Claudio Vargas has cleared waivers and will report back to AAA New Orleans. Vargas was 3-2 with a 4.62 ERA while with the Mets.

I’m glad we didn’t lose Claudio, to be honest I think he should still be here and making the start tomorrow, not Tony Armas.

As was reported here at Hot Foot by Gary Grund earlier, the Mets have called up Carlos Muniz to replace Claudio Vargas. Not only are the Mets now once again without a long man, but the team also heads into a gigantic 18-game stretch beginning with Friday’s doubleheader without a viable extra starting option on the major league club.

In his four-start stint with the Mets, Vargas was adequate and certainly as much as the Mets could hope for. He went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA, holding the fort so well that people wondered whether he or Mike Pelfrey should continue on in the rotation. Thankfully, Pelfrey got yet another opportunity, and it has paid dividends for the team.

Vargas’ equally short tenure as Mets’ long man has proven as adequate. It’s not spectacular because, after all, the vast majority of the time Vargas was just eating innings in mop-up duty. Out of the seven games Vargas appeared in as a reliever, the Mets only won one game — the 13-inning endurance test with the Diamondbacks on June 11.

But it still stands to reason that the demotion of Vargas is odd, considering he has filled the role of long man well and the Mets are heading into a stretch where the team will need a spot start or two. It’s fine to see what Muniz has, but this is bad timing, especially when the Mets have limited options at the Triple-A level.

The Mets may end up using Muniz in a game or two at most, and then when the need for a starter is more pressing in about a week, the team might send him down yet again for Tony Armas. In 16 starts at Triple-A New Orleans, Armas is 5-6 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Despite Armas’ good efforts at Triple-A, he’s probably the same caliber as Vargas. If this scenario plays out, it still won’t make much sense.

Other options at Triple-A include the converted starter Willie Collazo (4-5, 3.83 ERA) and a rebounding Nelson Figueroa (3-2, 2.89 ERA). Still, Armas remains the most likely choice.

Should the Mets always carry a long man? After all, the organization’s respect for emergency catchers has led them to want to take on three catchers instead of two, always going the extra mile. Well, personally, I think the long man is a bit overrated. The position almost always has either failed starters or the worst bullpen arm or both, and it seems more like a euphemism in today’s baseball than anything else.

On top of all this, most times the ‘long man’ only pitches two innings at most, which is the ceiling for every relief pitcher in a bullpen, anyway. While Vargas filled his long man obligation after an Oliver Perez meltdown on June 2, going 4.2 IP and giving up zero earned runs on three hits, the situation doesn’t happen often. Pitchers do implode occasionally, though, and they do get hurt from time to time. Better safe than sorry.

The Mets made some roster moves today…

Courtesy of Metsblog.

The Demoted:

• P Nelson Figueroa
• P Jorge Sosa

The Promoted/Activated:

• P Claudio Vargas
• P Matt Wise
• IF Fernando Tatis

The DLed:

• OF Angel Pagan

Vargas, not Adam Bostick, will start tomorrow’s game…

Mets manager Willie Randolph stated that the team has yet to pick a pitcher to make the start against Washington on Wednesday and that they’ll probably call up a minor leaguer.

Among the options include Brian Stokes, Adam Bostick, Tony Armas Jr. and Claudio Vargas.

Stokes pitched on Friday, which would put him in line to make a Wednesday start. He has been very up and down in his last few starts. In his May 4th start, he couldn’t make it through two batters, giving up six earned runs. His start this past Friday was much better, with Stokes going 8.1 innings, giving up just four hits and one earned run for the 3-1 win.

Bostick is 2-1 with a 3.89 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 39.1 innings pitched (8 starts).

Armas Jr. is 1-3 in seven starts with a 3.02 ERA in 28 strikeouts. Armas last pitched last Tuesday, going six innings and giving up three earned runs.

Finally, Claudio Vargas, who signed on with the team just over one month ago, is 1-1 in two starts with a 4.91 ERA for the Zephyrs. Vargas last pitched Thursday, May 8th.

Matt Cerrone at Mets Blog reports that the Mets have signed RHP Claudio Vargas to a minor-leauge deal. According to Cerrone, Vargas will head down to extended spring training, then join the Mets Triple-A team in New Orleans.

Vargas was released from the Brewers last month.

Mark Hale of the New York Post reports that the Mets are currently the front-runners to sign free agent right-hander Claudio Vargas. The report states that the deal could be done as early as tomorrow.

Vargas’ agent, Bean Stringfellow, told The Post today that the Mets have offered Vargas a Triple-A deal and are one of four teams in the hunt. Stringfellow confirmed, though, that the Mets are the favorite.

He would likely get a few starts in the minors before his name is even mentioned as a possible call-up.

Vargas, 29, went 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA in 29 games (23 starts) with Milwaukee last season.

I am happy with this move. Whether the pitcher is good or bad, it’s just another arm that can toss innings, which is what the Mets desperately need when it comes to depth at the position.