Cowtipper

Expanding another hint. Original hint: This right-handed pitcher was born in Germany, discovered almost by accident when a scout came to watch another player and instead saw him strike out 15 batters, then worked his way from a 16th-round draft pick to the major leagues. His entire big league career came with the Mets, appearing in just five relief outings across the 2009 and 2010 seasons. New hint: This switch-hitting right-hander was born in Germany while his father was stationed at a U.S. military base. Drafted by the Mets in the 16th round of the 2006 draft, he reached the majors as a September call-up in 2009. He appeared in just five big-league games, all as a reliever for New York, with his final outing coming in April 2010. After leaving organized baseball he continued pitching in independent leagues.

Rick Reed is correct! Expanded hint for a different guy: Original hint: A Nicaraguan right-hander who reached the majors at age 21, he began his career as a highly regarded Mariners prospect before becoming a versatile pitcher who moved between starting rotations and bullpens for several teams. He briefly joined the Mets in 2020, posting a 0.63 ERA in six relief appearances before hitting free agency and continuing his long MLB journey with several other clubs. This Nicaraguan right-hander debuted with the Mariners and later bounced among many teams as both a starter and long reliever. In the shortened 2020 season he signed a minor-league deal with the Mets and delivered six strong appearances, posting a 0.63 ERA over 14⅓ innings. He also represented his country in the World Baseball Classic and once became the first pitcher in decades to start a game the day after recording a save. His career has been defined by durability and frequent roster moves across more than a dozen organizations. This Nicaraguan right-hander ranked among American League leaders in both winning percentage and walks-plus-hits per inning during a strong 2015 season. He was originally signed by the Mariners as an amateur free agent and later involved in a pair of notable trades, first to the Rays for Mike Montgomery and then back to Seattle for Steve Cishek.

Travis d'Arnaud - 37-year-old former Mets catcher (2013-2019) is hitting .205/.286/.295 with 1 home run and 3 RBI in 18 games for the Angels. He is hitting .227/.261/.273 with no home runs and 2 RBI in 7 minor league games across two stops. J.D. Davis - 33-year-old former Mets utility man (2019-2022) began 2026 with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos, but after hitting .220/.324/.300 with 3 home runs and 15 RBI in 42 games, was let go in June. He then signed with the independent Kansas City Monarchs and is hitting .269/.397/.437 with 5 home runs and 18 RBI in 34 games there. Alejandro de Aza - 42-year-old former Mets outfielder (2016), is hitting .280/.389/.440 with 5 home runs and 27 RBI in 43 games for the independent Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Jacob DeGrom - 38-year-old former Mets pitcher (2014-2022) is 8-7 with a 3.87 ERA in 22 starts for the Texas Rangers. In 118 2/3 innings, he has 144 strikeouts. Chris Devenski - 35-year-old former Mets reliever (2025) was 0-0 with a 7.71 ERA in 3 relief appearances for the Pirates before electing free agency August 8. He was 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 12 games (1 start) across three minor league stops. Edwin Diaz - 32-year-old former Mets closer (2019-2022, 2024-2025) is 2-1 with 5 saves and a 10.80 ERA in 12 appearances for the Dodgers. He is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 7 games (1 start) across three minor league stops. Brandon Drury - 33-year-old former Mets infielder (2022) is hitting .258/.386/.429 with 6 home runs and 33 RBI in 48 games across two minor league stops in the Kansas City Royals system. Eduardo Escobar - 37-year-old former Mets infielder (2022-2023) is hitting .296/.405/.533 with 9 home runs and 34 RBI in 48 games for the Centauros de La Guaira of the Venezuela Major League. Phillip Evans - 33-year-old former Mets infielder (2017-2018) is hitting .314/.399/.467 with 5 home runs and 34 RBI in 67 games for the Toros de Tijuana in Mexico.

The Mets have selected the contract of 28-year-old career minor leaguer Jack Weisenburger, while optioning Xzavion Curry. Weisenburger is 1-5 with a 7.22 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) this year at Triple-A. His WHIP is 1.567. Last year, he was 1-11 with a 5.66 ERA in 32 games (15 starts) for the independent Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. I have a hunch David Stearns is being beneficent and giving all these career minor leaguers their shot at Major League glory, considering it's a lost season. Yan, Seelinger, Weisenburger. We almost saw Bryce Conley and Dan Hammer earlier this year. All are 28 or older. Still would like to see some actual younger prospects, but it is what it is.

Carson Benge: Remaining out Saturday. Benge (wrist) wasn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates. Benge made an early exit from Friday's game after jamming his left wrist while making a sliding catch, and although all imaging done on his wrist came back negative, the Mets will keep him on the bench Saturday -- and possibly for a few additional games -- while he manages a bone bruise. Brett Baty will start in right field and bat sixth. Injury: Wrist. Day-to-day.

I don't understand Pache being on this team when Morabito is doing reasonably well in the minors.

Chan Ho Park is correct! Today's hints: 1. This Utah-born right-hander carved out a 12-year big-league career as a reliable reliever and occasional closer, most notably with the Diamondbacks and Astros. He wrapped up his major-league days with a short stint for the Mets in 2013, making his final appearance that July before being released. 2. This West Virginia right-hander spent years as a journeyman before finding his stride as a reliable Mets starter in the late 1990s, posting double-digit wins, earning two All-Star nods, and helping the club reach the 2000 World Series. Earlier in his career he drew lasting controversy for pitching as a replacement player during the 1994-95 strike. 3. This West Virginia-born right-hander bounced around several MLB bullpens in the mid-2000s and made a single appearance for the Mets in 2007 after being acquired in a trade that sent Heath Bell the other way. He later thrived as a closer overseas, leading the Korean league in saves during his one season there. 4. This West Virginia right-hander spent parts of five seasons in the majors as a journeyman reliever, including a 16-game stint with the Mets in 2002 after a minor trade from Colorado. He also pitched for the Rockies, Brewers, and Phillies before wrapping up his career in Korea and independent ball. 5. We're swinging back around to Alaska to this one. Here's the hint I already provided: An Alaskan-born left-handed pitcher, he spent seven seasons in the majors with the Pirates, Reds, and Mets, highlighted by a 10-win season and a complete-game shutout for Pittsburgh in 2005. Acquired by New York during the 2006 season, he earned a victory in his Mets debut while filling in for Pedro Martínez, but neck surgery limited him to just one start in 2007 before his final major league appearance. And here's part 2: Expanded hint: This left-handed pitcher is one of the rare major leaguers born in Alaska and spent the bulk of his career with the Pirates before brief stops with the Reds and Mets. Acquired by the Mets mid-2006, he delivered a solid debut start against the Cardinals and finished that year with a 3-1 record in limited action. Limited by neck surgery the following season, he made only a handful of appearances for New York before his final big-league outing in September 2007. He later pitched in Japan and was eventually inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. This left-hander ranked among National League leaders with a complete-game shutout in 2005 while also ranking high in double plays turned by a pitcher that same year. After being dealt from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati in a trade involving Sean Casey, he was flipped again mid-2006 to the Mets for a minor-league pitcher named Robert Manuel. His overall career value remained modest, as reflected in low WAR totals and similarity scores to other short-career starters like Rich Wortham, Reid Detmers and Harry Courtney.

I've not been to many big league ballparks, but PNC Park is one of the best I've been to and the whole touristy Pittsburgh area is totally awesome. I went there twice with my dad back in the day and both times were great. One of the times was Donnie Hart's lone appearance with the Mets.

They're probably gonna ride Stock until he has a bad game. He did well last time, so they're hoping the lucky streak continues.

The deadline might've passed, but trades still happen: Miami Marlins traded 1B Jacob Berry to Kansas City Royals.

Ruben Tejada is correct!

Bryce Conley optioned to Binghamton. Gabriel Arias activated. Eric Wagaman optioned. Minor leaguer Kevin Villavicencio has been released. He'd been in the system since 2021, but spent only 2 games at Triple-A. They also released Christian Arroyo and minor leaguer Trace Willhoite.

I'll start posting multiple hints per post now so we can put this thread to rest: 1. A Panamanian right-handed pitcher, he made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2007 and later pitched for the Mets from 2010–12, posting a 3.45 ERA in 2011 before struggling in his final season with the club. He also represented Panama in the World Baseball Classic and later pitched for the Yomiuri Giants and several Mexican League teams. 2. This Panamanian left-handed pitcher spent 17 seasons in the majors, playing for 11 teams and appearing in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics. He spent part of 2001 and 2002 with the Mets, including starting the first game at Shea Stadium after September 11, when he pitched seven innings of one-run ball in a 3–2 victory over the Braves. 3. This Panamanian shortstop debuted with the Mets in 2010, later becoming their everyday starter at the position after José Reyes left, and spent the bulk of his MLB career in New York. His 2015 postseason ended abruptly when a controversial slide by Chase Utley broke his fibula in the NLDS, sidelining him for the rest of the Mets’ run to the World Series. 4. This pioneering South Korean pitcher became the first from his country to reach the major leagues and later had a brief, unsuccessful stint with the Mets in 2007, allowing seven runs in his only big-league appearance for the club before being released. He is better remembered for his strong seasons with the Dodgers, an All-Star nod, and for surrendering two grand slams in the same inning to Fernando Tatis. 5. This hard-throwing right-hander from the U.S. Virgin Islands was a 10th-round Mets draft pick who dominated the lower minors with elite strikeout rates before making his major-league debut for the club in 2015. That debut proved rocky, as he allowed five runs in just two-thirds of an inning against the Blue Jays and was promptly optioned back to the minors.

Actually not a terrible signing. Defensively-versatile infielder with starting experience and some pop ... he might surprise us.

Many stars are having bad seasons. It's spread across the game and hard to watch. Manny Machado is doing poorly, Altuve is doing poorly, Betts isn't doing great, Fernando Tatis Jr.'s power disappeared (even more) and look at the Mets' stars for more examples. Also Acuna is having a bad season, outside of his usual injury-prone self. I still don't understand how people see him as a superstar. He's had literally one truly great, full season in 9 years.

lol. Get it? It's baseball-related innuendo for the fellas.

Today's hint: This Panamanian right-handed pitcher was named the Rangers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015 after going 12–1 with a 2.45 ERA, later making his MLB debut with Texas in 2018. He was traded to the Mets in August 2020 for Stephen Villines and cash considerations, but never appeared in a major-league game for New York before being nontendered that December.

I always thought she was kinda hot.

Raley was a really good gamble. It's like being the lucky ones to have Wade Davis or Andrew Miller when they finally turned the corner and got good.

I'm not saying this to be edgy or anything, but it doesn't seem childish, it seems childlike. I wonder if he's like Rube Waddell, really good at baseball, but a bit stunted up in the noggin. It's just so reflexive, so I think it might also be something mental other than just to be flashy or for show. Like an OCD thing or anxiety thing or something.

I thought he was gonna blow it. Then they'd force him to stay out there so he could take Yan for the team. But he pulled it out.

My emotions are now Lowe.

Yan is up in the bullpen! Also Duarte is up. That guy's been so impressive so far.

Hope we see Jefry Yan today.

Jim Toman died. https://eu.dnj.com/story/sports/college/mtsu/2026/08/04/mtsu-baseball-jim-toman-dies-south-carolina-obituary/91169591007/ Who was Jim Toman? Jim Toman was a longtime college baseball coach who spent nearly two decades as a respected assistant at NC State and South Carolina before serving as head coach at Liberty (2008–2016) and Middle Tennessee (2019–2022). A former NC State player, he guided Liberty to two NCAA Tournament appearances, won Big South Coach of the Year honors in 2014, compiled 406 career victories, and died on August 4, 2026, after battling brain cancer.