Your Saturday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
Sandy Alderson says that Bobby Parnell won't be ready for Opening Day but it sounds like once he is ready, he'll take back the closer job. Here are some other things we learned from Sandy at the GM meetings.
Terry Collins says the new dimensions at Citi Field won't change the team's approach. Hitting coach Kevin Long isn't afraid of the field's reputation as a pitcher's park.
Mark Simon likes free agent lefty Zach Duke as a fit for the Mets bullpen. Duke was outstanding for the Brewers in 2014 and looks like he would be a quality signing.
Could Stephen Drew be back on the shortstop radar for the Mets? Possibly, though as more of a backup plan.
L.J. Mazzilli is tearing up the Mets minor leagues, which probably makes his "gangsta" dad happy. For more on the Mets farmhands in the Arizona Fall League, check out Toby Hyde's summary.
Around the Majors
Giancarlo Stanton and the Marlins are close to a 13 year deal worth $325 million.
The RaysdealtJeremy Hellickson to the Diamondbacks for a pair of minor leaguers.
Bad news for the MLB All-Stars in Japan, as they were no-hit by the Japanese All-Stars 4-0 earlier this morning. Doubly bad for the Mariners is that Robinson Cano left the game after his toe was fractured by a pitch.
Eww gross. The finger that Jose Canseco shot off a couple of weeks back fell off during a poker tournament and Canseco tweeted about it like it was no big deal.
A.J. Burnett has gone back to the Pirates on a one year deal.
Yesterday At AA
We have free agent profiles for Nick Markakis and Jed Lowrie.
Steve Sypa profiled Japanese free agent shortstop Takashi Toritani.
Vote for the best Mets defensive play of 2014. No, you can't just write in Juan Lagares.
If you read an article or find a link that you think would be a great addition to a future edition of Mets Morning News, please forward it to our tips email address tips@grission.com and we'll try to add it in.