An MRI on Frank Francisco’s ailing left knee did not show any structural damage. That’s the good news. The other side of the coin is that the relief pitcher is still experiencing some swelling and he may or may not open the year on the disabled list. Already the speculation has begun about who would replace Francisco as the team’s closer, with early reports of Jon Rauch being the favorite.
The Mets figure to have seven relievers and Rauch would probably rank no better than fifth among those I would like to see close in Francisco’s absence.
Rauch has the most experience closing, with 58 career saves under his belt. He’s also the guy who had a 4.85 ERA and a 6.2 K/9 last year, meaning he would have to get the job done with smoke and mirrors more than stuff. This Spring, Rauch has a 7.94 ERA with 2 HR allowed in 11.1 innings heading into Tuesday’s game against the Yankees. Not exactly the stuff that inspires confidence.
Ramon Ramirez may only have eight career saves but he’s s...
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April 03, 2012
