The Mets went out this off season and cleaned up one of the messiest spots of thier team — the back end of the bullpen. Signing Francisco Rodriguez and trading for J.J. Putz gives them one of, if not the best one-two punch in the NL, if not the entire league.
But the Mets still have a lot of question marks for their bullpen. Who will be the other left-hander? Will Rule V draft pick Darren O’Day be shipped back to Los Angeles? Can Bobby Parnell make the cut?
With the team likely to carry seven relievers for the season, let’s take a look at where the contenders stand.
The Locks
The aforementioned Rodriguez and Putz, along with Pedro Feliciano and Sean Green.
Green also came over in the trade for Putz, and at 6′ 6″, he’ll be an intimidating character to face. Feliciano was the go-to guy for the Mets last year, appearing in a franchise-record 86 games.
The Most-Likely(s)
Brian Stokes will probably make the team, as a lot of Mets higher ups were excited by his pitch speed. You can pretty much pencil him in.
The Best of the Rest
That’s five spots filled, leaving just two more. The Mets will likely need another left-hander, since dumping Duaner Sanchez, giving veteran Ron Villone a huge step up on the rest of the field. Jon Niese, also contending for the fifth spot in the rotation, is another lefty that might land in that role.
O’Day, a sidearming right-hander, has been catching praise so far this spring, and might make the team out of spring training. If he does not, he must be offered back to the Angels for $25,000.
Don’t count out Bobby Parnell. Another righty, the Mets may opt for Niese and Parnell if they decide to go the way of youth in 2009.
Right now, if the season started today, I see the bullpen playing out like this…
- Rodriguez
- Putz
- Feliciano
- Green
- Stokes
- O’Day
- Villone/Niese
There are 20 more days until the season starts. It should be a nice battle for the bullpen.
Topics: Bobby Parnell, Brian Stokes, Darren O'Day, Francisco Rodriguez, J.J. Putz, Jon Niese, Pedro Feliciano, Sean Green
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