Speaking to reporters at Citi Field today, GM Sandy Alderson pretty much validated what I suspected a few days ago and said it’s unlikely the Mets sign a second lefty.
“Right now, it’s sign a guy to a major league deal and eliminate all the competition, or sign some minor league deals and create some competition together with what we already have,” Alderson explained.
Alderson said he likes likes the potential competition between recently signed minor leaguer Scott Rice and Rule 5 selection Sean Gilmartin and if nothing comes of it, he’s perfectly OK going with six righties in the bullpen.
There’s a chance, as I mentioned below, that they’ll bring in another lefty on a minor league deal.
December 12
The New York Mets officially announced that they have signed LHP Scott Rice to a minor league contract which includes an invite to Spring Training, with big league team.
Rice, 33, had season-ending elbow surgery on July 23 after making 32 appearances and pitching to a 5.93 ERA and 1.976 WHIP.
He was removed from the 40-man roster in October, but the two sides remained in contact.
With the addition of left-hander Sean Gilmartin via Rule 5 on Thursday, he’ll need to be kept on the 25 man roster or the Mets will have to return him to his former team,
That pretty much gives him a leg up as the second lefty in the Mets bullpen unless he completely flops in Spring Training like Vic Black did last March.
The Mets did meet with at least six lefty relievers during the Winter Meetings including Craig Breslow, Phil Coke and Neal Cotts, but nothing came from any of those discussions and Sandy Alderson later confirmed that there was nothing imminent.
I believe the Mets will try and sign one more lefty reliever on a minor league deal and then have him, Rice and Gilmartin battle it out this Spring. In other words, don’t expect the Mets to sign a lefty reliever to a major league deal.
