The Mets pitching staff- do they have enough?
Last season the Mets had a deep starting rotation. It may not have been full of all-stars, but it was an area that was very competitive. Pedro Martinez was everything they hoped for when they signed him to a long-term free agent contract. Tom Glavine was not the same dominant pitcher that he was for the Atlanta Braves but was a plus. Steve Traschel was on the disabled list for a good portion of the season following back surgery. But he seemed to be close to being back to his form when he returned, which is basically just over a .500 pitcher who chews up a lot of innings. Victor Zambrano is still with the Mets for now. He has been very wild at times with a high pitch count that includes too many walks and hit batsmen. He will have the specter of Scott Kazmir haunting him for as long as he dons the blue and orange. Then we have Aaron Heilman. The former number one draft choice from Notre Dame may finally get a real shot to be in the rotation. The young right-hander has had his problems in the major leagues. He seemed to settle down last season pitching in the rotation and out of the bullpen. He changed his delivery back to the drop-down style he used in college. He pitched a complete game one-hitter early in the season and was effective as a middle reliever. He was sent to winter ball as a starter and had success. He let it be known that he would rather be traded than remain in relief. Perhaps the Mets made these deals with the intention of letting Heilman take over one of the spots. The Mets are now thin in the rotation where last season they had a Seo or a Heilman to plug in for a spot start. They have spring training to see if one of their young arms is ready for 'the show' or require more seasoning at Norfolk. The organization is very high on Brian Bannister but he has to prove it on the big stage. They revamped their bullpen, but the jury is out if it is improved. Billy Wagner is an obvious upgrade over Braden Looper at closer. But the picture is murky after him. Their most effective middle men were Heilman and the ageless Roberto Hernandez, who departed as a free agent to Pittsburgh. The arms they received in the recent trades are not a lock by any stretch. Jorge Julio seemed to have lost his confidence and effectiveness with Baltimore. And Duaner Sanchez had decent numbers as far as hits to walks and innings pitched last season with the Dodgers. They picked up a few other relievers to replace the departed arms. Middle relief is such a premium in baseball these days. Last season it was a weakness for the Mets and General Manager Omar Minaya has to receive some credit in realizing the need for change and addressing it. The hot trade rumor is Barry Zito to the Mets. Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane is shrewd and will not give the Mets any breaks because he broke in with them as a player. He will try to get as much as he can for his left-hander. It will most likely take at least Heilman and Lastings Milledge, the Mets top minor league prospect. Zito may be worth it but he has been somewhat inconsistent the past few years. It would be a trade that Minaya may be forced to make at the trading deadline. Joe Pietaro |
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With the recent trades of starting pitchers Jae Seo and Kris Benson, many people have asked the question if the New York Mets may have traded away an area of strength to clog their middle relief with a bunch of question marks. Have they overcompensated by cutting their nose off to spite their face? 