The New York Mets will soon start their spring training activities. Luis Rojas, the manager, talked about where the team is headed and how they are going to approach things.
Here are the New York Mets’ news and links of the day:
NY Post: New Mets manager Luis Rojas talked to Kevin Kernan about his first season at the helm. “Everything is going to be positive,’’ he said. “We have a positive group of guys, tool-wise and skill-wise and personality-wise, so we are going to hit on that a lot. We are going to talk about what we are targeting in spring training.’’
Rojas talked about the direction of the team. “Number one is moving in the same direction,’’ he stated. “We come in from different areas, but we have to move in the same direction. There are some things that we are going to bring up that we are going to have that communication with the guys. Things are going to be specific to the product that we have. A play is going to work because we have Amed Rosario there; a play is going to work because we have Robinson Cano there. We want everything to make sense in the product that we have.’’
Kernan said that everybody in the Mets knows their role, and that Rojas is a “unifier.”
MLB.com: Anthony DiComo, in his latest article, answered several important questions about the Mets heading to spring training. He also identified some key dates.
Baseball Prospectus: Jake Mintz of Baseball Prospectus interviewed baseball man Phil Regan, who coached this winter in the Dominican League (LIDOM.) In the exchange, Regan talks about his origins, the first opportunities he had, and a lot more.
The interview is available to basic subscribers, which means that it can be read for free.
MLB.com: The league’s official website reviewed each team’s closing situation. Of course, when the New York Mets acquired Edwin Diaz before last season started, everybody knew that was going to be his role. After a bad season, that hasn’t changed, but his role isn’t as secure.
The writeup said about Diaz: “In the Mets’ perfect world, DÃaz will show up to camp in dominant form and make their decision easy. The team acquired DÃaz in December 2018 to be its lockdown closer and still feels he can fill that role despite seven blown saves with a 5.59 ERA in his debut season with the club. (This winter, DÃaz spent time working in Puerto Rico with new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, along with a team of trainers and health professionals.) That said, the Mets aren’t committing to DÃaz just yet. Seth Lugo registered six saves late last year and could again be a factor in the ninth, as could free-agent acquisition Dellin Betances. Odds are, all three will notch saves at various points this season, even if DÃaz earns the lion’s share of chances.”