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Late-season lightning for the 2020 Mets, captured in a springtime 2021 bottle by the Braves via waivers. Pointed to Robinson Cano as a Mariner mentor.

Scott Kazmir signs a minor league deal with the Giants.

Still unsigned Yoenis Cespedes to hold a showcase (or Yo!case) on March 2. Sandy Alderson gets droll.

Stan Williams, Dodgers pitcher who helped let the 1962 pennant slip away to the Giants (but did plenty to get L.A. to that three-game playoff), 84. Pitched from 1958 to 1972, coached thereafter.

Just how big of a Mets fan is Brach? The right-hander has been pitching in the majors since 2011 and considers his best baseball moment being at Citi Field for Game 3 of the 2015 World Series. "I went to Game 3 with my two brothers and wife. Like I said, we grew up huge Mets fans and I'm a baseball fan, so -- some guys might think it's weird or whatever but it was awesome," Brach said. "I had a great time. When David Wright hit that home run that was probably one of the best baseball moments I've had regardless of on the field or whatnot." https://sny.tv/articles/diehard-mets-fan-brad-brach-living-out-childhood-dreamhttps://sny.tv/articles/diehard-mets-fan-brad-brach-living-out-childhood-dream

It's all an appetizer until the first of (hopefully) 162 main courses. Appetizers are swell, mind you, but the meal begins Opening Day.

This is one of those days when everybody on the beat will produce a variation on the same “player spoke to the media today” Spring Training story and that rare day within that I will lap up every quote and sound bite. Holy cow, he's a Met.

Might have loved his Mets like no “I grew up a Mets fan” Met ever did. Part of a storyline-satisfying de facto cabal of Metropolitan Area Mets with Frazier, Stroman, Matz and Panik, together intent on taking the NL by storm for a couple of weeks in 2019, though Brach showed up just after they peaked. Was worth a shot.

Pictures From Spring Training 2021...

Guillermo Heredia DFA'd so Kevin Pillar can find a spot.

On July 4, 1989, one night before comedian Jerry Seinfeld's pilot aired on NBC, CBS showed Coming to America, the sitcom. It was never made into a series, but it did star Tommy Davidson, who, as Prince Tariq, wore a period-accurate Mets starter jacket. The project is explored here: https://youtu.be/vJN7r25mTbkhttps://youtu.be/vJN7r25mTbk

Dude decided different.

Keith Hernandez joins David Brenner, who's wearing the same sweatshirt I once had. https://youtu.be/E8WrOiQ2VfAhttps://youtu.be/E8WrOiQ2VfA Air date was December 1, 1986, after Monday Night Football — the Giants-Niners game when Bavaro dragged tacklers for like 20 yards. Ron Darling was Brenner's guest the Monday night before, which followed the Jets fiasco at the Orange Bowl. Perhaps ABC figured the New York audience was sure to stay tuned.

Tai Terrific.

Brett Gardner continues to be MFY. One-year deal.Figure a dozen hits and three spectacular catchers vs the Mets this season.

Todd Frazier is again officially an ex-Met, signing with the Pirates. His 2020 return was mostly baffling.

Johnny Damon, menace to society. (Great Snooze lede.) Johnny Damon, having already loudly supported Donald Trump and whined about coronavirus restrictions, completed the retired baseball player Triple Crown on Friday with a DUI in Florida. Orlando-area cops pulled over Damon early Friday morning, when he registered a whopping 0.30 on a blood alcohol test, according to TMZ. (The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.) Damon was arrested just after 1 a.m., when he was charged with a DUI. According to police, his wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, shoved a cop and was charged with resisting arrest. The Damons appeared together on the reality show “Below Deck” in 2019. https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-johnny-damon-dui-20210219-362giia2ovdzxionxjm4d64kra-story.htmlhttps://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-johnny-damon-dui-20210219-362giia2ovdzxionxjm4d64kra-story.html

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2018/03/12/diamondbacks-pitcher-taijuan-walker-free-tacos-monday/417706002Made and handed out tacos to all who wanted one at Spring Training three years ago. Walker, a Diamondbacks starting pitcher who loves to cook, took a recipe passed down by his mom, Nellie Garcia, and gave it his own twist. Garcia was on hand, as well, as her son shared his recipe with fans and friends. The first fan in line was Owen Fitzgerald, following by his dad, Eamon. Both went with the bison tacos, which are Walker's specialty. “That was his recommendation. They're great – you have to go with his recommendation when he's the chef,” Fitzgerald said. The two were visiting from Redding, Calif., and are Athletics fans, but the tacos certainly won them over. The majority of the patrons at the taco truck were Diamondbacks fans, who found the chance to meet players a bonus on top of the free food. "We love the D-Backs. It's really nice that they would could out and spend time with the fans like this," said Robert Owen-Jones, a fan from Tempe. “They're even feeding Colorado Rockies fans, which is nice,” he joked.

SNY writeup here: https://sny.tv/articles/new-york-mets-sign-taijuan-walker-rhp-toronto-blue-jays-seattle-marinershttps://sny.tv/articles/new-york-mets-sign-taijuan-walker-rhp-toronto-blue-jays-seattle-mariners

Juan Pizarro, two-time All-Star, 18-season veteran and 131-game winner Juan Pizarro, 84.

Almost as good as when he did it the first time.

Hizzoner Bobby V? Maybe in Stamford. “It is an election year for some of the situations in our city, in our state — and I have given it consideration, and I'm still considering it. Let me put it that way,” Valentine said Thursday as he spoke during a virtual Senior Men's Association of Stamford meeting. “Yeah, I'm kind of considering it. It's a crazy thought, and anytime I say it to someone, they say, ‘Why the hell would you do that?' And I'm working on the answer.” https://www.wiltonbulletin.com/local/article/Why-not-Bobby-Valentine-mulling-run-for-15961120.phphttps://www.wiltonbulletin.com/local/article/Why-not-Bobby-Valentine-mulling-run-for-15961120.php

For 2021, based mostly on seeing something hopeful about him today, I'll pick the mostly forgotten Drew Smith for a breakthrough, as in perhaps he'll be the new Seth Lugo in terms of a rock for the bullpen. For 1997, Rick Reed. Surprised we didn't place the sash around his swimsuit already.

Gastonia Honey Hunters hire Goose Gozzo as their manager. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/gastonia-honey-hunters-announces-team-manager/n-5667908https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/gastonia-honey-hunters-announces-team-manager/n-5667908

Edgy MD wrote: That same principle should lead Patrick Mahomes to pull his punches against the Jets. Chiefs-Mets have a non-aggression pact.