G-Fafif

Original Met Ken MacKenzie, he of the 1962 pitching staff's only winning record, has died at 89. https://metsinsider.mlblogs.com/original-met-ken-mackenzie-has-passed-away-6558f650cd0bhttps://metsinsider.mlblogs.com/original-met-ken-mackenzie-has-passed-away-6558f650cd0b

Seth Lugo signs with the Royals. Boo.

Rob Zastryzny signs with the Brewers.

It's https://sny.tv/articles/source-mets-ronny-mauricio-undergoing-tests-for-knee-injurythe knee.

Leg issue on the basepaths.

Edwin Uceta signs with the Rays, who will discern his hidden value and ride it to further success.

Ohtani is a Dodger. The total has just sunk in. Wow.

A tribute to Joe, perhaps the D.J. Stewart of his day, https://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/12/08/hot-as-hicks/here.

The gist of the Athletic article on the pen restocking, by Tim Britton… New York's biggest transaction in Nashville was a split contract for reliever Michael Tonkin. Indeed, the bullpen is where president of baseball operations David Stearns has done most of his tinkering to this point in the winter — “tinkering” being the operative word. Stearns and the Mets have yet to add a late-game arm to the returning group of Edwin Díaz, Brooks Raley and Drew Smith, and Stearns classified the bullpen as “pretty open” earlier this week. Tonkin is the second split contract the Mets have signed, joining Austin Adams. (A split contract places a player on the 40-man roster but pays him differently depending on whether he's in the major leagues or the minor leagues.) New York has also added Cole Sulser and Kyle Crick on minor-league deals with invitations to major-league spring training. No, these won't grab the tabloid backpages. Stearns instead talked about progress “around the edges of our roster” and in areas that “can go a little underappreciated.” So what is he prioritizing in the bullpen? Diversity. The homogeneity of New York's relievers was an issue in 2023, with the Mets tossing out right-hander after right-hander, all of them with fastballs in the mid-90s and similar-looking sliders. And with Díaz out for the season, the reliever corps lacked high-velocity arms. Mets relievers threw a grand total of four fastballs as hard as 98 mph last season. Philadelphia Phillies relievers threw 1,195 such fastballs. “I think there's a desire to have a diversity of looks and stuff out of relievers,” Stearns said. “Velocity is a part of that. Velocity is not the entire package there. I'd like to have a couple of guys who can really bring it out of the pen. I'd also like to have some different looks.” You can see evidence of this already. Sulser relies heavily on a changeup, Adams almost exclusively on his slider. While Crick and Tonkin are both sinker/slider pitchers, the shapes of their sinkers and sliders are distinct. Stearns said he would like to add another arm capable of retiring left-handed hitters alongside Raley. He didn't care whether that was another lefty or a reverse-split righty. (Sulser is a possible example of the latter.) Tonkin fills a role as a middle-innings swingman who picks up for a starter gone short, who keeps the team in the ballgame or eats up innings when it's likely been lost. That's a role he served quite well for Atlanta last season, posting a 4.28 ERA in a career-high 80 innings over 45 appearances. “Having that person in your bullpen who can pitch multiple innings, who has a resilient arm, who understands that role is important,” Stearns said. “It's one of the ways to insulate yourself throughout your pitching staff. We think he's a good fit for us.” Having Tonkin potentially fill that role makes it easier for the Mets to keep some of their younger starters, like Tylor Megill and José Butto, stretched out as starters.

Joe Hicks, who hit 5 homers for the 1963 Mets, has died in Charlottesville, Va., on December 2 at age 91. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailyprogress/name/william-hicks-obituary?id=53787000https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailyprogress/name/william-hicks-obituary?id=53787000 Baseball-Reference pegs his birthdate as April 7, 1933, which would make him 90 at the time of his passing, but Hicks's obit says 91.

Spanish-language outlet reporting Mets are signing 2022 AL All-Star (with O's) Jorge Lopez, coming off a less stellar 2023 with the Twins.

Vic Davalillo, 84. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/vic-davalillo-passes-away.htmlhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/vic-davalillo-passes-away.html Vic and Manny Mota teamed up for some serious pinch-hitting in the postseason. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI197710070.shtmlhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI197710070.shtml Vic was one of my favorite players because he had been a pitcher and I wanted to see him do dual duty (Ohtani light) in the majors. But he never got the shot. Later Two shots against the Mets in the same series. Less Ohtani than Derek Bell. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=davalvi01&t=p&year=1969https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=davalvi01&t=p&year=1969

Vic Davalillo, 84. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/vic-davalillo-passes-away.htmlhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/vic-davalillo-passes-away.html Vic and Manny Mota teamed up for some serious pinch-hitting in the postseason. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI197710070.shtmlhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI197710070.shtml

Eduardo Rodriguez to D'Backs for 4 years, $80 mil.

O's sign Craig Kimbrel for 1 year, $13 million.

Gary Cohen doesn't win Ford C. Frick Award.

The Metropolitan talent search goes on, today yielding Michael Tonkin.

Was delighted this past Saturday to help present the Queens Baseball Convention's Gil Hodges Unforgettable Fire Award to Mrs. Payson, with some of her family on hand to https://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/12/05/family-reunion/graciously accept.

FEDDE'S DEAD (to Mets, as Chisox ink hurler)

Official Mets release: FLUSHING, N.Y., December 4, 2023 — The New York Mets today announced their complete 2024 coaching staff under Manager Carlos Mendoza. John Gibbons joins the organization as the team's bench coach, Antoan Richardson is the new first base coach, José Rosado will coach the bullpen and Mike Sarbaugh will be the third base coach. Danny Barnes returns as the club's major league strategy coach and Jeremy Barnes will again serve as hitting coach. Eric Chavez, who was the team's bench coach in 2023, will return to his previous role as a hitting coach, a position he held in 2022 with the Mets. Jeremy Hefner remains on the staff for his fifth season as pitching coach and Glenn Sherlock is back for his second campaign as the Mets catching coach. John Gibbons, 61, has 11 years of major league managerial experience, all of which came in two stints with the Toronto Blue Jays (2004–08, 2013–18). Under his leadership, the Blue Jays won the 2015 American League East title and made back-to-back ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016. He was named interim manager on August 8, 2004, then had his interim tag removed following the 2004 season. Gibbons compiled a 793–789 record in his 11 years at the helm in Toronto. Before managing, Gibbons also served as a bullpen catcher (2002) and first base coach (2002–04) for the Jays. Between his two tours as Blue Jays manager, he served as the bench coach for the Kansas City Royals (2009–2011) and managed the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League in the San Diego Padres organization. The Great Falls, Montana native began his coaching career with the Mets organization in 1991 as a roving instructor and held that position until being named a coach for Single-A Capital City in 1994. From there, Gibbons managed for the organization at all four levels from 1995–2001 and compiled a record of 482–420 (.534). He was originally selected in the first round (24th overall) by the Mets in the 1980 First-Year Player Draft and appeared in 17 career major league games with the club, including eight games for the 1986 Mets. Antoan Richardson, 40, joins the Mets staff as the first base coach after serving in the same role for the San Francisco Giants from 2020–2023. With the Giants, the Bahamas native also oversaw baserunning and outfield instruction. He joined the San Francisco organization in 2019 as the minor league field coordinator. Prior to his coaching career, Richardson played professionally from 2005–2016 in a career that spanned 12 seasons and included 22 games at the major league level (nine with the Braves in 2011 and 13 with the Yankees in 2014). José Rosado, 49, begins his first season with the Mets as bullpen coach. The Jersey City, New Jersey native spent the last three seasons as the pitching coach for the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization. Prior to coaching in the KBO, Rosado was a minor league pitching coach in the New York Yankees organization from 2011–2020. In 2011, Rosado worked under Mendoza with the Gulf Coast League Yankees. Rosado has served as the pitching coach for Team Puerto Rico in the last three World Baseball Classics and served in the same role for the World Team in the 2015 All-Star Futures Game. Rosado played in five major league seasons (1996–2000) for the Kansas City Royals and was a two-time American League All-Star (1997, 1999) after being selected by the club in the 12th round of the 1994 First-Year Player Draft. Mike Sarbaugh, 56, joins the Mets coaching staff from Cleveland, where he coached and managed at various levels in the organization since 1995. The Lancaster, PA native was Cleveland's third base coach for the last 10 seasons. He also managed in the minor leagues for nine years (2004–13), including stints at the helm for Single-A Mahoning Valley (2004), Single-A Lake County (2005), Single-A Kinston (2006–07), Double-A Akron (2008–09) and Triple-A Columbus (2010–12) before being promoted to the major league coaching staff as the first base coach in 2013. Sarbaugh led the Columbus Clippers to International League and Triple-A Championships in back-to-back seasons from 2010–11. He led his teams to winning records in all nine seasons managing Cleveland minor league affiliates, tallied five league titles and qualified for the postseason seven times. He holds a 697–511 (.577) record as a minor league manager.