In his last three years with the Mets, Pedro Feliciano appeared in 266 games, leading the league three times and capping it off with 92 appearances in 2010, a Mets record and the fourth-most by any pitcher in the modern era. This offseason, Felciano signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Yankees, who surely valued his effectiveness against left-handed batters as well as his durability.
Last week we learned that Felicano would start the season on the disabled list with a left rotator cuff strain that couldn't have been surprising to anyone considering how many innings he has logged in recent years.
Well, apparently it surprised Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who today had some comments about the Mets' use of Feliciano:
"He was abused," Cashman said. "It’s a thin market when you’re looking for lefties, and he’s one of the better ones out there. But you don’t typically go after a guy who’s been used like that."
When reached for comment today, Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen retorted:
"They didn't know that when they signed him? ... He volunteered for the baseball every day. He was asked whether he was able to pitch. He said 'yes' every day -- every day -- and wanted to pitch more than we even pitched him."
Regarding Cashman, Warthen said: "I feel badly that someone feels that way. That was part of the reason we decided to not re-sign him -- because we knew we had used him 270-some times in the last three years."