Bullpen — Who’s In, Who’s Out
The Mets have a nice problem on their hands — too many quality arms for the newly redesigned bullpen at Citi Field. They can only take 7 relievers north, and the Mets have nearly a dozen who could conceivably make the team. Here are the candidates:
Francisco Rodriguez
Pedro Feliciano
Bobby Parnell
Sean Green
Fernando Nieve
Nelson Figueroa
Pat Misch
Ryota Igarashi
Hisanori Takahashi
Kiko Calero
Jenrry Mejia
The definites on the list are K-Rod, Feliciano, Nieve, Igarashi and Takahashi. According to most reports, Figueroa will probably win a spot. Then it’s anyone’s guess for the last spot. Former Daily News reporter Adam Rubin, who will be writing for ESPNNewYork.com when it launches on Friday, tells Metsblog.com Green and Parnell will not make the team. Cranky Marty Noble writes on Mets.com that the team will wait until the last second to outright Misch, in the hopes no other team will have room on their major league roster to claim him. That leaves Mejia and Calero to battle it out.
I agree with the five definites. They all deserve to make the team. I think sending Parnell down is a mistake. His fastball is in the upper 90s (albiet it, straight), and he doesn’t really have a second pitch, but he’s still young and good enough to get better. He has enough talent to make the squad. I would give the final spot to Mejia — he’s just lighting it up in spring training. Many people say he needs more seasoning in Triple A, but if he’s ready, he’s ready. And he appears ready.
As I’ve written in the past, Figueroa is a nice story, but he’s mediocre at best. You know what you’ll get from him, and it’s nothing special. And besides, Nieve and Takahashi are also long relievers-spot starters. Why do you need a third in the bullpen?
I agree wholeheartedly with sending Green down. He is awful. I hope the next time we see him at Citi Field, he’s either pitching for another team or watching from the stands.
I feel badly for Misch. He pitched reasonably well last season, and probably deserves to make the team. But it’s a numbers game, and he loses. Hopefully no other team will pick him up, and he can remain in Triple A until one of the Mets pitchers inevitably gets injured.
As far as Kiko Calero, I don’t know much about him, so I don’t care what happens to him. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, however.
I think you hit the target with this article!
I’d like to add however, that none of this matters if they don’t have any pitchers other than Johan (who has had a horrible spring), who can pitch more than 5 innings! The only starting pitcher (other than Johan) that I have any faith in is Maine and only if he is healthy and that is a huge if.
This upcoming season has all the makings of another stinker. I just can’t believe that they never addressed their pitching needs. I am not a fan who panics, etc.. but I believe that had they picked up a reliable innings eater than the pressure might be less severe. They would have the option of letting Ollie work out his problems in Buffalo.
Beltran and Reyes can both have stellar all star seasons this year and it won’t matter a bit if the pitching is as bad as it was last year. The move that Jeff Wilpon senior should make is to fire his stupid spoiled son Jeff Jr. who thinks that he is some sort of baseball guru.
I would leave Mejia in Buffalo because he is going to have to take over Ollie’s starts when the Mets finally have had enough. Let him stretch it out in Buffalo until mid May. How about leaving Tatis there also. He’s terrible. Move Murphy to 2B and give Ike Davis 1B.