Can Your Grandmother Throw Strikes? Then She Might Be Going To The Mets!

By PATRICE EVANS

Updated 4:33 AM EST, Thu, Nov 13, 2008

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Hi there. Thank you for tuning into WMBP, where we talk Mets Bullpen, all the time.

The sun is shining, but the air's a little chilly this brisk November day. All the more reason for you to cozy up close to this stove that's piping hot with rumors on who 's going to be closing games out for the Mets in 2009.

Of course, we've been going 24-7 with no commercial breaks telling you about the Mets speculative interest in Brian Fuentes, and Francisco Rodriguez, and JJ Putz, and Kerry Wood, and Trevor Hoffman, and, well, just about anyone else who has gotten a save in the past few years.

Now I know what you're thinking, you're thinking, ok, but "everyone else" doesn't include Big Bad Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox; the stud closer who sealed their World Series championship, and is relatively cheap and controllable, and would therefore presumably be unavailable for trade. Surely the folks at WMBP (All Mets BullPen, All The Time!) must mean everyone else except Bobby Jenks.

Well guess what? You think wrong! So says lead rumor-monger for SI.com, Jon Heyman, who said Jenks was in play for the Mets in a recent Hot Stove report, as well as to Mike Francesa on the Show Formerly Known As Mike & the Mad Dog.

So throw in Jenks, along with John McCain and Angelina Jolie, and that should complete the pool of rumored closer options for the Mets.

Now seriously, folks. We're just having some fun with the rumors flying around, but the abundance of buzz about the bullpen underscores the huge make-or-break decision sitting in front of Mets GM Omar Minaya right now. This was a team with the second highest payroll in baseball, and the crew of relievers were the obvious reason the 2008 edition fell short of expectations.

So now, all the pressure is on Omar to fix it. One one hand he's fortunate to have options; little competition for the high-end free agent types, and the Mets also match up well with teams like Seattle or Baltimore who have closers to deal. The flip side, however, means he can't get this one wrong. If the Mets start blowing games late next year, it's possible Barack Obama will need to step in as a matter of national security. Mets fans will not be pleased. People could get hurt.

Choose wisely, Omar. Everything you've built to this point rests on your next personnel moves that address the bullpen. Good luck!