmas
• 2024 ZiPS Projections: Los Angeles Angels

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com: 

Born on this date:

• Frank Taveras (1949)
• Matt Ginter (1977)
• Miguel Castro (1994)

Transactions:

San Diego Padres signed Eric Gunderson of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 24, 1993.

Centerfield Maz:

• Jerry Koosman: All Time Mets Left Handed Pitcher (Part Two-1973-1978)
• Jerry Koosman- Mets All Time Lefthander (Part Three 1974-1985)
• Jerry Koosman: All Time Mets Left Handed Pitcher (Part One: 1967-1972)

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