Not to toot my own horn here but the latest JJ Putz flap only goes to support the idea expressed way back when that the Mets cared not about the results when they committed five guys and $10 million to get Putz, only the illusion that they’d boldly gone out and created some kind of impenetrable bullpen.

That said, I think there’s more room for debating whether the team treated JJ Putz’s injuries properly than whether an impenetrable bullpen really exists. In other words, the Mets screwed up no matter how Putz’s health turned out.

A look at the Mets roster will tell you how unspectacular this offseason’s been by contrast. A little more than two weeks before pitchers and catchers report, and 11 men on the 40-man roster have yet to be officially assigned numbers, and a couple of them (Eddie Kunz, Tobi Stoner) are no locks to return in what we saw them wear last (40 and 29, respectively).

Behold the unassigned:

Jack Egbert, P

Kelvim Escobar, P (probably 45)

Clint Everts, P

Ryota Igarashi, P (probably 18)

Arturo Lopez, P

Jay Marshall, P

Henry Blanco, C

Chris Coste, C

Shawn Bowman, INF

Chris Carter, INF-OF

Gary Matthews, OF

Also invited to camp on minor-league deals:

R.A. Dickey, P

Elmer Dessens, P (wore 64 last year)

Bobby Livingston, P

Russ Adams, INF

Jolbert Cabrera, INF-OF

Mike Cervenak, INF

Andy Green, INF (wore 10 29 last year)

Mike Hessman, OF

Jesus Feliciano,OF

Frank (Smithtown’s Own) Catalonotto, INF-OF