Anyway Back to the Mets

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On January 29, 2021, Steve Cohen tweeted “Anyway back to the Mets.” I don’t remember the circumstances behind it. Maybe something to do with Gamestop? Remember the Gamestopgate or whatever it was called? 

In any event, it’s become a meme. As soon as the Super Bowl concludes, real ones retweet it or post a screengrab of it. Last night was no exception. As soon as the clock hit 0:00 in the Patriots-Seahawks showdown, there came the Cohen retweets and the more direct announcements that it is officially baseball season.

And thank goodness for that. After the way the 2025 season ended, I’m itching to see how the Mets rebound with all of the new faces. We still have pitchers and catchers reporting, the position players checking in, and spring training before the regular season starts, but we’re getting oh so close. That and the sun setting incrementally later and later prove that, despite the frigid weather in New York City, spring is coming. 

This is quite a tonal shift, but here it goes. Pinch running specialist Terrance Gore, a late-season call-up by the Mets in 2022, unexpectedly passed away at the age of 34. Gore had the weird distinction of winning two World Series titles and having one career RBI. I remember an interview with Steve Gelbs where Gore showed he was a solid dude, or at least someone who is very good at pretending he is cool when cameras are around. Gore told Gelbs (I can’t find the interview online) that Jacob deGrom asked him if Gore spotted a tell in deGrom’s delivery indicating when he should run. When Gore told the ace he couldn’t tell him his secrets in case he joined a different team in the future, deGrom said he respected that. I love stories like that, and appreciate the willing storytellers. RIP Terrance.

Carlos Baerga revealed on an Instagram Live video that Bad Bunny offered to pay for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa’s insurance for the World Baseball Classic. However, such an assurance wasn’t enough for the Mets and Astros to grant permission for them to play. This was the scenario I was worried about, where the Mets would be forced to make a direct decision revealing their true feelings about the World Baseball Classic and potentially pissing off Lindor. Lindor hasn’t acted like he’s annoyed at the team, at least not yet. The captain arrived early to Port St. Lucie over the weekend, although some fans think he sounded sad in a quick social media video.

The Mets signed MJ Melendez to a split contract - he gets $1.5 million plus a potential $500,000 in incentives if he makes the major league roster, not so much if he doesn’t. (Melendez has one minor league option remaining according to Fangraphs) MJ, whose full name according to Wikipedia is Mervyl Samuel Melendez Jr., had a 20/20 season in Triple-A last year, but has a career major league bWAR of -1.4 over four seasons. Melendez is listed as a left fielder/catcher, but he hasn’t caught in a few years in the bigs. Will Sammon wrote that the Mets see Melendez as someone who can handle first base if needed, as well as the outfield, while serving as the emergency catcher. This really seems like a Triple-A Syracuse depth move, or at least I hope that’s what it is, no offense to Mervyl. This news, combined with Juan Soto hanging out with new teammate Jorge Polanco, made it a pretty crummy weekend for Starling Marte. 

Jon Heyman wrote that “some insiders” believe the Mets went after players with an edge after the 2025 season didn’t seem to have anyone intense enough to put them over the top. Heyman named newbies Bo Bichette, Devin Williams, and Marcus Semien as players that provide edginess. Of course, this raises the question once again of what made the 2025 clubhouse lacking when it was nearly identical to the 2024 team? I can kind of see J.D. Martinez providing no-nonsense professionalism and intensity. Not so much with Jose Iglesias. 

You know who else has edge? Tobias Myers. You know how I know? Tobias Myers said so. "I bring a little bit of intensity,” he told SNY. “ I love to compete in everything I do, no matter if it's sports, non-sports, different sports. I love competing. You're always going to get the best out of me."

Kodai Senga arrived at PSL clean shaven. Pitchers and catchers don’t have to officially report until Wednesday.

Freddy Peralta threw a BP session. You can watch the nearly eight minute long video on YouTube.

Juan Soto got braids.

Jonah Tong, who is also at camp early, learned Mandarin from his grandfather so he can sign his Topps 1-of-1 rookie card in that language. 

Anthony DiComo revealed that Craig Kimbrel would make $2.5 million if he broke camp with the big league squad. He also wrote that Brett Baty has been working out in left field, and will obviously continue to do that once he’s down in Port St. Lucie.

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies announced they’ll play as the Southern Tier Scoop Scoundrels during their July 17th-19th series against the Akron RubberDucks. It pays tribute to a strange local law prohibiting people from carrying an ice cream cone in their back pocket. You can buy Scoop Scoundrel merch here.

Jay Horwitz wrote briefly about Cleon Jones in honor of Black History Month.

Mike Puma provided us with a cool history lesson:

Mookie Wilson turns 70 years old today. Wilson, one of the good guys, was a Met from 1980-1989, which means he was one of, if not the, longest-tenured Mets when he hit the ground ball that went through Bill Buckner’s legs. In other words, Mookie earned it.