Vargas Early Dark Horse

Posted by Matt Pignataro

Even though pitchers and catchers don't report for another three months, one name that might have went unnoticed in the Arizona Fall League is Mets LHP Jason Vargas.

Vargas spent the 2008 season in New Orleans, after bone spur was removed from his elbow that caused him to miss four months of the season.

While Vargas didn't look great in his Mets debut back in 2007 with a 12.19 ERA in two games, his strong performance in the AFL has turned some heads, well mine at least.

In this past AFL season Vargas as 1-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 25.2 IP's, but the majority of his appearances where out of the bullpen as a long relief role pitching 2 or 3 IP's an appearance.

I beg the question to Jerry Manuel this spring, why not have Jason Vargas as your long reliever in the bullpen?

Vargas still has potential to be an effective pitcher at the big league level. He throws hard and has a good assortment of pitches. Like any other failed starter a move to the pen might benefit the Mets and Vargas.

Jason Vargas could be the dark horse to make the Mets club out of Spring Training in 2009 in my opinion.