Cowtipper

Oh what a ruthless purge! The Mets have released: Sam Biller Alexander Eneas Haniel German Julian Hernandez Dalton Mall Matteo Marelli Yoelvis Martinez Leandy Mella Jahzeel Montas Layonel Ovalles Rayner Reyes Anthony Reynoso Jeffry Rosa Dangelo Sarmiento Deivy Victora An interesting group. Ovalles had a 2.17 ERA and 4-0 record in 2025, but that wasn't enough to keep him around. He'd been in their system since 2021, but hadn't played above High-A. Leandy Mella hit .296 with a .364 OBP in 2025, but that also wasn't enough to keep him around. Marelli played in the Italian league as a teen and was signed out of there. Eneas is from the Bahamas. Biller had potential with 5 steals, 6 runs and a .381 OBP in 6 games, despite a .235 BA. Rosa hit 15 home runs and slugged .669 for the DSL Mets Orange in 2023, but batted just .204 overall in his career. Mall had seemingly nothing going for him as his ERAs, per Baseball Reference, were 3.86, 12.74, infinite and 10.80, yet the Mets signed him anyway; he never actually played in their system.

I had been under the impression he'd been a goner for a while. Stuck around on the Hall of Fame ballot for a long time and has gotten VC support. With the way we reevaluate pitchers and put less emphasis on W-L record (a la Billy Pierce), I could see him getting more consideration again down the line -- especially since Jim Kaat finally got in. Also I've mispronounced his name my whole life; I thought the "Lol-" was like "lollipop," but it's actually like the word "low."

Mets release Luis Ortiz and Estarlin Escalante.

Looks like Tsung-Che is already seeing a Cheng of scenery as he was claimed off waivers by the Nationals.

He is also the son of Kevin Kessinger, who played in the minor leagues.

Mets bring aboard 28-year-old infielder Grae Kessinger, who didn't play in the big leagues in 2025, but did so in 2023 and 2024. He's not done much at the big league level, but can play all the infield positions and has even pitched, to the tune of a scoreless inning. Solid depth piece. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/mets-grae-kessinger-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html

Dom Hamel, Blade Tidwell, Mike Vasil, Brandon Sproat, Thomas Szapucki, Christian Scott. A lot of starters have come up through their system since ~2021 with pretty big hopes pinned on each of them and none of them have really stuck. I remember Sproat as being another one. I guess we'll see with Tong and McLean. I also remember his first couple appearances, which were really solid, especially his second one (6 IP, 0 R).

I remember his first stint with the Mets and how well he did. .308 BA, 3 HR, 6 RBI in just 39 ABs. I remember when we traded Max Scherzer for him and how I was kind of bummed to lose Max Scherzer. I know some youngsters had to go (Vientos/Baty still included), but I actually didn't think it was going to be Acuna. Maybe Mauricio. He was twice a Top-100 prospect, so this one might sting in the future.

Dom Hamel on the move to the Yankees. It's nuts how quickly a guy goes from "he's a potential cog" in NY to just another wayward MLB traveler. He was the Mets' #9 prospect in 2022 and 2023, right up there with Mark Vientos.

Not sure we could find room for any of them, but the following might actually be able to help because of veteran presence or based on their performance last year: Starling Marte Justin Verlander Max Scherzer David Robertson Chris Bassitt Jose Quintana Justin Wilson Dominic Smith Max Kranick< -- worth another look

Post-2025 major league free agents, of course. Anyone wanna see any reunions? Starling Marte Chris Bassitt Michael Conforto Frankie Montas David Robertson Justin Verlander Max Scherzer Rafael Montero Jesse Winker Paul Sewald Justin Turner Wilmer Flores Griffin Canning Tommy Pham Jose Quintana Jose Iglesias Gary Sanchez Justin Wilson Miguel Castro Drew Smith Dominic Smith Joey Lucchesi Max Kranick Carlos Carrasco Mark Canha Jorge Lopez Marcus Stroman And here are some minor league free agents: Jose Siri Omar Narvaez Tyson Miller Erasmo Ramirez Phil Bickford Adonis Medina Travis Blankenhorn Stephen Nogosek Tyler Naquin

Zach Monroe died. https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/local/2026/01/26/born-in-peoria-pitched-in-the-world-series-and-dead-at-age-94/88325473007/ Who was Zach Monroe? Zachary Charles Monroe (July 8, 1931 – January 18, 2026) was an American professional baseball pitcher best known for his brief Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees during the 1958–1959 seasons. A Peoria, Illinois native and Bradley University alumnus, Monroe spent the bulk of his nine-season professional career in the minor leagues, interrupted by two years of military service during the Korean War. Monroe earned his call-up to the Yankees in 1958 after a strong showing with the Triple-A Denver Bears. That season, he appeared in 21 games for New York, including six starts, recorded a complete-game victory, and was a member of the Yankees’ 1958 World Series championship team, making one relief appearance in the Series. He returned briefly in 1959 but spent most of the year in the minors and did not pitch in the majors again. Over 24 MLB appearances, Monroe compiled a 4–2 record with a 3.38 ERA. He continued pitching in the minor leagues through 1962, finishing with a 99–77 career record. After retiring from baseball, he worked as a sales manager in the hydraulic manufacturing industry and lived in the Peoria, Illinois area.

This looks like a casual fans Blogspot or Xanga from 2006, lol. The worst part is, there's a whole team of "professionals" behind it: https://ultimatemets.com/about-us/

Did you just impugn the quality of the entertainment this forum provides? I love it here. Very entertaining.

If I was GM, I'd only ever sign All-Stars and MVPs. Every team should.

Only need one team for a full league this time around. Sign up today! https://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/b1/33228/invitation?key=fd5fd6a3e84e9d4b&soc_trk=lnk&ikey=dd87487c806b7fbe

Hanser Alberto retired.

I like this one a lot, just because it's always cool to have an older established big name/potential future Hall of Famer on the team (as opposed to a younger one like Lindor/Soto). It's just cool to look back and see that X player played for the Mets. Kinda like when Jose Bautista, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Gary Sheffield and Bobby Abreu played for them. Also Willie Mays, obviously, but I was -17 years old at the time, so I wasn't alive to see it. Kimbrel still has the skills and it's kind of lame he only got into 14 games last year, because he was excellent in the minors. Even after his career declined beginning in 2019, he still managed a 12.9 K/9 and 1.204 WHIP. He's been inconsistent, but when he's on, he's on. With the addition of Kimbrel, the bullpen is actually looking pretty deep.

At least someone agrees with me.

Rob Maurer has perished. Three deaths in a row of players wholly from the 1980s or 1990s. Ugh, I'm getting old. https://www.pierrefuneralhome.com/obituaries/robert-maurer-11/#!/Obituary Who was Rob Maurer? Rob Maurer (1967–2026) was an American professional baseball first baseman who briefly played in Major League Baseball with the Texas Rangers during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. A native of Evansville, Indiana, Maurer starred in multiple sports at Mater Dei High School before attending the University of Evansville, where he played college baseball. Drafted by the Rangers in the sixth round of the 1988 MLB Draft, he enjoyed a strong minor league career highlighted by power hitting and All-Star recognition, particularly with the Oklahoma City 89ers. Despite solid minor league performances, Maurer appeared in just 21 MLB games, recording limited offensive success. Persistent knee injuries, including surgery that sidelined him for the entire 1993 season, ultimately curtailed his career, which ended in 1994. He died on January 21, 2026, at the age of 59.

It's not trolling, does one not remember the sort of pitchers Stearns signed to 'help' the team in 2025? One Freddy Peralta does not undo all the Zach Pops.

Cooper Criswell traded to Mariners for cash. Dick Ladylover DFA'd. Mets release minor leaguers Yensi Rivas, Luis Montero and Sebastian Lantigua. Rivas might've had potential as he had great speed and a very good OBP.

Stu Tate died. https://www.berryhillfh.com/obituary/stuart-tate Who was Stu Tate? Stu Tate (Stuart Douglas Tate, June 17, 1962 – January 13, 2026) was an American right-handed pitcher whose Major League Baseball career was brief but memorable. Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 8th round of the 1984 Amateur Draft, he advanced through the minor leagues and reached the majors during the Giants’ 1989 pennant race. Tate made his MLB debut on September 20, 1989, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Candlestick Park. Entering in relief, he delivered over two strong innings with multiple strikeouts and quickly became a fan favorite as the crowd chanted his name. His performance helped steady the Giants on their way to a dramatic comeback win, a night made even more special as it coincided with his wedding anniversary. He pitched just once more in the majors, on September 30, 1989, finishing with two appearances, 2.2 innings pitched, and a 3.38 ERA. A Triple-A All-Star in 1989, Tate concluded his professional career in 1991, later working as a pharmacist and raising five children with his wife Kristin. He died in January 2026 at age 63. Dave Schmidt died. https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/former-red-sox-catcher-dies-11402850 Who was Dave Schmidt? Dave Schmidt (David Frederick Schmidt, December 22, 1956 – January 19, 2026) was an American Major League Baseball catcher who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1981 season. A native of Mesa, Arizona, he attended Mission Viejo High School and California State University, Fullerton before being selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 1975 MLB Draft. Schmidt spent his entire professional career in the Red Sox organization, reaching the majors in April 1981. Over part of that season, he appeared in the big leagues with a .238 batting average, hitting two home runs and driving in three runs. His Major League career lasted from April 28 to June 3, 1981, after which he continued playing in the minor leagues and winter ball. Baseball ran in his family—his brother Eric Schmidt was also a minor league pitcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. Dave Schmidt died in January 2026 at age 69, remembered as a Red Sox draftee who reached the majors after years of development in the organization.

Of course Milwaukee liked him at the time, David Stearns was in charge and that's exactly Stearns' preferred type of pitcher.

Over the last 40 years, I count only 3 seriously regrettable trades concerning the prospects lost: 1. Melvin Mora for Mike Bordick, 2000. Admittedly with some benefit of hindsight. 2. Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano, 2004. No hindsight required, it was dumb at the time. 3. Pete Crow-Armstrong for Javy Baez, 2021. (I’d guess I’d also consider the July 2002 deal for Reed/Middlebrooks that gave up Jason Bay). Whether the deals worked (Leiter, Piazza, Delgado, Cespedes, Lindor), didn’t work (Alomar, Cano), or worked but didn’t make a difference re: playoffs (Viola, Santana), the Mets weren’t burned on the prospects lost. We gave up Matt Lindstrom for Jason Vargas (first edition) and that deal kinda sucked. We also traded Nelson Cruz for Jorge Velandia. And we gave up Jose Bautista (and Ty Wigginton!) for Kris Benson and Jeff Keppinger. Though that's a stretch because we had Jose Bautista for about an hour.