In Wright’s first year of eligibility, he received 6.2% of the vote. This year is a 2% increase from a year ago. Anything below 5% would’ve dropped him from the ballot altogether. With two years of above 5%, Wright’s further voting candidacy will be examined as the years go on.

Wright’s Case

In his prime, Wright was one of the best at his position. From 2005-2012, Wright compiled 190 home runs, 778 RBIs, 1,349 hits, and slashed .301/.384/.505. During that stretch, Wright made the All-Star team six times, won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger twice, and was an MVP candidate, especially in 2007, when he finished fourth in the voting. These eight seasons displayed Wright’s path to a potential trip to Cooperstown. It probably would’ve been automatic. His injuries from 2013 to 2018 halted his career. 

That stretch of eight years were some of the best from a player during that period. It’s something for voters to look at as his eligibility continues heading into next year. Wright going up a bit is a nice sign, but it still will be a tough road for the Mets captain to eventually land in Cooperstown. For now, the Mets will retire Wright’s number this season, and he’ll be enshrined into the Mets Hall of Fame on the same day. 

The post David Wright Stays On Hall Of Fame Ballot appeared first on Metsmerized.

By John Jackson

Good morning Mets fans! The World Series begins on Tuesday night as the Washington Nationals seek their first-ever championship and the Houston Astros seek their second championship in three years.

Latest Mets News

Carlos Correa endorsed Carlos Beltran as Mets manager, per Erik Boland of Newsday.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote that while Tom Bogar has gotten the least public notice of the Mets’ managerial candidates who have been asked to come in for a second interview, he is far from a long shot to land the job.

Some executives from Sterling Equities, Fred and Jeff Wilpon’s holding company, donated $5,400 to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s presidential campaign one day before he dropped out of the race, according to J. David Goodman of the New York Times.

Latest MLB News

Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated reported that Astros assistant general manager Brandon Taubman had an pro-Roberto Osuna outburst in front of female reporters. Apstein connected it to MLB having a forgive-and-forget attitude toward domestic violence, since Osuna served a 75-game suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy.

The Astros released a statement in response to Apstein’s story and called it “misleading and completely irresponsible.” Without naming names, they claimed that Taubman was supporting Osuna after a rough outing and that his comments were not directed at any specific reporters. Apstein’s story was later updated with an editor’s note to recognize the Astros’ response and double-down by mentioning that multiple journalists corroborated Apstein’s reporting.

Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports wrote about the opioid problem in baseball.

CC Sabathia officially announced his retirement via Twitter.

Javier Baez will appear on the cover of MLB The Show 20.

Latest NL East News

The Nationals will square off with the Astros in Game 1 of the World Series beginning at 8:08 p.m. EDT on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park. The teams’ aces will face off as Max Scherzer (11-7, 2.92 ERA) will pitch for the Nationals and Gerrit Cole (20-5, 2.50 ERA) will pitch for the Astros. Game coverage will be provided by FOX.

Jared Diamond of The Wall Street Journal wrote about how the Nationals and Astros will send the greatest combination of starters to the mound as the teams’ combine for a total of six starting pitchers with an ERA+ of 130 or better.

Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post wrote about how the Nationals’ World Series run brings back memories of the Montreal Expos.

Joe Girardi had a second interview with the Philadelphia Phillies and is considered the clear favorite to land the job according to David Kaplan of ESPN 1000.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Rob Piersall listed and wrote about the best Mets at each position during the 2010s.

Michael Mayer reflected on Game 4 of the 2015 NLCS and Daniel Murphy‘s historic home run in the game, on its four-year anniversary.

Matt Musico wrote about how Jacob deGrom is distinguishing himself among the Mets’ best pitchers in franchise history.

Pat Ragazzo wrote an “MMO Free Agent Profile” on Cole Hamels.

Christopher Soto recapped how Andres Gimenez fared in the Arizona Fall League and how Adonis Uceta and Tim Peterson fared in the Dominican Winter League on Wednesday.

Jacob Resnick listed the Mets’ soon-to-be 21 minor league free agents.

This Day in Mets History

1979: Ed Kranepool‘s MLB career came to an end as he declared for free agency. Kranepool spent all 18 seasons of his MLB career with the Mets. He retired as leader of multiple Mets franchise categories at the time, which included most hits (1,418), games played (1,853), at-bats (5,436) and pinch-hits (90).

1986: The Mets defeated the Boston Red Sox 6-2 in Game 4 of the World Series. Gary Carter led the Mets offensively as he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two home runs and three RBIs.

2000: The Mets fell 6-5 to the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series despite a five-run rally in the top of the ninth. During the game, Roger Clemens threw the barrel of a shattered bat towards Mike Piazza as he ran to first, leading to both benches clearing onto the field.

Birthdays: Robinson Cano, Darren O’Day and Carlos Torres all turn 37.

The post Morning Briefing: The World Series Begins! appeared first on Metsmerized.

By John Jackson

Good morning Mets fans! Ahead of the New York Yankees’ postseason opener, it was the New York Mets who were the talk of the town on Thursday as they fired manager Mickey Callaway. The Mets have now begun their search for a new manager in a loaded field where many names are being thrown around.

Latest Mets News

After Callaway’s firing, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters on a conference call that the rest of the coaching staff is being evaluated. Tim Britton of The Athletic noted that nobody from the coaching staff are under contract for 2020.

The fate of one member of the coaching staff has already been made clear as Jim Riggleman will not return as the Mets bench coach according to William Ladson of MLB.com.

Also two other coaching staff members’ jobs appear safe as Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported that Mets want hitting coach Chili Davis and pitching coach Phil Regan back in 2020 if there is mutual interest.

During Van Wagenen’s conference call, he also put to rest any lingering trade rumors regarding Noah Syndergaard and Edwin Diaz. Both players will be on the 2020 team according to Van Wagenen.

David Cone expressed interest in the Mets’ vacant managerial position if contacted.

Pete Alonso was named the Mets’ nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, which is awarded to the best overall offensive player in each league. Aaron, a panel of Hall of Famers and fans vote on which players gets the award. The Mets are among 10 MLB teams who have never had one of their players win the award.

Latest MLB News

Some Baltimore Orioles season-ticket holders received handwritten “thank you” notes from players after they finished the 2019 campaign with the second-worst record in MLB, as reported by Dan Connolly of The Athletic.

Benjamin Mullin and Jeffrey Trachtenberg of the Wall Street Journal covered the news about around 40 positions at Sports Illustrated being eliminated by their new operator, TheMaven Inc.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that CC Sabathia will not be on the Yankees ALDS roster since his pitching shoulder was not bouncing back after his relief appearance. Boone also revealed that the starters for the ALDS will be James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino, in that order.

Latest NL East News

The Atlanta Braves’ ninth-inning comeback in Game 1 of the NLDS came up short against the St. Louis Cardinals as they fell 7-6. The Braves had a 3-1 lead heading into the eighth, which turned into a 3-3 tie heading into the ninth. The Braves then entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 7-3 and fought back, but ultimately fell short.

Chris Martin left Game 1 of the NLDS with an oblique injury and is not expected to return during the postseason according to David O’Brien of The Athletic.

The Washington Nationals were shutout 6-0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS. They were limited to two hits and three walks. On the Dodgers side, Gavin Lux made franchise history with his pinch hit home run, as he was the youngest Dodger to hit a postseason home run (21 years, 314 days).

Latest on MMO/MMN

Matt Musico broke down the bullpen statistics and concluded that Seth Lugo was more valuable than the entire rest of the bullpen combined.

Pat Ragazzo wrote about the Mets’ core being a reason to be optimistic for the team in 2020.

Christopher Soto wrote about how Andres Gimenez and Ali Sanchez performed in the Arizona Fall League on Wednesday.

This Day in Mets History

1969: The Mets defeated the Braves by a score of 9-5 in the first game of the inaugural National League Championship Series.

1972: The Mets beat the Expos 3-1 to finish the season over .500. Despite collecting 83 wins as a team, the club made MLB history by becoming the first team to finish a season without any player collecting at least 100 hits.

1999: The Mets triumphed over the Reds 5-0 in a Game 163. Al Leiter pitched a complete game shutout in which he only allowed four walks and two hits. Rey Ordonez also extended his major league record for errorless games at shortstop to 100.

2010: The Mets fired manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya following a 79-83 season; their second-straight losing season in a row.

Birthdays: Dennis Cook turns 57.

The post Morning Briefing: The Managerial Search Has Begun! appeared first on Metsmerized.

New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia announced during a press conference on Saturday afternoon in Tampa that the upcoming 2019 season, his 19th major-league campaign, will be his last. According to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic, the 38-year-old southpaw had already made up his mind regarding his retirement after this season, even before he underwent surgery to implant a stent in a blocked artery in December.

Over 18 seasons, the Vallejo, California native owns a 246-153 win-loss record with a 3.70 earned-run average, 3.72 fielding independent pitching rating, 2,986 strikeouts, 1,060 walks, 1.25 WHIP, and 67.8 wins above replacement (FanGraphs).

Sabathia spent the first eight years of his career with the Cleveland Indians, pitching to a 3.83 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 1.27 WHIP, and a 115 ERA+ rating, as well as taking home the 2007 American League Cy Y0ung Award and notching three AL All-Star appearances.

After a half-season in Milwaukee (2008; 11-2, 1.65 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 255 ERA+), Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million contract to come to the Yankees, leading the team to a 2009 World Series victory (two starts, 3.29 ERA, 12 strikeouts, three walks versus Philadelphia).

Since coming to New York, Sabathia has pitched to a 3.74 ERA, 3.82 FIP, with 1.26 WHIP, and 2.97 strikeouts-to-walks over ten seasons. Sabathia is playing out the 2019 season on a one-year, $8 million deal after earning $10.5 million for the 9-7, 3.65 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 1.31 WHIP season he put up last year.

According to Jay Jaffe’s JAWS system, Sabathia’s 62.7 bWAR and 51.0 JAWS score fall just shy of the average Hall of Fame pitcher’s marks (73.4 bWAR, 61.7 JAWS), but there is little doubt that CC Sabathia will get more than a fair shake once the six-time All-Star and AL Cy Young Award winner’s candidacy for enshrinement in Cooperstown rolls around.

James Wagner of the New York Times tweeted out two pages of adoration from many of Sabathia’s former teammates, as well as a wide-ranging list of notable names who were compelled to send well-wishes to Sabathia, including Yankees brethren Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Joe Girardi, as well as NBA/global superstar LeBron James and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.

The post MLB News: Sabathia Announces 2019 Will Be His Last Season appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning, Mets fans! Welcome back to another edition of the hot stove rumor roundup! On tap today, the other New York baseball team has already laid out a pretty robust blueprint in perfecting its starting rotation, and the Chicago Cubs make an interesting proposition as they try righting the ship following a disheartening collapse that cut their 2018 season short.

Yankees Shopping for Starters

The New York Yankees have their sights set on completing their rotation, which currently hinges on the big-league talents of Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and the recently re-signed CC Sabathia.

Right-hander Sonny Gray, while still on the roster, has been marketed on the trading block over the past few weeks, evidently as a means of picking up whatever young talent may be available. According to Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports, the Oakland Athletics could step up as a possible landing spot, while Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune has pegged the San Diego Padres as another team with interest in the 29-year old. Sources have told MLB.com‘s Mark Feinsand that up to five teams have contacted the Yankees about Gray.

With a 4.90 ERA and a projected $9.1M in arbitration salary likely off the ledger as the Yankees try moving on from Gray, general manager Brian Cashman has reportedly turned his attention to a trio of lefties – some more affordable than others. The first arm, J.A. Happ, made 11 starts during the second half last year in the Bronx, going 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in his fifth-straight season with double-digits in the win column. Though 36 years old, Happ’s 15.8 WAR dating back to 2014 ranks ninth among southpaws, and his age could line up perfectly for a modest two-three year deal, something Cashman has admitted to recently discussing with Happ’s agent.

Another potential option for the Yankees is highly-coveted free agent Patrick Corbin, as explored by Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. Coming off a season in which he cracked 200 innings while setting personal records in ERA (3.15 with a 2.47 FIP), HR/9 (0.7), and K/9 (11.1 against just 2.2 BB/9), the 29-year old Corbin has openly discussed interest in playing for his childhood organization, which is “undeterred” by neither his asking price nor injury history.

Perhaps the most attractive of trade pieces at the moment is Seattle Mariners’ ace James Paxton, who has also been confirmed as a target for the Yankees’ front office by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The two sides are rumored to have been in contact regarding a trade, though nothing more has been said. Paxton made a career-high 28 starts in 2018, posting a 3.76 ERA/3.23 FIP while striking out 11.7 batters per nine innings in a dominant showing.

Paxton comes with two more years of team control, projecting to make $9M in arbitration for the 2019 season, though his injury history could temper Seattle’s chances at prying away the entire farm system should a trade be worked out. That’s not to say the Yankees haven’t pushed the cards in, however, as they’ve clearly demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice resources, however possible, in order to keep a foot in the divisional race.

Cubs “Open” to a Potential Bryant Trade

Among other spicy developments, the Chicago Cubs – though not with the same flare as the Mariners – have expressed a willingness to part with their current core in order to build a more successful team. It’s never explicitly noted in Buster Olney’s recent article for ESPN that the team intends to sell, but rather that it will listen to just about any offer for just about any player, including All-Star third baseman and 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant.

Bryant was limited to 102 games this past year, hitting .272/.374/.460 with just 13 homers as his 1.9 WAR went down (with a thud) as a career-low, but still boasts plenty of value in the everyday lineup, be it at the hot corner or in left field. In a rather anti-climactic elaboration from team president Theo Epstein, the Cubs essentially revealed that Bryant, like just about anyone on the roster, could be worth trading down the line:

“We’ve never operated with untouchables,” Epstein said. “It sends the wrong message. Given what we’re trying to accomplish, it would be virtually impossible to envision the deal that would make sense to move them. I just don’t believe in untouchables. Why limit yourself?”

Put another way, it’s still unclear whether or not the Cubs’ stance spells either an end of an era or a simple act of fine-tuning as teams around the league ponder ways to make room for Manny Machado. There’s still a lot to be known in the Windy City.

Harrison Drawing Interest

Meanwhile, among utility options, Marwin Gonzalez may finally have some (minuscule) competition, as teams have reportedly been in touch with recently-bought-out Josh Harrison. Despite turning in his worst offensive campaign as a regular (97 games, .656 OPS, 3 steals, 0.3 WAR, 78 wRC+), Harrison has received calls from such teams as the Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees (Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports).

Harrison has experience starting at second and third base, and has also patrolled the corners of the outfield every so often. While no such team will look to deploy the 31-year old in an everyday role, Harrison’s potential value as a utility upgrade akin to Brock Holt, Howie Kendrick, Hernan Perez could have its advantages as the season wears on and depth is tested.

Teams Looking at Chirinos

Like Harrison, he isn’t by many measures the leading act in his department, but catcher Robinson Chirinos is nonetheless drawing interest. According to MLB Network‘s Jon Morosi, both the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins have expressed interest in the backstop.

Chirinos hit .222/.338/.419 in 113 games last year with the Texas Rangers, but also set career-highs in home runs (18) and runs batted in (65). His 26% caught-stealing rate from 2014 to 2017 took a dive as he nabbed just 10% of runners this past year, but with the line of viable part-time catchers thinning out relatively early down the line, it’s hard to envision Chirinos being passed over.

Cruz Getting Looks from American League Clubs

In a final bit of news, the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros have both emerged as potential suitors for veteran designated hitter Nelson Cruz (Jon Heyman). Cruz, 38, just wrapped up the final year of a four-year, $57M deal with the Seattle Mariners and the fifth consecutive 35+ homer campaign. Admittedly, his .850 OPS was his lowest line since the 2014 season, but 37 homers and 97 runs batted in is more than enough consolation.

Despite his age, Cruz has generally managed to stay healthy – as his 144 games in 2018 was his lowest total since 109 appearances in 2014.  Nonetheless, for such teams that need a piece of lumber in the middle of their orders as the Astros, it’s hard to see how south things could go on whatever one or two-year deal Cruz takes up.

The White Sox, meanwhile, would be able to experiment with their next competitive step on a seemingly low-risk deal that could be shipped out by July should the division get away early on. One point worth noting is that Cruz has played nine games in the outfield since 2017, which almost certainly renders him off-limits for National League teams.

The post Hot Stove Rumor Roundup: Yankees At it Again appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning Mets fans! The New York Mets (52-68) split a doubleheader with the Philadelphia Phillies (67-54) on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. In the first game of the doubleheader Corey Oswalt (2-2, 5.16 ERA) picked up the win thanks in part to a franchise-record 24 runs scored by the Mets. In the second game, Steven Matz (5-10, 4.60 ERA) took the loss after giving up six runs (four earned) in two innings in his first start off the disabled list.

Latest Mets News

Noah Syndergaard (8-2, 3.22 ERA) will toe the rubber tonight against Aaron Nola (13-3, 2.28 ERA) who has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on SNY and 710 WOR.

David Wright continued his rehab assignment with the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday by playing six innings at third base and going 0-for-3. Ed Delany of MMN snapped some photos of the captain.

Bobby Wahl has experienced an uptick in velocity coming off thoracic outlet surgery as mentioned by Mike Puma in a Baseball America article. That is extremely rare considering many pitchers struggle to even come back from the surgery at all.

Latest MLB News

Eno Sarris of The Athletic made a case to why the stolen base should make a comeback.

Yasiel Puig and Nick Hundley were fined for their actions in Tuesday’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. Puig was also suspended for two games starting on Friday.

Marc Carig of The Athletic wrote about CC Sabathia who helped change the clubhouse culture for young players after a bad experience during his first few years in the majors.

Latest NL East News

Pat Reddington of Federal Baseball wrote about the state of the Washington Nationals who entered Thursday’s game nine games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place before picking up a game last night.

Jose Urena was suspended and fined by MLB for intentionally throwing at Ronald Acuna Jr. on Wednesday. His suspension will be for six games and take effect today.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Jack Hendon broke down Zack Wheeler‘s performance from Wednesday.

Matt Musico wrote about a potential Wright and Jose Reyes reunion and the mixed feelings it would bring.

Mark Healey wrote a piece that touched on a few things including old school baseball and the importance of developing talent in the minors.

Tim Ryder reflected on what has been the makings of a career year for Wilmer Flores.

John Sheridan continued his “3 Up, 3 Down” series following the Mets’ two-game set with the Baltimore Orioles.

Sheridan also wrote a “MMO Prospect Spotlight” on Anthony Kay who has performed well in his first professional season.

This Day in Mets History

1973: Willie Mays hit the 660th and final home run of his career against Don Gullett of the Cincinnati Reds.

Birthdays: Skip Lockwood turns 72 and Mike O’Connor turns 38.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Offense Looks To Stay Hot In Philadelphia appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Playing fifteen years in the major leagues at the most grueling and demanding position in the sport, Jason Kendall knows the game better than most.

The three-time All-Star catcher had a front-row view of all aspects of the game, watching it unfold from his crouched position behind the plate.

The toll Kendall’s body took over the course of a productive, if not undervalued, career could fill a WedMD page, yet he amazingly had only two seasons where he played in less than 130 games (1999, 2010).

Needless to say, Kendall was a throwback-type player, of which he took great pride in taking the field on a consistent basis and helping his team on both sides of the ball.

The word ‘throwback’ so perfectly encapsulates Kendall’s career that it was an easy choice as the title of his 2014 book.

Instead of writing a memoir – one that could easily be filled with anecdotes of growing up in a baseball family, catching the fifth-most games in baseball history (2025) and ranking fourth in hits among players who were primarily catchers (2195) – Kendall and co-author Lee Judge decided on a different route.

Throwback: A Big League Catcher Tells How the Game Is Really Played gives readers an inside view of the game from the unique perspective of Kendall’s baseball intellect. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the game, from a position-by-position rundown to what the players discuss with the umpires to addressing the media pre- and post-game.

Kendall, 44, offers an intricate glimpse inside the day-to-day life of a professional ballplayer, one in which he took very seriously. Kendall set a strict schedule for his daily arrival to the ballpark, noting that if he arrived late, he’d be off his normal routine with a bad game likely to ensue.

Kendall was the ultimate creature of habit, ensuring that he had plenty of time to read over scouting reports, review video of the opposing team and speak in-depth to his starting pitcher that night. Kendall absorbed hitters’ tendencies, their subtle movements in the box, and pitch sequencing like a sponge. In time, Kendall started calling his own games instead of the manager, ensuring his pitcher wouldn’t have to overthink on the mound.

The dedication in analyzing and preparing diligently was one of the reasons why Kendall was so successful during his career, highlighted in the fact that only three catchers posted a higher fWAR (FanGraphs’ WAR) than Kendall’s 39.5 from 1996 to 2010.

Since retirement, Kendall has served as a Special Assignment Coach for the Kansas City Royals, working with catcher Salvador Perez and acting as a liaison between the players and the front office. Getting the chance to stay involved in baseball and assist both on the field and with the suits upstairs has been rewarding for Kendall, who admits not paying very close attention to what was going on in the front office as a player.

The opportunity to learn the finer points of working in the front office and as a coach has been satisfying for Kendall, who is enticed at the prospects of one-day managing in the majors. For now, Kendall enjoys the work schedule, which permits him from rarely having to travel with the team and granting more time to be at home with his wife and kids.

It’s evident when speaking to Kendall that his trademark grit and ultra-competitive nature have far from dissipated, sounding as if he were preparing to don the catcher’s gear for tonight’s game.

The throwback label attached to Kendall is one of pride and merit, as years of learning to call his own game, gaining trust from each and every pitcher he caught and continuing to hustle until the very end warrants such a distinction.

I had the privilege of interviewing Kendall, where we discussed growing up with a father who played in the majors, the biggest challenges to catching and his book, Throwback.

Photo by Robert Willett/News & Observer

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Kendall: I grew up in the game. My old man played for the Padres, Red Sox and Indians for twelve years in the big leagues. It’s funny; I had an interview with Eduardo Perez, and one of the questions that was asked of me was: what do you think about Vladimir Guerrero’s son? I said, ‘You know what? You can ask anyone: you have an advantage.’

I got that question a lot coming up in the minor leagues: do you ever get sick and tired of hearing your father’s name in front of you? And I said, ‘Hell no!’ I’m very proud of what my dad accomplished, and I had an advantage over everybody, especially in that era. That was when it was a game. Any son that you interview now that has a father that played in the big leagues always has an advantage.

They were talking about Vlad Jr., and I go, ‘This kid’s been around the game. From just the little things like instinct and how to act, that’s a huge, huge thing.’

So getting back to your question, number one would be my dad. But my second favorite player was Rod Carew.

MMO: You mention your father – Fred Kendall – who played twelve seasons in the majors. You talked about how much of an advantage it was to have him around to be able to pick his brain and get an early education in baseball. What do you remember from your dad’s playing days growing up?

Kendall: I watched my dad through the eras. He played from 1969-80, and I saw him go through several strikes and lockouts. He made more [money] as a coach than he ever did as a player. That’s what a lot of these players don’t know now, the sacrifice that these guys made to have the union this strong as we have it. I watched my dad go through strikes, I mean, he’d come home and work at UPS and in construction. Those guys sacrificed a lot.

Do I think what players are getting paid today is ridiculous? Absolutely. Am I an idiot and going to say no? Hell no! But it was because of those players before that went through the strikes and didn’t cross the line.

The younger players and the guys playing today are getting paid – I think the minimum now is $540,000 – and when I broke in it was $109,000. I’m with George Brett almost every day, and George told me it was about $20,000 for a rookie when he broke in.

MMO: At what point during your youth did you start honing in on catching?

Kendall: In all honesty, I never really caught. I caught once in a while in Little League.

I was a sophomore on the varsity team, and my brother was on the team, too. My brother is a bigwig with the Giants now; he’s one of their major league scouts. I was playing with my brother and I was the starting second baseman, and our starting catcher got into a fight, and he was suspended for however many games.

Guys were running all over whoever the backup catcher was, and our coach asked me if I could catch. I told him yeah. I always caught every once in a while in Little League, but not every day until I was a sophomore in high school. Obviously, I had an unbelievable teacher in my father and, once again, an advantage to pick his brain.

MMO: What memories do you have from the 1992 MLB June Amateur Draft? Did you have any idea that the Pirates were looking to select you in the first round?

Kendall: I’m from California, but I live in Kansas now, but in California, you play year-round. From the Area Code Games, the scouting teams, the Olympic Junior teams, you just can. You can’t do that out in Kansas because of the weather.

The games I was at, I knew there were scouts there, and I took all the tests. I mean, obviously, it’s changed now. Now you put on MLB Network and they do everything.

I knew that I had a chance, and it wasn’t just the Pirates; it was a lot of other teams that were at the games. I’ve been in the room when they do it, knowing what I know now as far as the front office part of it because I work with the Royals. Going into the draft room, everyone has their favorite guy, and the scouting director obviously makes the final call. But the team before you might’ve picked him. It all depends on what the other teams do.

I knew I had a chance to go in the first round, and I knew the Pirates were one of the teams. I remember I got drafted on a Wednesday night, had graduation on Thursday, and all my buddies and I went to Mexico for our senior trip, and I signed within two days.

MMO: One of the amazing things about your career was how relatively healthy you stayed behind the plate. From your rookie year in 1996 until your final season in 2010, no catcher appeared in more games (2,085) than you did, with Ivan Rodriguez a distant second with 1,922. That has to be something you’re proud of from your career?

Kendall: It’s something I took pride in. Once again, growing up in the game and watching my dad play, you beat your body up. I took care of myself. I really took care of myself. I wanted to play; I loved this game, and I loved playing.

I wasn’t a big catcher, so even today, if you ask [me] how my knees are, my knees are fine; it’s my arm. If I could throw a baseball, I’d like to think I’d still be backing up somewhere. But I can’t throw it at that level anymore.

There are things that I’m proud of. I think I’m the only catcher to ever catch 140 games in, I think it’s seven or eight years; no one’s ever going to do that now! It’s one of those things that I can always look back on, but it was just I loved playing the game. I knew even if I was scuffling – if I was 0-for-20 – I could do something in that game to help us win.

I took pride in that. I like to think, and I know, especially as I got older, that there are younger guys that were like, damn, he’s playing again? Oh s***, I better get out there! I don’t like talking myself up at all, but I mean, it’s something that, as an older veteran player, you teach these kids that it’s a grind. Which it 100 percent is.

You’re with these guys more than your own family, and you get into a place at 3 am, and then you have a 1 pm game; it’s a mindset. If you’re mentally prepared to do that for 162 games, hopefully more making the playoffs, you’ll do it. It’s a big mind thing now; mentally being tough is dwindling in the big leagues now.

MMO: You talk about the mental side of the game. I spoke with Bob Tewksbury – who you hit your first major league home run off of – and is now the mental skills coach for the San Francisco Giants. He wrote a book on the mental aspects of the game, and went into great detail on how players use various techniques to properly gear themselves for the season or a specific big game. Do you think that’s something that’s still a bit untapped in Major League Baseball?

Kendall: Without a doubt. A lot of these coaches today are just there to tell somebody what to do. Obviously, these players are making so much money, and the coaches are worried about their own jobs, and I say some, not all. That’s kind of what I do now.

Take [Mike] Moustakas, and I’m just using him as an example, but run the ball out. You’ve got kids up there watching, and the two easy things you can do in this game are be prepared and hustle.

It’s one thing to get to the big leagues; it’s very, very difficult. It’s another to stay for a long, long time. The game doesn’t owe you anything. Every ballplayer should know that and does know that because, hell, I’d probably be a lifeguard or in jail if I wasn’t! [Laughs.]

I was very fortunate to play fifteen years in the big leagues, and I don’t remember it; it went by so goddamn quick! And that’s what I tell these guys. I say, ‘Guys, it goes by quick, so enjoy every part of it. Make as much money as you can, play the game like it was supposed to be played, and play it hard.’

MMO: In 2014, your book, Throwback: A Big League Catcher Tells How the Game Is Really Played was released. Can you talk about the process of writing the book, and how that all came about?

Kendall: Lee [Judge] was a writer for The Kansas City Star at the time, and it was my last year playing. There was a game, and I can’t remember who had the game-winning hit or the game-winning sac fly, but there was a runner on second base, no outs, and Chris Getz was up. Getz got him over with a groundball to second base. Next guy gets a sac fly, and we win the game in the ninth or tenth inning.

In the locker room, I’m watching and I see one guy go over to Getz, and it was Lee. Everybody else was around whoever hit the sac fly, and Lee was just hanging around afterward, and he was the only reporter. Getz’s locker was right next to mine, so I heard the whole thing. I said to Lee, ‘You know, you’re the first guy I’ve ever seen that has ever done something like this.’

We started talking, talking, talking, and maybe a week or two later, I go, ‘Dude, you should write a book.’

And he said, “Yeah, you want to write it with me?”

I go, ‘Hell no!’

I had blown my arm out again and had surgery, and I was in the locker room when he said, “Well, I would love you to write the book with me.’

I told him I thought what he did was pretty cool because he examined the little things. The one thing about people today, especially if they don’t know the game, it’s a boring game if you don’t know it. You’re there for thirty minutes into the game, and next thing you know, you’re not paying attention. That always bothered me – the people that don’t know the game – because it’s the greatest game ever if you know what’s going on.

So, what ended up happening, Mat, was he wrote a bit and sent it to the publisher detailing what it was about. The publisher said go do it, and Lee said we had a book. Lee and I became friends, and it was fun. It was more on the road when the team was on the road because I was rehabbing every day at home. He’d come over, and we’d watch the games together, and he’d set a microphone out and ask questions.

The only thing I wish I would’ve done [differently] with the book was publicize it more because I was still working with the Royals. I didn’t get out and publicize it. And I’ll be honest with you, I’ve read very little of it because I lived it. Everyone always comes up and says that it’s a great book, and I’m like, ‘Oh, you like it? Cool man, thanks! Appreciate it.’

If there were only a handful of people out there that read it and didn’t know certain things about this game and they can go to the ballpark now and change their experience, [it’s worth it]. And if you do that, it’s actually a pretty amazing thing.

Going to games now is so damn expensive for a family, but you can do it watching TV. It’s actually kind of fun, and that’s all I know. I grew up in the game. Baseball’s all I know, and it always bothered me when I heard baseball is boring. It is boring if you don’t know what’s going on. But if you know what’s going on and have an idea, then you can enjoy it just like anyone else.

MMO: I think it’s great that you overheard the conversation that Judge had with Getz, and that you took the time to appreciate when a reporter noticed the small details of the game.

Kendall: And that’s what Lee does, and he still kind of does it now. I know that he got laid off last year, but he still goes down to the ballpark. I think it’s more of a blog now then with The Kansas City Star, but he still does it. Lee told me he learned so much, and I told him, ‘Lee, it’s not learning so much, it’s little things to look for.’ I don’t know everything about the game; nobody’s going to know everything about this game.

I had a bunch of managers that I played for, and every single manager I played for, you learn more things. Ned Yost, for instance, the manager of the Kansas City Royals that won a World Series three years ago, I had him in Milwaukee. He’d ask, “Jason, what do I do? Get him up? Get that guy up? Get this guy up?” If we lose or win [he’d ask], “What did he hit out?”

[I’d say], ‘Eh, it was two-seamer.’ And he took that stuff back to the media room, and that’s what the reporters wrote down. I mean, I managed the game, especially when I was older.

I had a father who caught in the big leagues for twelve years, but it took me a good five years to learn how to call a good game. Watch a guy’s feet; watch his hands because a great hitter changes pitch-by-pitch. It ain’t night-by-night or day-by-day; if you’re a .300 hitter, you change pitch by pitch.

Joe Mauer – who I put in the book and used as an example – you throw him a 2-1 changeup a month ago in Minnesota, and whoever the pitcher might be comes to Kansas City and he gets a 2-1 count, he’s sitting on that [change]. That was the beauty about catching; I would know that.

Everything’s on a computer now; all you have to do is click a button and see counts, stats, what did he hit, when he swings the most, etc. That’s another thing that bothers me: the catchers that don’t put in the time to do that now. If I got to the ballpark at 1:01, I was late; my whole day was screwed up. You have to have a routine nowadays, and so I would make sure I was prepared. You’ve got to get that trust with your pitchers and have them see you busting your ass.

That’s another reason games are so damn long is because some of the catchers now – I’m not saying all of them – but some of them are showing up the ballpark at four when stretch is at 4:30, and that’s why you see pitchers calling games. Pitchers shouldn’t be calling games; they’re not there every day, they don’t see what a catcher sees.

Getting back to my point, being the manager catching-wise, absolutely. Managers can’t see what you see from the dugouts. They cannot; it’s impossible, and that’s why the manager/catcher relationship has to be good because then you have a catcher that actually cares and wants to win and do everything to be prepared.

MMO: You mention that it took you a good five years to learn how to call a good game. What was the most challenging aspect of getting a good grasp on calling a game?

Kendall: I mean, it was just watching, knowing what happens from a year ago. What did this guy do on a 1-1 pitch? When I first started, it was VHS tapes. Which is funny, because you feel kind of old. But I don’t think that I’m old because I’m 44. You would go off of that as much as possible.

Obviously, your pitching coaches would help. Your guy out there – Dave Eiland – I respect Eiland and I’ve seen what he’s done firsthand with the Royals over the last few years. He does a lot of work, and he has to do a lot of work now because some of the players today –not all of them – they don’t do the work. They show up at four. When the catcher’s looking over with a runner on first and they’re looking for the fundamental signs or to throw over, the manager doesn’t know. You know he might go on certain counts, but you can see it; you can sense it and feel it.

Ned Yost allowed me to run everything in Milwaukee. It was the best year I had defensively, and the games were quick, and we ended up going to the playoffs. That was the year CC Sabathia came over and was like God; pitched on like three-days rest. I ran everything, and they just talked to the media.

It was one of those things where you have to put your time in and show that you can do that over the course of how many years. I’m sure Yadier [Molina] does that now because he knows what’s going on. You have to earn it.

MMO: What percent of catchers in baseball today call their own game?

Kendall: It’s such a dicey question. I would say it’s 50/50. It’s a big, big trust thing. That being said, if the pitcher has a good feel for the ball in their hand, when that happens, you go out there and say, ‘Hey, I think your curveball is a good pitch here. But I don’t have the ball in my hands. You want that two-seamer? Got it, go for it. But you better bury it.’

You don’t want them to think. How many catchers will do that today? In my last six to eight years, I was like, ‘This is what you’re pitching. I know what I’m doing, I’m the one who sat my ass down for three hours and studied this! Make your pitch.’

I told my pitchers don’t think; let me do the thinking for you, it’s what I‘m here for. Especially young or older guys, I got it. The games are quicker, the trust level just goes up with everybody from the bullpen on, and there’s nothing better than having that on a team because the game will go by quicker.

The fact that Joe Torre and Rob Manfred are talking about taking out mound visits: if your catcher has any idea what he’s doing, go ahead and take them out. That’s fine. But that’s not the reason why the games are so slow. Obviously, you have the commercials in between blah, blah, blah. You speed it up to slow it down, and then you tell the umpires to wait for TV now.

MMO: One particular topic you mention in the catching chapter of your book was on pitch framing. You’re not a proponent of it, and you mention that if you were looking to steal a pitch, you’d subtly shift your body when making the catch instead of exaggerating with your glove or by holding the ball in place.

Obviously, pitch framing has become a big metric for analysts and sabermetric fans over the years for trying to find value in catchers. I’m curious, what you would suggest for fans to look at instead when evaluating how well a catcher is doing defensively?

Kendall: If the catcher goes unnoticed throughout a game defensively, then they probably have done a pretty good job. That’s why I never, ever took my mask off. I always wanted to go unnoticed.

As far as the analytics, I think there are some good things. But I honestly believe there needs to be a mediator for the old-school people to the analytics. There are some great things with analytics, and obviously, with the old school guys, it’s the way the game was played and the game is changing, so you have to learn to change with the game. It’s one of the things I’ve learned over the last five or six years.

Getting back to your question, I’ve never liked pitch framing. Just catch the ball where it’s at. As a fan, if you’re looking at the game, I don’t know the younger umpires now. The umpires that are still around when I was playing, just catch the ball. Now with the younger umpires, I don’t know. I don’t know if they’re looking for you to snatch the ball or frame it. And you know it’s different words; the word framing to me, I don’t like it. Is there such thing as pitch framing? I mean, I say just catch the ball. Is that framing? I don’t know. I just don’t like the word. Just catch the ball where it’s pitched at and the veteran umpires; you’re going to get that [call].

To a fan, say Joe West is behind the plate; I’m just using him as an example. Yeah, he’s grumpy, but I’m going to tell you, Joe West is one of the best umpires that there is today. He’s consistent. He’s not going to give you snatching this ball and framing this one; he’s not going to do that.

For a fan, see who’s who’s behind the plate. If there’s an older umpire behind that’s been around for ten years, he’s probably going to go with where the catcher catches the ball. The whole snatching part and trying to get back into the zone is probably not going to work with them. The younger guys, it might work; I don’t know what the younger guys think of the analytic stuff.

The whole QuesTec thing, where they started to get graded, started screwing up a lot of things for them. Every umpire had their own zone, and the catcher, pitcher and hitter knew it. You knew who was wide and who was small.

When it first came out, there were only six stadiums that had it, and Oakland was one of them. I could totally tell when guys were coming to Oakland or whatever stadiums that had it, they would change up a little bit because they were getting graded. Now I think that’s a good thing because you need to be accountable, just like players need to be accountable. Then the next thing was all the analytical stuff popping in now, and the umpires are under a microscope, as they should be like the players.

That was when it started zone-wise, and people were saying framing this, framing that. They’re not framing; it’s just the umpires’ zones. Everybody knew whether it be big or small; it had to start changing because whenever that four-man crew went into that city, they knew that thing was behind them and they were getting graded on it.

MMO: One story I found interesting in your book was in the outfield chapter, where you talk about a time when you called the game from left field for the Pirates’ backup catcher, Keith Osik. How did you make that work with relaying signs to Osik from left?

Kendall: I was in left field, and when my glove hand was down, it was a two-seamer. If my glove hand was up, it was a fastball, if I remember. If my right hand was down, it was a curveball, slider or changeup.

Honestly, and I’ll never forget this, the thing with my thumb is what really jacked up my whole offense. I tore my thumb, and they jacked up the surgery, and to this day I could barely move the damn thing. But I’m in the outfield, and I never had a chance to work on the outfield because when I wasn’t playing [there], I was catching. The Pirates decided to give me a couple of games so I’d go out and work on it during BP.

I’ll never forget my first or second game in the outfield. Quilvio Veras hits a ball down the line, and I slide and make the number one web gem, but oh boy, did it go downhill from there. [Laughs.] The reason I said that was because fans are yelling at you, and then the next thing you know, the ball is behind you.

The one thing you cannot do when you’re catching is listen to anything that’s going on. That’s why I told Keith, ‘Listen, let me call the game from the outfield because I’ve got to stay in this game. I’ve already made like five errors in six games, and I can’t do that anymore.’

MMO: I’m just surprised no one on the opposing team saw you flashing these signs from the outfield.

Kendall: Nope. When I was with Milwaukee – and this is getting back to what you just said – Mike Cameron and the good outfielders, they wanted to know if an off-speed pitch was coming or a fastball. That’s another thing nobody really knows. The whole year, nobody even knew if I called a pitch and put my glove down on the ground afterward, it was a breaking ball.

I would see Cameron in center field cheating, and if it wasn’t, and I kept it as a fastball, I’d just keep it up by my knee. But he wanted to know that so he could get a jump on it.

MMO: Since you retired as a player, you’ve worked for the Kansas City Royals as a Special Assignment Coach. Can you touch on your role with the team?

Kendall: I’m down in the locker room, I don’t have to go on the road. The only road trips I’ve made in the last six years were the Giants in the World Series, the Blue Jays in the ALCS, and the Mets in the World Series. I’m raising a family, and I know that my dad didn’t have the money. We couldn’t go everywhere he was going because they didn’t make that much money. So I’m not going to do that to my children because my kids are first.

I go there early usually at one. Go over the scouting reports with Sal [Perez], and he’s as hardheaded as they come. It’s a new generation and I’m changing with it, so I go over any and everything. Okay, why did you do this? With the pitchers, why did you throw this pitch here or there? Hit some fungos and then I go sit up in the suite with Dayton [Moore]. It’s a great gig.

I’ve learned so much from what I’ve been doing because when I was playing and went to the ballpark, I didn’t give a rat’s ass about the front office or the owner. I was just worried about what I had to do that day to help our team win and be prepared. I’ve definitely learned so much in the last eight years. I go there, and I’m kind of a fallback for Dayton and Ned [Yost], so they don’t have to do the little things.

MMO: Your resume as a player certainly must help grab the player’s attention more, and give them more reason to listen to you.

Kendall: Without a doubt. I definitely have the resume, and I’ve been there and done that. I tell them I’m not getting on you, I’m just trying to help. Eric Hosmer would come pick my brain all the time. I’ve watched these guys from kids to grown men now. They won a World Series, and you watch them grow up.

Part of you is like, well, they took something here or there from me. Watching how professional they are now it’s cool. That’s the cool part of coaching.

MMO: Do you ever envision yourself as a manager in the majors one day?

Kendall: I’ve had numerous opportunities. I’ve turned down some interviews over the last five years, which I know I would bang out. But it’s a grind; I’ve done that grind for 28 years in professional baseball.

Maybe when the kids are gone; my daughter’s 11 and she’s the youngest. Maybe, I don’t know. I know that definitely over the last five years I’ve had big-league interviews that I’ve turned down because I don’t want to do it yet. Do I want to do it later? I don’t know. I’m a dad, I’m a dad right now. As I said, my mom raised us because my dad was gone all the time. I’m not going to do that to my kids.

MMO: Before we started the interview, you asked me to remind you about a story on the union. Can you share that now with the readers?

Kendall: This is what’s wrong with the union and what guys don’t understand. They had their union meeting, and at least on our team – I can’t speak for all the other teams – had only two guys out of the fifty or so we invited to spring training that knew that the union turned down the 26^th man. Which obviously opens up thirty jobs, and you have that filter effect down to the minor leagues, but instead they got nutrition. Every team and minor league team in the organization has a weight coach, and when I was playing, I didn’t know too much about the union. I knew there were guys taking care of it. Greg Maddux, Al Leiter, Craig Counsell, etc.

You had guys that went to every single meeting, knew what was going on, and said, “No, we’re not doing this.” I don’t know if that’s the case now because of the fact that they passed up on the 26^th man. Could that help out a bullpen or help out that one game that might get you over the hump? Plus, you’re opening up thirty jobs. And they said no because they wanted to have f****** eggs, egg whites, fruit and the nutritionist looking over them. I’m sitting there going, no way.

Tony Clark’s a great guy; played against him, a great guy. My dad was actually his coach with the Tigers when he was there; he’s just a classy guy. But it just makes you think that maybe they do need a lawyer. The union is one of the strongest in the world because of the people that came before it.

Like I said, I’m not really involved in the union. I probably know more about what’s going on now than I did back then because there were twenty veteran guys that were not going to let s*** go by. We didn’t’ have to worry about stuff like that. I don’t know what’s going on now as far as that. But to pass up on a 26^th guy is a huge, huge thing for this game.

MMO: Think about that minor league player who is on the bubble, too. A guy who could be an extra bench piece or bullpen arm; the difference in minor league salary to the minimum in the majors is extraordinary.

Kendall: Oh yeah, it all trickles down to maybe giving that one guy another shot. Maybe they give him three of four at-bats a week or play him two games in a row to see what he really has. Just little things that people will never, ever think about. And obviously, the union didn’t think about it either.

But they’re all eating apples, and you’re a grown man; if you don’t know how to take care of yourself at this level, you probably shouldn’t be in the game. And that was a huge thing. I remember my dad saying, “You don’t go to the ballpark to eat; you go to the ballpark to work.” From coaching staff to players, they’re all eating breakfast, lunch and dinner there and basically not paying for it because the union said they didn’t have to pay.

The fact that there were two guys in our organization in spring training that knew there was a 26^th man passed up means somebody is not doing their job. Two guys. And there was one kid who went to me and asked, “What is the union?” I had to sit this kid down for thirty minutes and explain to him what it is, and to me, that was a big thing.

MMO: I can’t thank you enough for speaking with me today, Jason. I really appreciate the time, and looking back on your career.

Kendall: Absolutely, man. Be good.

Follow Jason Kendall on Twitter, @jasondkendall18

Purchase Kendall’s book Throwback: A Big-League Catcher Tells How the Game Is Really Played here.

The post MMO Exclusive: Former All-Star Catcher, Jason Kendall appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reports that the New York Yankees are unlikely to re-sign veteran Todd Frazier given that is current asking price puts them to close to the $197 million payroll luxury tax threshold for 2018.

The Yankees have prospect Miguel Andujar, went 4 for 7 with two doubles and four RBI in majors last season, as the most likely in-house candidate for third base after he posted an .850 OPS in the minors last season.

Offensively in 2017, Frazier hit .213/.344/.428 with 19 doubles, a triple, 27 homers and 76 RBI. With those numbers, he had a 108 wRC+ and a 107 OPS+.

Frazier is an accomplished defender at third base with a 10 DRS there last year. The number was a career best for him. However, it should be noted in five of the six seasons he has logged at least a thousand innings at third, he has had a 5 DRS or higher at the position.

The Yankees current payroll is roughly $178 million and the team would potential mid-season trades and would still like to add a starting pitcher in addition to the recently re-signed CC Sabathia.

Frazier has expressed a willingness to play all over the infield to try and increase his market this offseason and he did play four games at first base in 2017. He also, albeit limited, has major league experience in left field, right field, shortstop and second base.

It was reported two weeks ago that the Mets were “curious” about the market for Frazier. The Point Pleasant, New Jersey native would certainly improve the Mets infield depth while giving them more insurance for Dominic Smith at first base. The Mets currently have Asdrubal Cabrera locked in as the starter at third.

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Houston Astros (3-3) vs. New York Yankees (3-3)
ALCS Game 7: RHP Charlie Morton (14-7, 3.62) vs. LHP CC Sabathia (14-5, 3.69)
Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 • Minute Maid Park • Houston, TX • 8:08 p.m. CT • FS1 • KBME 790 AM • ESPN Deportes 1230 a.m.

Well, this is it. Winner goes to the World Series and loser picks up a golf club. CC Sabathia who has had a rebirth this season will take on Charlie Morton.

YANKEES LINEUP

1. Brett Gardner (L) LF
2. Aaron Judge (R) RF
3. Didi Gregorius (L) SS
4. Gary Sanchez (R) C
5. Greg Bird (L) 1B
6. Starlin Castro (R) 2B
7. Aaron Hicks (S) CF
8. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
9. Chase Headley (S) DH

ASTROS LINEUP

1. George Springer (R) CF
2. Alex Bregman (R) 3B
3. Jose Altuve (R) 2B
4. Carlos Correa (R) SS
5. Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B
6. Evan Gattis (R) DH
7. Brian McCann (L) C
8. Marwin Gonzalez (S) LF
9. Josh Reddick (L) RF

The post ALCS Game Thread: Yankees vs. Astros, 8:08 PM appeared first on Metsmerized.