Mets News and Morning Links - 8/13/2024

 

Good Morning.  Happy Birthday Taijuan Walker and Hansel Robles.  Mets start 9 game homestand against A's, Mets Minor League teams resume play as well, Brooklyn releases their 2025 schedule and the Mets announce a loyalty program.  

Section Links: Mets Links, Minor League Links, MLB Links, and This Day in Mets History 

Mets Links: 

Today's Game:

New York Mets Vs. Oakland Athletics; Preview; 7:10PM;

NYM: Paul Blackburn

Tim Healey Newsday: Mets' Paul Blackburn changing his pitching DNA under team's microscope. "Eleven days and two games into his new life with the Mets, Paul Blackburn is impressed — with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, with catcher Francisco Alvarez, with the pitching infrastructure that the organization has spent years modernizing.  'There’s a little more freedom over here,” said Blackburn, a 30-year-old righthander. “You get a bunch of new eyes on you, new organization, new everything, new philosophy — all of it. It gives you the freedom to be able to come in and show what you do..."

John Harper SNY.TV: Mets vs. Athletics: 5 things to watch and series preview.  Some of John's points/questions: Can Mets shake off a disastrous finish to tough road trip? Don’t sleep on the A’s. Can Paul Blackburn keep it going against his old team? Not exactly Murderer’s Row. 

Jay Horowitz Mets Insider Blog: Rest in Peace Mike Cubbage. "Mike Cubbage was a baseball lifer. He devoted 50 years to the game. Cubbie, who did everything for the Mets, died last Saturday at age 74 in his Charlottesville, VA home. During his time in Queens he was a player in 1981, coach from 1990–1996 and even was an interim manager in 1991...Boy was he tough and what a competitor."

PRESS RELEASE: NEW YORK METS INTRODUCE METS CONNECT, A NEW FAN LOYALTY PROGRAM "...the team's first-ever loyalty program, open to all Mets fans for the remainder of the 2024 season. The new program is designed to reward Mets fans with unique offerings and experiences while bringing them closer to the team that they love."

NY Post:

• Mets, Braves' race to regain mojo will decide everything "The Mets have to fatten up against the A’s and the Marlins because their following 10 games — the three at home against the Orioles, then seven in San Diego and Phoenix — will almost surely be the defining 10 games of the season."
• Mets know they have to 'maximize' homestand against bottom-feeders
• Ryne Stanek off to rough start with Mets after arriving at trade deadline 
• Mets' Jose Iglesias performs 'OMG' live at Rye Playland

José Iglesias Candelita performed "OMG" at Playland Park earlier today

(via playlandparkofficialpage/IG) pic.twitter.com/bUS5CVhQXT

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 13, 2024

The Braves defeated the Giants 1-0 in San Francisco.

The Mets are now a game back of the NL's final wild card spot.

(via @Braves) pic.twitter.com/m9tzjrVl1H

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 13, 2024

Where will Starling Marte fit in with the Mets when he comes back? How often will be play?@martinonyc, @JimDuquetteGM, @DPLennon and @sal_licata on BNNY: https://t.co/5abR1mpTEs

➡️ Tri-State @Cadillac pic.twitter.com/m5mhDxzlLp

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2024

Bowman, a member of the 2012 @BKCyclones, is a free agent again after posting a 1.31 ERA at Triple-A St. Paul. https://t.co/hFvXQZbucq

— Justin Rocke (@JustinRocke) August 12, 2024

Mets.com: 

• New Mets Connect program rewards fans' loyalty
• Injuries & Moves: Ankle soreness sidelines Vientos
• Here are the weirdest stats, plays from the past month in the Minors
• Blackburn to face former team as Mets open homestand

Yahoo Sports/Mets:

• Mets enter matchup with the Athletics on losing streak
• Ex-Mets player and coach dies at 74
• Paul Blackburn Slated to Pitch Against the A's in New York
• Mets' Trade Deadline Chip, Josh Walker, Released by New Team; Should New York Bring Him Back?

Metsmerized: 

• WCBS To End All-News Format This Month
• 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Endure House Of Horrors In Seattle
• The Most Important Series Left on the Mets’ Schedule
• Players of the Week: Blackburn, Lindor Turn in Strong Showings During Rough Week
• Mets Minors Recap: Houck, Hernandez Homer For St. Lucie

Amazing Avenue: 

• Mets Daily Prospect Report, 8/12/24: Good day on the farm

Faith and Fear in Flushing: 

• Call Up Jess Singer

Mets360: 

• Jett Williams and the state of the farm system

Mack's Mets: 

• Tom Brennan: Ugly
• Paul Articulates - Building a winner
• Reese Kaplan -- How Much For Pete Alonso and Is He Worth It?

SportSpyder Mets Links feed (Updates all day long): 

Minor League Baseball:

Syracuse:

• The Syracuse Mets are in Rochester to take on the Red Wings at 6:45 PM, Starting Pitcher TBD.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies: 

• Binghamton is home to play a doubleheader against the Portland Sea Dogs.  Game 1 5:35 with Joander Suarez on the mound, Game 2 will start 20 minutes after the completion of Game 1, starting pitcher TBD.

Brooklyn Cyclones: 

• The Cyclones are in Wilmington to play the Blue Rocks at 6:35 PM, Jack Wenninger the starting pitcher.
• Press Release: Cyclones Announce Full 2025 Regular Season Schedule

St. Lucie Mets:

• The St. Lucie Mets are in Daytona to play the Tortugas at 6:35, starting pitcher TBD.

For the complete Mets Minor League statistics click here.

MLB and NL East Links:

Here is yesterday's MLB Scoreboard.

MLB.com:

MLB Trade Rumors:

Yahoo Sports:

ESPN:

CBS Sports:

FanGraphs:

Braves.com:

Marlins.com:

Phillies.com:

Nationals.com:

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com: 

Born on this date:

• Vinegar Bend Mizell (1930)
• Jon Switzer (1979)
• Hansel Robles (1990)
• Taijuan Walker (1992)

Died on this date:

• George Weiss (1972)

Transactions:
New York Mets released Jose Cardenal on August 13, 1980.

New York Mets traded Derek Wallace to the Kansas City Royals for Jeremy Jackson on August 13, 1999.

National Pastime.com: 

1969	After being swept in a three-game series by Houston at the Astrodome, the eventual World Champion Mets fall ten games behind the front-running Cubs in the first-ever NL East race. The third-place New York team will finish the season at a torrid 39-11 pace, finishing the season eight games in front of Chicago.
2003	After missing nearly three months with a groin injury, Mike Piazza makes a dramatic return to the New York lineup when he homers and drives in five runs on Italian Night at Shea Stadium. The backstop's 3-for-5 performance, including a home run in the third inning, RBI single in the fourth, and a two-run single in the seventh, contributes to the Mets' 9-2 victory over the Giants.

 Baseball Reference:

1970 - The Reds' Jim Merritt strikes out 13 Mets en route to a 5 - 1 win in Cincinnati. 

2002:  Warring Mets co-owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday finally complete their deal to transfer full ownership of the team to Wilpon within the next 30 days. But Doubleday will question the valuation of the team by the independent arbitrator, and the transaction will not be resolved until the fall.

2010: R.A. Dickey baffles the Phillies with his knuckleball, throwing a complete game one-hitter, for the Mets' second shutout in two nights, and their fourth consecutive shutout of the Phillies at Citi Field, dating back to a three-game sweep in May. The only hit is by opposing pitcher Cole Hamels. The Mets' run scores with two outs in the 6th, on consecutive doubles by David Wright and Carlos Beltran.

Centerfield Maz:

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