Around here, in early Spring, it’s pretty common to overhear Mets fans contemplating the keys to the season. From the team’s temperament to the bigger ballpark, from the new closer to the old first baseman, everyone’s got a theory. And yet, in all those discussions, I wonder how many times Pedro Feliciano’s name was mentioned this Spring as being a vital piece of the puzzle. At the start of the season, Feliciano was really the only proven lefty reliever on the team. I always believed that they would need to add another, if only to handle the left-handed power in Philadelphia’s lineup. But the Mets put all their faith in Feliciano, a decision that Feliciano has done his best to justify. With the rise of Bobby Parnell and fall of J.J. Putz, and with Frankie Rodriguez pitching as well as any closer in baseball, Feliciano has flown under the proverbial radar in New York. And with apologies to Japanese journeyman Ken Takahashi, Feliciano has been the only legitimate lefty-on-lefty ...
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