According to Rotoworld the Mets have declined to offer salary arbitration to C Paul Lo Duca, C Sandy Alomar Jr., 1B Jeff Conine, C Mike DiFelice, INF Damion Easley, OF Shawn Green, RHP Aaron Sele and 2B Jose Valentin.

No big surprises here. Easley's deal still isn't official, but he has agreed to terms with the Mets. I really don't see any of the others coming back unless it's for minor league deals, then I could see both DiFelice or Sele accepting those roles. Read More...

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A hot topic around the Mets blogosphere lately has been the recent inefficiency of the Mets Bullpen. Global NYM reader Jill writes...

The Mets will not make the pennant with the Bullpen the way it is. Besides, Wagner and Heilman the rest of them need to get more work. To lose last night's game which Glavine pitched great was a nightmare. When I saw Mota coming, I turned it off. I knew exactly how this would play out and it did. Every night it's the same thing, the parade of relief pitchers that come in and can't get the job done is getting old. I don't understand why Mota was brought in with after all of his last attempts the Mets have lost. Billy Wagner can pitch an extra inning. Tim McGraw used to and so did Jesse Orosco. If I see Mota again, I'm TURNING THE GAME OFF. He might be good one day, but not right now with September right around the corner. I hope in the Winter they can get some good relief pitchers.

I've been a defender of Mota since he returned from his suspension earlier this season, blaming his poor play on the lack of a spring training, but even now, I must agree, this guy is terrible, he never gets the big out when we need it, and is almost money in the bank for opposing hitters. Mota simply cannot get the job done.

I think Mota constantly coming in the games despite his horrendous pitching has been based on two factors. First, Manager Willie Randolph seems to have an endless confidence in Mota, as if Mota were a veteran that you know will bust out of this slump (sort of like why the Mets were never going to bench Delgado no matter how bad he played this season). Secondly, I think it has to do with the economics of baseball, Mota is making $1.8 Million this year, and is signed through next season for the rest of his $5 million contract. Bottom line, the Mets are paying Mota, so they have to play Mota. This would also explain why Mota is used more in big game spots rather than Pedro Feliciano or Aaron Heilman, despite the fact that Heilman and Feliciano have consistently dominated both righties and lefties, for the last two seasons.

The Mets bullpen needs some drastic change. With the rosters expanding Saturday, I don't expect the Mets to up and release Mota, but there needs to be a change in how the bullpen is used.

First, Pedro Feliciano is NOT, I repeat NOT a lefty specialist. Just because someone is left handed and has a small contract, it doesn't... automatically make them a lefty specialist. While lefties are batting an abysmally low .149 against Feliciano, Righties aren't doing much better, batting a mere .202. Ironically, thats the same BAA vs righties as Closer Billy Wagner and setup man Jorge Sosa, it's better than any of the Mets other relievers righty or lefty (minus Ambiorix Burgos who didn't have very many appearances), so how exactly did Feliciano even get this reputation for being a lefty specialist? Comparatively, Scott Shoeneweis who Willie brings in to face righties all the time has a BAA vs righties of .330. If anyone in that bullpen is a lefty specialist, it's Schoeneweis.

Second, The Mets have to bring back Joe Smith when rosters expand, and make him a more instrumental part of that bullpen. Most of us expect Smith to be on the playoff roster, there is no way he should not be on this team in favor of Guillermo Mota or Aaron Sele.

Third, If Sosa is going to be the setup man, use him as such, meaning he pitches the 8th inning, whenever the Mets have the lead. I don't want to see Sosa come in in the 6th inning to face one batter, then come out of the game, so we can see Shoeneweis in the 8th. Bullpens need to have routines. Based on how our starters do, the bullpen should be able to figure out who's going to come in before it happens. I'm sick of Willie randomly flipping a coin to decide who he's going to bring in all the time.

Fourth, I've been asking this for a while, and Gary Cohen said it last week. Is Aaron Sele even still on this team? The Mets got Sele to be the long man out of the bullpen, but when a mets starter gives up 5 runs in 3 innings, we seeing Jorge Sosa or Aaron Heilman warming up in the bullpen. If you're not going to use Sele EVER, why is he even taking up a spot on the roster, especially in a bullpen that has been worn out like the Mets. Not to mention, in the rare situation that Sele actually does come in the game, he can't get anyone out. since August 1st, Sele has made a grand total of 6 appearances,for a total of 8.1 innings, and in that time, allowed 14 hits 0 walks and 6 runs for a WHIP of 1.68, and an ERA of 6.75. So I ask again... Is Aaron Sele still a part of this team?

Unfortunately with Ambiorix Burgos having Tommy John Surgery, the Mets are short on bullpen options, unless they add some one (like minor league relievers Willie Collazo, Jon Adkins, or Steve Schmoll) to the 40 man roster before September 1st, the playoff bullpen roster will be limited to:

Billy Wagner
Jorge Sosa
Aaron Heilman
Pedro Feliciano
Scott Schoeneweis
Guillermo Mota
Aaron Sele
Joe Smith

The only other option would be to use a starting pitcher out of the bullpen; of course, this will be highly dependent on Pedro Martinez's performance in September. Read More...

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For those of you who have been keeping up with the latest baseball rumors, the Mets have been linked to left handed starter for the Chicago White Sox, Mark Buerhle. So far this season, in 14 starts for the Sox this season, Buehrle is 4–4 with 3.39 ERA, during which opponents are batting .238 against him. He has struck out 60 batters in 93 innings while walking just 17. However, there are a few catches to going after this guy.

1) Hes a free agent after this season. Which means it could turn into another Mike Hampton situation

2) Hes said repeatedly that he wants to pitch in his hometown of St Louis

So what do you do in this case? Well the New York Post is reporting that if the trade happens the Mets want a 72 hour time period to negotiate an extention. I like that idea. However, the Mets are not so thrilled with giving up Pelfrey and or Milledge.

If this does happen, one should keep in mind the influx of starters the Mets would have. What do we do if and when Pedro comes back this season?

My suggestions are as follows:

1) Try to get Buehrle for Milledge and a "Tier 2" prospect..someone who probably wont have an impact. We all remember what happened last time we traded our top arm. We got crap in return.

2) Get an extension. Absolutely nothing happens unless the extension has the potential to happen.

3) Deal with what we have and try to fill a spot in the bullpen. I dont want schoenweis or Sele on a potential postseason roster. Either Sosa or Pelfrey should fill Sele's spot.



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