After a successful Winter Meetings, where the Mets overhauled the relief corps, the bullpen’s extreme makeover continued late yesterday with the team sending maligned lefty Scott Schoeneweis with cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks for righthander Connor Robertson.
Much like Aaron Heilman, who went to Seattle in the J.J. Putz deal, Schoeneweis was a poster boy for the Mets bullpen failures. He was the pitcher that gave up the go ahead home run to Wes Helms in the eighth inning during the final game of the season.
Schoeneweis was visibly upset after that game, sitting at his locker in almost a catatonic state and if it was just one game he would have been forgiven. But giving up inopportune runs was a staple of his Mets career. Although his numbers looked ok last season [2-6, 3.34 ERA], the 35 year-old failed when the team needed him the most, blowing four save opportunities and coming up with just one conversion.
Much like Heilman, he had to go and the Mets looked to trade him in Las Vegas. Schoeneweis was rumored to go to the Cubs for Jason Marquis, but that deal never panned out, so general manager Omar Minaya shipped him to the desert along with $1.6 million of the $3.6 million owed to him in 2009.
In return, the Mets get the 27 year-old Robertson, who was 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in nine games with Arizona this past season. In 7.0 innings, he allowed eight hits, four runs, earned, with two walks and two strikeouts. In addition, the 6-2, 220-pounder went 7-4 with a 5.02 ERA in 47 contests with Tucson (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League. In 71.2 innings, he surrendered 69 hits, 45 runs, 40 earned, with 30 walks and 72 strikeouts.
Robertson was part of the Dan Haren trade last year and had a tremendous minor league record. He was 29-13 with 24 saves a 2.82 ERA in 217 career minor league games. In 305.0 innings, he’s allowed 268 hits, 136 runs, 113 earned, with 123 walks and 382 strikeouts.
“We’re happy to acquire Connor Robertson,” Minaya in a statement. “He has a solid minor league track record and he’s a good addition to our system.”
With the bullpen makeover pretty much complete, Minaya will now look at filling the hole in the rotation. Although they have interest in Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez seems to be the most likely target.
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