With the Mets signing relief pitchers Kyle Farnsworth and Jose Valverde to minor league deals and inviting both to spring training, the team has viable options and can see if Bobby Parnell will be ready to start the season as their closer.

Adam Rubin of ESPN NY writes that Parnell, who underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck on September 10th, threw off a mound today at Mets camp, for the first time since the procedure.

Rubin shares that Terry Collins said Parnell threw only 10 uneventful pitches. Those tosses came with the catcher in front of the plate. Also, even Collins was thrown off guard by the pitching session, since Rubin reported on February 10th, that Parnell had indicated that he planned to wait an additional two weeks before proceeding with mound work.

Right now TC is giving Parnell the nod as the closer, but it will be interesting to see how that unfolds if Parnell has any setbacks during the spring. The hope is that he is ready to go and fully recovered but we won’t know until he gets in a game and airs it out. But with two viable closers in camp, there should be no rushing Parnell back too quickly, better to make sure he is ready to take on the load.

(Photo Credit: Howard Simmons/NY Daily News)