Boof Bonser: Forgotten man with unforgettable name

In all of the discussions about the makeup of the Mets’ bullpen, one name keeps getting left out. You would think his first name alone would keep him in the discussion, but Boof Bonser is the forgotten man in this equation. The Mets picked up Bonser on a minor league deal and he’s one of many who are vying to make the team as a reliever. Bonser was a first-round pick of the Giants in 2000, the 21st player taken in that year’s draft. He was shipped to the Twins along with Nathan and Liriano for Pierzkynski. He’s pitched parts of four seasons in the majors but has never lived up to the expectations of being a top draft pick. On the surface, his numbers look borderline bad, but Bonser has peripherals which suggest he is a better pitcher than his results show. Lifetime, he has a 5.18 ERA in 416.2 IP, but he has a 4.55 FIP and a 4.31 xFIP, with most of his innings coming as a starter. Like a lot of pitchers in Mets camp, Bonser is coming off surgery. He went under the knife for la...