Joe Janish at Mets Today
Sure, the Mets lost shortstop Jose Reyes, but Sandy Alderson is not one to let grass grow under his feet. The genius GM made a whirlwind of moves guaranteed to make the Mets almost as good as they were in 2011 — and at minimum, assures them a fifth-place finish in the NL East.
I suppose that leaves the bullpen looking something like: Francisco, Ramirez, Rauch, Acosta, Bobby Parnell, Tim Byrdak and, I don’t know… Pedro Beato? DJ Carrasco? Daniel Herrera? Longman McGee? I guess there’s no reason to settle on the 12th pitcher in December. Plus there’s a solid chance more trades will be made. Hell, at this rate there’s a strong possibility more trades have been made while I’ve been writing this.
Sure, the Mets bullpen looks better this morning than it did yesterday. Of course, Terry Collins is happy. His job just got easier. The reinforced bullpen might even help the Mets win an extra game or two in 2012.
No, they didn’t just win the pennant, for those who want to dismiss any minor move. But this is a good move for the Mets.
There are reasons not to like these deals — dollars per win, Francisco’s health, Rauch’s mediocrity, the current state of the Mets — but the fact remains that Bobby Parnell has not proven he can be a cheap closer, the Mets revamped a sorry bullpen for a decent price, and they may have even acquired a piece with future trade value.JB at JBMets
Just looking at the bullpen, tonight was a great night for the Mets. Rauch and Rodriguez are great additions, and really bring some depth to the bullpen. Terry now has a few guys he can turn to late in games. Francisco wasn't my choice for closer, but it is nice knowing that someone is there. And the price was right, which I'm sure played a huge role in Sandy's decision.Have your own link? Leave it in the comments.