LOOGY Fever

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Even though Jerry and the Mets seem to argue against too much specialization in the bullpen they still will need relievers capable of retiring lefties when necessary.

Feliciano is the incumbent here, and although his numbers say he was pretty effective overall we all were driven nuts by him and ought to know that like all relievers, he could stop being effective at any moment.

So the Mets to their credit have asked a buttload of would-be competitors aboard this spring:

Heriberto Ruelas
Kicked LH hitters asses in a small sample of Mexican Winter League ball this year (0.54 ERA, .150ish BAA, more Ks than IP). Invited to camp and may play for Mexico in the WBC.

Tom Martin
He must have a good pitch or something, because he's 39 and still getting jobs, even though I've perused the stats up and down and can't find much to recommend him particularly as a lefty-retirer.

Casey Fossum
I kind of like the idea of trying him in the specialist role if only because he's such a horror show vs. righties. The Mets also gave him No. 47

Jon Switzer
Career MLB splits vs. LHB are very intriguing: .221 /.294 /.327 .621 in a small batch. Righties kill him.

Valerio de los Santos
Journeyman with no apparent split bias, so I guess he competes with Martin. He has a spooky thing going: Hit Adam Greenberg of the Cubs in the helmet in Greenberg's first-ever big-league appearance, first pitch. Greenberg hasn't made it back.

[metirish]

I never heard of some of those guys , I like the idea of competition but what happens when guys are away at the WBC?

[Guest Edgy DC]

The team monitors their performances and factors that in when they get back and the competition heats up.

[metirish]

Yeah I suppose , silly question from me.

[Frayed Knot]

The Yanx DFA'd Chase Wright[/url:1wyt9fuv] when they signed Pettitte although I'm not sure if his status is clear yet.

He had some decent AA & AAA numbers last year and if one could overlook the time when he served up 4 consecutive bombs to the BoSox back in early '07** he could be a candidate.
Turns 26 this week.



** 4/22/07
After giving up 1 run over 3 innings and getting the first 2 outs in the 4th as the starter that day, Chase ran into a bit of trouble:
* M Ramirez - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF-CF)
* J Drew - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep CF-RF)
* M Lowell - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF)
* J Varitek - Home Run (Fly Ball to Deep LF)

He then struck out W.M. Pena to end the inning (and his day)

[MFS62]

Willy Mo Pena could strike out in a brothel.

Later

[Guest attgig]

Beimel is still looking for a job. i wonder what he'd be willing to accept at this point.

[smg58]

There are still plenty of lefties in the FA pool, including Joe Beimel and Will Ohman. Like everybody else currently unsigned, they are likely to be available for less than they're really worth. I see no good reason to go into camp with just the lefties that we have.

I'd also try offering Castillo (and as much salary as it takes) and one of our AAAA lefty outfielders to the Royals for Ron Mahay. Mahay is a decent lefty reliever who's probably overpaid at $4M this year, and the Royals might be the only team that needs a second baseman badly enough to give Castillo a look.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Okay, but then who plays second base?

Murphy? Cora? Or do the Mets then go ahead and sign Hudson?

[smg58]

I'm all for signing Hudson.

[Farmer Ted]

All wes gots is Feliciano and Misch. Wagner a possibility for a few weeks MAYBE at the end of the season. Do they go out and get another lefty reliever by the end of July?

[smg58]

I'm OK with two lefties. And besides, we have bigger holes.