FLUSHING, NY - Mets general manager Omar Minaya walked into the team’s palatial home clubhouse inside Citi Field for the first time Thursday. One day after introducing free-agent pickup Francisco Rodriguez as the new closer, the GM presented the second part of his retooled bullpen, appearing with J.J. Putz in what the organization hopes will be the first of many good moments in the new ballpark. Putz, acquired in a three-team, 12-player trade, was Seattle’s closer from 2006 until his move to Queens. The right-hander, who turns 32 in February, racked up 91 saves the past three years for the Mariners, said serving as the set-up man was not the ideal situation but insisted he won’t have any problems protecting leads for Rodriguez.

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After a successful Winter Meetings, where the Mets overhauled the relief corps, the bullpen’s extreme makeover continued late yesterday with the team sending maligned lefty Scott Schoeneweis with cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks for righthander Connor Robertson.Much like Aaron Heilman, who went to Seattle in the J.J. Putz deal, Schoeneweis was a poster boy for the Mets bullpen failures. He was the pitcher that gave up the go ahead home run to Wes Helms in the eighth inning during the final game of the season.Schoeneweis was visibly upset after that game, sitting at his locker in almost a catatonic state and if it was just one game he would have been forgiven. But giving up inopportune runs was a staple of his Mets career.

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LAS VEGAS – After signing Francisco Rodriguez today, Omar Minaya wasn’t content on standing pat and pulled off a deal that remade the Mets bullpen by acquiring reliever J.J. Putz to be K-Rod’s setup man.In a 12 player, three team trade, the Mets sent reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez, and minor leaguers Maikel Cleto, Ezequiel Carerra and Mike Carp to the Mariners and then sent reliever Joe Smith to the Cleveland Indians. In return, the Mets got back Putz, outfielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green from Seattle.The Mariners also acquired Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians with Cleveland getting back Luis Valbuena along with Smith.

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