As Spring Training wears on, the pieces of the Mets roster are beginning to fall into place. The bullpen -- a long time thorn in the team's side -- has a strong foundation emerging, and there are several relievers looking to snag a spot for Opening Day.
The back-end of the bullpen is set, and has the potential to be strong. Jeurys Familia is solid so far this spring, and looks to be fully recovered from last season's surgery. A.J. Ramos has also come out strong, and should bring a much-needed consistency that the Mets have often lacked. The newest acquisition, Anthony Swarzak, has seen limited action due to an early calf strain, but should be seeing action this weekend. And Jerry Blevins is looking to continue his stretch as one of the top lefty relievers in the game.
This core quartet leaves either three or four spots for a bevy of competitors to vie for, depending on how many bench players the Mets intend to carry. Paul Sewald, who pitched better last year than his final line indicated, is at the front of the pack currently, having given up only one run this spring over four appearances. He doesn't throw hard, but his sidearm delivery offers a nice complement to the other fireballers on the staff.
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