MLB

METS TRADE FOR J.J. PUTZ

LAS VEGAS – The Mets arrived at the Bellagio without a closer. They left the Winter Meetings with two.

On the same day the Mets officially announced the signing of Francisco Rodriguez, who passed his physical, they acquired former Mariner J.J.

Putz in a three-team trade with Seattle and Cleveland.

Rodriguez was at the top of the Mets’ free-agent wish list for closers. Putz was atop the Mets’ wish list for closers if they tried to solve the area via trade.

Thus, the Mets have now gone from one of the majors’ worst late-game looks to one of the best. Earlier in the day, one executive involved in the discussions described it as “very hot,” and another said he expects the trade to go through after all the teams are comfortable with the medical reports.

The three teams were working several permutations. Joe Smith would go to Cleveland while Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez and Mike Carp would go to Seattle.

Smith is a supplementary reliever who can be replaced from among Brian Stokes, Eddie Kunz and Bobby Parnell. Chavez is a backup outfielder.

Carp is a first base prospect with power potential. But in Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans, the Mets have youngsters with similar packages who already have reached the majors.

Putz is just a year removed from being among the majors’ most dominant relievers, when he used his 98-mph fastball and put-away split to post 40 saves and a 1.38 ERA.

One thing to watch would be Putz’s comfort in a set-up role. A foxsports.com report quoted Putz’s agent as saying the reliever only wants to close.

He also had a red-flag-filled 2008 in which he had just 15 saves and a 3.88 ERA.

He missed a month of the season with a hyper-extended elbow and an AL executive not involved in the deal said in 2008 Putz’s fastball was somewhat diminished, he flushed his slider for a curve and often looked as if he was pitching in discomfort. He also had a 5.87 ERA in

17 games away from the pitching haven of Safeco Field. Nevertheless, Putz did finish strong (2.45 ERA over the final two months).

And he fits what the Mets are looking for in their late-game pen: Putz can strikeout batters. He has whiffed 242 in 196.1 innings over the past three years. Plus if something were to happen to Rodriguez, the Mets would not be dropping from Billy Wagner to Luis Ayala again.

Putz is due $5 million in 2009 with an $8.6 million option in 2010 or a $1 million buyout. That is a lot of money for a set-up man, but the Mets had a lot of problems in the end game the past two years.

Nevertheless, the cost certainly could force the Mets to be more frugal in adding a starter. Omar Minaya said yesterday he doubts the club could play in the $15 million-a-year-plus range for someone such as Derek Lowe. That leaves Oliver Perez as the Mets’ next best choice.

The Mets like that Perez has proven he can pitch in New York and that he is just 27 years old. He also was to get married this month and the Mets hope that settles down an often-flighty character.