Mets Morning News: The Ex-Rays are dead

Meet the Mets

After making a good showing in Baseball America’s list of top 100 prospects, Francisco Álvarez (10), Brett Baty (13), and Ronny Mauricio (51) all made appearances on Baseball Prospectus’ Top 101 prospect list.

The Staten Island Ferry Hawks have hired former Met Edgardo Alfonzo as their new manager.

In other former-Met Yankee employment news, Carlos Beltrán is reportedly a candidate to serve as a game analyst for the YES Network.

The Athletic’s Tim Britton proposes five resolutions for the Mets in the upcoming season.

Around the National League East

Former Nat Kevin Frandsen will replace F.P. Santangelo as the Nationals’ new color commentator.

Three Nationals’ prospects appeared on Baseball America’s top-100 prospects list.

Talking Chop reminisced on the very-goodness of Rafael Furcal.

The Good Phight analyzed Phillies prospect Matt Vierling.

Around Major League Baseball

Rather unsurprisingly, MLB has killed the Rays’ proposal to split their regular season between Montreal and St. Petersburg, ending the glorious Ex-Ray franchise before it could start.

In response to the news, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg says he does not plan to sell the team nor seek relocation, despite being advised to look elsewhere while negotiating a stadium deal in Tampa-St. Pete.

Montreal and Nashville are MLB’s top two preferred expansion cities.

In other ballpark news, the Oakland Planning Commission universally recommended the certification of the environmental review for the $12 billion Howard Beach Terminal development project, which would include a new ballpark for the A’s.

MLB owners and the Players Association will meet in person on Monday, where the players will propose a new collective bargaining agreement.

Maria Torres and Ken Rosenthal explored the corrupted pipeline of Dominican prospects to the United States and wonder whether an international draft could resolve the issue.

And in the most sudden and polarizing news of the day, automated strike zones will make their triple-A debut next season in select ballparks. Amazin’ Avenue has the exclusive scoop on what they will look like.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

We continued our top prospect countdown with number six, J.T. Ginn.

Linda advocated for a Kris Bryant signing.

This Date in Mets History

The infamous Jeromy Burnitz trade occurred on this day twenty years ago.