JUPITER -- Though the bullpen is largely unsettled, with perhaps three or four openings up for grabs, two roles appear certain: Steve Cishek as closer and Jon Rauch as the primary eighth-inning reliever.
"We signed Rauch to be that set-up guy, that veteran guy, who's been around," said manager Mike Redmond. "He's closed games. He's been a set-up guy. He's obviously going to take some of the pressure off some of those young guys, behind that he's been in that role and done that."
Rauch was the Mets' 8th-inning reliever last season, making 49 of his 73 relief appearances in that frame.
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The Marlins have scheduled a "B" game against the Mets at 11 a.m. on March 5 in Jupiter. Later that day at 7 p.m., the Marlins will face Team Venezuela at Roger Dean Stadium. Redmond said the team is trying to schedule one or two more "B" games in order to take a look at all of their players in camp this spring.
