TheFightinPhils
02-09-2005, 03:15 PM
NEW YORK -- The lengthy list of improvements Omar Minaya made to the Mets this winter has had the club on the back pages of the New York tabs and on the minds of many in the baseball community.
The additions of Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran and Doug Mientkiewicz, along with the strengthening of the bench, have certainly upgraded the team. The one area, however, that remains suspect as the club heads into the final few days before Spring Training is the bullpen, specifically the bridge between the starters and closer Braden Looper.
Looper had the best season of his career in 2004, posting a career-high 29 saves while becoming only the third pitcher in history to appear in 70 or more games in six consecutive seasons. He proved that he could handle the pressure of pitching in New York, though there wasn't much at stake the final two months of the season. Still, his 2.70 ERA was a career low.
With the much-improved Mets expected to be in the thick of the National League East race well into the summer and probably even into September, Looper will get a chance to show the form he displayed in the 2003 World Series, pitching in tight spots.
The only proven arm the Mets have to get the ball to Looper is right-hander Mike DeJean, who had a 1.69 ERA in 17 appearances after a trade brought him over from Baltimore last summer. He fractured his left fibula at the end of August, costing him the final five weeks of the season. He will be counted on heavily since Mike Stanton was traded and Ricky Bottalico wasn't re-signed.
Tyler Yates was supposed to be part of the reworked bullpen after a promising finish to the 2004 season. But he underwent rotator cuff surgery last week and is likely out for the entire season. That leaves a huge hole because of the power Yates was able to supply in short bursts, such as an eighth-inning role.
The Mets are hopeful that Scott Strickland can return from Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2004 season and much of 2003. If Strickland is healthy, and all indications are that he is, than the former closer-in-training could become the integral cog in the 'pen. He has the power arm that will be needed and a closer's grit that should serve him well.
Korean star Dae-Sung Koo will handle the bulk of the action from the left side. Though he pitched well in Korea and Japan, that hasn't always guaranteed success in the Major Leagues, a fact to which Satoru Komiyama can attest. Southpaw Felix Heredia, acquired from the Yankees in the deal for Stanton, will also see some action.
Bartolome Fortunato and Heath Bell, both of whom had mixed results last season, are also expected to be part of the relief corps.
Otherwise, Grant Roberts will have to bounce back from shoulder surgery while a bevy of non-roster invitees -- Scott Stewart, Mike Matthews, Roberto Hernandez, Manny Aybar, Joe Nelson, Juan Padilla and Orber Moreno -- will all have a chance to make the club.
Long relief is also an issue. Jae Seo, Matt Ginter and Aaron Heilman are obvious candidates, but all three have been mentioned at one time or another as trade bait and are still first-line-of-defense candidates should someone in the rotation go down.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/news/nym_news.jsp?ymd=20050209&content_id=941012&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp
The additions of Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran and Doug Mientkiewicz, along with the strengthening of the bench, have certainly upgraded the team. The one area, however, that remains suspect as the club heads into the final few days before Spring Training is the bullpen, specifically the bridge between the starters and closer Braden Looper.
Looper had the best season of his career in 2004, posting a career-high 29 saves while becoming only the third pitcher in history to appear in 70 or more games in six consecutive seasons. He proved that he could handle the pressure of pitching in New York, though there wasn't much at stake the final two months of the season. Still, his 2.70 ERA was a career low.
With the much-improved Mets expected to be in the thick of the National League East race well into the summer and probably even into September, Looper will get a chance to show the form he displayed in the 2003 World Series, pitching in tight spots.
The only proven arm the Mets have to get the ball to Looper is right-hander Mike DeJean, who had a 1.69 ERA in 17 appearances after a trade brought him over from Baltimore last summer. He fractured his left fibula at the end of August, costing him the final five weeks of the season. He will be counted on heavily since Mike Stanton was traded and Ricky Bottalico wasn't re-signed.
Tyler Yates was supposed to be part of the reworked bullpen after a promising finish to the 2004 season. But he underwent rotator cuff surgery last week and is likely out for the entire season. That leaves a huge hole because of the power Yates was able to supply in short bursts, such as an eighth-inning role.
The Mets are hopeful that Scott Strickland can return from Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2004 season and much of 2003. If Strickland is healthy, and all indications are that he is, than the former closer-in-training could become the integral cog in the 'pen. He has the power arm that will be needed and a closer's grit that should serve him well.
Korean star Dae-Sung Koo will handle the bulk of the action from the left side. Though he pitched well in Korea and Japan, that hasn't always guaranteed success in the Major Leagues, a fact to which Satoru Komiyama can attest. Southpaw Felix Heredia, acquired from the Yankees in the deal for Stanton, will also see some action.
Bartolome Fortunato and Heath Bell, both of whom had mixed results last season, are also expected to be part of the relief corps.
Otherwise, Grant Roberts will have to bounce back from shoulder surgery while a bevy of non-roster invitees -- Scott Stewart, Mike Matthews, Roberto Hernandez, Manny Aybar, Joe Nelson, Juan Padilla and Orber Moreno -- will all have a chance to make the club.
Long relief is also an issue. Jae Seo, Matt Ginter and Aaron Heilman are obvious candidates, but all three have been mentioned at one time or another as trade bait and are still first-line-of-defense candidates should someone in the rotation go down.
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/news/nym_news.jsp?ymd=20050209&content_id=941012&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp