In mid-November, just a few weeks after the New York Mets officially announced Brodie Van Wagenen as the 13th general manager in team history, the club made its first official signing under the Van Wagenen era: left-handed reliever Ryan O’Rourke. O’Rourke, 30, was signed to a minor-league deal with an invite to big league spring training. With the Mets only carrying one lefty...
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For Ron Darling, it only made sense that the title of his latest book was called 108 Stitches. There are 108 stitches on a baseball, one that he threw in 382 career major league games (364 of those starts) spanning a thirteen-year major league career with three different organizations. The number 108 also pays homage to the number of regular-season wins the 1986 Mets won before defeating the...
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Just days after the calendar turned to 2019, the New York Mets signed left-hander Hector Santiago to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. The move gave the Mets potential depth and versatility both in the rotation and out of the pen, as Santiago has experience in both roles (238 games, 137 starts). Santiago, 31, is an eight-year journeyman who was drafted by the Chicago...
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Back in 2004, the New York Mets hired their first full-time statistical analyst after the release of the New York Times bestselling book, Moneyball. The Mets were looking to invest in someone who could break down the numbers, analyze data for potential free agent signings and trades and offer evaluations on minor league players. What the club received from Dr. Ben Baumer was even more than they...
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Since he was young, Anthony Recker’s parents instilled a strong work ethic in him, repeatedly telling him that with hard work, good things will transpire. Playing multiple sports during his youth, Recker dreamed of making it professionally in baseball. While growing up in Pennsylvania, Recker fondly recalls watching his beloved Oakland A’s, having switched alliances from his hometown...
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