The Mets have signed 35-year old righty reliever Kiko Calero to a minor league deal. He will make $850,000 bucks if he makes the Mets with an opportunity to make another $650,000 in incentives. Calero pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last season and he was 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Calero only gave up 36 hits in 60 innings last season while whiffing 69 batters which shows how nasty he can be on hitters. Calero has now pitched in 313 games (1 start) in his major league career and he is 14-12 with 7 saves, a 3.24 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. This was a good signing for the Mets as Calero will help them if he can just stay healthy in 2010.

The Mets have designated 27-year old lefty reliever Arturo Lopez for assignment to make room on the roster for Rod Barajas. Lopez pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Padres and he was 0-0 with a 19.29 ERA and a 4.29 WHIP. He also pitched in 35 games (1 start) in AAA-ball last season and he was 0-2 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. This is no loss to the Mets.

The Mets have signed 31-year old switch hitting shortstop Alex Cintron to a minor league deal. Cintron played in 21 games for the Nationals last season and he was 2 for 26 (.077 avg, .220 OPS) with 1 run scored. He has now played in 680 games in his major league career and he is 565 for 2,056 (.275 avg, .707 OPS) with 244 runs scored, 33 homers, 222 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. The Mets continue to stockpile middle infielders for the 2010 season.

The Mets have signed 34-year old righty swinging Rod Barajas to a 1-year deal worth $1 million bucks with an additional $1 million bucks that can be earned with easy incentive bonuses. Barajas played in 125 games for the Blue Jays last season and he was 97 for 429 (.226 avg, .661 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 19 homers and 71 RBIs. Barajas has now played in 813 games in his major league career and he is 601 for 2,521 (.238 avg, .691 OPS) with 299 runs scored, 92 homers and 355 RBIs. Barajas will likely share the catcher job with Henry Blanco for the Mets in 2010.

The Mets have signed 29-year old lefty reliever Neal Musser to a minor league deal. Musser pitched in 26 games (5 starts) in AAA+Independent ball last season and he was 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He last pitched for the Royals in 2008. Musser has pitched in 18 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 0-1 with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. You know what they say, “You can never have too may left-handed pitchers”.