For Norm Charlton & Others Mets Bullpen Could Be Shot At Return To The Bigs

After a rather stagnant off-season highlighted only by the trade of Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to Toronto for several top prospects the Mets gobbled up veteran relief pitchers for the 2013 staff.

LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Atchison, Pedro Feliciano, and Brandon Lyon have been signed and will have the chance to make the squad.

But the Alderson administration did not stop there. Believing that there is power in numbers  - as long as those numbers are not on major league contracts - the Mets also offered minor league deals to the following players, all of whom have major league experience.

• John Wetteland
• Paul Assenmacher
• Ricky Bottalico
• Russ Springer
• Scott Service
• Robb Nen
• Norm Charlton
• Rick Aguilera
• Rheal Cormier
• Mike Maddux
• Stan Belinda
• Paul Quantrill
• Dan Plesac
• Robert Person

Should they all survive spring training in good shape then the team should have the bullpens filled right down to their high-A ball team.

Since these are all veteran relievers, to say the least, extensive medical checks were necessary prior to signing.  At a minimum each had an x-ray series, MRI, and a colonoscopy just to be on the safe side.

Any of the above who fail to get their fastball above 84 miles per hour will be shunted over to Field 7 in Port St. Lucie which has been renamed the Hoyt Wilhelm Memorial Knuckleball Training Field. These pitchers will be taught the art of throwing the knuckler. It's a longshot but, heck, so was R.A.

After all Toronto still has a few more prospects that Alderson covets.

All articles featured on The Apple are fictitious. No Mets were harmed in the writing of this story. Follow Larry on Twitter @dr4sight.

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