The Mets have designated 29-year old righty reliever Manny Acosta for assignment. Acosta pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 3-2 with a 1 save, a 2.95 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. The Mets might regret this move down the road as Acosta likely won’t make it through waivers.

The Mets have acquired 23-year old lefty swinging 1B Allan Dykstra from the Padres for 24-year old righty reliever Eddie Kunz. Dykstra played in 113 games in A-ball last season and he was 93 of 386 (.241 avg, .810 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 16 homers, 70 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 245 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 193 of 821 (.235 avg, .794 OPS) with 130 runs scored, 28 homers, 140 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Kunz pitched in 42 games (12 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 7-8 with 3 saves, a 5.34 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. In his career with the Mets, Kunz worked in 4 games (0 starts) all in 2008 and he was 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP. At least the Mets got something for Kunz instead of letting him go for nothing.

The Mets have placed 25-year old righty swinging 1B/OF Nick Evans, 26-year old righty swinging infielder Luis Hernandez and 29-year old lefty reliever/starter Pat Misch on waivers. Evans played in 20 games for the Mets last year and he was 11 of 36 (.306 avg, .797 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 5 RBIs. He has played in 100 games in his first three years with the Mets and he is 54 of 210 (.257 avg, .707 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 4 homers and 21 RBIs. Evans had a pretty solid spring for the Mets as he played in 25 games in which he was 23 of 69 (.333 avg, .798 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 0 homers and 4 RBIs. Luis Hernandez played in 17 games for the Mets last year and he was 11 of 44 (.250 avg, .707 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 2 homers, 6 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He didn’t have a good spring for the Mets. Hernandez played in 16 games for the Mets this spring and he was 7 of 34 (.206 avg, .535 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 0 homers, 4 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Pat Misch pitched in 12 games (6 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 0-4 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He has now pitched in 34 games (13 starts) in his two years with the Mets and he was 3-8 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Misch pitched in 6 games (2 starts) for the Mets this spring and he was 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Mets would like to sneak these three guys through waivers and stash them in AAA for depth, but, I can see a scenario where all three of these guys get claimed off waivers.

61-year old manager Terry Collins was last in charge of a major league dugout way back in 1999 with the Anaheim Angels and it didn’t go too well. The Angels were 51-82 (38.3%) under Collins that year. He has a 444-434 (50.6%) record in six years as a major league manager. Collins is already getting his way in N.Y. as he convinced the Mets to get rid of Luis Castillo & Oliver Perez, despite the team being on the hook for a lot of cash. Collins is not a players’ manager, so it will be interesting to see how the Mets’ players respond to him.

29-year old righty closer Francisco Rodriguez is still by far the best pitcher on the Mets’ pitching staff with Johan Santana out of action. K-Rod pitched in 53 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 4-2 with 25 saves, a 2.20 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has now pitched in 123 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Mets and he is 7-8 with 60 saves, a 3.02 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. K-Rod has only given up 96 hits and he has whiffed 140 batters in his first 125 1/3 innings with the Mets, so his stuff is still there. But, he has walked 59 batters in his first two yeas with the Mets and it has gotten him into some trouble. If Rodriguez keeps his head on straight in 2011, he will have a good year for the Mets.

26-year old righty Bobby Parnell might step up and be the Mets’ set-up man in 2011. Parnell pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 0-1 with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 115 games (8 starts) in his first three years with the Mets and he is 4-9 with 1 save, a 4.63 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.

29-year old righty Manny Acosta also really stepped up last year for the Mets. Acosta pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 3-2 with 1 save, a 2.95 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 144 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 8-9 with 4 saves, a 3.40 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.

33-year old righty D.J. Carrasco will likely be the long man in the pen for the Mets in 2011. Carrasco pitched in 63 games (0 starts) for the Pirates & Diamondbacks last year and he was 3-2 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. In his first six years in the majors, Carrasco has pitched in 244 games (23 starts) in which he is 23-18 with 2 saves, a 4.31 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

37-year old lefty Tim Byrdak will likely enter the 2011 season as the Mets’ lefty specialist. He pitched in 64 games (0 starts) for the Astros last year and he was 2-2 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. He has now pitched in 343 games (0 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 9-10 with 3 saves, a 4.35 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP.

38-year old righty Jason Isringhausen might just make the Mets’ Opening Day bullpen. He pitched in 7 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 1-0 with a 9.53 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2009 with the Tampa Bay Rays. Isringhausen has now pitched in 621 games (52 starts) in his first 14 years in the majors and he is 45-50 with 293 saves, a 3.60 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Isringhausen would like to end his career where it started…..with the New York Mets.

24-year old righty Pedro Beato comes into this season as the Mets’ #30 prospect according to Baseball America. He was a Rule 5 Draft Pick off the Orioles’ roster and it looks like he’s going to make the team. Beato pitched in 43 games (0 starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 4-0 with 16 saves, a 2.11 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has now pitched in 131 games (83 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 24-30 with 16 saves, a 4.21 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP.

29-year old righty Taylor Buchholz was once a very highly thought of prospect before injuries started to keep him down. So he could be a late bloomer. Buchholz pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Blue Jays & Rockies last year and he was 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He has now pitched in 135 games (27 starts) in his first four years in he majors and he is 19-21 with 1 save, a 4.39 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.

28-year old lefty Taylor Tankersley could also be a late bloomer. He pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 0-0 with a 7.50 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. Tankersley has now pitched in 168 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 8-3 with 4 saves, a 4.58 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP.

29-year old righty Blaine Boyer pitched in 54 games (0 starts) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 3-2 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. He has now pitched in 228 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 9-12 with 1 save, a 4.63 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

30-year old lefty Justin Hampson used to be a pretty good pitcher but he has battled injuries the last two years. He pitched in 15 games (0 starts) in the Independent League last year and he was 1-0 with 1 save, a 6.20 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors in 2008 with the Padres. He has now pitched in 79 games (1 start) in his first three years in the majors and he is 5-4 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Hampson could really surprise in 2011 if he can get and stay healthy in 2011.

31-year old righty Ryota Igarashi was supposed to be a stud for the Mets in 2010 but he was a dud. He pitched in 34 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 1-1 with a 7.12 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. His main issue was his control as he walked 18 batters in only 30 1/3 innings last year and that was way too many. Look for the Mets to only promote Igarashi if all else fails in 2011.

29-year old righty Boof Bonser is going to start the 2011 season in the minors. Bonser pitched in 15 games (0 starts) for the A’s & Red Sox last year and he was 1-0 with a 6.12 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. He has now pitched in 111 games (60 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 19-25 with a 5.18 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Bonser has a good arm but he just has never learned to pitch.

26-year old righty Tobi Stoner just doesn’t have the faith of the Mets’ front office. He pitched in 1 game (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Stoner has now pitched in 5 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Mets and he is 0-1 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.

30-year old righty Dale Thayer might get a chance with the Mets at some point in 2011. Thayer pitched in 1 game (0 starts) for the Rays last year and he was 0-0 with a 27.00 ERA and a 3.50 WHIP. He also pitched in 46 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 4-1 with 3 saves, a 3.45 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. Thayer has now pitched in 12 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he was 0-0 with 1 save, a 7.47 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP.

33-year old lefty Casey Fossum is a longshot to help the Mets in 2011. He pitched in 12 games (all starts) for Hanshin in Japan and he was 2-5 with a 5.72 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Fossum last pitched in 2009 with the Mets. Fossum has pitched in 237 games (120 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 40-53 with 2 saves, a 5.45 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE METS BULLPEN IN 2011: B-