Notes From Sin City: Omar Minaya Tells Mets Fans to Stop Bothering Him About the Bullpen

Our MLB editor files dispatches from the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas in Notes From Sin City.

I've seen quite a bit of Mets general manager Omar Minaya here at the Bellagio, so I'd like to think he's reading my posts. Even if he isn't, he did respond to my suggestion that New York needs more bullpen help, by pulling off a three-way deal for closer J.J. Putz.

Minaya, along with Indians GM Mark Shapiro and Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, made the trade official moments ago and he had a simple message for the folks in New York who keep bothering him when he goes out to get his morning bagels.

"To you Mets fans, we've addressed the bullpen by getting Mr. Putz," he said.

Indeed he has, and he's addressed a few other areas of need with this deal, further adding to the bullpen depth by acquiring Sean Green, a guy who is very tough on right-handed hitters, and filling the hole left by Endy Chavez with Jeremy Reed, who is a capable fourth outfielder.

But this deal is mostly about Putz, who, if healthy, could be an even more devastating weapon than the recently signed Francisco Rodriguez.

"To win championships, you have to have a good bullpen," said Minaya. "We had Putz and K-Rod as one and two on our list [coming into the offseason]. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine we'd have our No. 1 and No. 2 closer."

A few more selected notes on the deal:

- Minaya downplayed concerns that Putz would not be happy as a setup man. "That's a good problem to have," he said of having two established closers on his roster. "It's about winning championships. To win a ring you have to sacrifice."

- He also said he wasn't concerned with Putz's health. The pitcher spent significant time on the disabled list last year, but did not have any "major" problems with his arm.

- The Mariners said it's possible that Aaron Heilman, who was shipped out of New York in the deal, could be a starting pitcher in 2009.