The Mets agreed to sign Casey Fossum, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Fossum gets a minor league deal and an invitation to minor league Spring Training, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (Twitter links).
The former Met will provide the team with left-handed depth in the bullpen, and compete with Taylor Tankersley, Tim Byrdak and Mike O'Connor for playing time.
Fossum, 33, spent last season in Japan after spending nine seasons in the Major Leagues. He has a 5.45 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 786 innings for the Rays, Red Sox, D'Backs, Mets and Tigers. He started regularly early on in his career, but has been working exclusively out of the 'pen since 2008.
Fossum's rate stats are slightly better against left-handed hitters (7.1 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 41.2% ground ball rate), but he hasn't shown a pronounced platoon split over the course of his career.
…again?
ew.
Casey must be desperate.
the mets must be desperate
hahaha….wait……hahaha….and more thing: hahaha. that is all.
Can he hit?
Anyone have Fossum’s Japan stats for 2010?
The best link I found says he was in 2 leagues (or 2 teams, don’t understand it), Ni-gun and Ichi-Gun
Ni-gun, 18 games, 29 innings, 1-0, 3.10 ERA
Ichi-gun, 12 games, 52 innings, 2-5, 5.72 ERA
I believe Ni-gun is similar to AAA over here
Yep, ni-gun is Japan’s equivalent of an affiliated minor league team. The level of play is not as good as 3A though.
Pretty sure he’s not the next Colby Lewis…
is this just to fill a roster spot? i dont really understand the point otherwise.
roster filler for AAA, and 1 more guy in the mix for a lOOGY role with the big club.
or just a ST body that will get cut.
most likely he’ll be in buffalo as insurance in case of several injuries
Another LOOGY signing? Maybe he learned something in Japan. It worked for Pedro Feliciano, who wasn’t all that special till he went to Japan for a year. He came back to the Mets and was a big part of the pen in ’06. Who knows?
Darren Oliver was another guy that pretty much was a dud before having it all “click” later in his career.
especially with a guy having a limited role (a loogy) picking up on e new pitch, or making some other mechanical change (to fool batters) can make the difference.
Watch out Philly, HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Mets clearly intend to play fossum in 2011.
Uh oh, get ready for the Fossum Flop, NYC.
fossum the possom is better off playing dead than pitching, but it’s kind of hard to tell the difference.
Just an insurance signing in case someone gets injured out of the pen. I mean, I would of preferred the mets just would’ve re-signed Felciano or signed Fuentes but that would just be shooting waaaayyyy too high.
Mark if he does not have a major league invite to spring training how is he competing against Byrdak, O’Connor and Tankersley?
Oh man… I remember his time in Boston. Boy was that tough.
Gotta love Sandy Alderson’s eye for talent.
Just hand the Mets the world championship trophy already!
Now that Michael Young has made it clear that he would like to be traded, is there any possibility of the Mets trading for him and sticking him at second base?
probably not – he’s owed a lot of money, plus he is 34.
i really think we should give emaus a chance. he had a great obp in the minors, and i doubt murphy can field that position – or any position for that matter. if i were collins, i would not let him anywhere near second.