Changing Stories: Mets' New Setup Man Fine With Role After All

When the Mets initially acquired J.J. Putz from Seattle -- and you could more accurately say they rescued him -- reports surfaced that Putz was very unhappy about not being a closer anymore. People even started speculating about how long -- or, more specifically, short -- his stint in New York would actually be. All this before he even threw one pitch in a Mets uniform. Whether he was misunderstood or has since changed his mind, Putz didn't seem too annoyed when he was introduced to the New York media.

"It's not going to be that big an adjustment. ... Bottom line is, I want to win. I didn't really get a chance to do that in Seattle and to come to a team that's built to win right now, I'll pitch in the sixth, seventh, whatever it takes to get us a championship."

He also admitted his role is not ideal because he loves closing, but you can't really blame him for saying and believing that. He's a very solid closer.

I like how he's -- at least publicly -- putting his ego aside and saying that winning is more important than his individual goals or glory. That's the sign of a true professional. They love those in New York, and they'll love Putz even more when he teams with Francisco Rodriguez to transform the Mets bullpen. They've been a vulnerable team with late inning leads, and will now be a near unbeatable one.

I have a feeling he'd rather be setting up in New York than closing in Seattle, at least for 2009.