MLB - Sports Rumors

Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:25 am EST

Mets, K-Rod close to 3-year, $37 million deal

By Joe Zedalis

Francisco Rodriguez

Getty Images

The New York Post reported late Monday night that the New York Mets closed in on a deal with prized reliever Francisco Rodriguez. According to the report the Mets have offered a three-year deal worth around $37 million. The deal could be finalized in the next 24 hours.

"I am more optimistic than I have ever been," Rodriguez's agent, Paul Kinzer, told the New York Post late Monday night.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya met with Rodriguez on Sunday evening, then again with Kinzer on Monday. The Mets also met with Brian Fuentes, widely considered to be the second-best available closer option on the open market, on Monday, according to MLB.com.

Rodriguez, who turns 27 next month, saved a Major League-record 62 games last season, and Kinzer opened the bidding for him earlier this offseason at five years and $75 million. He has since backed off those weighty demands. People familiar with the discussions told SI.com that the deal is likely to be for three years and about $37 million.

Earlier in the afternoon, Minaya was cautious about setting expectations for the free agent market — just one day after he said he expected to leave the Winter Meetings with new players in tow. Still, Minaya did hint that a deal could happen before week's end.

"Once you get to where you are right now," Minaya said, "I think you should be comfortable enough to be able to close the deal and get it done at this point in time."

Source: MLB.comNew Window

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133 Comments

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  1. Evil Empire
    1. Posted by Evil Empire Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:52 pm EDT

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    OH wow, not 15 mils? I am surprise!!!!!! LOL
  2. lrg
    2. Posted by lrg Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    Dear Santa,
    Please tell omar that's a great start, but don't stop there. We need a few more in that bullpen of ours so the other teams will stop laughing at us.
  3. UnKle Rukus
    3. Posted by UnKle Rukus Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    Cant wait till he blows out his arm / sucks
    Mets choke again...errrr, actually the rest of the division is better, they wont even choke this year, they'll be in 3rd place all year. Unless the Nationals do the unthinkable and sign Manny, then the Mets come in last LOLS
  4. lrg
    4. Posted by lrg Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:22 pm EDT

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    P.S. maybe we can trade 2 of your elves for heilman and schoenweiss
  5. dancing king
    5. Posted by dancing king Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    go get manny, we want manny, go get manny, we want manny......
  6. UnKle Rukus
    6. Posted by UnKle Rukus Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    Phil will be just as good, maybe better if Ryan Howard stops being so fat a little bit earlier in the season.
    THe Marlins will be better even tho they got rid of a few players
    And if the Braves sign Burnett they are easily the best team, of course if Chipper can play most of the year
  7. fireguy
    7. Posted by fireguy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    I still think this is iffy at best. 62 saves is a lot on an arm. Mets are going to have to sign a part time closer as well, because the wear and tear from last year will catch up to K-Rod at some point, not to mention the pressure cooker that is New York baseball. I will admit though, he sure can light a fire underneath a team. Now get manny.
  8. Caperna
    8. Posted by Caperna Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    Now let's get Fuentes to set this guy up, and give him a little competition. Why does it have to be one or the other? If I'm Fuentes I'm thinking, "Play in the new stadium a few stops from the hub of the world's greatest city and compete for the closer job, but worst case set the guy up... or play in St.Louis and look at the arch all day?" hmmm... decisions.
  9. jerry5454
    9. Posted by jerry5454 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:13 pm EDT

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    Maybe Mets can get Fuentes also
  10. Caperna
    10. Posted by Caperna Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    ALSO... maybe we get Wagner back a few weeks before the playoffs start. How would that bullpen look?
  11. tripnizzle
    11. Posted by tripnizzle Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:21 pm EDT

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    i'd rather have peavy
  12. cfsipres
    12. Posted by cfsipres Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    Teach Daniel Murphy to pitch.
  13. The Franchise
    13. Posted by The Franchise Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    Braves get Burnett and they are the best in the east?? When did I hear that before..oh yeah The Braves get Hudson and they'll be the best in the east the braves get Hampton and they'll be the best in the east..yadda yadda yadda..At least Burnett doesn't start with H....
  14. jho
    14. Posted by jho Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm EDT

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    Man if the Mets can sign him for 3 years at that price, i would be really happy. I really thought it would take at least 4 years or 3 years at 15 mil per
  15. Scooter
    15. Posted by Scooter Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    K-Rod has pitched about 70 innings each of the last 4 years. Not really a big load. All this talk of him breaking down is really working for the Mets.
  16. Mr Mo
    16. Posted by Mr Mo Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:28 pm EDT

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    3 yrs, $37M is a lot better than what they were talking about earlier. This could work out well for the mets. I hope they realize that k-rod is not an "instant fix" for their bullpen, they still need help in middle relief. Without it, k-rod might not make much difference.
    John R his velocity has dropped considerably in recent years. 70 innings shouldn't be a lot, but his delivery mechanics are so violent that the rate of wear is accelerated.
  17. Mr Mo
    17. Posted by Mr Mo Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:28 pm EDT

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    Should've said "last year," not "in recent years." my bad
  18. usgr007
    18. Posted by usgr007 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:28 pm EDT

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    ohhh wow!!!!! now we have the 9th inning covered, What the f$%k!!!, thats it.!!!!! Met fans, be very pissed. We need a catcher, 2 starters, left fielder, 2nd baseman, More relief pitching) .
  19. StevenD
    19. Posted by StevenD Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    i'm always amazed at how many non met fans check out met news. i don't go to yankee articles or philly articles and bash both of those teams, yet those fans seem to have nothing better to do than to come on here bashing the mets.
  20. common knowledge
    20. Posted by common knowledge Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:45 pm EDT

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    Omar, now do the heilman and feliciano for street deal. do it yesterday!
  21. davfied
    21. Posted by davfied Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

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    Welcome to the real world Frankie. You can always make up the difference with your acting on Broadway and doing commercials for Krispy Kreeme and later, after you get to 285lbs, Jenny Craig.
  22. Broncos #1...in the AFC West
    22. Posted by Broncos #1...in the AFC West Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:58 pm EDT

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    steve - well phillies fans were handed the division 2 years in a row so they think they are good and they won a WS to go with it (even though it was 28 years previously) and yankees fans are just mad because their team cant buy a championship
  23. Daniel V
    23. Posted by Daniel V Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:52 pm EDT

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    I think it's actually $39 million, so an even $13 million a season and last I heard an option for a 4th year, not sure what the $$ is for the option year. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Mets bullpen is the #1 priority this offseason, starting with the closer, and K-Rod is the best available closer out there. I would say it makes sense to go with the best available option. Whether he becomes one of the best closers in the game or just another Benitez remains to be seen, but as a Met fan who watched the team poop the bed the past 2 seasons do mainly do a inconsistant and unreliable bullpen, I am more than willing to take that chance on this guy.
  24. shawn
    24. Posted by shawn Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    62 saves is a lot of wear and tear??? He only pitched 68.1 innings last year, perfectly normal for a closer.
  25. STEVEACK2004
    25. Posted by STEVEACK2004 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    don't get manny! the last thing we need is another middle thirties outfielder, and a head case at that! get younger, not older.

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