G-Fafif

George Nicolau, the arbitrator who ruled MLB owners were colluding to not sign free agents in the 1980s, 94. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/sports/george-nicolau-dead.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/sports/george-nicolau-dead.html

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: I could give a 🐀 s ass about a counting stat milestone, especially one completed in the season's garbage time. Statistically, he couldn't hit his 53rd until he hit the other 52.

=kcmets post_id=30118 time=1579457197 user_id=53]No to Polar Pits!

Matt Wieters re-signs with Cardinals.

More like Jay Panik, as second basemen Joe goes to Toronto.

Panik has signed a minor league deal with the Jays. Did some nice stopgapping in August and a September. Began and ended his Met career in games that shouldn't be forgotten: the four-run ninth-inning comeback over the Nationals and the eleventh-inning walkoff on Closing Day. Joe hit the briefly big homer in the eighth on 9/29, rendered undramatic by Paul Sewald giving one up to Panik's predecessor Adeiny Hechavarria.

VOICEOVER: T-minus 25 seconds. CROW T. ROBOT: The Mets lost today. From MST3K, Episode 704 (February 24, 1996), during the opening scene to the The Incredible Melting Man, amid a countdown to launch.

Former Royals owner David Glass, 86.

Manager-designate, the Bob Livingston of the New York Mets. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-impeachment/livingston-quits-speaker-designate/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-impeachment/livingston-quits-speaker-designate/

Appointed, never served.

Met-Empathizin' Big Shot...

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I had never heard of Awkwafina until a few days ago, and now, suddenly, I'm seeing her name everywhere. In related news, https://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/GabboGabbo is coming!

Awkwafina informs commuters, “This is Mets-Willets Point — HOME OF THE METS! I love the Mets, 'cause I'm from Queens, and you're riding the 7 train.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/nyregion/awkafina-subway-mta.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/nyregion/awkafina-subway-mta.html

On the day one Met named Carlos stepped/was nudged aside, another — Carlos Gomez — revealed his decision to retire. He finished his thirteen-season MLB run as he began it, as a Met. In his second term, he stood somewhere below Rajai Davis but above Aaron Altherr as a stopgap outfielder. Kept bringing the enthusiasm to the end.

Carlos Gomez is saying adios.

Braves have re-signed vengeful Adeiny Hechavarria.

The Giants have signed Drew Smyly.

Carlos should get italics at the bottom of the list, but not be part of the list.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: He's in danger of being Wally Backmanned. So... if he gets fired before the season starts, does he retain his position as the 22nd Mets manager, with the new guy being number 23, or is it like it never happened, and the new guy will be 22? I know someone who maintains a Mets database, and he may have to make some kind of determination regarding how to record this. No word overnight, but Jim Kern and Jorge Orta are reportedly excited to play for Carlos Beltran.

Putting aside World Series-winning managers moving on to other teams (such as Leo Durocher and the 1969 Cubs, Billy Martin and the 1980 A's or Terry Francona and the present-day Indians), I can now confirm that 2020 will be the first year we enter with only one team employing a manager who has previously led that team to a world championship since...1966, when Walter Alston was still in charge of the Dodgers, a team he had taken to four championships overall. This assumes Davey Martinez is still managing the Nationals as of March 26. SEASONS STARTED WITH ONLY ONE MANAGER WHO PREVIOUSLY LED HIS TEAM TO A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1904: Jimmy Collins, Boston (A) 1905: Jimmy Collins Boston (A) 1951: Casey Stengel, New York (A) 1952: Casey Stengel, New York (A) 1953: Casey Stengel, New York (A) 1954: Casey Stengel, New York (A) 1965: Walter Alston, Los Angeles (N) 1966: Walter Alston, Los Angeles (N) 2020: Dave Martinez, Washington (N) Keep in mind John McGraw and Connie Mack won World Series relatively early and stayed in their posts for decades thereafter. From 1981 to 2019, no season had begun with fewer than three previous world champion managers still (or returned to) with the team with whom they won a World Series. As recently as 2010, eight teams began their seasons with managers who had led the franchise to a world championship: Gaston* (1992 & 1993 TOR), Cox (1995 ATL), Scioscia (2002 ANA), Francona (2004 & 2007 BOS), Guillen (2005 CHW), La Russa (2006 STL), Manuel (2008 PHI), Girardi (2009 MFY). *Gaston was in his second term with TOR In 2017, the season started with six such managers: Scioscia, Girardi, Bochy (2010, 2012 & 2014 SFG), Farrell (2013 BOS), Yost (2015 KCR), Maddon (2016 CHC). In 2018, you would have subtracted Girardi and Farrell but added Hinch, giving us five at the dawn of a new campaign. None of the five who began 2019 -- Bochy (retired), Yost (retired), Maddon (fired though moved on), Hinch (suspended/fired), Cora ("mutually parted ways") -- are any longer with the teams with whom they won their managerial rings. Had the Astros hung on in Game Seven, we'd have nobody steering the team he once brought to ultimate glory starting the next season.

Building a rationale...

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Mets are “wavering” on whether they should stick by Beltran in the wake of these scandals. Olney broke the news on Sportscenter on Wednesday. https://wfan.radio.com/articles/news/mets-reportedly-wavering-on-keeping-carlos-beltranhttps://wfan.radio.com/articles/news/mets-reportedly-wavering-on-keeping-carlos-beltran

From the Times: But according to a person with direct knowledge of the investigation who requested anonymity to discuss details that had not been made public, Beltran was named because he was a central figure at the outset of the operation, in which electronic equipment was used illegally to steal the opposing catchers' signs. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/sports/baseball/carlos-beltran-astros-cheating-scandal.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/sports/baseball/carlos-beltran-astros-cheating-scandal.html

Cardinals acquire OF Austin Dean from Marlins in exchange for minor league OF Diowill Burgos.

Josh Donaldson brings his rain to the Twin Cities.