Orber Moreno

Moreno was expected to be a key member of the Mets bullpen in 2004, since he was one of the few pitchers on the staff that could blow a fastball by opposing hitters. After a slow start, he really came on in May, before being sidelined by a sore right shoulder in June. Moreno returned to the lineup in July before being shut down for the balance of the year by that same sore shoulder, which ultimately required offseason surgery. He should be ready for spring training and, if healthy, will be a critical part of the revamped Mets bullpen.

Moreno was expected to be the Royals closer in the late-90s but he flamed out in their organization due to a combination of right elbow woes and lack of control on the mound. Moreno signed with the Mets and rediscovered his stuff in Triple-A combining his high-90s fastball with a solid slider. He showed late in the year that he could pitch on back-to-back days, which was a major question for him, earning a callup in September. Moreno struggled in his seven outings but showed enough that he could be a candidate to close in 2004, if the Mets do not sign or trade for a closer.