Add Blackley to the left handed pool...

The Mets really need a second lefty out of the bullpen, last year they tried to go with just Feliciano and even before the injuries, the cross over righties weren't getting the job done against good left handed hitters. As much as they've used Feliciano, they're really asking for an injury which would be devastating for this pen.

Once again the Mets have chose not to bring in a known commodity as the second lefty and instead have amassed a pool of lefties hoping someone sticks. On the 40-man roster are Auturo Lopez, Jay Marshall, Pat Misch and Jon Niese ( excluding Ollie since at this point he's a look in the rotation). They have also invited Bobby Livingston, prospect Eric Niesen and Travis Blackley.

Of the group Niese and Misch are seen as starters, maybe there's a slight chance Misch is used as a longman instead of Fogg or Figgy.

I have no idea why Lopez has been clogging up a roster spot for almost a year with non-descriptive numbers.

Marshall seems like a possibility, his funky Bradford-Esq delivery from the left side might earn him a spot if he can prove to be effective ( bio post).

Niesen I think is just up for a look-see and motivation for the year, I'd be very surprised if he's ready for the majors.

Livingston is a once solid prospect that you bring in and hope he finally figures it all out ( bio post ).

The newest member of the group is Travis Blackley, the 27 y/o left hander was an international free agent signing ( Australia) in 2000 at the age of 18 y/o by the Mariners. By 2004 he was ranked #63 on Baseball America's top 100 prospect list and the #3 prospect in the Mariners system.

It's funny how often Freddy Garcia has been intertwined in recent Mets history, last year Jeremy Reed the key prospect in the Garcia trade came to the Mets in the Putz deal, when Garcia left Seattle it was Blackley who replaced him in the the rotation. In 2004 as a 21 y/o he made six starts in which he went 1-3 with a 10.06 ERA, prior that he was in AAA in which he made 18 starts going 8-6 with a 3.83 ERA.

He lost all of 2005 to a shoulder injury and spent most of 2006 in AA rehabbing. In 2007 he was traded to the Giants, after a 10-6 record in AAA he made two starts for the Giants with two no decisions and an ERA of 7.27. In 2008 he was selected by the Phils in the rule five draft and after not making the team, the Giants didn't take him back so he stayed with the Phils in AAA. Last year he signed with the D-Backs on a minor league deal and spent the year in AAA. Overall in five AAA season he's 28-32 in 167 starts with an ERA of 4.69...