Your Wednesday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
Major League Baseball announced that qualifying offers to potential free agents will cost $15.3 million this offseason. That's a bump of over $1 million from 2013. What does this mean for the Mets?
Prospects Brandon Nimmo and Julian Hilario had nice Arizona Fall League debuts.
Toby Hyde reviews the progress of the Mets' minor league catchers this season.
Mets 360 makes the case for the team to acquire a younger, higher upside outfielder this winter instead of an aging veteran like Michael Cuddyer or Jose Bautista.
Adam Rubin asks the masses which starting pitcher the Mets should trade.
Around the Majors
After Bryce Harper tied Game 4 of the NLDS in the seventh innings with a solo home run, the Nationalsfell behind again on an Aaron Barrettwild pitch. The Giants won 3-2 to move on to the NLCS.
There they will face the Cardinals, who defeated Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers last night on the strength of a Matt Adams three-run home run. Before giving up the tater, Kershaw appeared to be on his way to a dominant shutout.
With a possible all-Missouri World Series looming, Tim Rohan of the New York Times drove across the Show Me State to pen a portrait of baseball fandom there.
Although the postseason has been quite exciting so far, there are some who will still claim that baseball is on the decline. That's not a recent phenomenon.
Josh Hamilton is not happy about being booed while he makes brave attempts to play through injury.
Dan O'Dowd is resigning as general manager of the Rockies.
Around the NL East
The Nationals may have lost to the Giants, but at least Harper reminded us of how awesome he can be with a heroic NLDS performance.
Washington's fate may have been different if manager Matt Williams had decided to use his best pitchers.
The Phillies have hired a new scouting director.
Fish Stripes reviews the 2014 season of switch-hitting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Yesterday at AA
Michael Avallone reviewed the 2014 campaign of Daniel Murphy.
Brace yourself. The Piazzas are coming.
On this date in 2000, Bobby Jones shut out the Giants to clinch the NLDS for the Mets. In 1973, Bud Harrelson beat up Pete Rose.