General Manager Sandy Alderson has continued to make it clear, through both actions and words, that he is less than confident about the state of the Mets' bullpen.
Looking for a reliable arm for the middle innings, he has added veterans like Pedro Feliciano, Scott Atchison and LaTroy Hawkins on minor league contracts in recent days.
But part of the concern has centered on closer Frank Francisco, who will earn $6.5 million this season. Francisco, who had 23 saves and a 5.53 earned run average during an erratic campaign last season, had surgery in December to remove a bone spur from his elbow.
Alderson did not hesitate to suggest during an interview Thursday night on SNY that the Mets could pursue a bigger name to help take care of the late-innings responsibilities.
"Coming out of last season, looking with what Frankie has been dealing with in the off-season as far as his elbow is concerned, I don't know that we could have a lot of confidence in where we are," Alderson said. "I hope that Frankie is able to step up. We've taken a lot of the time to look at other possibilities and ways that we can shore this up."
He added, "I think we're going to have another guy or two between now and spring training," though he did not specify what caliber of pitcher that could be.
One option the Mets have considered is Jose Valverde, who could compete for the closer role, according to an ESPN New York report Friday.
Valverde, 34, saved 35 games for the Detroit Tigers last year but fell apart toward the end of the season. He posted a 5.02 E.R.A. in September, and he was removed from the closer role by Manager Jim Leyland during the playoffs.
As Alderson said, the Mets are "not terribly comfortable" looking at Francisco as their closer. So the search for reliable arms will continue.
Mets Sign Byrd The Mets signed the veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, the club announced Friday night.
Byrd, 35, was an All-Star for the Chicago Cubs in 2010. Last year, he batted .210 in 47 games combined for the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. He was released by the Red Sox on June 12. Later that month, he received a 50-game suspension for testing positive for Tamoxifen.
A version of this article appeared in print on 02/02/2013, on page D4 of the NewYork edition with the headline: As the Mets' Closer, Francisco Seems Far From a Sure Thing.
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