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NEW YORK -- The Mets' sense that their bullpen was lacking has prompted them to make another trade aimed at reinforcing their relief pitching at the expense of their rotation. Less than a month after dealing Jae Seo, their best starting pitcher for a month late last summer, they have dealt their No. 3 starter as well.
Kris Benson was traded to the Orioles on Saturday in an exchange that imports right-handed reliever Jorge Julio, formerly the Orioles closer, and a modest right-handed pitching prospect, John Maine.
Sources with both clubs confirmed the trade has been made. An announcement was expected this afternoon, and the Mets have scheduled a 3 p.m. ET conference call with the media.
The deal came eight days after the Devil Rays traded Danys Baez, the reliever the Mets coveted most, to the Dodgers and several days after the Mets reasoned they no longer had a chance to work a trade with the Dodgers for Baez.
Now Julio is part of the Mets' almost totally remodeled and predominantly right-handed bullpen. He and Duaner Sanchez, the reliever acquired from the Dodgers in the Seo trade, are likely to be the setup men for Billy Wagner, the lone left-handed pitcher guaranteed a place in the 'pen.
Julio, who saved 83 games for the Orioles from 2002-2004, lost the closer assignment to B.J. Ryan last season and was used in setup relief. At age 26 in his fourth big-league season, he produced a 3-5 record a 5.90 ERA in 67 appearances and 71 2/3 innings. His ERA has increased three straight years from 1.99 in 2002, to 4.38 in 2003, 4.57 in 2004 and 5.90 last summer.
A person familiar with the decline in Julio's career characterized it this way Saturday: "He has gone from closer, to setup to mopup."
Julio is unsigned for 2006 and has filed for salary arbitration. He submitted a proposal for a $2.3 million salary, the Orioles' proposal -- which now will be the Mets' if the case goes to hearing, is $2.8 million.
Maine, 24, made his Major League debut in 2004 and has a 2-4 record and 6.60 ERA in 11 Major League appearances, nine of them starts. Executives from three other clubs were mostly unimpressed with Maine, one suggesting he isn't ready to take a regular turn in he rotation of a contender.
The departures of Seo and Benson appear to indicate one or two changes in the Mets' thinking. It now seems more likely that Aaron Heilman will be part of the rotation, as he prefers, and/or that Alay Soler, the right-handed Cuban defector, looms larger in the club's plans.
No matter who replaces Benson and Seo, the changes leave the Mets without depth in starting pitching. When Seo was traded, general manager Omar Minaya indicated that Soler was part of the depth he would rely on. Now Benson and his seven years of experience are gone, too, and Soler, who never has pitched in a professional game in the United States, evidently has moved up on the Mets' depth chart.
At the same time, the Mets have developed a greater need for a left-handed setup reliever, a commodity hardly available in abundance. They had steadfastly said Heilman, who is right-handed, would handle left-handed batters because of his effective changeup. If Heilman is in the rotation now, which pitcher will provide that service?
The Mets have left-handed relievers invited to camp -- veteran Darren Oliver who was released twice last season, Pedro Feliciano who had his moments in stops with the Mets in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and castoff Matt Perisho -- but none is likely to win a place in the bullpen. The higher-profile relievers the Mets have acquired, other than Wagner, have been exclusively right-handed: Sanchez, Chad Bradford, Steve Schmoll and now Julio.
After the Seo-for-Sanchez deal, a member of the Mets' hierarchy said Heilman could be moved to the rotation if Baez were acquired. But he also noted the club had an undiminished need for a left-handed specialist.
Benson had been made available early in the offsesason, and Jim Duquette, the former Mets general manager who now works with Mike Flanagan in the baseball operations with the Orioles, had interested in Benson almost from the time he assumed his new duties.
While Benson was a bit of a disappointment to the Mets -- partially because of injury -- he did win 10 games last summer. Only Pedro Martinez (15) and Tom Glavine (13) won more. Now the Mets have to replace Benson's 10 victories and Seo's eight.
The rotation now appears to include Martinez, who is 34 and whose readiness to pitch has been an issue since September because the big toe on his right foot is inflamed, soon-to-turn 40-year-old Glavine; 35-year-old Steve Trachsel, inconsistent Victor Zambrano and either Heilman or Soler.
The club had seemed to move away from dealing Benson. Earlier this week, one of its executives spoke of Benson's value, citing his relatively inexpensive contract. Now the Orioles have assumed the obligation -- $15
Kris Benson was traded to the Orioles on Saturday in an exchange that imports right-handed reliever Jorge Julio, formerly the Orioles closer, and a modest right-handed pitching prospect, John Maine.
Sources with both clubs confirmed the trade has been made. An announcement was expected this afternoon, and the Mets have scheduled a 3 p.m. ET conference call with the media.
The deal came eight days after the Devil Rays traded Danys Baez, the reliever the Mets coveted most, to the Dodgers and several days after the Mets reasoned they no longer had a chance to work a trade with the Dodgers for Baez.
Now Julio is part of the Mets' almost totally remodeled and predominantly right-handed bullpen. He and Duaner Sanchez, the reliever acquired from the Dodgers in the Seo trade, are likely to be the setup men for Billy Wagner, the lone left-handed pitcher guaranteed a place in the 'pen.
Julio, who saved 83 games for the Orioles from 2002-2004, lost the closer assignment to B.J. Ryan last season and was used in setup relief. At age 26 in his fourth big-league season, he produced a 3-5 record a 5.90 ERA in 67 appearances and 71 2/3 innings. His ERA has increased three straight years from 1.99 in 2002, to 4.38 in 2003, 4.57 in 2004 and 5.90 last summer.
A person familiar with the decline in Julio's career characterized it this way Saturday: "He has gone from closer, to setup to mopup."
Julio is unsigned for 2006 and has filed for salary arbitration. He submitted a proposal for a $2.3 million salary, the Orioles' proposal -- which now will be the Mets' if the case goes to hearing, is $2.8 million.
Maine, 24, made his Major League debut in 2004 and has a 2-4 record and 6.60 ERA in 11 Major League appearances, nine of them starts. Executives from three other clubs were mostly unimpressed with Maine, one suggesting he isn't ready to take a regular turn in he rotation of a contender.
The departures of Seo and Benson appear to indicate one or two changes in the Mets' thinking. It now seems more likely that Aaron Heilman will be part of the rotation, as he prefers, and/or that Alay Soler, the right-handed Cuban defector, looms larger in the club's plans.
No matter who replaces Benson and Seo, the changes leave the Mets without depth in starting pitching. When Seo was traded, general manager Omar Minaya indicated that Soler was part of the depth he would rely on. Now Benson and his seven years of experience are gone, too, and Soler, who never has pitched in a professional game in the United States, evidently has moved up on the Mets' depth chart.
At the same time, the Mets have developed a greater need for a left-handed setup reliever, a commodity hardly available in abundance. They had steadfastly said Heilman, who is right-handed, would handle left-handed batters because of his effective changeup. If Heilman is in the rotation now, which pitcher will provide that service?
The Mets have left-handed relievers invited to camp -- veteran Darren Oliver who was released twice last season, Pedro Feliciano who had his moments in stops with the Mets in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and castoff Matt Perisho -- but none is likely to win a place in the bullpen. The higher-profile relievers the Mets have acquired, other than Wagner, have been exclusively right-handed: Sanchez, Chad Bradford, Steve Schmoll and now Julio.
After the Seo-for-Sanchez deal, a member of the Mets' hierarchy said Heilman could be moved to the rotation if Baez were acquired. But he also noted the club had an undiminished need for a left-handed specialist.
Benson had been made available early in the offsesason, and Jim Duquette, the former Mets general manager who now works with Mike Flanagan in the baseball operations with the Orioles, had interested in Benson almost from the time he assumed his new duties.
While Benson was a bit of a disappointment to the Mets -- partially because of injury -- he did win 10 games last summer. Only Pedro Martinez (15) and Tom Glavine (13) won more. Now the Mets have to replace Benson's 10 victories and Seo's eight.
The rotation now appears to include Martinez, who is 34 and whose readiness to pitch has been an issue since September because the big toe on his right foot is inflamed, soon-to-turn 40-year-old Glavine; 35-year-old Steve Trachsel, inconsistent Victor Zambrano and either Heilman or Soler.
The club had seemed to move away from dealing Benson. Earlier this week, one of its executives spoke of Benson's value, citing his relatively inexpensive contract. Now the Orioles have assumed the obligation -- $15
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