G-Fafif

And ex-Nat (et al) Gio Gonzalez goes to the White Sox.

In other used-to-be division rival news, Maikel Franco has signed with the Royals.

Julio Teheran is joining the Angels in the literal sense: one year, nine mil.

https://youtu.be/TvOZNVW_nschttps://youtu.be/TvOZNVW_nsc Mike DelGuidice, who leads the Billy Joel tribute band Big Shot and plays with Billy besides, released “Mona Lisa” in 2019 with a video shot partly at a slightly dreamy Citi Field (the Rotunda never looked so good). Starring, as too many things do, Kevin James.

Matz, Stroman, Brach, Porcello...and Alonso is definitely a Mets fan these days.

Wheeler basically tells Van Wagenen to go [bleep] himself. ”He wasn't there the whole time,'' Wheeler said of Van Wagenen. “He only knows me from last year. He watched me I guess when he was watching his other players on the team.'' https://nypost.com/2019/12/16/zack-wheeler-using-doubting-mets-gm-as-extra-phillies-motivation/https://nypost.com/2019/12/16/zack-wheeler-using-doubting-mets-gm-as-extra-phillies-motivation/

Joe Smith re-signs with the Astros for two years.

Dude talks an excellent game (from DiComo). "This is a big deal for me,” Porcello said on a conference call. “I grew up a lifelong Mets fan as a kid. To get the opportunity to play for the organization that I cheered on for so many years is a huge honor."

Rick as a Met made official. Stephen Nogosek designated to take a hike.

Jon Matlack.

We hate Charlie Culberson, too, but he didn't have the marquee value to carry the thread title.

Pest Charlie Culberson re-signing with ATL on a minor league deal.

Corey Kluber to the Rangers. DeShields the younger headed to headed to Cleveland along with hard-throwing righty reliever Emmanuel Clase.

Ted Lepcio, 90, utility infielder with the Red Sox in the ‘50s. The Mets signed Ted after the expansion draft but released him at the end of Spring Training, after which he retired.

https://i1.wp.com/onesnladay.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/12-13-1997_0.25.14.00.jpg?ssl=1> Todd Hundley appears as if out of a dream, SNL, December 13, 1997.

Mets make Wacha signing official, kick Chris Mazza off the roster to make room for Michael.

I wasn't imagining this.

Anthony DiComo reports the Mets have signed minor league free agent Pedro Payano, who pitched in six games for Texas last year. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/payanpe01.shtmlhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/payanpe01.shtml

Kevin joined teammates in Toronto suspended by harness from the CN Tower, which is apparently a thing. He, Rick Aguilera and I share a birthday.

Maybe Benitez was just having a bad day, but I don't know if “good people” covers him (January 2001). Mets RHP Armando Benitez is to surrender next week on a third-degree assault charge filed by his former girlfriend, New York police said yesterday. Benitez, a former Oriole, will be arrested Monday at the 109th Precinct, said Lt. John Shatinsky, who heads the precinct's detective squad. Benitez is to be accompanied by his lawyer. Third-degree assault is a misdemeanor. Mets Senior Vice President David Howard said Benitez's surrendering was an expected step and declined to comment further. Stacey O'Neill, Benitez's former girlfriend, filed a complaint at the precinct on Jan. 3, alleging Benitez punched her and left her neck with a scar from a scratch on Oct. 18, an off-day between the National League Championship Series and the World Series, in which the Mets lost to the Yankees in five games. She said he attacked her at their Queens, N.Y., home. In the police report, O'Neill said she did not alert police at the time because she was afraid of Benitez. On Tuesday, Baltimore prosecutors announced that a domestic abuse case filed against Benitez by O'Neill had been dismissed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/01/25/mets-benitez-will-be-arrested-monday/f31a3f01-c2de-4a3f-aaef-25baffec6dcd/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/01/25/mets-benitez-will-be-arrested-monday/f31a3f01-c2de-4a3f-aaef-25baffec6dcd/

At some point down the stretch I had confidence he'd get a big hit, and, in fact, he hit the ball hard, albeit for an out. Maybe it just wasn't his BABIP year.

MFYs sign most desirable free agent pitcher on the market*: 9 years, $324 million. *Gerrit Cole, not Rick Porcello

Yay!

Drew is officially a KIA Tiger, perhaps ready to face off against Chris Flexen of the Doosan Bears. Hot ex-Met action coming to the KBO in 2020! Seemed a cut above the usual Quadruple-A bullpen dross until he didn't.