Morning Briefing: Steve Cohen Made Huge Net Worth In 2020

Good Morning, Mets fans! It’s January 6. Today is the day the American public finds out… where Tomoyuki Sugano signs? We will see. Let’s get into the morning briefing.

Latest Mets News

Mike Puma says the Mets front office is “optimistic” they will land George Springer. Though no sources were named, obviously, Puma said the team is thinks Springer will be “wearing a Mets uniform by the time spring training begins.” We will have to watch and find out.

The Mets officially announced they retained most of their coaching staff from last year. We knew most of the crew would return (along with the addition of Dave Jauss), but Chili Davis‘s status was up in the air. With the announcement Tuesday, the Mets now have their 2021 coaching staff in place. Ricky Meinhold, 34, is a new addition to the staff as an assistant pitching coach.

After it was reported the Mets were most likely out on Tomoyuki Sugano on Monday, a report came out on Tuesday from Andy Martino that the Mets haven’t been in much contact with pitcher Jake Odorizzi over the last month. Rather, as Mark Feinsand says, the Red Sox are currently showing “serious interest” in the pitcher.

The Mets will watch free agent pitcher and former Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber pitch in a throwing session next week, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli says the Nationals will be there, too, as I’m sure many teams will be.

DiComo also said the team also sent scouts to watch James Paxton pitch in December. Paxton is underwent surgery for a spinal cyst in February and squeezed in five starts in the Yankees 2020 season. He struggled with a 4.37 FIP, 1.475 WHIP and 65 ERA+.

The NY Post says Steve Cohen’s hedge fund Point72 Asset Management had a successful 2020 with 17 percent gains. Of the profits, they says Cohen got around $1.6 billion. That makes up almost all of what he paid for the team this year.

A fan asked Howard Johnson how he feels about Pete Alonso using his old number. Let’s just say he’s fine with it… so long as Pete keeps mashing taters, according to Tommie Agee‘s rule.

I’ve never met Pete but all that I hear is that we have a LOT in common…Like Tommy Agee once told me “you gotta be able to hit to wear that number!”😜😜😜 https://t.co/YQVVBTK8eW

— Howard Johnson (@20Hojo) January 5, 2021

Latest MLB News

Trevor Bauer‘s agent Rachel Luba gave a vague update on his free agency on Twitter. She said Bauer is weighing “a number of contract types and structures” and that he is “encouraged” to hear about the use of information and technology from many teams he’s talked to so far. Luba said Bauer will release a more in-depth update on his “thoughts and priorities” on YouTube in the next couple days.

Reliever Blake Treinen signed a two-year, $17.5 million contract with the Dodgers, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Bob Nightengale says the terms of the deal are: $4 million signing bonus, $6 million in 2021 and 2022, and an $8 million option for a third year with a $1 million buyout for a total guarantee of $17 million. Following a down 2019, the 32-year-old rebounded with a decent 2020 with a 3.15 FIP and 111 ERA.

The start of the Double-A and Class-A minor league seasons will be delayed in 2021 due o COVID-19. There isn’t a date for when the seasons may start so far. Despite this, Triple-A seasons are expected to start on time for now.

The Detroit Tigers signed outfielder Robbie Grossman to a two-year, $10 million contract, according to The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen. Grossman has spent his entire career in the American League. He hit for a .241/.344/.482 slash line and a 130 OPS+ in 2020 with the Athletics. The 31-year-old can play all three outfield spots.

Hank Aaron got vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta on Tuesday as part of a campaign to educate black Americans that the vaccine is safe. “I don’t have any qualms about it at all,” he told the AP. “I feel quite proud of myself for doing something like this.”

Baseball legend and 93-year-old Tommy Lasorda is home from a lengthy hospital stay due to heart issues, Jon Heyman says.

The MLB’s Daren Willman made a nice infographic about where players from the 2020 season were born:

https://twitter.com/darenw/status/1346479304243175424