Mets Morning News: War over player compensation for 2020 wages on

Meet the Mets

Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post looks back at the story of K Korner—a phenomenon sparked by Dwight Gooden that became a trend across baseball.

In honor of Mother’s Day, Luis Rojas talked about his mother Elsa, who has made a huge impact on his life.

Given Brodie Van Wagenen’s relationship to J.T. Realmuto, the Mets may pursue him in free agency. That and more from the New York Post’s Mets mailbag.

Steven Matz’s streakiness is something that has held him back from sustained success in the past, but if he stays focused and unlocks his potential, he is up there with the other top arms in the Mets’ rotation.

Now that a blueprint for baseball’s return in 2020 is in place, Danny Abriano of SNY reviews the ways it impacts the Mets.

Around the National League East

Howie Kendrick’s grand slam was the catalyst that turned the tables for the Nationals in the 2019 playoffs, writes Byron Kerr of MASN.

Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reviews all the notable Phillies players that were drafted after round 5 in the franchise’s history.

The Marlins’ Miguel Rojas had a Mother’s Day surprise for his mom—an essential healthcare worker at UM Hospital.

Talking Chop asks if the Braves should look to extend Mike Soroka.

Around Major League Baseball

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic gives us a glimpse into the negotiations surrounding the modified amateur draft and the fights over money that still loom.

Those fights are chiefly centered on fair compensation for players, especially given the risks to player safety and health, writes Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

In fact, source told Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports that there is “going to be a war” if owners demand any further pay cuts for players.

Bill Baer of NBC Sports followed Calcaterra’s report by saying MLB owners will do everything they can to “cry poor” in an attempt to curtail player salaries for 2020. And it’s going to be a tough sell to the union and a challenge Tony Clark must face head on.

It’s possible that this war over player compensation may shut down baseball’s return entirely, according to reports.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post opines that shutting down the 2020 season over player compensation would be “shoot-yourself-in-the-brain, assure-the-negative-first-line-in-your obituary stupid.”

Today, Rob Manfred will hold a conference call with representatives of all 30 teams. If they agree on the blueprint to restart the season, it will then be presented to the MLBPA.

In a study of 5,754 MLB employees from 26 of the 30 teams, Stanford researchers found that only 0.7% tested positive for coronavirus antibodies. “I was expecting a larger number,” said Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the study’s lead author. “It shows the value of doing the science as opposed to guessing.” About 70% of those that tested positive were asymptomatic and there have been no deaths. The study, which represents the largest coronavirus antibody study in the United States so far, has not yet been peer-reviewed, but has been uploaded to a preprint server and will be submitted to a medical journal for peer review.

During an interview with ESPN, the network accidentally displayed Trevor Bauer’s phone number. He turned the mishap into a giveaway, giving away a pair of signed cleats according to rules he had recorded in his voicemail.

The last living member of the original Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Ball League, Mary Pratt, passed away on May 6 at age 101.

Dr. Christopher Ahmad, who has performed Tommy John surgeries for over 20 years, feels that COVID-19 will probably result in a spike in the number of players needing Tommy John surgery.

Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News wrote about the ripple effects the lack of Yankees baseball has on seasonal workers and local businesses, like bars and restaurants in the shadow of the stadium.

Given the modifications that will be a part of any return to baseball in 2020 by necessity, it may be a challenge for baseball purists to embrace the game in that form, writes Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. But, if they love the game, they must try to do so.

Jim Bowden of the The Athletic reviews how a universal DH would impact every National League team. For the Mets, of course, it would likely have a positive impact, allowing both Yoenis Cespedes (if healthy) and J.D. Davis to slot into the lineup and share duties between DH and left field.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets traded for the iconic Willie Mays on this date in 1972.