1.   He has worked in middle relief throughout his four major league seasons, all with Milwaukee, and has no saves.

2.   Along with their outfielders, the Mets might want to think about trying to deal away their middle relief corps as well.

3.   And, with all due respect to the importance of middle relief, the two halves that absolutely had to become whole were the starters and the closer.

4.   Actually, the job the Yankees need applications for is middle relief.

5.   After Hernandez departed, the game disintegrated into a display of pathetic middle relief.

6.   But the middle relief continues to falter.

7.   But Torre decided it was time to lift him in the seventh for Rivera, a familiar face in middle relief.

8.   Checo, signed originally by the Boston Red Sox after playing in Japan, will be used in middle relief.

9.   Chicago signed Mel Rojas in the off-season to be its closer, bumping Wendell into middle relief, where he continued to pitch effectively.

10.   Chuck McElroy, the only lefthander in the bullpen, is scheduled for middle relief.