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Your Friday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
For the second time this season, the Mets were shutout in back-to-back games. And if you didn't like when it happened against the Marlins, you probably didn't like it when the Yankees turned the trick over the past two nights. Jacob deGrom looked very good, though.
Recap Parade: Amazin' Avenue, MLB.com, ESPN NY, New York Times, Post, Daily News, Star-Ledger
Jenrry Mejia pitched a scoreless ninth inning, and he now appears to be the front-runner for the closer job.
Before the game, the Mets presented future Hall of Fame shortstop and Yankees legend Derek Jeter with a fancy cake, among other gifts.
Also before the game, the Mets called upJosh Edgin and Juan Centeno from Triple-A Las Vegas to take the place of the recently released Kyle Farnsworth, and Travis d'Arnaud, who was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
Speaking of Farnsworth, he was not happy about being let go, but the Mets insisted that the move was just about baseball... and money.
For some reason, Matt Harvey was prompted to defend his lifestyle again on Thursday afternoon. We don't really have a problem until he starts going to Islanders games, am I right? Okay! On to the division news!
Around the NL East
Jose Fernandez's decision to undergo Tommy John surgery had to be devastating for him, but the Miami ace showed he can still have a sense of humor about it. He's not quite Fernandez, but the Marlins are hoping that veteran lefty addition Randy Wolf can help the club stay afloat in the NL East.
Talking Chop takes a look at the Braves' Dominican baseball academy. The Braves begin a three-game series in St. Louis tonight.
Federal Baseball asks why Stephen Strasburg is giving up so many runs in the first inning. This issue was evident from the get-go, as Andrew Brown hit a three-run home run off of Strasburg in the very first inning of the season.
While the Mets have already begun to augment their 25-man roster with prospects from the farm system, the Philliesaren't ready to do that just yet.
Around the Majors
The Mets appear to be going with the youth route as far as the bullpen is concerned, but just in case, Heath Bellis available!
Also regarding a former Met, Carlos Beltran was placed on the 15-day DL with elbow inflammation.
Grant Brisbee argues that even if we manage to speed up a game of baseball, it probably still won't appeal to people with short attention spans. Should we bother?
Grantland baseball writer Jonah Keri suggests that the Rays could deal Ben Zobrist for prospects if they continue to struggle in 2014. Zobrist is a versatile player who can play shortstop and second base, as well as the outfield. In related news, Zobrist just landed on the DL with a thumb injury.
He's always had more bark than bite, but Kyle Blanks was just traded from the Padres to the Athletics. The A's tend to do smart things, so this could be interesting. Poor Blanks probably wishes he could go to a hitter's park with a small outfield, but at least Oakland can use him at DH.
Howard Megdal explored the similarities between Yankees closer David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra music director of the same name.
Tigers Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens somehow got Bill Murray to tape a short promo for the team's Ghostbusters Night.
Yesterday at AA
Jeffrey Paternostro let loose with a scouting report on Jacob deGrom before his major league debut last night.
After two big debut nights in a row, it feels appropriate that on this date in 1983, Darryl Strawberry hit his first ever home run with the Mets.