Cowtipper

Mendoza is what one might describe as "milquetoast."

The problem is he's not as smart as he thinks he is. He thinks he knows more than the system and has some magic eye that allows him to see eventual success that is never there to begin with.

Replacing poop with shit.

Tyler Rogers has a 0.68 ERA in 13 relief appearances so far. Gregory Soto has a 1.98 mark in 14 games, while averaging 13,2 K/9. Rico Garcia has a 0.75 ERA and 0.417 WHIP in 12 games.

Jonah Conradt, released in November, was signed by the Nationals in March. Luis De Los Santos, granted free agency in November, signed with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in Mexico about a week ago. Sam Biller, released in February, was re-signed in March. Aaron Rozek, released in March, was signed by the Twins in April.

🚨 BREAKING: The Mets are losing again.

Luis Garcia, the Mets famed relief pitcher, is off to the Minnesota Twins. I remember thinking, of all the patience they have shown even more mediocre pitchers in the past, they were REALLY, REALLY quick to ditch him. I mean, how long did they give Jake Diekman? I also remember thinking he was a decent signing.

Joey Gerber has been sent to the minors for a rehab stint.

Francisco Lindor: Lindor (calf) will wear a boot for the next week and remain shut down for at least three weeks, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. After the three weeks are up, Lindor will have more imaging on his left calf to check his progress. He could resume baseball activities at that point if the Mets are satisfied with the MRI, but Lindor would be ramped back up slowly. It all points to a lengthy absence for the star shortstop, but more will be known about a timeline by mid-May. Ronny Mauricio is filling in at shortstop for the Mets in Lindor's stead. Injury Calf. Est. Return 6/1/2026.

Ellie Rodriguez died. https://espndeportes.espn.com/beisbol/nota/_/id/16615898/mlb-2026-fallece-ellie-rodriguez-receptor-no-hitter-nolan-ryan Who was Ellie Rodriguez? Ellie Rodríguez was a Puerto Rican catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1968 to 1976, earning two All-Star selections and becoming the first representative for the Kansas City Royals in their inaugural 1969 season. Known more for his defense than his bat, he built a solid career across several teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers and California Angels, where he caught one of Nolan Ryan’s record seven no-hitters in 1975. One of the few Puerto Rican catchers in the majors during his era, Rodríguez was also highly regarded for his defensive skills, leading the league in multiple catching categories. After his playing career, he remained involved in baseball as a coach, manager, and developmental consultant, continuing to influence the game until his later years. John Edelman died. https://www.stretchfuneralhome.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=48104984 Who was John Edelman? John Edelman was a brief major league pitcher who debuted as a 19-year-old “bonus baby” with the Milwaukee Braves in 1955, appearing in five games without recording a decision. His professional career was short-lived, ending by age 21 after minor league stints with the New York Giants organization. After leaving baseball, Edelman returned to school, became a teacher and coach, and later led his former high school team to a championship, marking a successful second career beyond the game. Also... Brian Kirby was a versatile minor league player who competed from 2001 to 2005, reaching Triple-A briefly after stints in the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies organizations, primarily contributing as a multi-position hitter with occasional power. After retiring from baseball, he became an HVAC business owner in Arkansas, and his life was cut short in 2026 at age 46 in a tragic workplace accident. Brian Edgerly (1943-2026) was an accomplished amateur athlete who starred at Colgate University, leading the nation in batting average in 1964 and earning All-American honors before representing the United States at the 1964 Summer Olympics. He later played briefly in the Boston Red Sox minor league system and was inducted into Colgate’s Hall of Honor, capping a distinguished multi-sport collegiate career. Isami Okamoto, who died in 2026, was a standout second baseman in Nippon Professional Baseball who played 13 seasons, highlighted by a 1953 MVP-caliber year in which he won the batting title and multiple Best Nine awards. A key member of the Nankai Hawks, he later transitioned into coaching and managing, remaining influential in Japanese baseball for decades after his playing career.

Corky Withrow died. https://obits.glennfuneralhome.com/raymond-withrow Who was Corky Withrow? Corky Withrow was a power-hitting minor league outfielder who slugged over 200 home runs during his career but saw only a brief stint in the majors, appearing in six games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1963 without recording a hit. Originally a standout high school and college basketball player, he even drew interest from the Philadelphia 76ers, highlighting his rare dual-sport athleticism. Despite his short MLB career, Withrow spent a decade in the minors, where his consistent power made him a notable figure. His life and career were later chronicled in his 2016 biography Uncorked!.

Pete Alonso never seemed very bright.

Guys. It's April. Let's not think in extremes yet. I'd probably ditch Mendoza though. And Stearns. Last year's ridiculous roster shuffling should've been a good clue that he's not as good as his billing.

I hope they win.

Peterson is moving to the bullpen. I didn't have this on my bingo card. Two years ago he looked like he finally figured it out, going 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA. Last year, he was rock solid into August, before falling apart in the home stretch. And now he's off to the 'pen. Crazy.

It's better than nothing. Joey Gerber, Jared Young and Jorge Polanco are all due back within the next couple weeks, too. Christian Scott, who gave us great hope at one point, is also being called up on Thursday.

He's 56 at-bats into his season. Not enough of a sample size to make such a bold proclamation.

The year we weren't that optimistic, 2024, they did something. The year we were optimistic, 2025, they disappointed. I think this year will be like 2024. The Mets were 10 games under .500 on June 3, 2024 and look where they wound up.

I have faith the big names will perform and the Mets will get into 85-90 win territory by the time the year is done. Last year, they were overperforming around at this point, because of the pitching. This year, they are underperforming offensively. The club won't maintain a .226/.288/.336 line all season. It won't. My fantasy team is fairly loaded but 20 out of 20th. But we're still working with small sample sizes. Things will regress to the mean eventually.

Dennis Paepke died in 2021, but his death was not confirmed until recently. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=paepkde01 Who was Dennis Paepke? Dennis Ray Paepke was an American professional baseball catcher who appeared in parts of four Major League Baseball seasons with the Kansas City Royals between 1969 and 1974. Born in 1945 in Long Beach, California, he was a standout high school hitter before beginning his professional career in the Los Angeles Angels organization, where he was also connected through his father, Jack Paepke, who worked as an MLB coach. Paepke spent several years developing in the minor leagues before being traded to the expansion Royals in 1968 as part of a notable early franchise deal. He made his MLB debut in 1969 but saw limited action initially, struggling at the plate. His most active season came in 1971, when he played in 60 games and hit his only two major league home runs, though he continued to post a low batting average. Over his brief MLB career, Paepke played in 80 games, collecting 36 hits, 2 home runs, and a .183 batting average. He spent much of his career alternating between the majors and the minors, primarily with Omaha. A severe arm injury in 1974—caused by a spike on the field—significantly impacted his career and contributed to his retirement after the 1975 minor league season. Paepke is remembered as a light-hitting catcher who briefly contributed during the early years of the Kansas City Royals franchise before injuries ended his playing days. He died in 2021 at the age of 75 or 76. Also... Ken Salmon (1941-2026) was a right-handed pitcher who played in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers minor league systems, highlighted by strong seasons in 1963–64 including a 10–7 record and a league-leading four shutouts in the Northern League. After his baseball career, he earned a law degree, joined the FBI, and later became a Pittsburgh attorney and legal counsel for the Pirates’ ownership.

Joey Gerber: The Mets placed Gerber on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right finger blister. Gerber struck out five batters across two shutout innings during his season debut Monday against the Dodgers, but a blister will now keep him sidelined for at least a couple of weeks. Austin Warren was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to fill the open bullpen spot. Injury Finger. Est. Return 4/29/2026. Jorge Polanco: The Mets placed Polanco on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right wrist contusion, retroactive to Wednesday. Polanco has been dealing with a nagging Achilles injury all season, but he got imaging done on his right wrist Friday, and although he seems to be dealing with just a bruise, the Mets will put him on the IL anyway. MJ Melendez is a candidate to see more time at DH while Polanco is sidelined, and Hayden Senger will come up from Triple-A to round out the active roster. Injury Wrist. Est. Return 4/25/2026. Juan Soto: Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Soto (calf) remains on track to return during the team's upcoming homestand, which runs April 21-30, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports. It was previously reported that Soto was expected to be reinstated from the 10-day IL during the upcoming week, so a return during the first half of the homestand wouldn't be surprising. The 27-year-old appears set to rejoin the Mets without needing a minor-league rehab assignment after missing the past two-plus weeks due to a calf strain. Injury Calf. Est. Return 4/21/2026. Jared Young: The Mets placed Young on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, retroactive to Monday, due to a meniscus tear in his left knee. Young reported discomfort in his left knee Tuesday, and further imaging revealed a more severe injury that will result in the 30-year-old undergoing surgery, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. It's a significant blow to the Mets' depth at first base and in the outfield, especially with Juan Soto (calf) still on the 10-day IL. Young is looking at a lengthy absence depending on the extent of the surgery needed to repair the tear, which could have him sidelined until the summer. Injury Knee Est. Return 7/1/2026.

Now that we're getting deeper into the season, we probably don't need to track this as much, so I'll call this thread done after this update. The final tally ... Stephen Nogosek is now off the list as he signed with the Diablos Rojos del México in Mexico. Mark Canha is now back on the list as he is a free agent again. Phil Bickford is back on the list as he is a free agent again. The final list: Mark Canha Frankie Montas Jesse Winker Jose Iglesias Justin Wilson Max Kranick Marcus Stroman Phil Bickford Adonis Medina Tyler Naquin

I think the Mets are still putting way too much hope into Vientos, Baty and Alvarez (and Mauricio). All four were supposed to do good things with them. Baty, Vientos and Alvarez are in their fifth year with the club, and Mauricio is in his third, and between them we have zero All-Star selections, zero Gold Gloves, zero anything. Baty owns a .230/.289/.365 career line, Vientos a .238/292/.435 career line, Alvarez a .232/.310/.433 career line and Mauricio a .234/.294/.359 career line. They are, on average, 25 years and 204 days old. They're not performing much this year, either.

Who was Garret Anderson? Garret Anderson was an American Major League Baseball left fielder who played 17 seasons from 1994 to 2010, most notably with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels franchise. Born in 1972 in Los Angeles, he was a multi-sport standout in high school before choosing professional baseball after being drafted by the Angels. Anderson quickly became a core player for the Angels, debuting in 1994 and earning a full-time role by 1995, when he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. Over the next decade, he was one of the most consistent hitters in the league, regularly producing high batting averages, strong RBI totals, and steady run production, though his relatively low walk rate limited his on-base percentage. He was a key contributor to the Angels’ 2002 World Series championship team, including a pivotal three-run double in Game 7. Anderson was a three-time All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005), won the All-Star Game MVP in 2003, and earned two Silver Slugger Awards. He set numerous franchise records for the Angels, including hits, games played, RBIs, and total bases. After leaving the Angels in 2008, he played briefly for the Atlanta Braves in 2009 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010 before retiring in 2011. He later worked in broadcasting and was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016. Anderson died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 2026 at age 53. The Angels honored him with a tribute and a commemorative uniform patch following his death.

It's still only April.