New York Mets sign Frank Francisco, add strength to bull-pen – MLB Update
The New York Mets were aiming to revitalize their bull-pen towards the end of this past season citing major losses at the hands of some relatively incompetent teams. While the offence was credible, the Mets lacked impetus in their defence and thus the sudden
dip in form. The ownership and management expressed a desire to revamp the roster before the next season begins and have already allowed star players like Jose Reyes to leave the franchise.
The Mets adopted a cautious approach in the advent of the offseason, but are picking pace as the spring training approaches. With Citi Field undergoing drastic changes in a bid to make it neutral for batters, the Mets have set their focus on improving the
mix of their bull-pen.
A latest addition to this pitching staff came in the form of Frank Francisco, who was officially unveiled as the team’s new closer after signing a two-year 12-million-dollar deal. The Mets had already signed Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez earlier in the offseason
and Francisco’s addition will complete a trio of pitchers that is expected t become a force to reckon in Major League Baseball.
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays last season, Francisco saved 17 chances in the 54 games that he played at a decent ERA of 3.55, winning one and dropping four games in the process. Although his numbers are not as impressive as his pitching, his skill-set
is something that will surely hatch during his stint at Citi Field.
This move may be termed as a bargain move by experts, but the value of the contract explains the worth of the player in its truest sense. Nevertheless, now that Frank is onboard, general manager Sandy Alderson has voiced his desire of landing another pitcher
to assist the trio in particular and the bull-pen in general. A relatively cheaper player in terms of monetary value will be someone that the GM will aim to land.
Generally speaking, the Mets are trying their best to match their division rivals with all the limited resources that they have. The Miami Marlins have cash to solve their problems, but it will be interesting to see how the Mets manage to solve their own
problems.
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