phatman Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 The Mets have a new closer, snatching up the reliever the Marlins rejected after they signed Armando Benitez last month. Star-Ledger Staff The club has agreed to terms on a two-year deal with free-agent closer Braden Looper, according to two major league officials familiar with the situation. The deal, which is worth approximately $6.5 million, is essentially complete, but won't be finalized until Looper passes a physical with the Mets' physician. Looper, whose critical strikeout of Aaron Boone in Game 4 of the World Series helped the Marlins win the 2003 championship, became available when the Marlins signed Benitez to a one-year, $3.5 million deal Dec. 20. They subsequently declined to offer Looper a contract. As much as the Mets and their fans detested Benitez, the Marlins obviously felt he was better than Looper. The Mets see Looper as a solid and affordable second-tier closer, and the two-year deal affords them time to see if Royce Ring, Tyler Yates or any of their younger pitchers has the stuff to become the closer of the future. Looper already had lost his job as Marlins closer to Ugueth Urbina, who was brought in last July 11 to take over Florida's closer duties. The Mets had no real interest in Urbina, who is also a free agent, because they felt he was as unreliable as Benitez and wanted a lot more money than Looper. Despite his clutch Game 4 outing, the Marlins and some scouts felt Looper had a tendency to fail in high-pressure spots, in similar fashion to Benitez. But no one disputes he has excellent stuff, including a strong fastball and a terrific cutter. Mets manager Art Howe always has spoken highly of him. But perhaps the happiest Met might be Mike Piazza, who has more broken bats than hits against the 6-3, 220-pound right-hander. Piazza is 2-for-12 lifetime against Looper, with just two singles. Worse, he hasn't had a hit off him since 2001, going 0-for-5 against him over the past two seasons. But not every batter is Piazza. In 2003, Looper had 28 saves and six blown saves before Marlins manager Jack McKeon finally replaced him with Urbina in the days following the trade. Looper's earned run average was 3.68 last year, and over his career he is 46-for-65 in save opportunities with a 3.70 ERA. The most important moment of his career came in the Marlins thrilling 4-3 victory against the Yankees in Game 4 after Urbina had blown a two-run lead in the ninth inning. Given the ball with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th inning, Looper struck out Aaron Boone, who needed only to get the ball to the outfield for the Yankees to take a lead. Then he got John Flaherty to pop up to third baseman Mike Lowell to end the inning. Jeff Weaver set down the Marlins in the bottom of the 11th, but gave up a home run to Alex Gonzalez in the 12th as Florida evened the series two games apiece. Had Boone gotten a hit or a sacrifice in that situation, the Yankees would have taken a 3-1 lead in games and the Marlins, even with Josh Beckett making another start, would have been hard-pressed to win the World Series. What's more, Looper's clutch performance came with a contingent of Mets' officials, including chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and general manager Jim Duquette, watching from the stands at Pro Player Stadium. Looper joins shortstop Kazuo Matsui and center fielder Mike Cameron as the Mets free-agent additions this off-season. They still have some interest in a right fielder and a starting pitcher for the back of the rotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatman Posted January 3 Author Report Share Posted January 3 ...eh...our bullpen is fucked either way...lol...it'll be interesting next year though to see if Looper and Benitez get matched up at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by phatman ...eh...our bullpen is fucked either way...lol...it'll be interesting next year though to see if Looper and Benitez get matched up at all... I can't even think of baseball until the season starts... it took me 4 months to learn who was on the Marlins... let alone follow trades in the off season:laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatman Posted January 3 Author Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by lolahotass I can't even think of baseball until the season starts... it took me 4 months to learn who was on the Marlins... let alone follow trades in the off season:laugh: lmao...and it could all change by the time that first pitch is thrown...but my two bosses are my cousins and sports is the main staple of conversation daily...that, and what's for lunch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by phatman lmao...and it could all change by the time that first pitch is thrown...but my two bosses are my cousins and sports is the main staple of conversation daily...that, and what's for lunch... I wake up to Sportscenter every morning, and I watch it when i come home from work. I love the sports reporters and PTI too... and of course, my chris berman - PrimeTime....And NHL tonight Lets go Redwings:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatman Posted January 3 Author Report Share Posted January 3 ...do you get ESPN News?...we get it on digital cable...it's the shit...not that big on hockey - although our office was directly across from where the Devils practice - took care of some travel for some of them couple years back...so naturally, I became a Devils fan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by phatman ...do you get ESPN News?...we get it on digital cable...it's the shit...not that big on hockey - although our office was directly across from where the Devils practice - took care of some travel for some of them couple years back...so naturally, I became a Devils fan... No, I think I dropped ESPN news when i ditched digital cable. I think I only get espn and espn2.OMG... I love hockey.... going to hockey games is the best... always a good time for me...I love Martin Brodeur... I hooked his grandmother up in a suite on one of our ships... I told her I was a big fan of his.... With the holidays over, I can now concentrate on hockey season... ESPN hockey - thursday nites... awesome.... 5 beers for 5 bucks at the Ale House... woo hoo!! :eek: I do look forward to baseball again in the spring... It'll be interesting to see the marlins - and of course, the yanks/mets/sox - they are going nuts picking up players! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatman Posted January 3 Author Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by lolahotass I love Martin Brodeur... I hooked his grandmother up in a suite on one of our ships... I told her I was a big fan of his.... ..fucking classic... ...we did a lot of work for Brad Bombardier but he's with the Minnesota Wild now...one day I got a call from a young woman asking about cheap tickets to Florida...i worked with her and found something decent - it was last minute before all these sites came out....so she's like, "Brad Bomardier's wife gave me your name."...i was like, great...what's yours?...Lisa Neidermeyer (sp)...lmao...she was trying to make a playoff game in Florida and her cheap-ass husband wanted her and their infant baby to fly coach... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by phatman ..fucking classic... ...we did a lot of work for Brad Bombardier but he's with the Minnesota Wild now...one day I got a call from a young woman asking about cheap tickets to Florida...i worked with her and found something decent - it was last minute before all these sites came out....so she's like, "Brad Bomardier's wife gave me your name."...i was like, great...what's yours?...Lisa Neidermeyer (sp)...lmao...she was trying to make a playoff game in Florida and her cheap-ass husband wanted her and their infant baby to fly coach... LMAO:laugh: What a tool! That's Rob neidermeyers wife right? Bryan Rolston used to play for the Devils - now he's with Boston... anyway, he's from my hometown - Flint, Michigan - he played hockey at Flint Powers Catholic High School.. not sure where in college he played though.Damn - I wish you were down here so we could go to a game and have a brew-dawg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatman Posted January 3 Author Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by lolahotass Damn - I wish you were down here so we could go to a game and have a brew-dawg! Awww....I'll keep that in mind for the next time I come down. I'm just making plans this weekend to come down late Feb - but this time it's Disney with my sisters and neices. If I can extend my vacation and come south for a few, I'll hit ya up!... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolahotass Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 Originally posted by phatman Awww....I'll keep that in mind for the next time I come down. I'm just making plans this weekend to come down late Feb - but this time it's Disney with my sisters and neices. If I can extend my vacation and come south for a few, I'll hit ya up!... OMG I just went to Disney for my birthday - wtih my parents and my 4 year old nephew... best time i've ever had.ENJOY:D If not, we'll hang some other time. Maybe I'll end up in NY for a trade show... I'll be in Boston Jan. 14th-18th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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