David Aardsma hasn’t seen much action in the Major Leagues over the past two seasons thanks to injury, but could find his way into the Mets bullpen in the coming weeks after joining the team on a minor league deal today. (Image Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports)

David Aardsma didn’t have to wait long once he hit the open market last Thursday, as the 31 year old has agreed to a deal to join the New York Mets according to a team release. Aardsma will report to the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.

Having joined the Miami Marlins on a minor league deal in the offseason, Aardsma had been pitching well at Triple-A. In 14.0 IP across 10 appearances he’d posted a 2.57 ERA and 1.214 WHIP. Most importantly he seemed to be healthy again, having missed most of the past two seasons to injury. With it looking increasingly less likely that he’d be called up to the Marlins bullpen, Aardsma exercised an opt-out clause in his contract last week that permitted him to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Reports surfaced quickly that the Hanshin Tigers had expressed some interest in bringing Aardsma to Japan, but it seemed inevitable that he’d find an opportunity somewhere here given the volatility of relievers across baseball. The Mets will give him that opportunity and if he can continue to throw well in the minor leagues then chances are high that he could make his way into the team’s bullpen mix before long. Beyond Bobby Parnell the team hasn’t seen the production from their bullpen that they were hoping for heading into the season and reinforcements will be welcomed.

Once a promising pitcher, Rick Ankiel remade himself into a Major League outfielder and while recently cut from Houston he landed a new contract with the New York Mets. Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Few baseball players are attuned to the ups and downs of the game as Rick Ankiel. He was cut by the worst team in baseball, picked up by another team, made big plays in the field for less money than he was getting (I think) and that was just in the past week.

Ankiel is 33 in human years, but about 133 in baseball years. Every time it seems he is about to be exiled from the island for good, he swims to safety, regroups and survives. Don’t play musical chairs with this guy-he’ll whip you every time.

Once upon a time Ankiel was a phenom pitcher. His senior year in high school he finished 11-1 with an 0.47 earned run average. That sounds as if someone was swinging with his eyes closed and accidently put good enough wood on the ball to power it out of the park. Which may be true since Ankiel struck out 162 batters in 74 innings.

He reached the majors for the first time with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999 after capturing all sorts of  honors in the minors. He was barely past 20 for his Major League debut. Only a year later, however, Ankiel’s career began to go haywire. Pitching in the National League Division Series in a game that the Cardinals won, Ankiel threw five wild pitches in the third inning.

No one realized at the time that he wasn’t simply succumbing to nerves for that occasion or that we would never really see the promising Ankiel in tip-top form again. Remarkably, for no apparent reason, Ankiel lost his ability to throw strikes. He was so wild that umpires and bat boys alike had to wear armor for their own safety.

In almost no time Ankiel’s pitching career was ruined. Baseball fans shook their heads wondering what had happened to the young southpaw flame thrower, but they also believed they would never see him in uniform again by the end of the 2004 season.

Except in a feel-good, beat-the-odds story, Ankiel worked his way back to the majors as an outfielder by 2007 and batted .285. Between that year and this, Ankiel suited up for the Cardinals, the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, and Washington Nationals. He was a serviceable backup, but no star. Ankiel has never been as good as a position player as he projected to be as a pitcher. But he did maintain a job in the big leagues, an achievement that exceeded the grasp of 99.9 percent of baseball hopefuls.

When the Astros dumped Ankiel recently, after he appeared in 25 games in 2013, he was batting .194. If the Astros don’t want you, then your next stop is usually going to be retirement, a stint in some independent league, or a shot at a minor-league contract.

Instead, Ankiel was fortunate and was offered a deal from the Mets. The Mets had some holes they needed filling that neither concrete nor sand could fill in. So they took a shot with Ankiel. The same day he signed a contract he was starting in the outfield. Four games into his Mets career Ankiel is batting .250 and he helped win a game with a home run.

How long can Ankiel’s living on the edge last? Not much longer, one would guess. But you’ve got to give the guy props. He was doomed and adapted. He was locked out of his sport and he found a creative way back in. Yeah, maybe when he is in his 60s he will still have those might-have-been moments of regret about his pitching career. But Rick Ankiel can always be proud of the way he turned the bad hand dealt him in his favor.

Here’s a link to the interview that I posted on YouTube. It’s really cool, so please check it out. And tune in again real soon for more of “all the buzz on what wuzz.”

Shaun Marcum has landed on the DL and will not make his scheduled start on Sunday. (Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

Suffering from what has been described as bicep tendinitis and a sore neck, the New York Mets have placed right-handed pitcher Shaun Marcum on the 15-Day DL, according to ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin. Marcum had been expected to make his season and team debut on Sunday, at home against the Miami Marlins, but the team will need to make other plans in light in this move. Already coping with the loss of one of their top starting pitchers, as John Santana has already been ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury, the Mets were certainly not hoping for another injury to their rotation so early in the season.

Marcum signed with the Mets as a free agent this winter, a one year deal worth $4 Million. The now 31 year old made 21 starts for the Milwaukee Brewers last season, posting a 7-4 mark and 3.70 ERA in 124.0 IP. He had a solid season, including a career high 7.9 K/9 and there was some initial speculation that he could be in line for a multi year deal on the open market. That speculation included an assumption that there was no chance that he’d return to Milwaukee. However, the longer he remained available, the fewer options became available and Marcum would have to settle for the one year deal with New York.

Now Marcum finds himself on the DL, with no timetable set for his anticipated return.

It’s uncertain who’ll start in Marcum’s place on Sunday, but the early favorite appears to be Aaron Laffey. Laffey joined the Mets on a minor league deal over the winter, having spent the 2012 season with the Toronto Blue Jays. He’d throw 100.2 IP on the year, making 16 starts in 22 appearances on the year, with a 4-6 record and 4.56 ERA. He could merely be a placeholder for a few starts, either until Marcum returns healthy or until the team makes another move to add some pitching depth (such as signing free agent Chris Young).

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg should not be held back by inning counts this year as he was in 2012 when the team felt he was not far enough removed from surgery to go full blast all year. Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we have put the Stephen Strasburg fiasco behind us and he most likely will be treated like a real live pitcher rather than a porcelain doll, the Washington Nationals seem as solid top-to-bottom as any team in baseball. They should capture the National League East Division title and then fight it out in the playoffs with a strong chance of advancing to the World Series.

The last time the city of Washington, D.C. had a World Series winner (including a couple of versions of the Senators) Walter Johnson was on the team in 1924. To hear people talk Strasburg is the second coming of Walter Johnson, but after the team’s mollycoddling last season, shutting him down before the regular season ended, an act that help nip the Nationals’ own playoff run, I expect him to be superb.

Washington has the pitching (Gio Gonzalez won 21 games, though his name did come up in the paperwork of the Biogenesis Clinic files) and has rookie of the year Bryce Harper in the outfield, among other weapons. At this time last year many thought the Nationals might have a breakout year to push them above .500. Well, the Nationals zoomed all of the way to the top of the standings with 98 wins. Health permitting, the Nationals should be better this year.

The Nationals do not seem to have any holes in their lineup and are so wealthy in talent that they have two closers in Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen. Many of the players are young, too, and may be primed to post their best seasons. Washington definitely looks as good or better than any  team in either league.

Still, it’s the Atlanta Braves’ job to chase down the Nationals. They won’t do it in the regular season. Atlanta is not nearly as well-equipped to win as many regular-season games as Washington. The Braves are good, but not as good as the Nationals in most categories. The biggest void will be replacing future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones in the field and in the clubhouse. There’s no easy fix for that.

Two Braves players who will be intriguing to watch are starting pitcher Kris Medlen and closer Craig Kimbrel. At times they were each the hottest thrower in the National League in 2012, which for different reasons had them bordering on the unbelievable.

After scuffling for a few years Medlen began the season in the bullpen. But when he was shifted into the starting rotation in the latter stages of the season, all of a sudden he was Greg Maddux II. Medlen finished 10-1 with a 1.57 earned run average. The way he is talked about going into this season the Braves make it sound as if they expect 20-2 this time around.

Meanwhile, out in the bullpen Kimbrel was doing the same thing that Aroldis Chapman was doing in Cincinnati, though seemingly with less fanfare. In 2011, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound righty was the NL rookie of the year when he set a rookie record of saving 46 games. Last year, on his way to a second straight All-Star selection, Kimbrel saved 42 games. He also became the first pitcher in history to strike out more than 50 percent of the batters he faced. You used to hear the phrase about a handcuffed team at the plate that it couldn’t hit the ball out of the infield. Against Kimbrel teams can’t even get their bats on the ball.

It was not so long ago that the team of consequence in this division was the Philadelphia Phillies. Riding high one minute, falling apart the next, though, pretty well defined the Phils. They reached the playoffs four straight years, were a World Series favorite in 2012 after winning 102 games in 2011, but won just 81 games in 2013. Ryan Howard‘s Achilles heel was definitely the Phillies’ Achilles heel as well.

The disastrous year provoked the Phils into making some personnel changes, but no one is talking about Philadelphia possessing the greatest pitching rotation of all time the way they were two years ago. The Phillies are solid, though, and very dangerous in a short series as long as Roy Halladay stays well. He had some worrisome outings in spring training.

New York’s Metropolitans are also in this division and it figures to be a long summer at CitiField. There should be a few bright spots, starting with David Wright, once he glues his body back together after the World Baseball Classic.  Which should be enough to put the Mets ahead of the Marlins, who will have a shortage of pitching, a shortage of hitting, a shortage of wins, and a shortage of bright spots.

This is how the NL East Division should look in 2013: 1) Washington Nationals; 2) Philadelphia Phillies; 3) Atlanta Braves; 4) New York Mets; 5) Miami Marlins.

This may become a rare sight–Johan Santana throwing a pitch, as he is doing in spring training. Santana has apparently suffered a fresh shoulder injury and is likely to miss all of 2013. Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

At his best he was one of the best, but right now it appears that Johan Santana‘s pitching career might be over. It sounds as if his 2013 season is over before it began and that we may have seen the last of the New York Mets southpaw on the mound.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson announced Thursday that doctors indicate Santana has a tear of the anterior capsule in his left shoulder. When athletes wish they could have a do-over it is usually to rectify something like a wild pitch or a botched ground ball. Unfortunately, in Santana’s case this may be an instant replay of a devastating injury that he had recovered from after missing the entire 2011 season.

Without stating flat-out that Santana is doomed for this year, Alderson said that it was “a strong possibility” that the pitcher will undergo season-ending surgery. After that, well, who knows? Santana is 34 and if a guy at that age has to sit out two out of three seasons, that does not bode well for his future. In any case, he will be almost certainly be finished with the Mets since his contract with the team expires after this season.

Santana’s return to the Mets rotation in 2012 after losing that 2011 season was initially heartening, but the post-season analysis most definitely offered a mixed message. On the plus side, Santana was the Mets’ opening day starter and in mid-season he pitched the first no-hitter in the history of a team that began play in 1962. But in Santana’s last 10 starts he went 3-7 with an 8.27 earned run average, kind of a flashing light alerting people something was amiss. He adjourned to the disabled list before the end of August with a new injury described as lower back inflammation.

A native of Venezuela, the 6-foot, 210-pound lefty has a lifetime record of 139-78 in 12 Major League seasons, a winning percentage of 64.1. Between his days with the Minnesota Twins, his first team, and the Mets, Santana has led leagues in wins (once), ERA (three times), games started (twice), innings pitched (twice) and strikeouts (three times).  Santana twice won the American League Cy Young Award and is a four-time All-Star.

From the little information that has been publicized it is not clear, but unlikely, that Santana just taking time off to rest and then build strength in the shoulder is not going to be an alternative to surgery. If that route is chosen it could turn out to be a surprising cure or a waste of time. Either way Santana, who never threw an inning in spring training, doesn’t pitch, though he does collect a salary in excess of $25 million for this campaign.

It was bad enough when Santana needed major repair work the first time and everyone was rooting for him to bounce back from it. It would be doubly sad if his career has come to a screeching halt because of the same type of injury now. At the very least it sounds as if fresh surgery, followed by lengthy rehab, is a gamble. Will it work? Will it cure Santana’s throwing woes? There is no way to tell for sure unless he endures a new cut and puts 100 percent effort into starting over.

How frustrating it would be if Santana goes through all of that and still can’t pitch with his past effectiveness. How rewarding it would be if he puts up with all of that aggravation and returns to a lineup renewed and can still pitch in top form again. At one time Santana seemed to be on a path to the Hall of Fame. Now he would just like to be able to trod a path between the dugout and the mound.

August 22, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey (33) throws a pitch during the first inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets finally seem to be headed in the right direction. Since Yadier Molina’s home run cleared the fence at Shea Stadium in 2006, the Mets have been beset by an epic September collapse, terrible management decisions, a slew of injuries and involvement in America’s biggest Ponzi scheme. As the Mets head into 2013 GM Sandy Alderson has built the Mets in part by trading veteran assets for highly rated prospects.

This offseason Alderson dealt National League Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey for a package centered around catcher Travis d’Arnaud and pitcher Noah Syndergaard. D’Arnaud, Baseball America’s #23 rated prospect, batted .333 with 16 HR in 67 games in Triple-A in 2012. He will likely start the season at Triple-A, but should be called up by midseason. Syndergaard is Baseball America’s #54 rated prospect but will not figure in the Mets 2013 plans.

The Mets other major move of the offseason was locking up their only star David Wright to an eight year $138 million contract extension. Wright enjoyed a bounceback 2012, with a batting line of .306 BA/.391.OBP/.492 SLG. The six time All-Star is one of the premier infielders in the National League.

Wright and slugging first baseman Ike Davis should give the Mets a solid number three and four hitters in the lineup. Despite a terrible first half in 2012, Davis wound up leading the Mets with 32 HR and finishing second to Wright with 90 RBI.

Despite the presence of Wright and Davis, the 2013 New York Mets are not yet postseason contenders. The two highest paid outfielders on owner Fred Wilpon’s payroll are the recently departed Jason Bay and the long departed Bobby Bonilla. This years outfield includes a cast of characters such as Marlon Byrd, Collin Cowgill, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Lucas Duda.

An interesting player to watch in the early stages of the 2013 season is Jordany Valdespin. Valdespin has had a memorable spring batting .347 with four HR and one Justin Verlander 97 MPH fastball to the groin HBP. Currently Valdespin is seeing time at second base while starter Daniel Murphy recovers from an injury. When Murphy returns, Valdespin could see time in the outfield. Manager Terry Collins has been so impressed with Valdespin that he recently told NY radio station WFAN that he is considering the youngster for the leadoff role.

The biggest reason for optimism around Citi Field centers around the Mets young pitching. Rookie Matt Harvey dazzled during a 10 game call up, pitching to a 2.73 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. At some point in 2013, Zach Wheeler, Baseball America’s #11 prospect, should be in the Mets rotation. Opening day starter Jonathon Niese will be in his fourth full season as a Met, but is only 26 years old. He pitched to a 1.17 WHIP in 30 starts last year. This being the Mets, not all the news can be good, both Johan Santana and Shaun Marcum are struggling with arm issues and may miss several starts to open the season.

The New York Mets bullpen is a work in progress. Newly named closer Bobby Parnell possesses triple digit heat, but has melted down when given the opportunity to close in the past. Veteran relievers Brandon Lyon and LaTroy Hawkins will likely join lefty Josh Edgin in the setup role.

If the New York Mets aren’t on the rise, at least they have stopped their free fall. The signing of David Wright could signal that the Mets will once again spend like a big market team. And with the contracts of Santana and Bay expiring after 2013, the Mets should be able to pursue a free agent outfielder.

With absolutely no offensive production from the outfield and a rotation already plagued by injuries, the Mets will find it tough to compete in the NL East this season. The Citi Field faithful should be happy if Harvey builds on his rookie season and d’Arnaud and Wheeler make positive contributions. It will be difficult for the Amazins to leapfrog Washington, Atlanta or Philadelphia in the standings in 2013, at least there is hope for the future in Flushing.

Johan Santana is facing a big year in 2013 and needs to stay healthy. (Image Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports)

Fully recovered after a series of injuries cost him significant time over the past two seasons, Johan Santana will be held back a few weeks before the New York Mets allow him to make his first start of Spring Training. The decision is not due to another injury, according to quotes from GM Sandy Alderson passed along by Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, but rather an effort to let Santana build up some more arm strength before he’s thrust into game action.

There’s no structural issue. It’s just a matter of building up strength. So he’ll be long tossing before he gets back on the mound. We expect that his schedule will have been delayed somewhat.

Santana underwent surgery following the 2010 season to repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder and would miss the entire 2011 season. He’d return last year, making 21 starts and pitching 117.0 innings for the Mets while posting a 6-9 record, 4.85 ERA, 1.333 WHIP, and 8.5 K/9. He wasn’t “vintage Santana”, but he was still a welcome sight on the mound at Citi Field for a fanbase longing to see a winning team once again. Santana’s season did include the franchise’s first no-hitter, on June 1st against the St. Louis Cardinals, but he’d have his year cut short by inflammation in his lower back that would lead the team to shut him down in mid-August.

The 33 year old left-hander had been originally expected to make his first start next weekend, but the team has apparently moved that target date back about two weeks. There don’t appear to be any plans or expectations that Santana will need to start the season on the DL, though the team wouldn’t rule out the possibility. Manager Terry Collins reportedly noticed a “lack of arm strength” during Santana’s past two bullpen sessions and the team’s medical staff was consulted before any decisions were made.

Santana will reach free agency at the end of the season in all likelihood, as the team will likely pay a $5.5 Million buyout of a vesting option. He’ll earn $25.5 Million this season, the final year of a six year contract the team signed him to after acquiring him from the Minnesota Twins in 2008.

Delaying the start to his Spring Training regimen certainly can’t hurt a player in Santana’s position. Given his recent injury history, Santana has to be hoping for an injury-free 2013 season in an effort to regain some value as he hits the open market. He could put himself in line for a three or four year deal if he’s able to put forth a solid season. Presumably such an offer won’t be coming from the Mets, however, as the team appears inclined to build from their internal pitching depth and re-signing Santana just simply might not be in the budget. New York has eight starting options on their 40-man roster under the age of 26 whom they can turn to if they allow Santana to leave (Jeurys Familia, Dillon Gee, Matt Harvey, Jeremy Hefner, Collin McHugh, Jenrry Mejia, Jonathon Niese, and Zack Wheeler).

Feb 15, 2013; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Pedro Feliciano during spring training workout at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

In January 2011, Feliciano signed a two-year, 8 million deal with the Yankees, having spent the entirety of his eight career before that with the Mets. During the 2011 season, Feliciano was placed on the disabled list due to an injury in his left shoulder. He later was seen by world renown orthopedist, Dr. James Andrews, who recommended a six-week strengthening program for the pitcher. The Yankees blamed it on the Mets, saying that the Mets had severely overused him, however, his diagnosis was later confirmed to be a torn capsule and torn rotator cuff in his left arm (his pitching arm), requiring surgery to repair. He earned the full $8 mil from his contract and never threw a single pitch as a member of the New York Yankees.

Just last month, Feliciano signed a minor league deal with the Mets, hoping to resume his big league career. He owns a career record of 22-19 and a 3.31 ERA coupled with throwing 372.1 total innings.

Due to this heart issue, he has been shut down indefinitely as obviously, his health is the most important thing at the moment.

Jordany Valdespin made a name for himself with a number of pinch-hit home runs last season. This year he figures to play into the team’s uncertain and inexperienced outfield mix. (Image Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports)

After a winter in which they failed (or succeeded, depending on your perspective) to hand out a single Major League contract to an available free agent, the New York Mets appear prepared to head into the 2013 season with a number of remaining question marks on their roster. One particular place that seems to stand out is the hole in the outfield, especially when you look around the division and see the outfield improvements that New York’s division rivals have made (Washington added Denard Span, Philadelphia added Ben Revere, and Atlanta added B.J. Upton and Justin Upton). New York was long interested in Michael Bourn before the center fielder signed with the Cleveland Indians, but thanks to the threat of losing the #11 pick in next June’s Draft they missed out on a chance to change the perception of such a big part of their roster.

New York heads into the season with a projected outfield of Lucas Duda, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Mike Baxter with Collin Cowgill and Jordany Valdespin worked into the mix. No matter which way you view it, it’s an uninspiring group but with Spring Training upon us there are few options available. Principal owner Fred Wilpon made it known when the team first arrived in Port St. Lucie that he’d been able to address the family’s financial matters, putting the organization back in a position where significant investments can be made with regards to the team’s roster. With an absence of a strong outfield prospect in the team’s minor leagues, finding suitable help for the outfield may have come from an outside acquisition.

Bill Madden of the New York Daily News examined the subject over the weekend, essentially suggesting that the Mets may be best served waiting until next winter before they make a significant commitment to an outfielder given all of the options that may be available on the open market. Madden brings up nine players who should reach free agency at the end of the 2013 season, but finds fault in all of them for one reason of another. Jacoby Ellsbury and Corey Hart are injury prone. Curtis Granderson will strike out too frequently, since his swing has been changed by Yankee Stadium too much. Michael Morse isn’t athletic enough. Carlos Gomez and Jeff Francoeur have too many makeup concerns. Madden never suggests a player that the team should potentially pursue and effectively, doesn’t suggest a solution to the team’s perceived need in the outfield.

What remains on the current free agent market (Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Grady Sizemore) likely won’t appeal to the Mets. Little remains of the minor league free agent crop. Scanning the list of players who might become available, considering they are out of options, uncovers just as few options (Xavier Paul, Sam Fuld, Casper Wells) and none that would assuredly be an upgrade over what the team already has in camp.

New York appears confident in the group projected to man their outfield, or at least they are content heading into the season with the group. The team has a number of options at this point, all of which present little risk in the short term. They can let the group play and hope that someone proves to be a positive boost in the outfield. Duda and Valdespin offer some power potential. Baxter’s made some highlight reel catches. Nieuwenhuis might prove to be a a great defensive asset in center field. The team can also wait things out. Maybe someone becomes available later in Spring Training. Maybe at the July trade deadline.

There will be options for the Mets in the months ahead for them to address their outfield makeup. The team will, apparently, have the financial freedom to make a move when they need to.