Your Friday Morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
On Thursday, the Mets made official what we've known for a few days now: Hitting coaches Lamar Johnson and Luis Natera will not be with the big league club in 2015.
The Post is reporting that former Mets infielder Edgardo Alfonzo would be very interested in the hitting coach position if he was offered it.
The Mets are also changing their strength and conditioning coach.
Jenrry Mejia had successful hernia surgery yesterday. He should take just three weeks to recover.
The Star-Ledger wonders if the Mets got what they paid for when it comes to Bartolo Colon.
The Mets are set to make a minor uniform adjustment in 2015.
Around the Playoffs
The Orioles were clinging to a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning, but then their offense erupted for eight runs to bowl over the Tigers, 12-3. Nelson Cruz paced Baltimore with three RBI on a home run and a single. J.J. Hardy also homered.
Later last night, Mike Moustakas hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the 11th to pull the Royals ahead of the Angels, 3-2.
It was only Game 1, but it could be a pivotal one for the Angels and Royals, writes Marc Normandin.
Around the Majors
Not only are the Royals very successful at stealing bases, but because they hit so few home runs, they risk less than most teams every time they take off.
One guy on Kansas City who does have some power is Raul Ibanez. However, the Royals left him off their ALDS roster, opting to go with left-handed reliever Tim Collins instead.
Despite the common perception that Billy Beane traded for players like Jon Lester specifically for the playoffs, he insists that was not the case.
With Yom Kippur starting tonight, it's as good a time as any to look at the secret history of Jews in baseball.
Sports on Earth has one important under-the-radar player for each remaining postseason team.
FanGraphs compares the two drastically different Wild Card games we got to see this year.
Die-hard Red Sox fan Ben Affleck refused to wear a Yankees hat during a scene in his latest movie. The problem was that the scene took place in New York. Good thing the Bombers aren't the only team in town.
Yesterday at AA
Colby Conetta reviewed the 2014 season of Lucas Duda.
On this date in 2004, Todd Zeile homered in his final major league at-bat.