Cowtipper

:-)

Every once in a while a guy gets lucky and gets surprisingly close to 25 victories despite all the modern limitations in the game today. Spencer Strider won 20 games a few years ago, despite pitching just 186 innings.

Sam Haggerty, who played for the Mets in 2019, is hitting .263/.335/.385 with 2 homers, 13 RBI and 11 steals in 60 games for the Rangers. He hit .313/.383/.398 with 1 homers, 12 RBI and 7 steals in 22 games for their Triple-A club in Round Rock. Billy Hamilton, who played for the Mets in 2020, is hitting .243/.383/.270 with 7 steals in 10 games for the Charros de Jalisco in Mexico. Donnie Hart, who played for the Mets in 2019, is 0-0 with a 4.70 ERA in 12 relief appearances (7 2/3 IP) for the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in Mexico. Geoff Hartlieb, who played for the Mets in 2021, has a 21.60 ERA in 4 relief appearances split between the Yankees and Tigers. At Triple-A, he had a 4-2 record and a 3.29 ERA in 28 games, striking out 46 in 41 innings. Grant Hartwig, who played for the Mets in 2023 and 2024, began 2025 in the Mets system, but was released in June. He signed with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan, posting a 0.00 ERA in 1 relief appearance for their minor league club and a 0.00 ERA in 3 appearances for the big club. Adeiny Hechavarria, who played for the Mets in 2019, is supposedly with the Olmecas de Tabasco but hasn't played for them this year. Guillermo Heredia, who played for the Mets in 2020, is hitting .314/.380/.445 with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in 62 games for SSG Landers in Korea. Rich Hill, who played for the Mets in 2021, went 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in 2 starts at age 45 for the Royals. He was 4-4 with a 5.22 ERA in 11 starts in their minor league system. He has since been released. Colin Holderman, who played for the Mets in 2022, is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 14 relief appearances for the Pirates. He is 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA in 16 games in their minor league system. Adrian Houser, who played for the Mets in 2024, is 6-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts between the Rays (his current team) and White Sox. He was 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 9 games (8 starts) for the Triple-A Round Rock Express, having started 2025 in the Rangers system. Chin-lung Hu, who played for the Mets in 2011, is still going at 41. He is hitting .308/.373/.418 with no home runs and 17 RBI in 40 games for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in Korea. Joe Hudson, who played for the Mets in 2024, is hitting .114/.215/.257 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI in 21 games for Triple-A Sugar Land in the Astros system. He's currently on the 7-day IL.

Julian Merryweather has been signed away by the Broo Croo.

So far this year: 32 G, 3 GS, 5-3 W-L, 2.38 ERA, 75 2/3 IP.

They also promoted this Douglas Orellana feller to Triple-A and he's been killing it with Binghamton.

Felix Torres died. https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/former-angels-third-baseman-passes-away-2111048 Who was Felix Torres? Félix Torres Sánchez (May 1, 1932 – August 8, 2025) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who served as the Los Angeles Angels’ regular third baseman from 1962 to 1964. Signed by the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1955, he spent several years in the minors, briefly left organized baseball, and later returned via stints in the Cincinnati and Philadelphia farm systems. Selected by the Angels in the 1961 Rule 5 Draft, Torres debuted in the majors at nearly 30 years old. In his rookie season (1962), he hit 11 home runs with 74 RBIs, following it with a career-best batting average (.261) and 32 doubles in 1963, and a personal-high 12 home runs in 1964. Before reaching MLB, Torres starred in the 1960 Caribbean Series, tying for the home run lead. Known for his power and resilience, he navigated cultural and language barriers, racial prejudice in the American South, and a late start to his big-league career. Torres retired after the 1964 season and passed away in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, at age 93. Other deaths of note: Shigeo Nagashima died. https://japantoday.com/category/sports/Japanese-baseball-legend-Shigeo-Nagashima-dies-at-89 Who was Shigeo Nagashima? Shigeo Nagashima (1936–2025), nicknamed “Mr. Giants” and “Mr. Pro Baseball,” was one of Japan’s most celebrated athletes and cultural icons. A star third baseman for the Yomiuri Giants from 1958 to 1974, he formed the legendary “ON Cannon” duo with Sadaharu Oh, leading the team to an unprecedented nine consecutive Japan Series championships (1965–1973). Known for both his natural talent and relentless work ethic, Nagashima won five Central League MVP awards, six batting titles, and was named to the Best Nine every year of his 17-season career. His lifetime statistics included a .305 batting average, 2,471 hits, 444 home runs, and 1,522 RBIs. After retiring as a player, Nagashima managed the Giants in two stints (1975–1980, 1993–2001), capturing Central League pennants in 1976, 1977, 1994, 1996, and 2000, and Japan Series titles in 1994 and 2000. He also led Japan to victory in the 2003 Asian Championship before a stroke in 2004 sidelined him from the Athens Olympics. Beyond the field, Nagashima was a national figure on par with postwar cultural icons like Hibari Misora, admired for his charisma, good looks, and devotion to the game. His jersey number 3 was retired by the Giants, and he received Japan’s People’s Honour Award (2013) and Order of Culture (2021). He died of pneumonia in 2025 at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy as perhaps the most beloved player in Japanese baseball history. Enos Semore died. https://soonersports.com/news/2025/2/23/remembering-legendary-baseball-coach-enos-semore Who was Enos Semore? Enos Semore (April 28, 1931 – February 23, 2025) was a highly successful American college baseball coach best known for his 22-year tenure at the University of Oklahoma. A native of Haskell County, Oklahoma, Semore excelled in baseball and basketball at Northeastern State University before serving in the Army and embarking on a coaching career. He led Bacone Junior College from 1963 to 1967, capturing the 1967 NJCAA Baseball World Series title, then moved to Oklahoma, where his Sooners teams won 851 games, seven Big Eight Conference championships, and made five consecutive College World Series appearances in the 1970s. Known for his consistent winning record and ability to develop talent, Semore resigned shortly before the 1990 season for health reasons. He died at age 93 in Noble, Oklahoma, leaving a legacy as one of the most accomplished coaches in college baseball history. J.C. Snead died. https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2025/04/26/jc-snead-dies-at-age-84-complications-from-cancer Who was J.C. Snead? Jesse Carlyle "J.C." Snead (1940–2025) was an American professional golfer known for his consistency on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, with 16 professional wins including eight PGA Tour titles and one senior major championship. Born in Hot Springs, Virginia, he initially pursued a baseball career in the Washington Senators' minor league system before turning to golf in 1964. He was the nephew of legendary golfer Sam Snead. J.C. Snead played on three winning Ryder Cup teams in the 1970s and had notable near-misses in major championships, finishing second at the 1973 Masters and tied for second at the 1978 U.S. Open. During his senior career, he won four tournaments including the 1995 Ford Senior Players Championship, famously defeating Jack Nicklaus in a playoff. Known for his steady play and career earnings over seven million dollars, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Snead enjoyed hunting and farming outside of golf and lived primarily in Hot Springs, Virginia. He passed away from cancer at age 84 in 2025.

Better a bat shard than a bad shart.

That's exactly what a team who's using their mascot to steal signs would say.

Drew Gagnon, who played for the Mets in 2018 and 2019, is with the Wei Chuan Dragons in the CPBL, with whom he is 8-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 17 starts. He's been with them since 2021 and has forged a solid career. Ben Gamel, who played for the Mets in 2024, was signed by the Astros for 2025, but was released in March. The Tigers signed him, but released him in May. Then the Angels signed him in early June. He's still in their system, but on the 7-day IL. In 26 minor league games, he's hit .284/.400/.500 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI, between the Toledo Mud Hens (17 G, .262), Tri-City Dust Devils (1 G, .333) and Salt Lake Bees (8 G, .333). Rico Garcia, who played for the Mets (twice!) in 2025, is currently with the Orioles. He was signed by New York last December, began the year at Syracuse (totals of 0-1, 4.45 ERA in 24 G), was promoted, had a 0.00 ERA in 4 2/3 innings, was taken off waivers by the Yankees on July 14, pitched a game (10.13 ERA) for them, then the Mets took him off waivers from the Yankees on July 21, and he had a 3.38 ERA in 8 IP the second go-around, then the Orioles took him from New York on August 5; he has yet to pitch for Baltimore it appears. For those keeping track at home, he is 0-0 with a 3.52 ERA in 9 big league relief appearances this year. His time with Syracuse encapsulates all his minor league experience in 2025. Andres Gimenez, who played for the Mets in 2020, is hitting .218/.300/.322 with 5 home runs, 23 RBI and 10 steals in 61 games for the Blue Jays. He's also spent 8 games in the minors, hitting .269/.333/.308. Trevor Gott, who played for the Mets in 2023, had a 3-3 record and 7.40 ERA in 24 relief appearances in the Mariners system, but was released on August 5. Robert Gsellman, who played for the Mets from 2016 to 2021, is 3-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 27 relief appearances for the Lake Country DockHounds of the independent American Association. Luis Guillorme, who played for the Mets from 2018 to 2023, hit .150 in 20 at-bats for the Astros before being released August 4. He hit .247/.382/.312 with 2 homers and 23 RBI in 62 games for their Triple-A club in Sugar Land.

As long as that K rate stays over 11/9 IP he'll be back in no time.

Paul Blackburn: Blackburn looks ready to return from the 15-day injured list, having collected a 2.21 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 22:6 K:BB in 20.1 innings over four rehab starts. However, the Mets aren't ready to remove Frankie Montas from the rotation at this point, so they'll kick the can down the road and have Blackburn make another rehab start. Blackburn has been out since early July with a right shoulder impingement. Injury Shoulder. Est. Return 8/14/2025.

Alex Wood, who had a killer 2017 (16-3, 2.72 ERA) and was a rising star in the early going, has retired.

Well if they umpire as well as they drive, this might be a bad precedent to set. Amirite bois??

Mets sign a fella named Colton Cosper and another fella named Joe Charles. They drafted Charles wayyyyyyy back in 2019 out of high school, but he didn't sign. After a LOOOOONG trek through college, they finally snagged him at nearly 25.5 years old as a UDFA. Mets release the following: Jake Zitella Deivy Paulino

Stearns should be fired.

I've never actually seen the person so I always assumed Angel Hernandez was a girl

I've tried many times to use ai for baseball research but it is awful with stats and baseball ... anything ... in general.

Yeah!!!! And depending on how it works out, you get to decide if Stearns dealt the correct redundancy!! Why not deal off all three? I'll tell you why. Because at least one of them is going to become a star and you might get very little in return for dealing off another Jeff Kent, who also sucked. So you'd rather keep all three even as they bring down the Mets now just in case one at some point down the line becomes a star? That logic is flawless and you are truly a genius.

Connor Grey is the guy I came up with, well done!

So one must wonder why they're still trying to make something out of Vientos, Taylor et al. Vientos was nice last year. Taylor was nice last year. This is no longer last year.

It's not Garcia, though it was a pitcher, and a bit more recent.

As if we needed any further proof the only stat Stearns cares about is K rate, the Mets signed minor leaguer Jefry Yan, who the Rockies ditched because he has a 7.28 ERA and 1.854 WHIP at Triple-A. But he has 45 Ks in 29 innings, so of course Stearns has to sign him.

Dom Hamel was sent down without making his debut, making him for now a phantom major leaguer. I'm not 100% I know who the right answer is, but I think I might, so here's a trivia question: Who was the Mets last phantom major leaguer before Hamel?

Au revoir, Rico.