4 underrated Mets relievers since 2010

During the 2010s the New York Mets were all over the map, as they started the decade as a cellar-dweller team who hovered around the bottom of the standings. By the middle of the decade, they became a legitimate contender, making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. While the team has had some stars over the last decade, they've also had many players who've flown under the radar.

This is no different in the bullpen, as big names such as: Francisco Rodriguez, Jenry Mejia, Jeury Familia, Edwin Diaz, and Seth Lugo have been the ones most widely talked about, but there are several others who have flown under the radar. The following relievers played key roles in Flushing during their time as Mets.

1. New York Mets Pitcher, Addison Reed

Of all the pitchers on this list, Addison Reed is the most likely to be a household name. While Reed was not only the most dominant on this list, he also contributed for the Mets during their Playoff runs in 2015 and 2016, and also was a known commodity before arriving, which is why he is the most regarded name on the list.

However, just because Reed is more well-known than the other relievers on this list, doesn't mean that he gets the recognition he deserves. While Jeurys Familia was the team's closer at the time, and had lights out stuff, most Mets fans will tell you that even when he was at his best, most of his appearances were very worrisome. Familia has always had issues with control and walks, and even gave up a decent amount of home runs.

Meanwhile, the most trustworthy reliever for the Mets from 2015-2017 was Reed, as he spent most of his time as the set-up man, and would come into games with runners on base while getting the Mets out of some huge jams. While his stuff wasn't quite as dominant as Familia's, his control was much better and allowed him to serve as a super-reliable option for the Mets. Combine his control, with his low to mid-90's fastball, and his slider, and it's easy to see why he gave hitters so much trouble.

During his time with the Mets, Reed registered 21 saves in 142 innings, while registering a 2.03 ERA, and having 9.9 strikeouts/ nine innings pitched, according to Baseball-Reference. Had he been named to an All-Star team during his time in New York., or spent most of his time as a closer, he likely would've been held in higher public regard. Either way, die-hard fans remember just how dominant Reed truly was, and he deserves more recognition.

3. New York Mets Pitcher, LaTroy Hawkins

Of all the pitchers on this list, the one whose time with the Mets being a success was the most surprising was easily LaTroy Hawkins. That is not to say that he was not a good pitcher before arriving in New York, rather it is the fact that Hawkins was 40 years old when he wore a Mets uniform, and yet had one of the best seasons of his career.

Not only was Hawkins 40-years old when he signed with the Mets, but he was only signed to a minor league deal, so making the roster wasn't even a guarantee. However, after Parnell went down with an injury, Hawkins stepped into the closer role, and impressed when called upon.

According to Baseball-Reference, Hawkins went 3-2 in a Mets uniform, while tallying 70.2 innings pitched, 13 saves, and a 1.146 WHIP. Hawkins served as a bright spot for the Mets that year along with Matt Harvey, David Wright, and hosting the All-Star Game. Aside from that, Mets fans didn't have an awful lot to cheer for, as the team missed the playoffs and went 74-88.

Hawkins' success in a Mets uniform is very rarely talked about, but it should be as he was a highly effective member of their bullpen, despite being 40-years old. His successful year in New York also prolonged his career, as he was able to sign a contract with the Rockies to be their closer, and played two more seasons after leaving Flushing,

4. New York Mets Pitcher, Vic Black

Unlike the other options on this list, Vic Black only gave Mets fans a glimpse of his potential. Vic Black was acquired by the Mets, along with Dilson Herrera, when the team traded Marlon Byrd and John Buck to the Pittsburgh Pirates. While Mets fans had high hopes for Herrera, he never amounted to much, and it was actually Vic Black who was the better piece that came out of the trade.

According to Baseball Reference, Black only pitched in two seasons with the Mets, while tallying 47.2 innings pitched, with a 2.83 ERA, a 5-3 record and 44 strikeouts. While that may not be lengthy track record, the numbers were impressive over the short period of time, and Mets fans had high hopes for him to be an integral piece of the bullpen.

However, in 2014 he suffered a pinched nerve in his neck, herniated a disc in his neck, and strained his shoulder. The combination of injuries was enough for the Mets to shut him down for the season, in hopes of getting him back the next season. However, when he was healthy the next season he never made it past AAA, as he was a shell of his former self, and was not the same pitcher he was prior to the injury.

Black serves as a what could have been story for Mets fans as he was a young, talented right hander who could've served as an integral part of the teams bullpen for the next several years. Instead, the injury robbed him of velocity and movement, thus essentially ending Black's career

Clearly, while the Mets bullpen has featured some big names over the last decade, they also have several players who made key contributions that don't receive the credit they deserve. These are just a few of the Mets who had some huge moments in their time with the Mets over the past decade.