Jorge Sosa

The Mets signed Sosa, who was coming off a nightmare 2006 campaign, to a one-year, $1.25 million deal last January, which turned out to be money well spent. Sosa opened the year at Triple-A New Orleans, going 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA, as Zephyrs pitching coach Mark Brewer helped him alter his arm slot and keep the ball concealed longer so that batters found it more difficult to read and react to the incoming pitch. Sosa started off 5-1 for the Mets before crashing back to earth and being moved to the bullpen. He excelled in that role prior to being overused, and he was unable to put hitters away with two strikes, as they laid off his slider and teed off on his fastball. He is expected to re-sign with Mets and pitch out of the bullpen in 2008.