Big news from late night/early morning: Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the San Francisco Giants signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million extension. Chapman will be under contract with the Giants through the 2030 season.

Chapman was likely to opt-out of his contract this offseason to become a free agent, but now leaves the expected third basemen market this offseason to Alex Bregman and not much else.

The Mets came into Wednesday night’s matchup looking for a clean three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, and they came up big. Jesse Winker started the game with a boom as he hit a first-inning grand slam to put the Mets up 4-0 early. Tylor Megill went four-plus innings while giving up three runs in his start, but the Mets’ bullpen was stupendous, going five innings of shutout ball. The Mets pulled away late as the Red Sox bullpen lost all control, conceding four runs in the eighth inning, ultimately resulting in an 8-3 Mets win. Click here for a full game recap.

The Mets have now won their seventh game in a row, the longest active streak in MLB, and will have Thursday off as they prepare to host the Reds over the weekend. Sean Manaea is slated to open the series on Friday against the 67-73 Cincinnati Reds.

Wild Card Update

The Mets did not gain any ground on the third and final Wild Card spot on Wednesday as the Braves handled business against the Rockies. They remain a half game back.

The Padres and Diamondbacks both won as well. The Mets are 3.5 and 3.0 games behind them, respectively.

Latest Mets News

Kodai Senga, who has been on the IL with a left calf strain, threw 25 pitches off a mound with “noticeably increased intensity,” per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. DiComo added that Senga mentioned that he was transitioning his focus from leg rehab to getting his arm back in game shape.

Staying on Kodai Senga, Andy Martino of SNY.com reported that the Mets organization is increasingly optimistic that Senga will be able to return as a starting pitcher in 2024.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that the Mets expect to get starting pitcher Paul Blackburn back from the IL during their Blue Jays series early next week.

1969 World Series champion Cleon Jones joined the “Erik Sherman Show” podcast to detail the 1960s Mets’ rise from losers to champions.

Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert blasted his sixth home run in his last 13 games for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday night.

Mets assistant GM Ian Levin will be leaving the organization at the end of the season after 20 years with the club, per Andy Martino of SNY. 

The Mets continue to honor former chief photographer Marc Levine, who suddenly passed away on July 4. On Wednesday, Jay Horowitz announced that the club dedicated the first base well to Levine.

Noah Syndergaard joined the “Terry Collins Show” podcast to catch up with his old manager and talk about their memorable times in Queens.

Latest MLB News

MLB released the schedule and club assignments for the 2025 Arizona Fall League, by Brendan Samson of MLB.com. Mets prospects will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, with the season starting on Oct. 7.

The Chicago Cubs placed former All-Star pitcher Justin Steele on the 15-day IL with left elbow tendinitis, retroactive to September 1. The Cubs’ ace southpaw said he vows to return before the end of the season.

The Cubs also placed former Mets RHP Jorge López on the 15-day IL with a right groin strain, retroactive to September 3. 

Japanese star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make his return off the IL on Tuesday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Yamamoto has been on the injured list since June 16 with a right triceps injury.

Cubs pitchers Shōta Imanaga, Nate Pearson, and Porter Hodge combined to throw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Imanaga started the game with seven no-hit innings before handing the ball to Pearson and Hodge after throwing 95 pitches.

The Texas Rangers placed star shortstop Corey Seager on the 10-day IL with right hip discomfort.

Elvis Andrus will officialy retire as a Texas Ranger on Friday, per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Andrus spent 12 of his 15 big league seasons with the Rangers, and will be honored on Friday as he will be throwing out the first pitch as the Angels and Elvis’ first big league manager Ron Washington will return to Texas.

Latest on MMO

Francisco Lindor continues his roaring MVP level pace.

The Mets’ bullpen has been lights out during their winning streak.

A Kodai Senga return continues to look more likely.

On This Date in Mets History

2015: Bartolo Colón makes a jaw-dropping behind-the-back toss to throw out Justin Bour at first base. In this start, the 42-year-old Colón became the oldest Met to pitch a shutout and extended his scoreless inning streak to 25.

1969: Tom Seaver throws a complete game en route to becoming the first Met to win 20 games in a season.

1963: The Mets sign outfielder Ron Swoboda for $35,000. Swoboda would end up being a key piece to the Mets 1969 World Series team; hitting .400 in the World Series while making a miraculous grab in game 4 and driving in the game-winning run in game 5. 

Born on This Date: Pablo Reyes (1993), Chris Young (1983), Matt Watson (1978), Rod Barajas (1975)

The post Morning Briefing: Matt Chapman Signs Six-Year Extension With Giants appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets had a golden opportunity to clinch a series win and an above .500 record on their West Coast swing last night. However, their bullpen let them down again. With two outs in the eighth inning and a runner on first, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza decided to go to Edwin Díaz to get a four-out save. Unfortunately, Díaz’s command was erratic again, leaving him in a bases-loaded situation with Corbin Carroll at the plate. Having to throw a strike, Edwin hung a slider over the middle of the plate, and Carroll gave the D-Backs a three-run lead with his second homer of the night. 

While 2022 Edwin Díaz might still be in there, the Mets $100 million closer has blown six saves on the season and has been especially unreliable lately. Díaz and Butto, perceived as the Mets most potent duo, also blew another game on their road trip against the Padres on Sunday. If the Mets’ back-end, particularly their former “reliever of the year” closer, cannot be relied upon, they will continue throwing away crucial games amid a heated wild card race.

To put the icing on the bullpen-mess cake, right-hander Dedniel Núñez was unavailable on Wednesday because of forearm tightness. Mendoza said the high-leverage reliever is currently day-to-day. Núñez has only pitched in one game, 1 2/3 scoreless innings on August 24, since returning from the injured list because of a right forearm strain.

The final game in Arizona will be a showdown between David Peterson (8-1, 2.85 ERA) and Ryne Nelson (9-6, 4.29 ERA) at 3:40 P.M. EDT.

Wild Card Update

The Mets created more distance between themselves and the three wild card teams with their loss last night. With Arizona’s win over the Mets last night, they increased their lead over the Mets to seven games. The Padres losing to the Cardinals also helped Arizona, putting them a full game in front of San Diego for the first wild card spot. The most consequential result for the Mets on Wednesday night was the Braves winning again, as they swept the Twins and are now 8-2 in their last 10 games. New York is four games behind Atlanta for the final wild card spot.

Latest Mets News

Luis Severino told reporters that he felt a lot of pain after getting hit in his foot by a come-backer in last night’s loss. However, Luis said that the x-rays returned negative and he is “100% sure” he will make his next start.

Mets 2024 first-round pick Carson Benge continues to rake. Benge hit his second home run in two days on Wednesday, bringing his OPS up to 1.106 in his seven games for the St. Lucie Mets. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza mentioned “speed and versatility” as two attributes that will be valued when the Mets expand their roster on Sunday, August 1st, per Mike Puma of The New York Post. That sounds like prospect Luisangel Acuña, who is on the Mets’ 40-man roster. 

Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported on a Bleacher Report “Walk-Off” stream, that Orioles starter and soon-to-be free-agent Corbin Burnes will be on the Mets radar this off-season. Click here for more information on the report.

Latest MLB News

Fans were lined up outside of Dodger Stadium 7 hours before first pitch for Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night on Wednesday.

Excitement level for Shohei and Decoy. 📈 pic.twitter.com/54viWyFYBY

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 29, 2024

The Kansas City Royals placed RHP Michael Lorenzen on the 15-day IL with a left hamstring strain. Lorenzen, who is on his fourth team in the past two seasons, pitched to a 1.85 ERA in his 24 1/3 innings with Kansas City since being traded from Texas.

The 7th pick in the 2023 draft and one of the Cincinnati Reds top prospects, Rhett Lowder, is expected to make his major league debut on Friday, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic Cincinnati. 

The Houston Astros sent former starting center fielder Chas McCormick down to Triple-A, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. This move comes a day after the Astros signed veteran OF Jason Heyward off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told the media that Miguel Andujar will be undergoing a season-ending core muscle surgery, per Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. Andujar is under control through 2025, Oakland hopes to have him back next season.

Veteran INF Thairo Estrada and left-handed relievers Tyler Matzek and Taylor Rogers were all placed on waivers by the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, per Grant Bisbee and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Unlike being DFA’d, the players will continue to play for the Giants until the resolution of their waiver process.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told the media that utility man Jorge Mateo will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the UCL in his left elbow. Mateo, known as one of the fastest players in the league, originally injured his elbow in late July and was hoping to make a return later in the season before the surgery.

Latest on MMO

Pete Alonso continues to climb the Mets all-time leaderboards.

See how the Mets and Braves schedules compare down the stretch run.

Could the Mets pursue Corbin Burnes to be their ace in free agency?

On This Date in Mets History 

2016: Yoenis Cespedes hits a walk-off solo home run to beat the Marlins 2-1.

2008: Carlos Beltrán launches a ball deep into right field for a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth inning, giving the Mets a 5-2 lead over the Marlins.

Birthdays: Noah Syndergaard (32), Anthony Recker (41), Henry Blanco (53), Bill Latham (64), Rusty Tillman (64)

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Regularly the smallest player on every organized team he played on, Collins realized that he could stand out by routinely playing harder than the rest.

Collins, 74, has spent over five decades in professional baseball. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 19th round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft, he never appeared in the big leagues as a player. Collins soon understood that if he wanted to taste the life of a major leaguer, he would need to do so in a different way.

The baseball lifer worked his way up from managing in the minor leagues to earning a coaching spot with Jim Leyland’s Pittsburgh Pirates team before getting his first shot as a major league skipper with the Houston Astros in 1994. The Astros would go on to finish second in the N.L. Central in each of the three seasons Collins was at the helm. Houston fired him following the 1996 season, however, after the team went 8-17 in September and saw their division lead disappear.

Collins wasn’t out of work long though, as the Anaheim Angels named him the 15th manager in franchise history in November of 1996. The Angels won 84 and 85 games, respectively, in 1997 and 1998, but went a disappointing 51-82 in their first 133 games of the 1999 season. Despite receiving a contract extension midway through that campaign, Collins resigned as manager following a nine-game losing streak at the end of August. Stories of player unrest and a fractious clubhouse marred Collins’ tenure as Angels manager.

Following stints as an advance scout with the Chicago Cubs, bullpen and third base coach with the Tampa Bay Rays, field coordinator and director of player development with the Los Angeles Dodgers and manager for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Collins was hired by the New York Mets as their minor league field coordinator for the 2010 season.

Almost a year after the Mets brought Collins on, he was tasked with a new, yet familiar, responsibility: managing a ball club.

Collins returned to the dugout, becoming the 20th skipper in Mets history. He made a promise to himself to enjoy this time more and not make the same mistakes he did with the Astros and Angels.

In total, he was at the helm for seven seasons (2011-2017), becoming the second manager in franchise history to lead the club to back-to-back postseasons in 2015 and 2016 (joining Bobby Valentine). Collins is the longest-tenured manager in Mets history, managing 1,134 regular season games.

Recently, Collins joined X (formerly Twitter) and began a podcast with John Arezzi aptly called “The Terry Collins Show.” The weekly show features Collins bringing listeners behind the scenes of a major league clubhouse, along with hosting a variety of guests, including David Wright, R.A. Dickey and Daniel Murphy.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Collins over the phone, where we discussed his playing career, transitioning to managing and some of his memories from his time with the Mets.

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

Collins: I grew up in Michigan, and Al Kaline was a big star with the Tigers. There was another player named Rocky Colavito who became a great player with the Tigers.

The Yankees won a lot back then, so I was a big Mickey Mantle fan.

One of the stations we listened to in Michigan had Milwaukee Braves baseball. I used to listen to the great Braves players like [Hank] Aaron and [Eddie] Mathews. The catcher’s name was Del Crandall, who I played for in the minor leagues. So that was cool.

MMO: You played all over the field throughout your minor league career. Were you always a versatile player?

Collins: I grew up playing just second base. I was always the smallest guy on every team I ever played. Second base was my position, and I only played a couple of games at shortstop in American Legion.

When I got to college, I made the team as a freshman. The first game we had was a doubleheader, and the second baseman on varsity got hurt. They brought me up for those two games, and I got six hits in the doubleheader.

The next day the coach asked me, “Can you play shortstop?” I told him yes. He said, “Well, meet me at the field,” and the following day I played shortstop against the University of Michigan. I ended up playing shortstop the rest of my career at Eastern Michigan.

MMO: You’ve always been known as an intense and fiery competitor. Do you remember when you first started displaying those traits?

Collins: Well, again, I’m a little guy. When I had to compete, if I was going to compete, I had to play hard. I played harder than anybody.

When I was a little boy, my mother got a phone call from one of my friend’s mothers. She said, “I don’t want Bobby playing with Terry anymore. He plays too hard.”

When my dad got home from work that night, my mom said to him, “You need to talk to Terry.” My dad asked, “Why?” She said, “One of the mothers called and said Terry plays too hard, and we need to talk to him.” My dad said, “I’ll talk to him.” She asked, “What are you going to tell him?” He said, “I’m going to tell him not to play with Bobby anymore.” [Laughs.]

MMO: When and how did the chance to manage in the minor leagues come about? 

Collins: It’s pretty funny. My first spring training, I saw Triple-A guys who were 29-30 years-old still playing. I wrote a letter to my mother that spring telling her there are guys who are 29 and 30 years old still playing in the minors. I told her I’m giving it three years, and if I’m not in the big leagues in three years, I’m going to go back and use my education. Fifty years later, I’m still doing it!

I kind of fell in love with the game. The one thing I always wanted to do was be a coach. When I went to the Dodgers organization from the Pirates, in spring training you would go into a backroom, and they had this little area where guys could get a beer. It was part of the complex. You would sit there and listen to [Sandy] Koufax, [Don] Drysdale, [Johnny] Podres, Maury Wills, Wes Parker, Walter Alston and [Tommy] Lasorda. They were always at spring training. You just sat there and absorbed as much information as you could.

When I was hoping I would get a chance to manage, as I said, I played for Del Crandall. I picked his brain because he was an outstanding minor league manager, great teacher, and great teacher of catching. Back then, you didn’t have any coaches in the minor leagues; it was just you. I had to learn how to teach catching, how to teach outfield play and how to work with the pitchers.

I picked the brains of those guys as much as I possibly could. I knew at some time I was going to have to use all of that information. It was the greatest education you could have.

MMO: It’s crazy to think there was a time where the only coach on a minor league time was the manager.

Collins: My first year managing, I’m in Lodi, California, and in the minors you have halves. So, the first half, our team wasn’t very good. Fernando Valenzuela burst onto the scene in Los Angeles, and he was throwing a screwball. There was an older pitcher the Dodgers had at one time named Jim Brewer, and Jim threw a screwball. The Dodgers hired him to go through the minor leagues and try to teach some guys that were average pitchers the screwball.

The first place he came was Lodi. He saw our pitching staff and said, “Terry, first of all, I’m going to teach them how to throw their fastballs for strikes. I’m not worried about the screwball. If they can’t throw their fastballs for strikes, the screwball is not going to help them.”

He turned our entire pitching staff around in three weeks. We ended up winning the second half and won the championship because Brewer came and taught my pitchers to throw strikes with their fastballs. That’s the kind of stuff you got the opportunity with. Again, this was my first year coaching by myself.

When I got to Triple-A, we had coaches; we had a pitching coach and third base coach. My pitching coach was Dave Wallace, who was one of the best pitching coaches for a long time and one of my best friends. He had to go home, and I’m the only guy who’s ever had Sandy Koufax as a pitching coach. Sandy used to roll through the minor leagues, and he came to Albuquerque when Dave was going to be gone. Sandy was my pitching coach for a day.

MMO: You can’t do much better than having Koufax offering his tutelage.

Collins: We were sitting on the bench and the game was going on, and I brought a pitcher in for the ninth. He walked the first guy, and I went, “God damn it!” And Sandy, sitting next to me, said, “Did you ever pitch?” I said, “No.” Then he said, “Well, it ain’t that easy.” I never, ever said that again! I learned a lesson in one little sentence. [Laughs.]

MMO: Can you talk a bit about the role Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland played in your development as a skipper?

Collins: Jim had a similar background as me. He only got to Double-A as a player; I spent six years in Triple-A. Neither of us got to the big leagues. Jim started managing at a young age and was stuck in the Tigers organization where Sparky [Anderson] was the manager, so Jim was going nowhere.

He was stuck in Triple-A and had a chance to go with Tony La Russa, but he wanted to be a Tiger; that’s all he wanted to do. Sparky wouldn’t hire him, so Jim ended up leaving. It was a very similar thing [for me]. Tommy [Lasorda] was the manager of the Dodgers, and he was never going to go until he decided he was going to. There was no place for me.

I had been managing in Albuquerque for six years as the Triple-A manager, and I had a chance to go to the Pittsburgh Pirates and manage their Triple-A team. I went to Pittsburgh and asked, ‘How do I get to the big leagues?’ I met Jim, and he liked me, and he brought me to the big leagues three years later. We had this relationship because of our backgrounds. He’s such an entertaining guy and funnier than heck.

In September, they started bringing the Triple-A manager up to the big leagues at the end of the season as part of the call-ups; they bring five, six, seven guys up in September. They started bringing the managers up so that you could help the coaches and the [minor league] manager knows about the [minor league] players. The other teams brought their minor league guys up who I saw [play]. So you could help.

When I got to the big leagues, Jim said to me, “Here’s your job: I want you to sit next to me on the bench during the games. I want you to throw batting practice to [Barry] Bonds, [Bobby] Bonilla and [Andy] Van Slyke. If I ever see you throwing batting practice to Tom Prince, I’m going to send you back to Triple-A. When the game’s over, I want you to come in, sit right over there in the corner, and listen to what kind of questions the sportswriters ask me and how I answer them. You don’t have to say the same things I say, but you need to hear the kind of questions you’re going to face.”

For the next number of years, that’s what I did. We’d sit on a plane together, and I’d ask questions about situations that happened in the game that night. He’s very upfront and blunt about it and would talk about it.

I asked him one time, ‘Jim, when you got the job in ’86 in Pittsburgh, what changes have you made to be the manager you are today?’ He looked off for a second and said, “Well, I’ll tell you, Terry. The biggest change I made was I write Barry Bonds’ name in a lineup now and not Jason Thompson’s.” [Laughs.]

MMO: There’s no better way to get acclimated to a future as a major league manager then getting to essentially shadow one as you did with Leyland.

Collins: Absolutely. They had a lockout one time, and Jim was in minor league spring training, so there were no big-league players at camp. The Triple-A manager ran spring training with the Pittsburgh organization at the time, so I ran spring training.

When it was over, Jim came over to me and said, “They opened up the camp for the big-league players. I don’t make promises but the next spot on my staff, you’re it.” That’s how I got my chance. I was really lucky, and we’ve just been very, very good friends. We stay in constant contact.

MMO: Are you planning on being in Cooperstown for his induction into the Hall of Fame this summer?

Collins: Yeah, absolutely.

MMO: I interviewed Ned Colleti several years ago, and he sang your praises during your time with the Dodgers as director of player development. He said when you left for Japan, he often missed your approach, intellect and honesty. What are your memories from your time with the Dodgers organization?

Collins: I was talking with Andy Green when he got the job with the Mets, and I told him that he’s the perfect guy. I told him he can make a huge impact on people. What helped me, Mathew, to be honest, I had already managed in the big leagues for six years. I had some situations with young players that got to the big leagues that failed miserably, and they were good players! It took them a while to get through it. That was one of the theories when I became the minor league director of Los Angeles was, look, I’m going to challenge my good players, and if they’re good enough they’ll get it and move faster.

I challenged Matt Kemp when he was 19; I put him in Double-A. He might have had a little problem in the beginning, but at the end of the year, he’s the best player in the league bar none.

My time with the Dodgers, Paul DePodesta was the GM, and when Jim Tracy was let go and I was going to get that job, Paul got fired two days before they were going to name me the manager. Ned got hired, and he came down to Florida to talk to me, and he said, “Look, you’re not going to get the job. I’m going to go with somebody else.” I said, “Okay.” And he said, “I don’t know what you want to do.” I told him, ‘I’m going to do what I always do: I’m just going to do my job.’

But I didn’t mope; shit happens! I stayed on and tried to help Ned as best I could and was always there and calling about different things. I had a great relationship with him, but I had a chance to go to Japan [to manage] for a lot of money, and I couldn’t turn that down. That’s why I left.

MMO: How would you compare baseball in Japan vs. the States?

Collins: The whole game’s different. Number one, they are fundamentally off the charts; tremendous cut-offs and relays. They can lay down the best bunts you’ll ever see, they can run the bases – they don’t steal a lot – but they run the bases great. They play to score one run and they play to protect one run. It might be the top of the first inning, and a guy’s on third base with one out and they’re bringing that infield in. They’re not giving up runs. You’re going to have to get a hit to earn a run; that’s how they play.

They have a tremendous work ethic. I mean, the pitchers with 200-pitch bullpens between starts, and hitters will take 500 swings before a game. They trained themselves and want to make the game easier so they get themselves into tremendous shape. They run and run and run and run!

You go to spring training, and they don’t have the number of fields we have over here, but spring training starts at nine in the morning and you’re off the field at six. You have dinner, and then the players get their bats and go out in the parking lot and swing. The rookies went to a room at the hotel and had night batting where they used wiffle balls. It’s pretty intense. It’s always go, go, go!

They have a day off or two every week, they play 144 games, but there’s a number of off days. They take the bullet trains, or they’ll take an easy flight, which are only an hour and ten minutes.

They’re very sound players. All of their pitchers throw the ball over the plate. Here, we like strike one and then expand the zone. They do almost the opposite. They nibble the outside corner and see if you’ll swing at it. If you don’t, they’ll throw it over. They don’t like to strikeout, so those guys will put the ball in play. They’ll hit that borderline pitch. They may not hit it good, but if you really work the count, you’re going to get a good ball to hit.

When I got over there, Bobby Valentine told me, “Terry, you’re not going to like the cut-offs or relays, but leave them alone because they do it.” Mathew, in all my years in the United States, I have never seen a guy tag up at third base on a fly ball to the outfield and try to score where the ball is cut off and relayed to home never be thrown out. I saw it three times in Japan! They are so good at it. Every cut off is perfectly thrown.

MMO: Did you take anything you learned in Japan and bring it back to the States when you were managing the Mets?

Collins: Not really. I saw a thing the other day that Carlos [Mendoza] was saying we took infield. Well, you know, in all my years in New York, we took infield. You know how they used to take it after batting practice? We took it before. When we were at home, our guys threw to the bases twice during a homestand. The outfielders loved it. You had [Yoenis] Céspedes and [Juan] Lagares, who both had tremendous arms. It was like a challenge of who was going to make the better throw.

Tommy Goodwin was my outfield coach, and those guys loved him. We took infield/outfield most every day. Those fundamentals in Japan, I remember I took an American coach over and a scout asked him one day before the game, “You guys going to take infield?” And John said, “Let me think, this is our hundredth game, and we’ve taken infield one-hundred times. Yeah, we’ll take it again.” [Laughs.]

I liked it. You make it easy because they want to take ground balls anyway. We came out 15 minutes early before we started hitting, and guys got all of their defensive work in. Now, if you want to take some balls off the bat during batting practice, that was fine. It eliminated guys getting hit because they were catching a ground ball while someone was taking BP. It really helped out, and I thought it was a big difference, so I brought that over.

Their batting practices at home [in Japan], have two cages going; they have a right-handed pitcher and a left-handed pitcher. You just go from cage to cage. It’s tremendous! They have routines, man. I saw [Yu] Darvish when he was 19. I saw [Masahiro] Tanaka when he was 17. They were electric, and both threw between starts. They would throw 150 pitches in the bullpen because that would make their game easier when they got to 120. That was their theory. But you couldn’t bring that here. You’d never get an American guy to do that.

MMO: The July 29, 2015, game is one fans will likely never forget with the sight of Wilmer Flores crying on the field believing he had been traded. What memories stick out for you from that night, and how did you go about managing a game that clearly had so much off-the-field speculation going on?

Collins: It was during the trade deadline, and Wilmer’s name was never mentioned; Sandy did that stuff himself. I’m just standing in the dugout and the game’s going on, and Wilmer was on deck, and some fans were yelling good luck and we love you. I’m going, “What the heck is that?”

David [Wright] came up to me and said, “Terry, it’s all over TV. He’s been traded.” I said, ‘David, he has not been traded.’ He said, “I’m telling you they’re broadcasting right now on TV; he’s been traded.” I said, “David, this guy has not been traded. You see that phone right there?” He said, “Yeah.” I said, ‘That phone goes to Sandy. If there’s a deal done, that phone would be ringing, and I’d be taking him out of the game.”

Now people are telling Wilmer he’s been traded, and he’s upset. I walked down the dugout to him, and I said, “Hey, let’s go. You’re on this team. You have not been traded. You’ve got to go out and play.” He goes out, and sure enough, he starts crying on the field. As he comes in off the field, I went over to him, and at the time, I think he was the only shortstop I had who was healthy. I said, “Look, you’ve got to finish this game, man. You’re fine, you’re still a Met. You’re not going anywhere.”

He went back, and he’s still crying on the field. The next thing you know, the phone rings, and it’s Sandy. And he said, “You’ve got to take Wilmer out.” I asked, ‘Is he traded?’ He said, “No, but he’s crying on the field!” So, he came back in, and I got him out, and sure enough, he wasn’t traded. I didn’t know what else to do. I told him, ‘Wilmer, if you were traded, I would’ve been told, and I would’ve taken you out of the game. You are a Met. Everything’s going to be okay.’

Sure enough, it ended up being okay. And that’s why, Mathew, two days later he hit that home run against the Nationals that couldn’t have been written. You can’t read a Hollywood script better than that.

MMO: Your “To who? For What” postgame comment will forever be etched in my brain. I always loved watching your pre and postgame press conferences because you were very transparent.

Collins: Absolutely, Mathew, and I’m going to go back to Jim Leyland. Right when I got my interview with the Houston Astros, I called Jim and said, ‘I’m going to go to Houston tomorrow and interview for the manager job.’ He said, “I’ll meet you at the stadium.” I was living in Pittsburgh, and we went to the stadium and I spent six hours with him. He just talked about all these different questions that I was going to face and different things.

One of the things he said was, “Listen, I’m going to tell you right now, you treat every reporter as if they’re the sports editor of The New York Times. There are no dumb questions, but if you’re hit with one, treat it like any other question. Don’t belittle the guy, just answer the question.”

When I got to the Mets, Jay Horwitz was the guy who told me, “Terry, one of the best things you can do is learn everybody’s name.” When I did these press conferences and if Mike Puma asked me a question, I would say, “Well, you know Mike…” Now his name is tied to that question.

There were some questions asked by some young guys or people from a different team or something that didn’t make much sense and all the writers would laugh. I didn’t laugh; I just answered the question. I thought that really helped, not to belittle any reporter. They have a job to do, and I respect it.

The only thing I ever asked of these guys was not to lie. Don’t make something up. It’s your opinion and strictly your opinion; that’s fine. There were a couple of times where there was an unnamed source that says this. I would go to them and say, “I know you won’t tell me who it was that said it, but how do I know you just didn’t make that up? Maybe you just said this is what I think, and I’m going to put it down and say somebody else said it.” I always did that one-on-one, I never did it in front of any of the other writers.

After your press conference, you’ve got to budget two minutes for almost every one of those guys; they all want their own two minutes. They’d ask a question or two for their own stories that they don’t want out there. That’s why I try and tell anybody that’s ever managed in New York that you’ve got to understand to budget your time for these guys and answer their questions. Don’t blow them off because they’ve got the pen, and they can make it miserable for you. Just treat them with respect, and that’s about it. I thought it helped me out a lot.

MMO: How beneficial was the Matrix during the 2015 season?

Collins: It was just coming into play then. I think it was a great coaching tool, I think it’s really good for coaches to use. The players can get overwhelmed with information, and their job is to go play. As a coach or manager, you take that information and try to use it to your benefit to put those guys in the best position to succeed. We didn’t flood them with a bunch of information; I just didn’t like it. Number one, most of them have played a long time, I had a pretty veteran club. The last thing I want to do is put stuff in their head.

I remember one time when I was in Anaheim, Tim Salmon, who’s a great, great player, somebody on the team said, “Hey, I’ve got the signs. Do you guys want them? If I’m on base I can tell you what’s coming.” And Tim said, “I do not want to know. I’m fine.” I asked him after the game was over why that was, and he said, “Terry, if he’s wrong, it’ll screw me up mentally. Let me just figure it out.” I thought that made sense.

They used it (analytics) a lot in Japan. In interleague play in Japan, you can have your advance scout on the bench with you. The other team brought in a pitcher, so this advance scout got up and talked to my rookie shortstop, who was a pretty nice player, and said, “There’s a thirty percent chance you’re going to get this, another thirty percent chance you’re going to get this pitch, a twenty-five percent chance you’re going to get this pitch.” You’ve got to be shitting me! [Laughs.] Go up there, and if you get a fastball, hit it!

You’ve got to filter it. I thought our coaches did a great job of using that information for their benefit to help the players and not try to overwhelm them.

MMO: One of the moments I’ll always remember is when SNY caught the shot of you going over and putting your arm around Jacob deGrom in the dugout after he gave up eight earned runs against the Texas Rangers in 2017. Do you remember some of the things you relayed to deGrom in that moment?

Collins: First of all, everybody saw how talented Jake was. Great talent. He was the best pitcher we had. There were times Matt [Harvey] was the best, or [Noah] Syndergaard might have been the best, but Jake was our guy.

I remember years ago, Walter Alston told me when I first started managing, “Terry, there are two kinds of players. There are the ones who have been humbled, and ones who will be humbled in this game.” And that was what I pretty much told Jake. Everybody’s going to have a bad day. [Sandy] Koufax had a bad day; Bob Feller had a bad day. He had a bad day. You’ve got to be able to forget about it, because in four days you’re going back out there, big boy. Blow it off, tip your cap and say I’ll see you in four days.

That was just a moment where you could look back and say, guess way? Welcome to the game. It’s not easy out there. That’s why guys who compete like he did, it can cause that humbleness that a player needs once in a while to realize the game is not easy. I thought that was a coaching chance for me to tell Jake that he’s still the guy. You’re going to be just fine, you had a bad night and move on.

MMO: Does a day go by where someone doesn’t mention the ass in the jackpot game?

Collins: You know what? It’s become part of me, it really has!

I live in St. Lucie, and I belong to a golf course where three quarters of the members are New Yorkers. During this time of year, people come down and they’ll come out and somebody will introduce me. And that’s the first thing they’ll bring up!

I have a friend who’s a golf pro at the pro shop, and every time I walk in the first thing I hear is, “Give us a shot! Gotta give us a shot!” So there’s not a day.

MMO: It still baffles me that Adam Hamari had such a quick trigger when it came to Syndergaard’s pitch behind Chase Utley.

Collins: That was my argument. Do you remember John McSherry? Great, big umpire. He actually died on the field in Cincinnati. He was a long-time umpire, and we had a fight in Houston. When the fight finally stopped, I went over to him, and he’s writing down names of guys he’s going to kick out. He never looked up; he was just writing names down. He said to me, “You get one shot. You get the first guy in the batter’s box and then I’m going to put an end to this.”

Four years later, I’m managing the Angels, and we get in a big fight in Kansas City. Don Denkinger said exactly the same thing to me when all the stuff stopped finally. He said, “You get the first guy and it’s over with.” This was the first time we saw Utley, and I was shocked. That’s why when Tom [Hailon] said, “You had a shot,” no we didn’t! This was it! That was my whole argument. I wasn’t mad at Tom; we didn’t get the chance to get Utley and that’s what I was upset about.

MMO: What advice would Terry Collins in his final year as manager in 2017 give to first-year manager Terry Collins in 1994?

Collins: Enjoy the game more. I took it real serious, that’s why I rubbed people the wrong way. I’m a pretty intense guy, you know, when I played, I was intense. I had an old manager tell me one time, “Players will take on the personality of the manager.” I really respected the game. I wasn’t a good enough player, but there wasn’t a time that I didn’t play as hard as I could. Not one day.

One year I broke my jaw, and seven days later with my jaw wired shut, I was in the lineup. I was playing with a pair of pliers in my pocket in case I got sick so I could snip the wires off. You just played; you played as hard as you could. I always thought you had to respect the game. If it wasn’t for baseball, what would we all be doing? Give it back, give it back effort. And for some people that rubbed them the wrong way. And I understood it. Shoot, I apologized to a lot of players.

Garret Anderson was a really good player, but he was one of those guys who didn’t run every ball out. One time I went up to him and asked, “Do you have a problem with me?” He said, “Absolutely not. You’re wound a little too tight for me, but I know you want to win, and I have no problem with that.” I told him okay, and that I just wanted to make sure because he’s going to be playing, he’s going to be in the lineup every day.

There are times where you’ve got to take a stance on something. It might rub a player the wrong way, but I just think that’s the way the game should be played and managed.

When I went to New York, I told myself that I’ve got to start enjoying the game more. I’ve got to enjoy my time because these jobs are hard to get. I’ve got good players, and there’s nothing more fun than going out with the best players in the world and competing. So, I told myself I’ve got to enjoy it, and that’s how I went about it in New York.

MMO: Tell me about joining X and starting a podcast. What can fans expect from “The Terry Collins Show”?

Collins: John Arezzi called me about it, and I had absolutely no idea I was going to do it. I’m not a big social media guy, and I’m too old to get on that stuff. But I just want to have some fun with it.

As you said earlier in the conversation, I’m an honest guy. I think there are things the fans might want to know about with the actions during a game or what goes on behind the scenes. The more they know the more they’ll enjoy the game. I want to have some fun and have guests on and talk about their careers.

I’ve got a buddy who’s a bookie, and one of the shows is going to be about gambling in sports, especially baseball. It’s just something to have some fun with and to relate to the fans. I’ve never been big enough in the game to think that I don’t have a relationship with the fans. I respect that. I try and say hi to everyone and take pictures. It takes ten seconds to sign an autograph, and that ten seconds means a lot to people.

MMO: When you look back over your fifty years in the sport, what are you most proud of?

Collins: That’s a tough one. I guess I’m most proud that I lasted for fifty years. After I signed, three years later I was released. I loved the sport and endured enough through all of the years, rode a lot of buses and didn’t make much money for a long, long time. I still respected and loved the game enough that it was fun, and it was all I wanted to do. So, I stayed with it.

I stayed with what I wanted to do and made a life. I took the ups and downs and tried to be the same guy every day. I think baseball teaches that.

Follow Terry Collins on Twitter, @TerryCollins_10.

Check out Terry’s podcast here.

The post MMO Exclusive: Former Mets Manager, Terry Collins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Former Met and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander is reportedly a couple of weeks behind schedule and his timetable is TBA at the moment, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Verlander also had a delayed start to his 2023 season due to an upper back/shoulder issue, which seems to be ailing him this year as well. 

The three-time Cy Young award winner said he was going about his regular routine before shutting down. “When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while, and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn’t feel so great so I kind of had to take a step back,” he said.

While it does not seem like a major injury, any time that Verlander misses for the Astros could play in the Mets’ favor. The Mets could be on the hook for $17.5 million if the 40-year old reaches the 140 innings pitched threshold, which would kick in his vesting option for the 2025 season.

Justin Verlander. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News 

The New York Mets officially announced the signing of flame-throwing reliever Shintaro Fujinami to a one-year deal. In a corresponding move, Ronny Mauricio will be moved to the 60-day IL after tearing his ACL in the offseason.

ESPN has picked up two of the Mets’ spring training games, both against the Yankees, on March 5 at 1 P.M. and March 22 at 5 p.m., per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online. 

Kodai Senga hinted at the potential of debuting a new pitch this upcoming season. Hear what Senga had to say as he addressed the media on Wednesday. 

MLB Network released their next batch of players for their top 100 players right now list; Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor found themselves on the list. Click here to see where they landed!

Latest MLB News

The Cincinnati Reds announced the passing of Reds Hall of Fame pitcher Don Gullet. Gullet spent 24 years with the Reds as a player, coach, and minor league instructor.

Former Mets star pitcher Jacob deGrom said that he started to throw on Monday and threw again on Wednesday as he starts to ramp up, per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today. 

The New York Yankees acquired LHP Clayton Andrews from the Brewers, and in return sent RHP Joshua Quezada, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The Oakland Athletics announced that they have signed LHP Scott Alexander to a one-year contract for the 2024 season. 

The Philadelphia Phillies officially announced their signing of RHP Spencer Turnbull, to make room for him they DFA’d RHP McKinley Moore. 

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that free agent relief pitcher Liam Hendriks is setting a deadline of Thursday (today) to sign with a team. If he does not sign by then, he will take time to rehab from Tommy John surgery on his own and throw for teams in late July before signing for the stretch run. 

The Yankees agreed to a deal with relief pitcher Lou Trivino, per Andy Martino of SNY. Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported that it is for $1.5 million with a club option of $5 million for 2025. 

Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies have started negotiations on a potential contract extension, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Wheeler says that he hopes it’s done before the end of Spring, mentioning how he loves it in Philly. 

The Chicago White Sox signed 35-year-old Mike Moustakas to a minor league deal, the team announced.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that reliever Scott Effross will be out until the summer after undergoing back surgery in December. 

Left-handed relief pitcher Josh Fleming agreed to a one-year, major league split contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, per Robert Murray of FanSided. If he is in the majors, Fleming would receive $850,000.

The San Francisco Giants signed RHP Austin Warren to a one-year major league contract and placed LHP Robbie Ray on the 60-day IL as he recovers from left elbow UCL surgery. 

Latest on MMO

Take a look at the new faces at Mets spring training. 

Check out MMO’s non-roster invitee preview of RHP Christian Scott.

Could Thor be coming back to Queens? Christian De Block did a Free Agent Profile looking into the possibility of the Mets brining back Noah Syndergaard.

On This Date in Mets History

2011: The New York Mets sign relief pitcher Jason Isringhausen to a minor league contract. Isringhausen was a part of the infamous “Generation K” and was with the club up until 1999 after being drafted by the Mets in 1991. He made 53 appearances and saved his 300th game for his original club in 2011.

Birthdays: Mark Canha (35), Barry Jones (61), Chuck Estrada (86)

The post Morning Briefing: Verlander ‘Behind Schedule,’ Dealing with Shoulder Issue appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Naturally, we have to ask the question – should he return to Queens?

Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

John Sheridan

Maybe Jeremy Hefner can help Noah Syndergaard unlock something. Most likely not.

The Mets are pitching Carlos Carrasco every fifth day. The bullpen stinks. In all honesty, Syndergaard is probably an upgrade in either spot, and it’s worth seeing if he could be something for next year.

Johnluke Chaparro

No thank you. The Mets are already throwing out Carlos Carrasco every fifth day and are getting mediocre results from Tylor Megill, we don’t need another starter to stink up the joint. It would be more productive to let a guy like Mike Vasil get reps at this point.

Noah’s time has passed as a Met. He’s not the same pitcher he was when he was here and from how everything went down from the time he left, he doesn’t want to be here. Although he pitched well in a few big spots when he was younger, he’s not built for New York anymore.

I enjoyed his time here but I think that ship has sailed and the Mets should not bring him back.

Christian De Block

My answer is no. While I think the Mets should explore their options in September, Noah Syndergaard will not help the organization in the short-term or the long-term. He is 2-6 with a 6.50 ERA in 18 starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cleveland Guardians this season.

Syndergaard threw a career-high 197 2/3 innings in 2019. He had a big part to play in the Mets’ rise in 2015 and 2016, but that version of him no longer exists. Syndergaard, now at the age of 30, would not benefit a team like the Mets that is looking to build towards 2024 and 2025.

Chris Bello

I’ll go with the boring answer. No. They are, however, other players who should be called up in September, such as Mike Vasil or Joey Lucchesi.

Matt Mancuso

The Mets don’t need Thor to save their season; they need the entirety of the Avengers.

When he was brought up in 2015, Syndergaard was part of the new wave of pitching prospects that represented the new era of Generation K. With a similar, yet less-heralded, group quickly making their case to debut this season, Syndergaard just doesn’t have a place in the Mets’ future plans. Should the Mets have brought Paul Wilson back in the early 2000s? While reminiscing about what could have been always drives clicks, it does not direct the vehicle driving towards New York’s future path towards contention.

Patrick Glynn

If this were the Wilpon era, they’d probably find a way to sign him to a $2 million deal guaranteeing him money for next year. But even with the Mets’ new pitching lab up, there’s no reason to bring Syndergaard back. Unless they’ve seen something the Dodgers and Guardians—two of the most reputable pitching organizations—haven’t, then let him sign elsewhere as he tries to find anything left in the tank.

The post MMO Roundtable: Should Noah Syndergaard Be A Met Again? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Former Met Noah Syndergaard was designated for assignment on Sunday following giving up five runs in six innings against the Blue Jays. A day shy of his 31st birthday, Syndergaard has a disappointing 6.50 ERA and just 56 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings between the Guardians and Dodgers this season. Syndergaard’s xERA of 6.52 doesn’t paint a pretty picture either, and his average fastball velocity of 92.3 miles per hour is easily the lowest mark of his career.

Latest Mets News

David Peterson held the Angels to just one run and three hits, striking out eight in seven innings, and Rafael Ortega delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth as the Mets avoided a sweep with a 3-2 victory. Peterson has a 2.78 ERA since returning from Triple-A Syracuse in June.

The Mets now welcome the Rangers to Citi Field for a three-game series beginning this evening. Texas spent a majority of the season in first place in the AL West but has lost nine of their last 10 games to surrender the division lead to the Mariners. Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54 ERA) will take the hill against right-hander Jon Gray (8-7, 3.76 ERA). These two teams faced off at Citi Field last season, with the Mets taking two of the three games. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

The Mets have signed veteran outfielder Daniel Palka to a minor-league contract. Palka hit .263/.344/.506 with 26 home runs for Triple-A Syracuse in 2022. The 31-year-old was with the Red Sox organization earlier this year, posting a .719 OPS in 79 games for Triple-A Worcester.

The Brooklyn Cyclones are auctioning off game-worn jerseys from their Seinfeld night. Links to the auctions are on the team’s Twitter account.

Game-worn jerseys from our Seinfeld Night are up for bids.

Pretty Boys: https://t.co/ROFYknM7Pm
Bubble Boys: https://t.co/WLIqqzRfde pic.twitter.com/opwYMkkLl2

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) August 27, 2023

Latest MLB News

The Marlins have removed David Robertson from the closer’s role after he blew another save chance on Saturday. Since the Mets traded him to Miami, the 38-year-old has an unsightly 7.20 ERA and his opponents have an .887 OPS against him. Tanner Scott got the save in Sunday’s game, and he appears as the most likely closing option going forward.

Latest on MMO

James Villani recaps the Mets’ victory in their series finale against the Angels.

Dan Quiñones writes about the strong showings from Sean Reid-Foley and Sam Coonrod, who are making cases to be on the 2024 roster.

Christian De Block explains why Carlos Carrasco should be removed from the Mets’ rotation.

On This Date in Mets History

1989: In the first ever regular-season matchup between defending Cy Young award winners, Frank Viola tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout to outduel Orel Hershiser, 1-0. Howard Johnson‘s RBI single in the third inning is the lone tally of the game.

2003: Jose Reyes becomes the youngest player in history to homer from both sides of the plate as the Mets down the Braves, 3-1. Reyes tags Mike Hampton for a solo home run batting right-handed in the fifth inning, then cracks a two-run shot left-handed off Trey Hodges in the ninth inning.

Birthdays: Billy Cowan (85), Mike Torrez (77), Joel Youngblood (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Guardians Designate Noah Syndergaard For Assignment appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Late on Wednesday night, the Angels made the first big move of the trade deadline as they acquired White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito and relief pitcher Reynaldo López. In return for the California native, Chicago landed the Angels’ second and third-ranked prospects in catcher Edgar Quero and left-handed pitcher Ky Bush. Giolito has a 3.79 ERA on the season and could be a big piece for the Angels as they try to chase down the final wild card spot.

Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets split the second of two Subway Series as they fell to the Yankees by a score of 3-1 at Yankee Stadium. There was a lot of traffic on the bases throughout the game, but José Quintana and Carlos Rodón both navigated it well enough to throw up quality starts. The Mets’ offense was not able to capitalize early and went quiet in the later innings as they fell to seven games under .500 and now stand at 47-54.

The Mets are back at Citi Field on Thursday for their final four games before the trade deadline on August 1st. New York will throw Kodai Senga (3.27 ERA, 7-5) against the Nationals’ Josiah Gray (3.45 ERA, 7-8). 

Latest Mets News

The Mets were anticipating Starling Marte‘s return from the 10-day IL on Thursday as he was dealing with serious migraines. But that plan has been hindered as Marte is expecting a child in the coming days, which will affect his availability, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The Mets released veteran starting pitcher Dylan Bundy, who had spent the season down in Triple-A Syracuse after spending parts of eight seasons in the majors. The Mets took a flyer on the veteran, but it did not pay off as Bundy had a 10.08 ERA in six games before he was put on the IL and is now being released.

Latest MLB News

Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated published an article that put to bed the Shohei Ohtani trade rumors, as he reported that Los Angeles would hold on to Ohtani and be buyers at the deadline. The Angels were reportedly fielding offers and holding internal discussions the past two days, but decided they’ll go all in before Ohtani hits the market this winter. The Angels are four games back of the final Wild Card spot as of Wednesday night and will take on the owner of the third and final Wild Card spot, Toronto Blue Jays, this weekend. 

Some familiar names were on the move Wednesday as former Mets swapped homes in a trade between the Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Dodgers. In the deal, Cleveland sent shortstop Amed Rosario to LA and, in return, netted starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard. The two struggling Mets hope they can find some success in their new landing spots, as they have had abysmal seasons so far. Syndergaard has spent time in the minors due to both injury and his 62 ERA+ in the majors, while Rosario has an 89 OPS+ and a tough time in the field with a -.3 WAR, the first percentile in outs above average.

Major League Baseball put out a news release announcing that current commissioner Rob Manfred’s contract will be extended through July 29, 2029. Manfred has been on the job, and by the end of his third term, it will be 15 years; for more information on the topic, click here. 

The New York Yankees are planning to active Aaron Judge from the IL on Friday before their game against the Orioles, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post. Judge was firmly in the AL MVP race before he suffered a toe injury while falling through the bullpen door in the Dodger Stadium outfield on June 3. Judge will be a huge boost to the Yankees, as their offense has been dreadful since the reigning MVP’s departure. 

Latest on MMO

Sam Neumann looked at how Pete Alonso is breaking out of the longest slump of his career.

Dan Quiñones recapped how the Mets’ defense let them down against the Yankees.

John Sheridan went over Ronny Mauricio being ranked the Mets’ top prospect by Baseball America

On This Date in Mets History

2017: The Mets trade first-baseman Lucas Duda for relief pitcher Drew Smith. Smith has played for the Mets in parts of five seasons while accruing a career ERA of 3.46, ERA+ of 115, and WHIP of 1.231; while Duda would play two more seasons for the Royals and Braves.

2003: Gary Carter is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Carter finished his career with 11 All-Star selections, 2 All-Star Game MVPs, 3 Gold Gloves, and 5 Silver Sluggers and was on the 1986 World Series Champions Mets team.

1999: The Mets debut their look into the future jersey as they became the Mercury Mets for the day. The futuristic jerseys were supposed to be a look at what the Mets would be wearing in the year 2021. 

Birthdays: Max Scherzer (39)

The post Morning Briefing: Angels Acquire Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets begin a three-game set with the Brewers at American Family Field today — the same ballpark where they clinched a playoff spot last year. Carlos Carrasco will take the hill for the first time this season, facing off against right-hander Freddy Peralta in the Brewers’ home opener. Carrasco is coming off a solid 2022, in which he went 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA/3.53 FIP (97 ERA+) with 152 strikeouts in 152 innings. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 pm.

Last year, the Mets took four of their six meetings with the Brew Crew, including their first series win in Milwaukee since 2014. Coming into last year, the Mets had lost 15 of their last 16 games at American Family Field.

Latest Mets News

Kodai Senga looked sharp in his MLB debut, holding the Marlins to just one run and three hits, walking three and striking out eight as the Mets took the series with a 5-1 win. Senga allowed the first four batters he faced to reach base, but he allowed just two baserunners after that inning. All eight of his strikeouts came on his “ghost fork,” and his fastball ranged between 95 and 99 miles per hour.

Tommy Pham batted leadoff in Sunday’s contest and was a force at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, and three RBIs. After the game, Pham credited the new contact lenses he got on Friday, saying he can see much better now than he did in spring training.

Three former Mets made their debuts for their new teams on Sunday. Chris Bassitt struggled badly against the Cardinals, surrendering nine runs on 10 hits, including four home runs in just 3 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Seth Lugo was fantastic for the Padres, tossing seven innings of one-run ball and allowing just four hits, walking none with seven strikeouts. Noah Syndergaard was solid for the Dodgers, pitching six innings and allowing four hits and one run with six strikeouts.

Latest MLB News

Madison Bumgarner was sent back to Arizona after his start on Saturday to be evaluated after he said his arm felt fatigued during his outing. Bumgarner said he feels strongly that he won’t have to miss a start, but manager Torey Lovullo said the team wants to be sure.

The Giants placed catcher Joey Bart on the injured list with a mild back strain. They activated towering righty Sean Hjelle in his place. Roberto Pérez and Blake Sabol will handle the catching duties in the meantime.

Latest on MMO

Anthony Gabbianelli recaps the Mets’ win in their series finale against the Marlins.

Christian De Block examines Mark Canha‘s strong effort in Saturday’s win.

On This Date in Mets History

1966: The Mets sign University of Southern California star right-hander Tom Seaver to his first professional contract, which includes a $50,000 bonus. Seaver was initially selected by the Braves in the January Draft, but commissioner Spike Eckert nixed the contract because Seaver signed after the USC season began. The Mets beat out the Phillies and Indians in a lottery for Seaver’s services.

1989: The Mets bang out eight runs on 13 hits in support of Dwight Gooden as they beat the Cardinals at Shea Stadium on Opening Day, 8-4. The Mets have now won 18 of their last 20 season openers, including their last 11 in a row.

2006: Carlos Beltrán throws out José Vidro trying to stretch and single into a double to punctuate a 3-2 win over the Nationals on Opening Day at Shea Stadium. David Wright belts his first homer of the year, Tom Glavine tosses six innings of one-run ball to earn the win, and Billy Wagner locks down his first save as a Met.

2019: Jacob deGrom dominates on the mound and at the plate, cracking a solo home run and striking out 14 batters in seven shutout innings against the Marlins. Miami rallies for four runs in the ninth inning, but Edwin Díaz saves the 6-4 victory.

Birthdays: Rod Gaspar (77), Jay Bruce (36)

The post Morning Briefing: Carlos Carrasco Set To Make Season Debut Against Brewers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The longest regular season among the major sports naturally has the longest preseason. With all that time to prepare for the games that count, there has been a good share of moments: some funny, some unusual, and some with grudges to settle. Here are a few:

A Scare for Mookie – March 5, 1986

All the anticipation that surrounded the 1986 season was of little importance to Mookie Wilson. He was coming off a shoulder injury hoping to be fully healthy. But on a rundown drill in practice, Mookie was the runner and was struck in the eye and shattering the glasses he was wearing. Mookie took 21 stitches above the eye and four more on the side of his nose and was out until early May. His old job, though, wasn’t waiting for him when he returned, as Lenny Dykstra supplanted him as the starting center fielder. But as we all know, ’86 ended much better than it began.

Nipper Plunks Strawberry – March 14, 1987

Darryl Strawberry‘s towering home run to right-center field which iced the Game 7 World Series victory over Boston came at the expense of Al Nipper. The homer was tough enough, but Darryl savored the moment by sauntering around the bases and taking in the crowd cheering like there was nobody waiting for him. If Nipper had any thoughts on payback, the next chance (without the benefit of interleague play) was when he faced New York in St. Petersburg. Nipper started for the Sox and drilled Darryl in the second inning. The two approached each other and benches cleared, but that was about it. Nipper denied any retaliatory intent. “The ball just got away,” he claimed.

Picture Day Fight – March 2, 1989

As clubhouse leader, the words spoken and actions taken by Keith Hernandez were held in higher regard than those of any other Met. So when his tepid support for Darryl Strawberry’s contract dispute became known around Port St. Lucie, Straw stirred. The consternation went center stage on team picture day. No. 18 (Strawberry) sat next to No. 17 (Hernandez). After trading a few choice barbs, Darryl tried to lay a physical shot at Keith. After a swing-and-a-miss, both were restrained amid close quarters. There was more yelling but no more punches. The combatants ironed out their differences in a closed-door session mediated by the team psychiatrist.

Now Batting…Garth Brooks – March 2000

At least he didn’t quit his day job. The country singer traded his cowboy hat and guitar for a cap and mitt for multiple teams, beginning with the Padres in 1998 and later with the Royals in 2004, ending up with one hit in 39 at-bats. His stint with the Mets was initiated by Robin Ventura, who had an Oklahoma State connection with Brooks. It’s quite possible that while Garth couldn’t hit his weight, or the weight of an ant (0-f0r-17), he may have fostered a bond with the players that guided them in their pennant season. After a few games with the team, Brooks invited them to a party at his house which improved team chemistry. It’s good to have a friend in low places.

Piazza Goes After Mota – March 12, 2003

It wasn’t Piazza-Clemens. It was weirder. It was weird because it was a feud limited to spring training. It began the year before in Vero Beach, when Los Angeles reliever Guillermo Mota plunked Mike Piazza in the hip. Later that game, Piazza confronted the Dodgers hurler near the visiting dugout and grabbed him by the front of his jersey before being separated. Now we come to March ’03 in Port. St. Lucie. Mota begins with a pitch aimed at Piazza’s hip but sailed wide. Mike seethed as he knew what was coming. The next pitch hit the shoulder. Piazza instantly dropped his bat and sprinted toward the mound. Mota backpedaled, tossed his glove, and then fled. His cowardly hit-and-run wasn’t limited to the baseball field.

Captain Wright – March 21, 2013

From his first day in the big leagues, David Wright embodied the qualities of a captain. Eight full seasons into his career, and having signed a lengthy (and lucrative) contract earlier that off-season, the Mets made it official. In many ways, he’s kept it ever since. Wright became the fourth in franchise history to have the honor, joining Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, and John Franco. It was the first time anyone held the title since Franco left the team in 2004. A leader by example, he exemplified professional success and personal character which earned respect from those in the clubhouse and throughout the league.

No Lunch For You, Says David – March 3, 2015

Part of Wright’s captain responsibilities included meal monitoring. The story goes that during an intrasquad game, David confronted 22-year-old prospect Noah Syndergaard eating lunch in the clubhouse rather than being in the dugout. Wright, making sure the team’s young players handle themselves professionally (especially one that had yet to make his debut), be present even if he wasn’t participating. Veteran pitcher Bobby Parnell added to Noah’s humbling moment by taking the plate of food and throwing it in the trash.

Guillorme Catches More than Baseballs – March 2, 2017

Luis Guillorme has yet to win a Gold Glove Award. That’s because he has a golden hand. It was here when everyone realized how great a fielder the Mets had. Guillorme was the organization’s No. 17 prospect when he performed dugout sorcery in the second inning against the Marlins. Adeiny Hechavarria took a hard cut and lost control of his bat. The lumber went towards the Mets players sitting on the bench, but Guillorme (as usual) was positioned perfectly. He casually plucked the bat out of the air to save his teammates.

Cabrera Takes His Time – March 23, 2017

Turns out Ángel Hernández is a bad at his job at all times of the year. In an incident that could only happen with the game’s undisputed worst umpire, Asdrúbal Cabrera asked for time during an at-bat. Hernández did not award time. The pitch came in and strike was called. Cabrera would end up singling, but still had some thoughts to express to Ángel, yelling “you’re better than that.” Doubtful. Hernández ejected Cabrera and the veteran infielder delayed the game for about a minute walking through the infield and the outfield to get to the Mets clubhouse located beyond the right-field fence.

Guillorme Does More than Catch – March 15, 2021

Is it possible a one-handed bat grab is Luis Guillorme’s second greatest spring training feat? The longest official plate appearance in major-league history by pitches seen is the Giants’ Brandon Belt at 21 in 2018. Pitch counts don’t include spring training stats, so Luis’ feat is a record-breaker in memory only. Cardinals’ right-hander Jordan Hicks threw hard, but not hard enough. Ten of his tosses to Luis were at least 99 miles per hour. But after 22 tries and more than 15 minutes, Guillorme drew a very, very well-earned walk.

The post Memorable Mets Spring Training Moments appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

On Friday, three former Mets, including two members from the 2022 squad, were officially announced as joining new clubs. The Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland A’s, and Los Angeles Dodgers announced the signings of Taijuan Walker, Trevor May, and Noah Syndergaard respectively.

With the Mets last year Taijuan Walker put up a respectable 3.49 ERA in 29 starts with the team, although he faltered down the stretch as he did in 2021. The Phillies introduced him yesterday with a press conference, after it was reported on December 6 by ESPN’s Jeff Passan that he had signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the team.

Although he struggled with both injury and productivity in 2021, the A’s announced they officially signed Trevor May to a contract. Jeff Passan once again confirmed the numbers, a one-year, $7 million deal.

Though he wasn’t on the 2022 team, it is still noteworthy that the Dodgers officially announced the signing of Noah Syndergaard to a one-year, $13 million contract. In addition to their announcement, the team made a hype video for Syndergaard. He spent last year with the Angels and Phillies after spending parts of six seasons with the Mets.

Latest Mets News

According to Tim Healey of Newsday, the Mets will introduce Justin Verlander in a press conference at 10 A.M. next Tuesday.

The Mets officially announced the minor league signings of Tommy Hunter, Jimmy Yacabonis, Abraham Almonte, José Peraza, and Sean Reid-Foley.

Latest MLB News

Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that Andrew Benintendi signed a five-year contract wiht the White Sox. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic added that it is for a total of $75 million.

The Red Sox announced that they designated Eric Hosmer for assignment.

Joey Gallo and the Twins agreed to a one-year, $11 million contract.

Jon Heyman of the New York post reports that Max Kepler is getting a lot of trade interest in the wake of the Joey Gallo signing.

The Braves announced that they have acquired Hoy Park from the Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Rob Bradford reported that the Orioles have shown interest in Michael Wacha and Rich Hill.

Former Met Patrick Mazeika and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a minor league contract.

After adding Chris Bassitt to their 40-man roster, the Blue Jays designated another former Met in Anthony Kay for assignment.

Latest on MMO

John Sheridan assessed the state of the Mets’ catching situation with the recent addition of Omar Narváez.

Matt Lazaro profiled free agent Adam Ottavino and discusses a potential reunion with the Mets.

On the latest episode of MMO Weekly, Michael Mayer joins Sal Manzo to discuss some of the latest Mets’ signings and rumors.

Robby Waldrop took a closer look at the Mets’ newest minor league free agent signings.

On This Date in Mets History

1999: With the departure of John Olerud to the Mariners in free agency, the Mets signed Todd Zeile to be the team’s first baseman. Although it was tough to replace the steadiness and productivity Olerud offered, Zeile had one of his better seasons in the big leagues in 2000 and helped lead the Mets to the World Series.

Birthdays: Daniel Vogelbach (30), Josh Edgin (36), Dale Thayer (42), Edwin Almonte (46), Bob Ojeda (65)

The post Morning Briefing: Three Former Mets Introduced With New Teams appeared first on Metsmerized Online.