Morning Briefing: Baseball Mourns The Loss of Tommy Lasorda

Feb 25, 2018; Peoria, AZ, USA; Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda looks on prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Good Morning, Mets fans!

Latest Mets News

Andres Gimenez said goodbye to the Mets in this Tweet.

The Mets signed infielder Brandon Drury to a minor league deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. An interesting note from Rosenthal’s tweet reads that Drury’s finals season with the Diamondbacks was the first year Mets GM Jared Porter was with the club, back in 2017.

Additionally, Mike Puma of the NY Post reported that the Mets have acquired LHP Stephen Tarpley off waivers from the Miami Marlins.

Jim Duquette of SNY shared a video on Twitter of a young Francisco Lindor fan jumping for joy because his favorite player is now a New York Met!

Bobby Valentine and Mike Piazza remember their dear friend and mentor in Tommy Lasorda on Twitter with heartwarming messages on their experience with the former pitcher, and Hall of Fame manager. Valentine’s post can be found here. Piazza’s thread on Lasorda’s passing can be found here.

To add to that, Jayson Stark of The Athletic points out that the last Dodgers game Tommy Lasorda watched, was his team winning the World Series, which could not have been more perfectly timed.

Latest MLB News

Brian Harkins, a former Los Angeles Angels clubhouse attendant, reveals the names of MLB pitchers currently doctoring the baseball, as reported by Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. Those rumored to be cheaters by Harkins include Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and many others, who had asked for a “specific blend of pine tar and rosin.”

According to Anthony Castrovince of MLB, the Blue Jays were the “runner-up” to acquiring Francisco Lindor from the Cleveland Indians. It is rumored that the Blue Jays’ offer had a higher ceiling but was centered around long-term prospects, rather than the deal the Mets made which helped Cleveland in the short-and long-term.

Former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling tweeted out his support for the acts of domestic terrorism on the U.S. Capitol that occurred on Wednesday, Bradford Williams Davis of the New York Daily News reported. Schilling’s post read, “It is time folks. The Gov’t, the MSM and the Fact Checkers comprise the 3 largest groups of liars in America. We are AT the crossroads, not coming to it, or getting near, AT.”

As reported by Francesca Bacardi of Page Six, Mookie Betts is now engaged after dating, his now fiance, for 15 years! The couple met in middle school and have been together ever since. They even have a child together named Kynlee who was born in 2018. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Blue Jays re-signed A.J. Cole to a minor league deal, as reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

The New York Yankees signed Jhoulys Chacin to a minor league deal on Friday afternoon, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer reports on the interview that Mets GM Jared Porter had on WFAN Friday afternoon following the biggest trade as GM of the Mets, thus far, focusing more on the luxury tax threshold.

Michael Logan reports on the comments made by Porter on WFAN regarding the focus on improving defense this offseason.

James Schapiro discusses the Mets’ third-base depth and how the Lindor trade makes for a more interesting option for the hot corner.

Tim Ryder recaps Sandy Alderson’s comments from his interview with WFAN on Friday afternoon.