Mets' Francisco currently at "zero" in recovery from elbow injury

Mets closer Frank Francisco is still a long ways off from recovering from his elbow inflammation, reports Kevin Burkhardt of SNY.

In answering a question about how he felt percentage-wise, Francisco responded with: "I'm at zero."

Not a good sign for the right-hander, whom the Mets confirmed a few weeks ago would be shutting the door for the team. Francisco is now shut down indefinitely, which means that the closer job will likely not be his when the season begins in April.

Mention has been made that reliever Bobby Parnell will take his place if he is injured, which would follow logic as Parnell did as such last season when he was needed to step in.

Francisco struggled throughout 2012, a season in which he had many ups and downs. At one point he called the Yankees "chickens" before a series between the two New York ballclubs.

Francisco, 33, had a 5.53 ERA last season and accumulated 23 saves. The veteran right-hander owns a 3.92 ERA in eight big-league seasons, so the Mets were hopeful that he could bounce back in 2013.

Now in the second year of a two-year, $12 million contract, Francisco will make $6.5 million this year whether he closes or spends the season on the DL.