K-Rod returns, but he can't save the Mets
Pitcher Francisco Rodriguez #75 of the New York Mets works against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning at Coors Field. (May 12, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
Francisco Rodriguez returns to Citi Field Friday night with the Brewers, and while he is sure to get his share of boos, some may be wondering if it might have made sense for the Mets to try and keep their closer.
Earlier this season, K-Rod told the Mets that he wanted to get rid of his $17.5-million vesting option, which had become more trouble than it was worth in terms of his use this year and beyond. But as Sandy Alderson began to discuss that scenario with Rodriguez's agent, Paul Kinzer, the two sides never got close to a resolution. Shortly afterward, K-Rod dumped Kinzer for Scott Boras, and the Mets knew then they had little choice but to trade him.
The Brewers, however, were not the only potential landing spot for Rodriguez. The Rays also were interested in K-Rod, but with the vesting option still intact -- it would kick in once he reached 55 games finished -- Tampa Bay left open the possibility of trading him again if it fell out of the playoff race in order to jettison that scary option.
As it turned out, Alderson acted quickly in shipping Rodriguez to Milwaukee in a deal that was announced immediately after the July 12 All-Star Game. Within days, K-Rod dropped the option, something that the Mets fully expected to happen given the situation in Milwaukee. So now what?
Alderson had to free the Mets of K-Rod's payroll-crushing option, one way or another, but he left himself with no clear successor for the closer's job. Jason Isringhausen has been more than sufficient in a stopgap role and provided one of this season's few feel-good moments with his 300th save.
Isringhausen, 38, is not a candidate to be the Mets' closer in 2012. The way Bobby Parnell and Pedro Beato have pitched, they're not giving Alderson much confidence, and the GM is prepared to explore deals for a closer this winter.
"We'll see where we are at the end of the season," Alderson said. "We do have an internal candidate or two, but I'd say that the options are limited. On the other hand, if you look at the closer market over the last couple of years, it hasn't been a place where free agents are getting major contracts.
"There could be a lot of guys out there that are capable potentially and we'll look to see where the market is. Our bullpen is going to be an important focus for us next season. It needs to be improved, and now without K-Rod, it needs to have someone at the back end of it."
Love him or hate him, K-Rod did bring credibility to an otherwise suspect Mets bullpen. Despite the drama, he was durable, and still took care of business. K-Rod had a conversion rate of 84.7 percent (83-for-98) during his turbulent two-plus years in Flushing. There's not much that matters more to a manager.
"You need that guy at the end of the game that you really believe in," Terry Collins said. "Look at all the teams that are succeeding. Philly may be the exception because they've used different guys down there, but for everybody else they've got that guy, that horse, that they can go to every night, and 99 percent of the time he shuts you down.
"We've had discussions already and there will continue to be discussions about what to do about that here, and what our options can be in-house for that guy."
