Feb
9
2011

Mets Bring Back Mighty Casey Fossum

An article by Hojo's Mojo

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, the Mets continue to bring in more arms and have signed free-agent LHP Casey Fossum to a minor league deal.

The 33-year-old Fossum is a Cherry Hill, New Jersey native, and has not pitched in the big leagues since 2009, when he played for the Mets and made three appearances for them that season. In his three previous seasons he was wild and ineffective posting ERAs of 5.33 in 2006, 7.70 in 2007 and 5.66 in 2008.

Fossum gets added to a group of left-handers that will compete for one or two bullpen spots in spring training and include pitchers Oliver Perez, Taylor Tankersley, Tim Byrdak, and Mike O’Connor.

Only hours before signing Fossum, the Mets also added RH reliever Dale Thayer. It seems to me that the Mets are scrambling to hedge their bets on many of the high-risk signings they’ve made this offseason.

I would argue that it might have been better to fork over $2-$3 million dollars to sign one proven quality (and healthy) reliever – a known quantity, rather than signing four high-risk, unpredictable pitchers at around $700K – $1.0MM each with the hope that one of them pans out.

This is going to be an interesting Spring Training camp.

About the Author: Rob Johnson

10 Comments + Add Comment

Raf February 9, 2011 at 1:55 pm

Nothing’s “a known quantity”
- Bayonne Mets Fan February 9, 2011 at 2:04 pm
  
  oh yes there is – relatively speaking.
Chris February 9, 2011 at 3:06 pm

“many of the high-risk signings they’ve made this offseason.”

who have the Mets signed that are high-risk exactly? as far as I know they haven’t signed anyone new to more than a minor league contract or a couple million guaranteed in the majors. Players aren’t high-risk because they get injured. They’re high-risk when you pay them like they don’t get injured.

giving Ben Sheets 10 million, that was high-risk.

All these moves are LOW-risk moves with tons of upside.
- Vinny B February 9, 2011 at 3:14 pm
  
  “They’re high-risk when you pay them like they don’t get injured.”
  
  They are also high risk when you have to count on them to stay healthy. Which is the case with a lot of the guys we have signed.
  - Donal February 9, 2011 at 3:21 pm
    
    Who do they have to count on? Capuano and Young? They are the back of the rotation, if they go down, there are still options. You’re 4th and 5th guys don’t need to be All-Stars.
    - PM February 9, 2011 at 8:30 pm
      
      Ummm…incase you haven’t noticed, we don’t really have much of a front of the rotation either.
      - Donal February 9, 2011 at 8:54 pm
        
        We have 3 solid guys. I actually expect big things from Niese.
        
        PM February 9, 2011 at 10:34 pm
        
        Just because you “expect” Niese to be good it doesn’t make him an ace, #2 or even a #3 pitcher. I would think that realistically he would project as a #4. Niese has a .500 record and a similar ERA to Pelfrey (another #4). Santana (ex ace who now would be a #2 in my opinion) is out half the season. Everyone else is a #5 with the exception of Ollie who is a #7.
        
        t agee February 9, 2011 at 10:42 pm
        
        Young pitchers always have their ups and downs. I’d expect to see some of that from Niese this year. The young pitcher who projects to me to be the more consistent is Gee. He seems to have better command. Now whether he can vary it up a little his 3rd and 4th time through the league will be telling but I see less variance from start to start out of him then Niese.
- baseball1010 February 10, 2011 at 11:23 am
  
  I agree, where are the high risk signings? Whom ever wrote this article has no idea what a minor league invite is. How is Fossum coming to minor league spring training in March and competing for a spot in the big league pen. He starts full work outs around March 10th and 1/3 of the major league spring training games are over.

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	23	18	.561	-
Nationals	23	19	.548	0.5
Phillies	20	23	.465	4.0
Mets	16	24	.400	6.5
Marlins	11	31	.262	12.5

Last updated: 05/18/2013

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