G-Fafif

Roger McDowell.

- July 24-26: vs. Atlanta Braves (3 games) - July 27-28: @ Boston Red Sox (2 games) - July 29-30: vs. Red Sox (2 games) - July 31-Aug. 3: @ Braves (4 games) - Aug. 4-5: @ Washington Nationals (2 games) - Aug. 6: OFF - Aug. 7-9: vs. Miami Marlins (3 games) - Aug. 10-13: vs. Nationals (4 games) - Aug. 14-16: @ Philadelphia Phillies (3 games) - Aug. 17-20: @ Marlins (4 games) - Aug. 21-23: vs. New York Yankees (3 games) - Aug. 24: OFF - Aug. 25-27: vs. Marlins (3 games) - Aug. 28-30: @ Yankees (3 games) - Aug. 31: OFF - Sept. 1-2: @ Baltimore Orioles (2 games) - Sept. 3: OFF - Sept. 4-7: vs. Phillies (4 games) - Sept. 8-9: vs. Orioles (2 games) - Sept. 10: OFF - Sept. 11-13: @ Toronto Blue Jays (3 games) - Sept. 14: OFF - Sept. 15-17: @ Phillies (3 games) - Sept. 18-20: vs. Braves (3 games) - Sept. 21-23: vs. Tampa Bay Rays (3 games) - Sept. 24-27: @ Nationals (4 games)

The happiest man in baseball is optimistic.

The Atlanta Deserters. The Cobb County White Flight.

Joey Gallo of the Rangers (and their forever-dormant stadium) tests positive.

Nick Markakis has opted out.

Gibbons saw no MLB playing time in 1985.

Clint Hurdle also did some backup catching in 1985 (and pinch-hit in the marathon). Bonus observation from 7/4-5/85: Rusty Staub scored his final major league run that morning.

I've only read Metsian excerpts provided by the author.

The first AT40, no less. Happy 50th, Casey! From 2020‘s Two for Tennis by novelist and Mets fan Michael Elias, whose protagonist Mark seeks solace in the doings at Shea in September 2008: They all agreed on this last point and busied themselves with individual concerns: Ronnie cleaned up in the kitchen, Zeb headed for the bathroom, and Mark, remembering that there was a full slate of major-league baseball games every Sunday (as on most days), tuned in to ESPN to catch the scores. In particular, he was hoping for good news about his Mets, who were playing a doubleheader after a rainout the day before. From Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, ESPN was actually televising the second game of the doubleheader as their national Sunday night game-of-the-week. Excellent, Mark thought. What was even more excellent was the score, the Mets leading by a few runs. It was late in the game and Carlos Delgado, their slugging, black Puerto Rican first baseman, had hit a pair of home runs and driven in four. Their 137-million-dollar star pitcher, Johan Santana, had started the game and given them a strong performance, keeping the bats of the opposing Phillies quiet. Just last September, the Mets had blown a sizable division lead to the Phillies in the worst late-season collapse in baseball history, missing the playoffs by one game. For this reason, Mark, even more than usual, wished the Mets would overcome their Eastern Division rivals and send them back down the Jersey Turnpike to Philly disappointed. This game was crucial to the Mets, as it turned out they'd already lost the first two of this three-game series. But Santana answered the bell and, like he was doing all season, continued earning this year's big salary on that huge contract, one which was negotiated by a family friend who happened to be Johan's agent. Now a relief pitcher was in for the Mets, trying to close out a victory for them, and after a bad call by an ump and a squirrely infield hit, he recovered to preserve the lead and sew up the game. It was a much-needed win, like oxygen to a runner. The victory bumped the Mets' division lead back up to three games over Philadelphia. Had they lost, it would have been down to a single game, a prospect Mark found thoroughly loathsome. But now the Mets had a bit of breathing room, and, although it was just sports and Mark now had something more important in his life, he still cheered his team on toward success. There were still three weeks of games left on the regular-season schedule, but Mark was hopeful his team, like his new relationship with Ronnie, would be a winner and continue onward to greater heights. Why limit his thoughts to only one? The two possibilities were not mutually exclusive. There's more Metsiness within. https://www.amazon.com/Tennis-Adventures-Mark-Michael-Elias/dp/B089HXV78B/https://www.amazon.com/Tennis-Adventures-Mark-Michael-Elias/dp/B089HXV78B/

=G-Fafif post_id=30230 time=1579625993 user_id=55] Braves sign formerly Felix Hernandez to a minor league contract.

Ronn Reynolds didn't play.

MLB is expected to release the official schedule this week, with the Braves at Citi Field on July 24 to kick off the Mets' season, The Post has learned. The NL East rivals last faced each other in an opener in 2017. https://nypost.com/2020/07/04/mets-will-open-2020-mlb-season-at-citi-field-against-the-braves/https://nypost.com/2020/07/04/mets-will-open-2020-mlb-season-at-citi-field-against-the-braves/

=kcmets post_id=39868 time=1593869800 user_id=53] I forgot Luis Rojas was our skipper. 2020, sheesh...

The factual part or the intuitive?

Oh, Seth Lugo would have been added after Scherzer bowed out.

Though it was a formality at this point, MLB officially cancelled the 2020 All-Star Game today, adding Dodger Stadium's planned hosting duties have been moved to 2022 (Unnecessary Braves Stadium in Gingrich, Ga., gets 2021). Last time there was no ASG was 1945. For the record, Pete Alonso was going to be overwhelmingly voted the NL starter at first base, Jacob deGrom was going to be named to his fourth team and Edwin Diaz, of all people, was going to be robbed of a berth in this, his comeback season.

Wellington Castillo opts out.

AJ Ramos is neither an A nor a Jay. He jumps into the Dodger pool.

On July 1, 1992, Bobby Bonilla homered and the Mets won. http://www.leaptoad.com/mets/gamedetail.php?gameno=4914&tabno=Dhttp://www.leaptoad.com/mets/gamedetail.php?gameno=4914&tabno=D On July 1, 1994, Bobby Bonilla homered and the Mets won. http://www.leaptoad.com/mets/gamedetail.php?gameno=5238&tabno=Dhttp://www.leaptoad.com/mets/gamedetail.php?gameno=5238&tabno=D So Happy Bobby Bonilla Day, indeed!!

If you hear people referring to Chili Davis as “remote,” it won't be a criticism. https://nypost.com/2020/07/01/mets-hitting-coach-chili-davis-will-be-working-remotely/https://nypost.com/2020/07/01/mets-hitting-coach-chili-davis-will-be-working-remotely/

Alphabet Soup is all A's.