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Keidel: Mets Lucky To Have Colon, The Jack Of All Pitching Trades, Back

By Jason Keidel
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Bartolo Colon, the understated, underrated pitcher whose utility can't be measured by normal metrics, has reportedly agreed to terms with the Mets on one-year deal, worth $7.25 million.

Colon can start, relieve, or provide comic relief.

The hefty right-hander's laconic refrain and leadership have been immeasurable assets for a team rich with young pitching. He has made at least 30 starts over each of the last three seasons. And when the Mets reached the playoffs this past season, Colon slid into the bullpen, making seven relief appearances and posting a 2.25 ERA during their enchanted run to the World Series.

Other than Yankees fans who feel a duty of their fandom is to have a hearty hatred of the cross-town team, the Big Apple turned into an echo chamber and fashion line of all things Mets this past fall. You could not walk into a tavern without talking about them, or stroll down the street without seeing someone swathed in orange and blue.

And Colon was in the middle of it all.

Maybe he's not the best at anything, but he's good at everything, which is part of the subtle potency that a successful team needs. Not only will the Mets pay less money than they did for Colon's services over the previous two years, they aren't obligated to him beyond 2016. Simply, it works for everyone.

Colon will anchor the most gifted starting staff in the sport. If he just maintains his 4.13 ERA since joining the Mets, he will be a steal. He's alarmingly spry for his age, surprisingly nimble for his size, and refreshingly flexible enough to assume any role the team needs.

Teams that prosper talk about an intangible that doesn't appear in any box score. Call it chemistry or harmony. We've seen talented teams fail without it, and teams with a dearth of dominant players make unexpected crusades into history.

Colon has also been credited with counseling young, Latino players, like Jeurys Familia, who landed on the mound like a meteor after presumed closer Jenrry Mejia was suspended for the season for PED use. The Mets didn't miss a beat, found a new closer, and an old mentor.

And there's the benefit of nursing Zack Wheeler back from surgery. The Mets have been a bit cryptic about his return, only asserting it will be in the middle of next season. But once he rejoins the rotation, Wheeler will be the third graduate of the Tommy John club, along with Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom.

Tommy John surgery has become so prevalent it's almost a de facto badge of honor, or baseball baptism. Since the Mets went to the World Series without Wheeler, any input they get from him will feel like a cherry on top of an already flavorful sundae.

Having Harvey, deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz is more than enough to make the Mets contenders in 2016.

And if anything happens to any of them, they know that Colon can help clean up the mess.

Follow Jason on Twitter at @JasonKeidel

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