According to a report by Adam Rubin in the Daily News, Mets lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano is looking for a multi-year deal this off season as he enters his final season with the Mets. Rubin writes,
Feliciano, 33, is arbitration-eligible and under the Mets’ control for the 2010 season. After that, he will be eligible for free agency. But both Mets officials and Feliciano expect to speak about a multi-year deal this winter. Either way, Feliciano is due a raise from the $1.6 million he’s earning this season.
Feliciano could win as much as $3 million in arbitration which is basically what some of the league’s top setup men are getting. The Mets have tried to use Feliciano in a crossover role before and ended up with some disastrous results. He has thrived as a lefty specialist and has limited lefthanded hitters to a .232 average and .259 on-base percentage this season.
I don’t know what kind of a value you can place on Feliciano, but he has been a constant in the Mets bullpen for a few years now. There is no doubting his effectiveness.
He is also on the verge of breaking his own Mets franchise record for appearances which he set with 86 appearances last season. He currently stands at 78 appearances with 18 games left to play. It looks like he could do it.
In seven seasons with the Mets, Feliciano has compiled 305 innings in 357 games with a 3.33 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. This season his ERA is 3.09 and his whip is 1.19.
I think the Mets have to sign him at this point. He has been the most effective left hander in the bullpen and the Mets have struggled all season long to find a second lefty for that bullpen. He is even having a better season than both Will Ohman and Joe Beimel who were highly sought last off season, though both signed for far less then what they expected due to the current economic climate.
Maybe the Mets should see if he would bite on a 3-year $7.5 million dollar offer?
*Mets Merized Online Needs Your Help*
Mets better keep him.
Considering this is the same team that signed Scott Schoeneweis to an exuberant three year deal, it seems like a given that they would lock up Feliciano, who has been outstanding for them the past four seasons.
However, I could picture heading into Opening Day next season with Feliciano on a one year deal because the team cannot/will not commit the money due to their financial troubles.
The Mets also have a track record with letting good relievers go (Heath Bell, Darren Oliver, Chad Bradford).
Personally, I’d go with a two-three year deal on Feliciano without any reservations. He is a workhorse and he has proven that he is durable enough to pitch whenever he is needed.
It will be amazing if we lose him because we’re cheap, especially amazing if we lose him to the Phils or Braves.
Um, 3 out the last 4 seasons to be exact, but yeah, he is pretty much the man.
And don’t say without any reservations. He is still a relief pitcher, so no absurd 8-figure stuff.
Mets need to keep him because of the fact that lefty set up men are in great need in the NL East with Braves and Phillies. Mets cannot be dumb and under cut him then let him walk to Phillies down the road. This is a no brainer, ever hear of those Mets?
Mets should obviously keep him. They should have no problem meeting his terms either. I mean they DID give Ollie his contract….