Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The New York Mets made a couple of key roster decisions on Saturday.

Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Tommy Hunter has been informed that he is going to make the Mets’ Opening Day roster. The righty had a contractural out that he could have exercised if he wasn’t added to the 40-man roster. However, the 36-year-old will now begin the 2023 season in the bigs.

The move will become official once the Mets select Hunter’s minor league contract prior to the matchup against the Miami Marlins on Opening Day. However, a decision had to be made on Saturday due to that clause in Hunter’s contract.

Hunter struggled with injuries throughout the 2022 season and threw a total of just 22 1/3 innings. However, he has looked strong during spring training and hasn’t allowed an earned run in eight innings of work. Hunter has also struck out nine of the 30 batters he has faced this spring. He was brought back on a minor league deal this winter and the low-risk move has seemingly paid off for both team and player.

The Mets bullpen has to do some shuffling with Edwin Díaz out for the year, so Hunter may find himself in a much larger role than originally expected. When healthy, Hunter has proved he can be a reliable arm with a career 3.14 ERA, 45.6% grounder rate 20.8% strikeout rate, and 5.4% walk rate over 424 1/3 innings since the start of the 2013 season. 

The Mets also announced on Saturday that they have signed Dylan Bundy to a minor league deal. The right-hander spent all of the 2022 season with the Minnesota Twins, pitching to an 8-8 record with a 4.89 ERA in 29 starts. Bundy gives the team another veteran who can step in and start at any given moment. The Mets depth in their rotation is already being tested with José Quintana out until at least July with a rib injury.

Interestingly another, Bundy is yet another pitcher with ties to Mets manager Buck Showalter. The two were together in Baltimore where Bundy pitched to a 4.67 ERA with 602 strikeouts in 127 games. The 30-year-old owns a career 4.74 ERA with a 54-65 record, 852 strikeouts and a 7.4 WAR.

You can never have enough pitching depth in baseball and, given that the Mets have had their depth tested already, Bundy is potentially a really smart pickup who could play a valuable role in 2023.

The post Tommy Hunter Makes Opening Day Roster, Dylan Bundy Signs MLD appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Starling Marte was selected seventh in MLB Network’s top ten right fielder rankings. The Mets outfielder was only chosen behind Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Kyle Tucker, Ronald Acuña Jr. and George Springer at the position. The list was capped off with Teoscar Hernández, Fernando Tatís Jr. and Hunter Renfroe. 

The 34-year-old was everything the organization could have asked for in his first season with the ballclub, slashing .292/.347/.468 in 118 games and making his second All-Star team of his career. Marte missed some time in the second half of the season with a partial non-displaced fracture in his right middle finger, but his impact when he was on the field was evident.

Marte slotted in as the sixth-best center fielder prior to the 2022 season on MLB Network’s list, a position that he has played for large portions of his career. With Brandon Nimmo signing a long-term deal with the Mets this offseason, he [Marte] will continue to play in right field for the foreseeable future.

The Mets veteran outfield underwent surgery back in November of 2022 to repair a core muscle. Marte reportedly played through that injury during the second half of the year, but chose to wait till the offseason to get that looked at.

Previously, MLB Network ranked Edwin Diaz as the top reliever in baseball, and on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET they will release their Top 10 center fielders list.

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At long last, the 2022 Topps Pro Debut was released on September 30th. First released back in 2010, Topps Pro Debut is one of several products Topps releases that strictly feature minor league players. Over the years, Topps Pro Debut has found itself with a much earlier release date on the calendar, but its September release date represents the set’s latest release date. Like the flagship Topps release, Topps Pro Debut has always utilized the same design on the front and back of each card featuring player pictures of every player in a minor league uniform.

Although the first two Topps Pro Debut sets were filled with Mets farmhands that failed to make it to Queens, you can find future Mets such as Juan Lagares, Wilmer Flores, Jeurys Familia, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Matt den Dekker.

Starting in 2012, the Topps Pro Debut began featuring several future Mets stars such as Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, Travis d’Arnaud, Michael Conforto, and Steven Matz, as well as current Mets Brandon Nimmo and Dominic Smith. More recent Topps Pro Debut releases have included Pete Alonso, David Peterson, Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, and Brett Baty.

The 2022 Topps Pro Debut release features several of the Mets’ top prospects. The 200-card set includes the first card for some 2021 first-round picks and there are eight parallel sets serial numbered from 1 to 199. The release also is available in Chrome with six parallel refractors that are serial numbered from 1 to 99.

Also included are certified autographed cards, Draftee Debuts, MiLB Legends, and Brick by Brick insert sets.

Below is a full checklist of Mets cards in the 2022 Topps Pro Debut set. I’ve already purchased each of the base set cards at a reasonable price on eBay.

Base
PD-18 Francisco Alvarez – Brooklyn Cyclones
PD-87 Alex Ramirez – St. Lucie Mets
PD-123 Jaylen Palmer – Brooklyn Cyclones
PD-154 Brett Baty – Binghamton Rumble Ponies
PD-160 Robert Dominguez – FCL Mets
PD-175 Ronny Mauricio – Binghamton Rumble Ponies
PD-177 JT Schwartz – St. Lucie Mets

Base Autographs
JT Schwartz – St. Lucie Mets

Brick by Brick
BB-15 Brett Baty – Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Chrome
PDC-18 Francisco Alvarez – Brooklyn Cyclones
PDC-87 Alex Ramirez – St. Lucie Mets
PDC-123 Jaylen Palmer – Brooklyn Cyclones
PDC-154 Brett Baty – Binghamton Rumble Ponies
PDC-160 Robert Dominguez – FCL Mets
PDC-175 Ronny Mauricio – Binghamton Rumble Ponies
PDC-177 JT Schwartz – St. Lucie Mets

Future Cornerstones Autographs
FC-FA Francisco Alvarez – Brooklyn Cyclones

The post 2022 Topps Pro Debut Makes Long-Awaited Arrival appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by James Farrance

In February, during early camp at Port St. Lucie, Mets top prospect Francisco Álvarez told reporters that his goal for the 2022 season was to make it to the big leagues. Well, he’s done it.

Three months before Álvarez proclaimed that goal, he turned 20 years old. Coming into spring camp, the young catcher didn’t have an at-bat above A-Ball in the Mets system. Those two factors didn’t stop the hard-working phenom from his ultimate goal.

Álvarez started the season as the everyday catcher for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and he didn’t waste any time showing off his bat. He homered in his first three Double-A games and finished his first month in higher competition with a .926 OPS.

The numbers for Álvarez dipped a little in May to a .783 OPS, but he was off and running again in June when he slashed .286/.389/.681 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs for Binghamton. Two more games in July at Double-A and the Mets had seen enough, Álvarez was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

Francisco Álvarez against left-handed pitching this season:

.315/.424/.595

pic.twitter.com/f0XbFJXSmg

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) September 30, 2022

Things for Álvarez started a little slow in Triple-A and then he would have a hot few games and then struggle again. Totally normal stuff for a 20-year-old facing Triple-A pitching. Then came the news in August that the Mets prized prospect had an ankle injury. It was first feared that he might need surgery, but thankfully that wasn’t the case and Álvarez was back in action on Sept. 11.

What a September it was for Álvarez in Triple-A. The right-handed power bat hit .362/.483/.596 in 58 plate appearances for Syracuse. He finished the season off by walking exactly twice in each of his last four games and only struck out twice in that span.

For the year, Álvarez hit .260/.374/.511 with 22 doubles, 27 home runs, and 78 RBIs over 112 games. The Mets aren’t going to call up the best prospect in baseball (per MLB Pipeline) to have him sit on the bench so I would expect him in the lineup tonight against left-hander Max Fried.

While Álvarez’s overall numbers are substantial, his slash line of .315/.424/.595 is elite and the Mets have struggled to get production from their designated hitters against lefties all year.

Now that Álvarez is here, the big question everyone wants to know is he postseason eligible. The answer is yes with a slight caveat. He is not on the 40-man roster yet –the Mets have yet to announce any such move– meaning he will have to be an injury replacement to be postseason eligible. Players not on the 40-man roster at the start of September can still be eligible as long as the team has a player who’s been on the injured list for the minimum amount of time and the Mets have several such players.

Of course, we don’t know yet how the Mets plan to use the catcher, however, it’s important to remember that Álvarez caught both Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom in the minor leagues this year during their rehab stints.

The Mets are entering their biggest series of the season and the biggest in quite some time as a franchise and they decided to have the best roster they could by calling up their top prospect. It’s certainly an aggressive move for a team that has World Series aspirations and they hope Álvarez can play a part in getting them there.

The post Francisco Álvarez Makes Good on Promise to Reach Majors appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jake Reed, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

AAA: Columbus Clippers (8-3) 10, Syracuse Mets (1-9) 1 BOX SCORE

• Carlos Rincon – 1B: 2-4, R
• Khalil Lee – CF: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB
• Wyatt Young – SS: 1-3, BB

It was a relatively lackluster day offensively for the Mets, as the team scored one run on five hits. Carlos Rincon hit a pair of singles in this game, and scored in the top of the 6th inning on Khalil Lee’s RBI double. Wyatt Young also reached base twice in this game, rising his season on-base percentage to .409. The offense will have to be more productive when Syracuse faces Worcester on Tuesday night.

• Félix Peña (0-1, 18.00 ERA): 2.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 K
• Trey Cobb (0-0, 8.31 ERA): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 5 BB
• Eric Orze (0-1, 7.20 ERA): 2.0 IP, 6 K

After allowing eleven runs to Columbus on Thursday and 15 runs on Friday, the Mets failed to control the Clippers’ bats yesterday, allowing 10 runs on nine hits on Saturday. Félix Peña started the game for the Mets and gave up a pair of home runs to Gabriel Arias and Alex Call in the 1st inning, putting Syracuse in an early 3-0 deficit. Peña was removed from the game shortly after giving up an RBI double to Richie Palacios.

Trey Cobb also had a poor showing on the mound, walking five batters in two innings and allowing a crushing three-run double to Gabriel Arias that gave Columbus a 10-0 lead. The bright spot for Mets pitching was Eric Orze, who pitched the seventh and eighth innings and retired every batter via the strikeout.

AA: The Binghamton Rumble Ponies

The team’s game was postponed today due to rain. The makeup date is to be determined.

A+ – Game 1: Brooklyn Cyclones (4-3) 4, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (1-6) 3 BOX SCORE

• Rowdey Jordan – LF: 2-4, 3 RBI
• JT Schwartz – 1B: 2-2, BB
• Matt Rudick – CF: 1-3, 2 R

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Cyclones scored four runs on six hits. It was a big day for Rowdey Jordan, who knocked in three runs in the game. In the bottom of the second, Jordan singled to right field, scoring Matt Rudick. Then in the bottom of the 6th inning, Jordan tripled into right field, scoring Ethan Wilson and Matt Rudick. Also, JT Schwartz reached base three times and Matt Rudick scored two runs and hit a triple in the first inning.

• Jose Chacin (0-0, 1.00 ERA): 5.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 K
• Nolan Clenney (2-1, 4.25 ERA): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB
• Sammy Tavarez (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 1.0 IP, 2 BB, K

Jose Chacin had a good start. He only allowed two hits and one earned run while walking no batters. Chacin threw 64 pitches in this game and 49 of them were strikes. In the sixth inning, Nolan Clenney entered with a 2-1 lead. However, a wild pitch allowed McCarthy Tatum to score and moved John Rojas to third. Then, Luis Garcia knocked in the game-tying run, giving Clenney his first blown save of the year. Sammy Tavarez got the save in the 7th inning after Brooklyn scored two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning.

A+ – Game 2: Brooklyn Cyclones (5-3) 6, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (1-7) 1 BOX SCORE

• Joe Suozzi – RF: 1-2, HR, 4 RBI
• Rowdey Jordan – CF: 1-4, RBI
• Nic Gaddis – C: 2-3, 2 R

In the second game, the Cyclones offense produced six runs on only four hits. In the bottom of the second inning, the Cyclones scored two runs on a hit-by-pitch and then a wild pitch by Mick Abel. Then in the bottom of the fourth inning, Joe Suozzi homered to left field, scoring Nic Gaddis and Matt Rudick. Finally, Jordan hit an RBI single into right field that scored Rudick. Gaddis had a couple of singles in the game, helping to boost Brooklyn’s offense.

• Oscar Rojas (1-0, 1.00 ERA): 5.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 5 K
• Reyson Santos (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K

Oscar Rojas got the win in yesterday’s game two for Brooklyn, pitching five solid innings with only one mistake: a home run by D.J Stewart in the second inning. Part of Rojas’s success in this outing was due to his control. He threw strikes 75% of the time (64 pitches, 48 strikes) and did not walk any batters. Reyson Santos finished off the game with two scoreless innings.

A: St. Lucie Mets (6-2) 5, Clearwater Threshers (1-7) 4 BOX SCORE

• Justin Guerrera – DH: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, R
• William Lugo – 3B: 1-2, 2B, 2 R, BB
• Alex Ramirez – LF: 1-4

Wild pitching by the Threshers (eight walks) and three hits allowed the Mets to score five runs in yesterday’s game. Justin Guerrera hit a big RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to left field, scoring William Lugo. Guerrera got on base two more times by drawing walks. Lugo also had a double and two walks in the contest and Alex Ramirez had a single to reach base. Overall, the offense had a productive night as the Threshers pitching staff could not limit their mistakes.

• Luis Moreno (0-0, 13.50 ERA): 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Dylan Hall (1-0, 0.00 ERA): 2.0 IP, H
• Grant Hartwig (1-1, 2.16 ERA): 1.0 IP, H, K

After the rehabbing Jake Reed pitched a scoreless opening inning, Luis Moreno pitched four innings and allowed two earned runs in the top of the 3rd inning. Dylan Hall took over for Moreno and earned the win, pitching two innings and only allowing one hit. Finally, Hartwig earned the save for the contest, pitching a scoreless ninth inning while allowing one hit.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Jake Reed Makes Rehab Appearance appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Calvin Ziegler, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

AAA: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (4-1) vs. Syracuse Mets (1-4)

Syracuse’s game was postponed for the second time in their opening series against the RailRiders due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday, June 8. The Mets will begin their next series at Columbus on Tuesday, April 12.

AA: Hartford Yard Goats (2-1) 10, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (1-2) 8  Box Score

• Brett Baty 3B: 2-for-5, R, 2 K, .357/.357/.643
• Ronny Mauricio SS: 2-for-5, R, 2B, .286/.286/.357
• Matt Winaker 1B: 1-for-4, 2 R, HR, 5 RBI, K, .286/.400/.714

One day after being blown out 13-2, the Rumble Ponies’ offense returned to form, even if the pitching left plenty to be desired. Six of the team’s eight runs came off two big swings: a two-run blast to left-center field by Johneshwy Fargas and Winaker’s grand slam to right field in the fifth inning. Francisco Álvarez was out of the lineup during Sunday’s game, but this gave Binghamton’s other two top prospects a chance to shine. Both Baty and Mauricio had multi-hit games, and, after striking out six times over the first two games of the season, Mauricio was able to put the ball in play in all five of his at bats. Every player in the lineup except Jeremy Vasquez had at least one hit in the game.

• RHP Alex Valverde (0-0, 23.14 ERA) 2.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, BB, 4 K
• RHP Willy Taveras (L, 0-1, 9.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, H, 2 R, ER
• RHP Brian Metoyer (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, K

Valverde’s first appearances in the Mets organization – he was selected in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft this offseason – did not quite go as planned. Working primarily out of the bullpen since 2019, except for a brief 10-start run at the end of 2021, it was surprising to see him in the Binghamton starting rotation to start the season. As a full-time reliever, Taveras had a solid 2021 season but struggled in his 2022 debut. The two-run homer he gave up in the seventh inning drove in the deciding runs of the game. Metoyer, who impressed with his high spin rate curveball during the Arizona Fall League, had the best outing of any Binghamton pitcher as he needed just 12 pitches to get through a perfect eighth inning.

Wilmington Blue Rocks (2-1) 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (1-2) 1  Box Score

• Jaylen Palmer CF: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, .100/.100/.200
• JT Schwartz 1B: 1-for-3, R, BB, K, .111/.200/.111
• Brandon McIlwain RF: 1-for-3, 2B, .200/.200/.400

In Sunday’s game, Brooklyn’s offense struggled mightily as Wilmington shut out the lineup until the ninth inning. They especially struggled with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-6 in those rare situations when a runner made it to second base. The lone run in the game came when Schwartz singled with two outs in the ninth, and Palmer drove him home with a double in the next at bat. Schwartz and Palmer are among the more promising hitters on the Cyclones this season, but these were just the first hits for both of them.

• RHP Carlos Ocampo (L, 0-1, 81.00 ERA) 0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, K
• RHP Oscar Rojas (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 4.0 IP, H, BB, 6 K
• RHP Reyson Santos (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, BB, 2 K

Like Valverde with Binghamton, Ocampo was taken by the Mets in the minor league Rule 5 draft this past offseason, primarily worked as a reliever in his former organization, and was penciled into the starting rotation to start 2022. And, like Valverde, he had a rough go of it in his first start in the Mets organization. Ocampo only got one out before being pulled from the game; he threw 32 pitches before being removed. Nevertheless, the bullpen largely limited the damage over their eight and two-thirds innings and kept the Cyclones in the game. Rojas, who was probably scheduled to piggyback Ocampo on Sunday, was the best of the bunch, allowing just two baserunners over the four innings he pitched.

Daytona Tortugas (1-2) 9, St. Lucie Mets (2-1) 2  Box Score

• Alex Ramirez DH: 2-for-4, R, 3B, RBI, K, .462/.500/.615
• Stanley Consuegra CF: 2-for-4, RBI, K, .385/.429/.385
• Raul Beracierta 1B: 1-for-3, R, .333/.333/.333

The Mets’ offense couldn’t get much going in Sunday’s loss, scoring just two runs on five hits. However, the entire offense came from the lineup’s two top prospects: Ramirez and Consuegra. Back-to-back hits by the two of them in the eighth inning brought home St. Lucie’s only two runs. Both have gotten off to strong starts in the opening series, and Ramirez, considering he spent most of last season with St. Lucie, may be in line for a quick promotion to Brooklyn if he keeps this up. Consuegra, a former top international signing, has had injury issues but is still 21 years old and impressed in minor league spring training, so it’s good to see him with a strong opening weekend.

• RHP Calvin Ziegler (L, 0-1, 4.91 ERA) 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• RHP Joshua Cornielly (0-0, 13.50 ERA) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K
• RHP Brendan Hardy (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, H, BB, 3 K

Ziegler, the Mets’ 2nd round draft pick in 2021 and one of the top pitching prospects in the system, made his professional debut in Sunday’s game. He had a rough first inning, in which he walked two batters and gave up both of the runs he allowed before he was pulled with 56 pitches in the fourth inning. His fastball was reportedly sitting 94-96 MPH in the game. Cornielly was making his first appearance since 2019 after missing all of last season following shoulder surgery.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Calvin Ziegler Makes Professional Debut appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On April 5, 1983, Tom Seaver started on Opening Day at Shea Stadium for the New York Mets. “The Franchise” had returned, after an exile in Cincinnati that had lasted almost six years. The Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies that day by a 2-0 score, but that was anti-climactic.

More than 46,000 fans packed into the old ballpark in Queens to watch their favorite son return to the mound wearing orange and blue. Seaver declined the customary ride from the bullpen in the cart at the beginning of the game, instead walking down the right field line toward the home dugout to a deafening roar from the crowd.

When the game began, Seaver started his second tour of Mets duty by striking out Pete Rose. Tom would go on to toss six shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking one, and striking out five. Doug Sisk pitched the final three innings for the save.

Seaver, a native of Fresno, California, was 38 years old during the 1983 season. That year, on a Mets team that finished 68-94, he posted a 9-14 record with a 3.55 ERA. He pitched 231 innings, striking out 135 hitters while walking 86.

Seaver is the most accomplished player ever to play for the Mets. Here are some of his career achievements:

Personal Statistics

12-time all star

1967 NL Rookie of the Year

3 Cy Young Awards (1969, 1973, 1975)

Career WAR of 109.9

3 NL ERA titles (1970, 1971, 1973)

311 career wins

3 time leader in NL in WHIP (1971, 1973, 1977)

6 time leader in NL K/9 (1970, 1971, 1973, 1973, 1974, 1976)

5 time leader in NL in Strikeouts (1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976)

2 time leader in NL in shutouts (1977, 1979)

4 time leader in NL in FIP (1971, 1973, 1975, 1976)

MLB Ranking in Key Statistics

Wins- 18th with 311

Strikeouts- 6th with 3640

Innings pitched- 17th with 4782.2

WHIP- 23rd with 1.12

Opponent BA- 13th with .226

Ranking Among Mets Pitchers

Wins- 1st with 198

Innings pitched- 1st with 3045.2

Strikeouts- 1st with 2,541

Games started- 1st with 395

Complete games- 1st with 171

Shutouts- 1st with 44

Pitcher bWAR- 1st with 76.1

Although Seaver’s status as “The Franchise” was never questioned, he had a much more uncomfortable relationship with the Mets’ organization than one would expect.

In 1977, Seaver wanted to renegotiate his salary to have it more closely align with the higher salaries pitchers were earning through the newly-established free agency system. He had a difference of opinion on the matter with Mets Chairman of the Board M. Donald Grant, which resulted in Seaver’s being traded to the Reds.

After being reacquired from Cincinnati for the 1983 season, Seaver was left unprotected in a free agency compensation draft after the season. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox, and won his 300th game in a White Sox uniform at Yankee Stadium.

After he retired, Seaver’s relationship with the Mets remained cool. His number was retired in 1988, but his presence in Queens was scarce. He took a broadcasting job with the Yankees in 1989, and worked in their booth through the 1993 season. After a hiatus from broadcasting, Seaver and the Mets made amends when the star pitcher agreed to work for the Mets on WPIX telecasts from 1999-2005.

George Thomas Seaver was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1992 with a then-record 98.84% of the votes. He attended the closing ceremonies at Shea Stadium in 2008 and the opening festivities at Citi Field in 2009. The 2013 All Star Game, played at Citi Field, was dedicated to the Mets icon. Citi Field now stands on 41 Seaver Way, and on Opening Day 2022, a statue of “The Franchise” will finally be unveiled at the ballpark.

Seaver had a strong interest in wine, and had a vineyard in California that famously produced two Cabernet Sauvignons, “Nancy’s Fancy” (named after his wife) and “GTS”. The Mets’ legend passed away on August 31, 2020 from dementia and complications of COVID-19. He was 75 years old at the time of his passing.

It’s nice to see the Mets embracing their history more earnestly under new owner, Steve Cohen. The statue unveiling on April 15 will be a significant moment for the franchise, as it honors its “Franchise”, number 41, Tom Seaver.

The post OTD 1983: Tom Seaver Makes His Return To Mets on Opening Day appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets took care of the Washington Nationals by a score of 4-2 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, FL today. Led by some timely hitting and solid pitching, the orange and blue were able to stave off the pesky Nationals from any late inning rally.

Taijuan Walker made his 2022 debut after his winter surgery and pitched two solid innings to open the game. Outside of a sun-induced dropped ball between Luis Guillorme and Robinson Cano in the infield, Walker allowed only the one hit and did not allow a walk. David Peterson piggybacked and followed suit with 3 2/3 innings in his second spring stint. Lane Thomas’s two-run home run over the batter’s eye in the fourth inning was the extent of Peterson’s faced damage in an otherwise calm one walk, five strikeout outing.

The Mets’ bats awoke in the bottom of the fourth as a Cano groundout drove in Jeff McNeil who tripled to lead off the inning. After an Eduardo Escobar walk, and a Dominic Smith ground-rule double, Guillorme was unable to drive in the pair after a dribbler in front of the plate. 

In the bottom of the fifth, catcher Hayden Senger was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. After a Brandon Nimmo fly out, Mark Canha doubled in Senger. McNeil followed suit with a single of his own, bringing in Canha to give the Mets a 3-2 edge. Escobar added an insurance run via the long ball in the bottom of the sixth. 

Stephen Nogosek, Chasen Shreve, and Sean Reid-Foley closed out the game with a combined 3 1/3 innings. Together, they allowed one hit, no runs, one walk, and struck out three. Other positive results was Nimmo having himself a two-hit game. Touted prospect Brett Baty also chipped in with a hit off the bench.

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Player of the Game: Jeff McNeil

Getting some prep time in right field, McNeil filled the score sheet going 2-for-3 with a single and a triple. He also drove in a run and scored a run of his own. McNeil will surely see time in multiple positions this season. He, like several Mets this year, is looking for a bounce back in 2022.

On Deck: 

The St. Louis Cardinals will be in Port St. Lucie for Sunday’s contest as the Mets look to stay above .500 this spring. The weekend finale is set to feature the unusual occurrence of piggybacked aces. Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are both scheduled to pitch ahead of the opening series in Washington, D.C tomorrow.

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As Major League Baseball and the Players Association continue to work out the kinks of the Collective Bargaining Agreement since the lockout ended, more proposals were made by MLB on Saturday. According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, MLB made multiple proposals regarding sign stealing which would bring forth stricter guidelines on the common practice.

The first major proposal from MLB is that batters would be prohibited from reviewing scouting cards or any other information during an at-bat, according to Ghiroli. This means hitters wouldn’t be to take any cards or slips of paper with them to the plate, such as placing them in their helmets, pockets, etc.

Another aspect of these latest proposals is that club personnel would not be able to print any scouting information for on-field club personnel during the game. This would go into effect with the first pitch of the game. Nothing would be allowed to be printed and delivered to the dugout during the game. It doesn’t say anything about before a game, but the first proposal would obviously prohibit batters from taking any information onto the field.

The final major proposal that Ghiroli outlined was allowing pitchers and catchers to use wireless PitchCom technology, which they’ve been testing during spring training. It would be on a “completely voluntary basis” according to Ghiroli, but it’s one feature that would be permitted within these restrictions.

Ghiroli said it’s unclear how the MLBPA will respond to these proposals. There’s no reason to believe there’s been any traction on implementing these changes yet.

There have already been multiple changes since the lockout ended, most notably the return of the runner on second in extra innings. MLB and the PA took a long time to come to an initial agreement, and further changes are still being discussed as the MLB regular season nears closer.

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