Cowtipper

Masanori Murakami last played in 1965 and is now 81 years old. I don't think he's a good fit.

Jeff McNeil: The Mets are considering using McNeil (shoulder) as the strong side of a platoon at first base next season, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports. Healey says the club could consider signing Paul Goldschmidt as the short side of that platoon. It wouldn't make for a very exciting replacement for Pete Alonso, who agreed to a long-term contract with the Orioles on Wednesday, and the likelier scenario is still that McNeil is traded this winter. McNeil underwent thoracic outlet surgery after the season but is expected to be ready for spring training. Injury Shoulder. Est. Return 2/1/2026. AJ Minter: Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday that Minter (lat) is questionable for Opening Day, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. Minter underwent season-ending left lat surgery in early May and it's unclear where exactly he is in the rehab process. Stearns noted that if Minter is not ready for Opening Day, his absence is expected to be brief. The southpaw exercised his $11 million player option for 2026 and is poised to fill a key setup role for the Mets, if healthy. Injury Lat. Est. Return 4/1/2026. Christian Scott: Probable for start of season

Brandon Waddell was outrighted to Syracuse. Good to still have him around. I hope they use him more in 2026.

David Dahl retired. Jake Lamb, a forgotten 30-homer guy from way back in 2017, retired.

Greg Thayer died. https://www.stcloudlive.com/sports/former-twins-pitcher-tech-scsu-hall-of-fame-athlete-greg-thayer-dies-at-76 Who was Greg Thayer? Gregory Allen Thayer (October 23, 1949 – December 12, 2025) was an American professional baseball pitcher who briefly played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins in 1978. A right-handed pitcher, Thayer made his MLB debut on April 7, 1978, and appeared in his final game on June 26, 1978. During his short major-league career, he posted a 1–1 win–loss record, a 3.80 ERA, and recorded 30 strikeouts. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Thayer was closely associated with St. Cloud, Minnesota. He attended St. Cloud Tech High School and St. Cloud State College, where he was notable enough to be inducted into athletic halls of fame. In addition to his MLB stint, Thayer spent many years in the minor leagues, playing for teams such as the Toledo Mud Hens, Syracuse Chiefs, Tacoma Twins, and others. Thayer died on December 12, 2025, at age 76, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Mike Campbell died. https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/former-mariners-pitcher-seattle-native-mike-campbell-dies-at-61/ Who was Mike Campbell? Michael Thomas Campbell (February 17, 1964 – December 15, 2025) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball between 1987 and 1996. A right-handed pitcher from Seattle, Washington, Campbell appeared with four MLB teams: the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, and Chicago Cubs. Over his major-league career, he compiled a 12–19 record, a 5.86 ERA, and 135 strikeouts. Campbell was a standout amateur and minor leaguer. After attending West Seattle and Newport High Schools, he starred at the University of Hawaiʻi, earning MVP honors as the team’s top pitcher in 1984 and 1985. He was selected seventh overall by the Mariners in the 1985 MLB Draft. In 1987, he was named Pacific Coast League MVP with the Calgary Cannons, leading the league in wins and earning his MLB debut that same season. Despite early promise, Campbell’s major-league career was hindered by chronic shoulder injuries. His best MLB outing came in 1988, when he threw a complete-game shutout against Cleveland. He was later involved in the notable trade that sent Mark Langston to Montreal and brought Randy Johnson to Seattle, though Campbell never pitched for the Expos. He later played for Texas, San Diego, and Chicago, with his final MLB season coming in 1996. After leaving MLB, Campbell pitched briefly in Japan and independent leagues before retiring in 1999. Following his playing career, he co-ran a concession business at ballparks and events. Campbell died of a heart attack on December 15, 2025, at the age of 61. Albert Hall died. https://www.al.com/sports/2025/12/former-alabama-prep-star-atlanta-braves-outfielder-dead-at-age-67.html Who was Albert Hall? Albert Hall (March 7, 1958 – December 16, 2025) was an American professional baseball outfielder best known for his speed and his long tenure with the Atlanta Braves. He played in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1989, appearing in 375 National League games—355 of them with Atlanta—before finishing his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A switch hitter who threw right-handed, Hall was drafted by the Braves in the sixth round of the 1977 MLB Draft out of Jones Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He quickly gained a reputation in the minor leagues as an elite base stealer, swiping hundreds of bases and regularly posting stolen-base totals of 60 or more at multiple levels. Overall, he stole 455 bases in the minors and 67 in the majors. Hall’s best major-league season came in 1987, when he set career highs across the board, including a .284 batting average, 33 stolen bases, and 92 games played. That season, on September 23, 1987, he made history by becoming the first Atlanta Brave to hit for the cycle, the franchise’s first such feat since 1910. Primarily used as a reserve outfielder and pinch-runner, Hall was valued more for speed and defense than power, finishing his MLB career with five home runs and 53 RBIs. He died on December 16, 2025, at the age of 67.

His career trajectory seems Brooks Raley-esque, in that he started off terribly then only got good in his 30s, so this might have promise.

Obviously I remember his delivery. That's about the only specific memory. Every once-in-a-while, the Mets get a short-term reliever that just wows, then they're gone. The first two that come to mind are Steve Reed and Mark Guthrie. Juan Padilla is an obscure one. We can add Rogers to the list.

Waddell is probably a goner. Sucks because he was a good one.

Mets sign Cristian Pache, who didn't play in the majors in 2025, but who is a five-year big league vet with a career .181 average and 46 OPS+. https://nypost.com/2025/12/15/sports/mets-sign-cristian-pache-to-compete-for-outfield-spot/

Pivetta is an excellent candidate to let us down and post a 5.00 ERA in a Mets uniform. 56-71 with a 4.76 ERA before last year. No thanks.

40-50 homer power with the potential for 200 strikeouts and generally lower to middling averages usually == quick collapses a la Chris Carter, Chris Davis and Joey Gallo when they begin. I think the Mets lucked out on this one.

Maybe Lee Mazzilli.

Mets signed Mexico native Daniel Duarte a week ago. He didn't pitch in the majors in 2025, but between 2023 and 2024, he had a 3.53 ERA and a 132 ERA+. And his WHIP was only 1.318! Stearns is slipping, this one actually might have potential.

Mets dipping into the international waters again, so we can wave bye-bye to them next year after 14 games in the DSL: Isaac De La Cruz Cristopher Hernandez Arnaldo Tejeda all signed. They also signed Daniel Duarte.

I had the slightest of hope he might recapture his old potential, but even I couldn't have imagined how poorly he was going to do with NY. Didn't realize he had 8 steals, so that's a little silver lining. Unfortunately, I have no real memories of him, I'll only remember him as once being a Met.

Link to the vote tracker: https://www.bbhoftracker.com/ With 5% in, we can now begin our very preliminary vote projections. As with every year, I have to remind myself how I do it, but I piece it together eventually: Andruw Jones: 79-80% Carlos Beltran: 74-75% Chase Utley: 48-49% Felix Hernandez: 43-44% Alex Rodriguez: 41-42% Andy Pettitte: 37-38% Bobby Abreu: 33-34% Manny Ramirez: 29-30% Dustin Pedroia: 25-26% Mark Buehrle: 20-21% Jimmy Rollins: 18-19% Omar Vizquel: 17-18% Cole Hamels: 16-18% Francisco Rodriguez: 14-15% Torii Hunter: 9-10% Ryan Braun: 8-9% David Wright: 8-9% Edwin Encarnacion: 1-2% Hunter Pence: 1-2% Shin-Soo Choo: 0-1% Gio Gonzalez: 0-1% Alex Gordon: 0-1% Matt Kemp: 0-1% Howie Kendrick: 0-1% Nick Markakis: 0-1% Daniel Murphy: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% I find it hard to believe Beltran won't get elected this time around, so I think his number will rise as we get more votes in. At first I was stunned by Jones, but it actually tracks with how borderline guys have done in their waning years ever since they switched to the 10-year format. I can't imagine Braun will stay as high as he is, but he might actually break 5% after all. In this brave new world with modern pitchers, it will be very difficult to tell how guys like Hamels will do, but if Hernandez performed as well as he did last year, I think Hamels will do just about as well.

Reminds me of signing Cuddyer because he looks like a big-ish name without a real history of big name stats to back it up. This is a very Wilpon-y move—"look guys, we got a big name, too!" He's been a .242 hitter since 2022 and a .250 hitter since 2020. I like Semien, but now we have low-average Semien, low-average Polanco, likely low-average Baty and Alvarez, low-average McNeil if somehow he survives. No one on the bench has proven to be much more than a .230 hitter so far, though Acuna and Mauricio are still young. Lindor might lead the team with a .268 average next year.

These are the big five as mentioned: Tom Seaver Darryl Strawberry Dwight Gooden David Wright Pete Alonso Piazza, too. Keith is interesting, because he spent so much time with the Cards that I actually think of him as a Cardinal first sometimes. When I think of 'icons,' I think of players one (positively) thinks of when one thinks 'Mets,' so I'd probably add Mookie, Tommie Agee and perhaps even Johan Santana to the list, because of the no-hitter.

Joe DePastino.

Steve Hertz died. https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/college/state-college-sports/article313501080.html Who was Steve Hertz? Stephen Allan Hertz (1945–2025) was an American baseball player, coach, and manager whose career spanned Major League Baseball, high school and college coaching, and international competition. Born at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and raised in Miami, he debuted in the majors in 1964 at just 19 years old as part of the Houston Colt .45s’ youth movement. Although his MLB playing career was brief—appearing in five games—he spent several additional seasons in the minor leagues. Hertz balanced baseball with education, earning degrees from the University of Miami and later a master’s from Nova University. After retiring as a player, he built a highly successful coaching career in South Florida. He led Coral Park High School to a state championship in 1978, won over 300 games as a high school coach, and spent decades guiding Miami Dade College’s baseball program, where his teams won more than two-thirds of their contests. His coaching influence extended abroad in 2007, when he managed the Tel Aviv Lightning during the Israel Baseball League’s sole season, leading the club to a strong second-place finish. A member of the Miami High School Hall of Fame and the Florida Community College Activities Association Hall of Fame, Hertz was also noted as one of baseball’s Jewish major leaguers. He died in Miami in 2025 at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy as a respected teacher, mentor, and ambassador of the game. Also, who was Tim Harkness? Thomas William "Tim" Harkness (1937–2025) was a Canadian professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1964 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. Born in Lachine, Quebec, Harkness was a left-handed hitter and thrower, standing 6'2" and weighing 182 pounds. He was originally signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1956 and developed in the minor leagues, where he hit 117 home runs, peaking with 28 in a season for the Atlanta Crackers in 1960. Harkness made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1961, appearing sparingly behind established first basemen Gil Hodges and Norm Larker. In 1962, he played 92 games, posting a .370 on-base percentage, though he did not appear in the postseason. Traded to the New York Mets after the 1962 season, he became their regular first baseman in 1963, hitting .211 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs. In 1964, he achieved a .282 average in 39 games, including the first hit in the Mets’ inaugural game at Shea Stadium. After brief stints in the minor leagues with the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations, Harkness retired from playing in 1966. He later worked as a scout for the San Diego Padres—earning Canadian Scout of the Year honors in 1996—and managed the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League. Harkness passed away in Courtice, Ontario, at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy as one of Canada’s notable MLB players and contributors to the game.

Austin Nola has retired.

I remember griping about how much he sucked when we got him and then I remember being proven right.

The 2017-2021 (ish) teams felt like a revolving door; I fear we might be entering another such era. I remember watching those years, but have no strong memories, in part because the teams from year to year seemed to fluctuate quite a bit.

At first I wasn't too fond of him. His dumb schticks—tearing shirts off, the "rally pony"—were pretty stupid. But as he matured I grew to like him more and more. Last year's playoff heroics were for the ages. I remember his record-breaking* 53 homer rookie season. He'll be a fond memory in the long run, because he went out on a high note.

I remember Timmy Trumpet and the pretty cool entrance. I remember him as being too inconsistent. Sometimes/some years he was lights out, others he was just so flaky. 2025 was awesome. 2024 was actually a pretty flaky year. 2023 didn't happen. 2022 was awesome. 2021 was flaky. 2020 was great but shortened. 2019 was awful. He was probably the best closer they've had maybe ever, but that just shows how bad their closers have been. I have fonder memories of Billy Wagner, but rose colored glasses and all that.