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Meet the Mets
We'll kick things off with your daily Michael Bourn update. The Mets have still not signed Michael Bourn, and MLB has not ruled on the status of their 11th overall pick if they were to do so. Toby Hyde thinks the Mets should stay away regardless, while Jim Callis thinks it's very unlikely that MLB rules in the Mets favor with regards to their pick.
But it's okay, because if the Mets don't sign Bourn, it's not like their outfield is THAT bad, right Sandy? Howard Megdal doesn't see many changes on the horizon either. And Greg Prince thinks that maybe Sandy should have saved the jokes for the Catskills.
Meanwhile, Michael Bourn still wants a five-year deal. He should earmark some of the money from his new contract to buy a calendar.
BUT PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT OUTFIELD BEHIND THE CURTAIN! The Mets infield will be really good, you guys.
Jay Horwitz recently joined twitter and gained 10,000 followers within a day, winning a $10,000 dollar bet with Jeff Wilpon. Horwitz then showed he was as good at twitter as he was at managing PR by tweeting out a picture of the check with all of Wilpon's banking information.
The Mets apparently signed Gregory Estevez out of the DPL, based on this photo. I have absolutely no information about this kid, but given that they spent most of their bonus pool on German Rosario already, I doubt it was a big signing. Hat tip to Daniel Wexler (@WexlerRules) for doggedly tracking this one down on the internet.
Yesterday at AA
Brock Mahan wrote about some stuff that happened on that date in Mets history, but all I know is that it was Tsuyoshi Shinjo's birthday. Way to bury the lead, Brock.
Steve Sypa made another entry in his series profiling international free agents, this one focused on relief pitcher Hung-Wen Chen.
And Rob Castellano looked at seven Mets prospects that might impact the 2013 club.
Around MLB
It's being reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers will launch their own TV network as part of a $7 billion (yep, with a 'b') deal with Time Warner Cable. Yikes. They are also reportedly naming it SportsNetLA, which is very original.
Also in TV news, looks like we'll still have Michael Kay to kick around. I get that he's "the voice of the Yankees" now, or whatever, but does anyone actually enjoy his play-by-play?
Former Met Ronny Cedeno signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Over at Baseball Nation, Rob Neyer is buying that the Phillies are dead.
AA's own Spencer Schneier looks at how the various F/X technologies might change the way teams scout players.
MLB.com's prospect lists roll on with the Top 10 outfielders. Today they will announce the full Top 100 list.
Noted contrarian Dave Cameron defends grit, grission and all other manners of false hustle.
And finally, here's a montage of Japanese players hitting home runs and unleashing a torrent of bat flips. Of course, none match the pure sublime brilliance of this one.
And now, your Mets 51s highlight of the day to get you through the long, cold winter:
Travis d'Arnaud hits a ball an awful long way.
And your non-baseball link of the day:
Tim Marchman retweeted this link, and I have been oddly fascinated by it ever since. Some good deals in there too, I think.