Jett Williams, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

“It’s a compact swing – how could it be otherwise? – that puts the ball in the air a ton, and he uses the whole field well,” Law wrote of the 5’6″ Williams, who he could envision being moved to second base in the majors. Williams hit .263/.425/.451 at three minor league levels last season. A year ago Law had him as a sleeper.

Acuña is 22, the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Jr., and was part of the deal that sent Max Scherzer to the Rangers. He is new to Law’s annual rankings.

“As is, he’s probably a high-average, high-doubles shortstop who steals 40-50 bags a year, although I could see him trading some contact for more power and getting to 20 jacks,” Law wrote.

The switch-hitting Mauricio, another shortstop, will miss most and perhaps all of this season after tearing his ACL in winter ball. Of the 6’3, 23-year-old who hit .248/.296/.347 with two homers in 101 at-bats with the Mets last year Law said: “if he had any sort of plate discipline, he’d be a top-10 prospect, but he chases stuff out of the zone, especially offspeed, way too often, and can’t make up for it even with a decent rate of contact on those pitches.”

Law had Mauricio at 86 last year. “He always had some volatility because of the lack of polish in his game, and now he’s losing up to a year of playing time, but I still hold out hope he can be an above-average regular at his peak – maybe just later than we’d otherwise thought,” Law wrote.

Drew Gilbert, Photo by Steve Wojtowicz

Drew Gilbert is a 23-year-old left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder who came to the Mets in the Justin Verlander trade.

“At worst, he’s a fourth/platoon outfielder who can play all three spots, but after the strong finish, I feel much better about him hitting lefties enough to play every day and hit .280-.300 with a walk rate over 10 percent and 15ish homers a year, whether that’s as an above-average defender in center or an easy plus one in right,” Law wrote.

Law has been writing rankings for 17 years after working in the Blue Jays front office. The top prospect on his list is shortstop Jackson Holliday of the Orioles.

The post Four Mets Land on Keith Law’s Top 100 Prospect List appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The College Baseball Foundation revealed the latest inductees into the College Baseball Hall of Fame, and among the 12 honorees is Ron Darling, a former Met and the current broadcaster for the team. Darling, who was a student at Yale from 1979 to 1981, is set to be officially inducted during the ceremony scheduled for February 15, 2024.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

Jay Horwitz tweets that former Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson and his wife, Rosa, are currently in England for the week, actively promoting the Mets London Series alongside the Phillies, scheduled for June 8-9 at London Stadium.

Mookie Wilson and his wife Rosa are spending the week in England promoting the @Mets London Series with the Phillies, June 8-9 at London Stadium. We couldn’t have a better representative. https://t.co/dNayBp8g8Q

— Jay Horwitz (@Jay_HorwitzPR) December 7, 2023

Latest MLB News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post tweets that the Washington Nationals have signed outfielder Nick Senzel to a one-year, $2 million contract with $1 million in performance bonuses.

According to information by Will Sammon from The Athletic, the Milwaukee Brewers are making a staff change by transitioning Charlie Greene, the assistant director of player development, to the role of bullpen coach on their major-league staff. Greene has garnered respect for his contributions to player development. Notably, this move follows the shift of Jim Henderson from bullpen coach to assistant pitching coach.

Gillian Tan for Bloomberg reports that David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group Inc., is reportedly in discussions to purchase the Baltimore Orioles, as per anonymous sources familiar with the matter. While talks are ongoing, no final agreement has been reached, and the possibility of the negotiations collapsing still exists.

As reported by Chandler Rome from The Athletic, the Houston Astros have officially signed reliever Wander Suero to a minor league contract, as indicated in their transaction log.

As reported by Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves have confirmed the signing of left-handed pitcher Angel Perdomo, whom they non-tendered. Perdomo’s agreement is a one-year, non-guaranteed split deal. Additionally, Evan White has been outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett, resulting in his removal from the 40-man roster.

The Los Angeles Dodgers tweet and congratulate the family of outfielder Chris Taylor for the birth of his son, Theo.

Latest on MMO

Rivka Boord goes in-depth on the mindset of David Stearns and what was revealed.

Mets Madness Series Preview: 1969 Mets versus the 1997 Mets.

The Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes comes down to the Mets and Yankees.

On This Date In Mets History

1961: On December 8th, 1961, the New York Mets acquired Richie Ashburn from the Cubs. Serving as the Mets’ inaugural All-Star, Whitey concluded the final year of his illustrious Hall of Fame career with the ’62 team. He achieved an impressive .306/.424/.393 line and hit a career-high seven home runs, with some assistance from the Polo Grounds.

Birthdays: Alex Torres (36)

The post Morning Briefing: Ron Darling Elected To College Hall Of Fame appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

According to multiple reports, the Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Luis Severino to a one-year, $13 million deal.

Original Post – Nov. 18 at 9:53 AM

The Mets are targeting former Yankee Luis Severino and plan to meet with him soon, according to Will Sammon of the Athletic.

Severino is a bounce-back candidate for the 2024 season. He was a two-time All-Star with the Yankees and held a career 3.39 ERA through the 2022 season. Severino struggled in 2023, pitching to a 6.65 ERA in 89 1/3 innings before being shut down with an oblique injury.

Many teams still believe that Severino could return to his former self. Brendan Kuty of the Athletic reported on Nov. 7 that eight teams had reported interest in Severino. It’s unknown if the Mets were one of those original eight teams.

It’s not surprising that the Mets are checking in with Severino. The organization has been linked to the starting pitching market this offseason, which includes a strong interest in Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Severino would be 30 years old at the start of the 2024 season. In 2023, he went 4-8 with a 6.65 ERA and 1.646 WHIP in 89 1/3 innings.

The post Report: Mets Signing Luis Severino appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Former Yankee Harrison Bader is one of the voices commending Mets new manager Carlos Mendoza. Bader shared his thoughts tonight at Joe Torre‘s Safe at Home charity gala in midtown, as reported by Anthony McCarron of SNY. Bader says: “Baseball is obviously going in a direction where you have to manage the front office and manage the analytical department, but, at the same time, you need to manage and take care of your players, understand their personalities, understand what makes them tick, knowing u have to build them up and sometimes slow them down. His personality, his level of intelligence, it’s a good recipe for balancing those acts, because it’s no easy undertaking, especially in NY. He’s certainly cut out for it.”

Now onto the morning briefing!

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Latest MLB News

According to Jon Heyman from the New York Post, the Los Angeles Dodgers are currently leading in the race to acquire Shohei Ohtani. Heyman indicates that the general consensus at the GM meetings this week is that Los Angeles is the frontrunner due to their efforts in managing payroll, impressive track record of success, and their favorable west coast location. For more on this, check out our article on the news.

The Detroit Tigers announced that they have hired broadcaster Jason Benetti away from the Chicago White Sox to become the team’s main play-by-play broadcaster. Benetti announced for his hometown White Sox for seven plus seasons, along with appearing on Fox Sports, Peacock and ESPN. Benetti replaces outgoing Tigers broadcaster Matt Shepard.

As per Dennis Lin, the Padres beat writer for The Athletic, it has been reported that the Padres held a formal interview with Phil Nevin for the managerial position on Wednesday. Sources, who informed both Lin and Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, have confirmed this development. Padres general manager A.J. Preller stated yesterday that an official decision on the matter might be revealed as soon as next week.

Latest on MMO

Sam Neumann reports on Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor winning a Silver Slugger award.

Sean Kenny discusses the Mets offseason plan to prioritize pitching for the upcoming season.

Evan Mazza highlights David Stearns’ comments on Pete Alonso and a possible trade.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Omar Minaya (65), Shawn Green (51), Butch Huskey (52), Junior Noboa (59), Kenny Rogers (59), Mike Vail (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Mendoza Continues to Receive Praise appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

There’s no such thing as an offseason in sports anymore. Especially in baseball. And, for New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler, he was busier this winter than he will be at any other point during the year.

When the cold weather hits and the dark settles in early, the vast majority of us bunker down and count down the days until spring arrives. For Eppler, and other baseball executives, the winter is when their most important work is conducted. It’s when the foundations are set for the grueling 162-game regular season ahead.

It’s when the pieces are put in place for what all baseball executives hope will result in a successful season.

For Eppler, the start of spring training earlier this month probably acted as somewhat of a brief respite after the busiest winter in franchise history. The Mets accomplished a hell of a lot in a condensed period of time and Eppler was at the forefront of it all.

While owner Steve Cohen was the man bankrolling what resulted in a $445 million offseason – factoring in penalties for blowing through luxury tax thresholds – Eppler was the man driving the bus and putting in hours after hours after hours of work to ensure the groceries bought were the right ones. Just because you’re shopping at Whole Foods doesn’t guarantee that the goods bought will turn out great.

You need someone with an intricate knowledge of the game to make crucial decisions on baseball personnel, and Eppler ticks that box given that he’s a baseball lifer. He oversaw a final haul of 10 players signed to a major league contract, tying a franchise record for a single winter. Eppler probably also set a record for most hours on the phone to one person given he was in constant dialogue with Cohen throughout what was one of the most important winters this organization has had to navigate.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

“I’m making bets on this side and he’s making bets on this side,” Eppler told The Athletic’s Will Sammon for a feature story. “So when we talk probabilistically, he gets it. Like, he’s got it. Then his questions become really advanced. That’s what makes the phone call exciting. This is not going to be a one-way conversation with me saying, ‘Hey, I’d like to do this.’ It’s more like, ‘Let’s talk about the probabilities and band of outcomes here.’ ‘Let’s talk about the opportunity cost here.’ ‘Let’s talk about what the alternatives are.’ Then, it’s ‘Let’s talk about the farm system.’ And then, ‘Let’s think probabilistically about all these things and model this out.”

Those conversations between owner and GM laid the foundations for what was to follow. Coming off a 101-win season was never going to be enough for an ambitious owner and a driven front office. Especially given how their season flamed out in the NL Wild Card loss to the Padres. As a result, Eppler led the charge as the Mets re-signed two key players, rebuilt their entire rotation and added depth pieces to the offense, all while not depleting their farm system.

You could argue that Eppler didn’t sleep at all this winter. One longtime agent told The Athletic that “I’m not certain he slept over the winter. The man grinds.” Eppler, who shares three young children with his wife Catherine, has certainly grafted during his short tenure as GM of the Mets. That can’t be disputed. While he’s had some misses – notably at last year’s trade deadline – he built a roster that won 101 games in 2022 and more success should follow in 2023.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Eppler’s mammoth offseason truly began while the Houston Astros were still celebrating their World Series win in early November. In a move that set the tone for the entire offseason, Eppler and the Mets wasted no time in signing superstar reliever Edwin Diaz to a record-breaking five-year, $102 million contract. Diaz was coming off a historic 2022 season in which he dominated the sport and became a true master of his craft, and Eppler and Cohen wanted to send a message early that the Mets meant business heading into the winter.

It worked.

And things only cranked up from that point onwards. Thanksgiving proved to be another important turning point in the offseason, the official start date if you like of when things really became chaotic. According to The Athletic, Eppler even warned his wife that things were going to “really, really speed up.”

With the writing on the wall that franchise cornerstone Jacob deGrom was going to walk in free agency, Eppler had been staying in touch with his star pitcher as well as talking to the agent of Justin Verlander, another star-studded starting pitcher who was about to hit the open market. With things beginning to gather pace, Eppler’s leg work began to pay off. By the time deGrom signed with the Texas Rangers on Dec. 2, Eppler and Cohen had already met with Verlander.

The day after deGrom’s departure, a Saturday, Eppler hopped on a long video call with Verlander. On the Monday, Eppler had Verlander’s agent, Mark Pieper, meet him in his hotel room in San Diego where the Winter Meetings were taking place. Pieper told The Athletic that “the communication was very open” throughout the process, and the conversations had up until that point ensured that Pieper and Verlander never met with other teams. The parties were in agreement before 9 a.m. on that Monday morning.

“We didn’t want to let him leave the room,” Eppler told The Athletic. “So we didn’t let him leave the room.”

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

That quote offers a good insight into Eppler’s mentality. He won’t quit until the job is done. He replaced one future Hall of Famer with another. Verlander, who won the Cy Young and a World Series with the Astros in 2022, signed a two-year, $86.7 million contract with the Mets and softened the blow of losing deGrom. A tandem of Verlander and Max Scherzer also gives the Mets arguably one of the best one-two punches at the top of the rotation in all of baseball.

For some teams, signing a nine-time All-Star and a three-time Cy Young Award winner would have been enough. Time to sit back and relax. Not for Eppler. Not for the Mets who are on a relentless mission to win a World Series or three under Cohen. Instead, Eppler locked himself in his hotel room at the Winter Meetings and accomplished more in a week than some general managers do in an entire offseason.

During that hectic seven-day span, Eppler sealed the deal with Verlander, pulled the trigger on a trade for reliever Brooks Raley, selected another reliever in Zach Greene in the Rule 5 draft and bolstered the rotation with veteran José Quintana. It didn’t stop there. While in the air on the way back to New York, Eppler continued to grind and he was able to get done one of the Mets’ biggest deals of the offseason while still on the plane. Signing outfielder Brandon Nimmo to an eight-year, $162 million contract to keep the longtime Met in New York. The Athletic noted that Eppler said “90 percent of that deal” took place before he even touched down.

Eppler noted that the entire franchise “were flying” during that period. They had already ticked so many boxes, addressed some big needs and answered some serious questions about the roster. However, it wasn’t time for Eppler to ease off just yet. Instead, after asking his scouting department, his analytics department, his player development staff and his major league coaching staff what the biggest offseason priority was, Eppler went after more pitching.

Photo by Ed Delaney, MMO

Enter Kodai Senga.

Senga, who had dominated in Japan, was being chased by a lot of other MLB teams but New York always seemed to be the preferred destination given that Eppler had earned a reputation for his relentless work in scouting players in Japan. A career of going the extra mile and putting in the hours again paid off as, on Dec. 10, Senga FaceTimed Eppler and said, “Let’s Go Mets,” according to The Athletic.

“That was one hell of a 10-week run or however long it was,” a Mets official told The Athletic. “Whatever it was, I know it was nuts.”

Nuts is probably a good way to describe this offseason for the Mets and for Eppler. We haven’t even mentioned the whole Carlos Correa saga yet which is another intriguing wrinkle in what was already a fascinating winter. Correa would have been the crowning glory had that deal gone through, but it doesn’t take away from what was a successful mission for Eppler and the rest of the front office.

The Mets added another elite arm to the top of their rotation, they filled out the rest of the rotation with solid starters, they retained one of the best relievers in the game, they were able to keep hold of a key veteran in Nimmo, they filled out some other holes and they were in play on a true superstar in Correa. And a lot of that can be traced back to the amount of leg work being done in the background by Eppler.

It was a joint effort, too. Eppler made sure to dish out credit to the plethora of people involved in the overall decision-making, including manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner who would both get messages from Eppler late into the night asking for opinions on a multitude of different names.

“A lot gets asked of them,” Eppler told The Athletic. “They should be recognized for what we were able to do.”

And the Mets did a lot. A hell of a lot. After signing veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to put the finishing touches to the major league roster, Eppler was finally able to spend some time with family and they will be with him for the early part of spring training.

What probably got lost during the offseason frenzy, and what this Athletic story made clear, was just how big a role Eppler played in ensuring everything the Mets needed to accomplish got done. And then some. While his time in New York won’t be truly judged until after he’s gone, Eppler proved this offseason that he can handle the pressures of leading an offseason for a legitimate World Series contender.

You can read The Athletic’s full story on Eppler here.

The post Billy Eppler’s Journey Through A Big-Time Offseason appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Athletic recently posted the results of their 2023 spring training survey and it makes interesting reading for Mets fans.

The survey is completed by a panel of 29 executives, former executives, coaches and scouts, who all remain anonymous. The survey covers a wide-ranging number of topics and the New York Mets come up a lot.

For instance, when asked for the most improved teams in the National League, the 29-man panel place the Mets with 19 votes behind the Phillies (23) and the Padres (20). It appears as though do-it-all shortstop Trea Turner landing in Philadelphia impressed the entire baseball community. The Phillies also added plenty of depth and that was enough to earn the title of the most improved team in the NL.

The Padres, who spent $300 million on Xander Bogaerts, and Seth Lugo  to name just a couple, will also get Fernando Tatis Jr. back at some point this season and they too placed above the Mets. New York gained just one more vote than the Chicago Cubs, who drastically overhauled their roster this offseason. While New York did good business this winter, it obviously wasn’t as eye-catching as other teams in the eyes of certain baseball people.

The Mets signed three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander as their marquee addition. However, Verlander didn’t appear in the best free agent signings category in The Athletic’s survey. Instead, Turner topped that list and he and the Phillies appear to be getting a lot of love this offseason. Carlos Correa, who was so nearly a Met, was voted second and, interestingly, Jacob deGrom, the man who Verlander replaced, received five votes. Verlander, meanwhile, missed the featured list with four votes.

However, the jury also appears to be out on deGrom. Per The Athletic’s panel, the former Met finished second in the worst free agent signing of the offseason with nine votes. One baseball person in the story was quoted as saying “I’d rather have two years of Verlander than five years of deGrom.” The general consensus is that the five-year, $185 million contract deGrom received from the Texas Rangers will not age well at all. Another former Met pitcher in Taijuan Walker, who signed with the Phillies this winter, was ranked just behind deGrom as the third worst free agent signing.

The Mets actually featured prominently in the worst free agent signing list. Outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who signed an eight-year, $162 million deal earlier in the offseason, came in at No. 5 with five votes, while Verlander and Kodai Senga also received votes.

Elsewhere, the future of superstar two-way player Shohei Ohtani ranked as the most intriguing story to follow in the American League throughout spring training. Given that the Mets are widely seen as the frontrunners to sign the uber-talented unicorn if he does indeed hit free agency, they figure to feature heavily in that conversation.

And you won’t be shocked to learn that the Mets feature as one of the most intriguing spring storylines in the NL. Owner Steve Cohen and his willingness to spend the big bucks and blow everyone else out of the water ranked second with six votes, six fewer than the Padres and their payroll and array of talent.

The Mets also featured again with the panel giving four votes to the age and overall health of the starting pitching staff as another big storyline to follow. With Max Scherzer and Verlander 38 and 39-years-old respectively, coupled with the fact that Carlos Carrasco, José Quintana and Kodai Senga are all 30 or older, the overall health and durability of the Mets’ rotation will be an intriguing sub-plot to watch play out.

Given that this team is in win-now mode, it is not surprising that they got five votes when it comes to the teams feeling the most heat heading into 2023. The Red Sox, Padres and the Angels (in that order) all finished above the Mets in that category. The general consensus from the panel seems to be that, if the Mets fall short in 2023, someone will be used as a scapegoat for that failure.

Finally, the Mets had a representative among the seven phenoms to watch this spring. Rounding off the list with six votes – tied with Yankees prospect Anthony Volpe – was catcher Francisco Álvarez. Although he’s not expected to make the Opening Day roster, Álvarez will get an opportunity to impress at both catcher and at DH throughout spring training. If he is lights out this spring, then maybe the phenom prospect begins the year in the bigs after all. It was also interesting that the panel collectively agreed that Mets manager Buck Showalter may look to be clever when it comes to working with the new pitch clock rules in terms of trying to find an advantage.

You can view the full results of The Athletic’s 2023 spring training survey (subscription required) right here.

The post Mets Feature Prominently In The Athletic’s Spring Training Survey appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

KAILA JONES/TCPALM

Good morning, Mets fans!

Mets pitchers and catchers report today, officially. Of course, as you will see from the news below, lots of the Mets are already in camp.

Latest Mets News

As the final round of Mets players reach the spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Mets new ace Justin Verlander is already throwing a bullpen session. Verlander signed a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason as he begins his first spring training with New York.

Noted Mets pitcher Justin Verlander throws a bullpen session on his first day at spring training pic.twitter.com/tRWgO5VjcX

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) February 14, 2023

Mets closer Edwin Díaz was asked about a number of topics when he met with media members down in the team’s spring training facility. Díaz and the team expect to win the World Series this season was one of many things the closer said during those conversations.

Díaz also expects to keep throwing his two pitches, his fastball and slider, which he hopes to keep striking out opposing batters. Díaz also wants to see Timmy Trumpets, the artist behind his now signature entrance song, at more games this season and loves being back with the orange and blue.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote an article about MLB’s plans to enforce illegal pitch and balk rules this season. This and the new pitch clock rule will certainly work hand-in-hand, as there is now a 15-second time limit between when the pitcher receives the ball back from the catcher and his next pitch. This time increases to 20 seconds when there is a runner on base.

In addition to the new MLB rule changes, media members were given the first on-the-field look at the base size increase put in place this year, which sees the first, second and third base bags grow three inches to square. This gives the batters a 4.5-inch shorter distance between the bases they run around and three-inch shorter distance to and from home plate.

Free agent starting pitcher Michael Wacha is in agreement on a contract with the San Diego Padres, pending physical, sources tell The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal. Wacha’s contract with the Padres is worth $24 million over the next four years. The deal includes a player and team option that protects both Wacha’s upside and downside while lowering his annual average value for luxury-tax purposes.

Looking deeper into the signing, Rosenthal says the Padres addressed long-term uncertainty in rotation. The Padres have already extended pitchers Joe Musgrove back in August and Yu Darvish. With a potential contract for Nick Martinez coming soon, agreeing to a deal with Wacha solves some of those issues. Pitcher Blake Snell is still eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger, who remains under investigation for potentially violating MLB’s domestic violence policy, will be permitted to fully participate at the White Sox’s spring training camp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Clevinger is not being placed on administrative leave at this time.

Back in late January, Clevinger’s girlfriend, who is also the mother of their almost one-year-old child, told The Athletic of incidents involving physical, verbal and emotional abuse towards her and their child. According to the article, the White Sox were aware of the investigation after Clevinger was signed.

MLB.TV subscribers will now be able to watch Minor League Baseball (MiLB) this season. If you didn’t think you could get enough baseball, now you have access to over 7,000 streamed games from affiliates of the 30 MLB teams. This includes all 60 Triple-A and Double-A minor league clubs, 40 additional clubs and some postseason games that will all be available through the First Pitch App.

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn predicts the Mets Opening Day roster.

On This Date in Mets History

2011: Mets bring back Jason Isringhausen with a minor league deal.

Birthdays: Mark Canha (35), Barry Jones(60), Chuck Estrada (85)

The post Morning Briefing: Pitchers and Catchers Report Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

With baseball around the corner, and spring training coming later this month, the world will be getting a special treat this year with the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC), which starts towards the beginning of March. MLB players from all over the league will be competing for the WBC title alongside their fellow countrymen.

Slowly, but surely, this offseason has seen players announcing their candidacy for the WBC, with Mets such as Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor lined up to compete.

According to Shawn Spradling, who covers all thing WBC, the WBC Roster Reveal Show, which will introduce the rosters for each national team competing in this year’s tournament, will air on MLB Network on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. EST. The WBC will start on Wednesday, March 8, and will air on the Fox Sports Networks.

Latest Mets News

After reporting that Mets infielder Mark Vientos would be playing for Team Nicaragua in this year’s WBC, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com is now reporting otherwise. Vientos will be practicing with his fellow Mets teammates throughout the spring. DiComo recently reported that Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo would not be playing for Team Italy, whom he played for back in the 2017 WBC.

DiComo further made it clear about other Mets who would and would not be playing in the WBC. Recently acquired relief pitcher Brooks Raley, catcher Omar Narváez and third baseman Eduardo Escobar will be playing for Team USA (Raley) and Venezuela (Narváez and Escobar).

Moving along from the WBC, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation released their 2021 annual report today that highlights some of the incredible work the Cohens and Mets have done in the community. In 2021, the Foundation has raised over $3.9 million, with portions of that total going towards baseball and athletics, health and wellness programs and education, among other charitable causes. In particular, $1.6 million of that total will go towards grants awards to nearly 60 different organizations.

The @AmazinMetsFdn released their 2021 Annual Report today, highlighting some of the incredible work they have done in the community. The Cohen Mets continue to make a difference on and off the field.👏🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/4pjU6WS2tg

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 7, 2023

Latest MLB News

MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince wrote an article detailing the changes that will be implemented during the upcoming MLB season. Of the changes, an added pitch timer, larger bases and restrictions to the shift will be seen firsthand during spring training and finalized by opening day. The WBC will not feature these new rules.

According to Castrovince’s article, these three new rules were tested in over 8,000 minor league as well as some independent Atlantic League games. In these games, the timing of the games overall were decreased by about 25 minutes, stolen base activity increased from 2.23 attempts per game to 2.81 and stolen base success rates increased by 10%. Batting averages went up a mere .02 points, which were a direct result of the restricted defensive shifts.

Castrovince’s article goes in depth about each of the three key rule changes this season.

The Athletic reporter Jim Bowden creatively came up with new divisions and leagues if MLB were to introduce at least two new major league ball clubs that would bring the total up to 32 teams. In Bowden’s experiment, MLB would include two brand new teams in Charlotte, NC and Nashville, TN, with both teams playing in the brand new eastern league.

That’s right. In this bold prediction, there would be no more American and National League. MLB would instead adopt a league, or conference, alignment similar to the NBA and NHL that divides the east and west coasts. There would be four divisions to each league with four teams in each division.

One of the notable division in the east would include the Mets, Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox, which in itself would imply the imminent implosion of the tri-state area.

While the rivalry of the Mets vs. Phillies and Yankees vs. Red Sox will stay in this assumed alignment, other rivalries will be disbanded due to this. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants would no longer play each other as often due to them playing in competing divisions, as well as the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.

According to Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette Sports, the Pirates have signed pitcher Juan Minaya to a minor league contract. Minaya has made 160 appearances for the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox since making his MLB debut in 2016. He went 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 29 games in 2021, striking out 43 in 40 innings pitched.

Latest on MMO

Elliot Teichman introduces you to non-roster invitee Connor Grey.

Chris Bello ranks the top closers in the NL East.

On This Date in Mets History

2004: Todd Zeile rejoins the Mets, signing as a free agent.

The post Morning Briefing: World Baseball Classic Rosters To Be Revealed Thursday appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes in his MLB notes piece that Mets pitcher Kodai Senga had a bit more wear and tear on his arm and that the physical was OK’d before numbers for a contract were being thrown around. Heyman also states that folks in the know say that Japanese pitchers show more mileage on their arm due to them throwing more innings at earlier stages in their careers.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

The Mets’ pursuit of pitcher Shohei Ohtani may hit a snag due to the upcoming 110% luxury tax payment. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, he suggests that if Steve Cohen were to spend $50 million on Ohtani, the tax would be $105 million annually and total close to about $1 billion by the time a 10-year contract is completed. Heyman also notes that the Padres, who currently have a smaller luxury tax penalty, might come out as the high bidder for Ohtani’s services.

Will Sammon of The Athletic highlights Mets infielder Brett Baty and his offseason program working with former major league shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. John Sheridan has more on this story of Baty being mentored by the former All-Star shortstop.

Latest MLB News

Reported by Erik Bacharach of the Sports Business Journal, the Arizona Diamondbacks have reached a deal with Avnet as their jersey patch partner, becoming the third MLB team to announce a sponsorship deal to be displayed on a team uniform.

Major League Baseball announced that the 2023 Draft Combine will be held at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. from June 20-25.

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Rays reliever Jason Adam has been placed on Team USA’s 50-man preliminary roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Last season, Adam had a 1.56 ERA, 0.758 WHIP, with eight saves, and 75 strikeouts through 63 1/3 innings pitched.

MLB Network released their top-10 list for catchers in baseball at this current moment. Former Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud comes in at No. 7.

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On the latest episode of MMO Weekly, Sal and Mike chat with new Mets Triple-A hitting coach Collin Hetzler. They spoke about talked Ronny Mauricio, Francisco Álvarez, and how Steve Cohen’s money is giving the Mets minor leagues an advantage.

Fantastic show with Mets Triple-A hitting coach @C_Hetz. We talked about Mauricio, Álvarez, and how Steve Cohen's money is giving the Mets minor leagues an advantage.https://t.co/mkwHv9vTR7

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) February 2, 2023

Mets Worst Free-Agent Signing No 2: Jason Bay

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Lucas Duda (37)

The post Morning Briefing: Kodai Senga Had ‘Iffy’ Physical Before Correa Saga appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Miami Marlins seem to be making some news in both the free agent and trade markets. Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting the Marlins are among a few teams interested in signing relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman, who is also being considered by a few other MLB teams. The Marlins are also talking with the Minnesota Twins about their All-Star Luis Arraez, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The 2022 American League batting champion will come at a steep price, according to Hayes, as the Twins are looking potentially for pitcher Pablo Lopez.

Latest Mets News

The Mets held a press conference to introduce their newly acquire catcher Omar Narváez and re-signed reliver Adam Ottavino. General manager Billy Eppler, who led the press conference, commented on multiple subjects.

While emphasizing the depth the Mets roster already have, Eppler said the team continues to look for right-handed batting outfielders and relief pitchers, something the team could have used late in the 2022 season. Some big names still remain available in the free agent market, like Tommy Pham and Adam Duvall, but Eppler also says the team has dabbled in the trade market.

Along with depth, Eppler kept his comments to himself when asked about the Carlos Correa signing. He also kept things quiet when asked about extensions to All-Stars Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil.

To put it in Eppler’s words, we’ll see if “anything actually comes to fruition” in the coming weeks before the start of Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic.

Speaking of Alonso, he continues to hold charity baseball outings while on his offseason. The Mets first baseman held his first annual “Battle for the Bay” home run competition where youth baseball and softball participants from around the Tampa Bay area came to meet MLB players while supporting a good cause. Alonso grew up in the area and continues to do his charitable work back at home.

The 1st annual Pete Alonso “Battle for the Bay” home run competition was a GRANDSLAM💥‼️

Youth baseball & softball participants & @MLB Friends came through to support the amazing day! Congratulations to the champs! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/jw6g0LMAlr

— Play Ball (@PlayBall) January 17, 2023

Latest MLB News

ESPN‘s Alden González is reporting that if Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani  were to be available on the free agent market next season, he could be raking in a contract worth around half a billion (yes, with a B).

Free agent infielder and outfielder Brian Anderson is in agreement with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal. The deal is currently pending a physical.

Heyman also is reporting some of the Boston Red Sox’s free agent interests, which include Duvall and Josh Harrison. With shortstop Trevor Story sidelined after having surgery, the Red Sox will also be looking into the shortstop market.

Philadelphia Phillies legend Jimmy Rollins talked with Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post on their podcast and discussed his Hall of Fame eligibility and how confident he is in getting elected.

MLB also released some interesting rankings for a few positions, including who they believe is the top left fielder currently in the game. That honor went to Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez. MLB also released rankings for the top left-handed and right-handed pitchers prospects, with the Marlins having three of those top 20 pitchers. Other teams, like the Toronto Blue Jays,Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Guardians and Phillies each having two.

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Patrick Glynn discusses the press conference from yesterday and Eppler’s comments.

The post Morning Briefing: Marlins Interested In Aroldis Chapman appeared first on Metsmerized Online.