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Francisco Rodriguez

Odds and Ends: Rule 5, Beltre, Schmidt, Bako

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Stray links I’ve collected over the past few days…

Cardinals Reliever Rumors

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5:57pm: K-Rod’s agent Paul Kinzer said the Cardinals did not offer his client a similar contract.

9:08am: According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals made a bid for Francisco Rodriguez in the neighborhood of the Mets’ successful three-year, $37MM bid.  The search continues.  Strauss says the Cards plan to explore trades before escalating talks with Brian Fuentes.  Potential trade targets: J.J. Putz, Matt Capps, and Jon Rauch.  Talks for Jose Valverde "stalled abruptly earlier in the week."  The trade bait will probably be on of the Cardinals’ outfielders.

Strauss adds that GM John Mozeliak met with Scott Boras yesterday, possibly to discuss Oliver Perez.

Mets Sign Francisco Rodriguez

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WEDNESDAY, 4:47pm: The Mets officially announced the three-year deal with K-Rod.  David Lennon and Ben Shpigel give inside looks at the negotiations.

TUESDAY, 4:43pm: The Angels didn’t get a chance to match the Mets’ offer.

3:42pm: Sherman agrees on the fourth year, $14MM vesting option mentioned by Rosenthal.

2:31pm: Sherman says the Mets agreed to terms with K-Rod on a three-year, $37MM deal.  He gets about half as much money as was originally floated.  The Angels will receive the Mets’ #25 pick in next year’s draft as well as a supplemental pick.

2:12pm: Sherman says K-Rod may be in New York tomorrow for his physical.

1:43pm: Sherman says Kinzer and the Mets are huddled this morning trying to put the finishing touches on the K-Rod deal.  If it gets done, the Mets may move on to Derek Lowe.  Rosenthal says the deal includes a $14MM fourth-year vesting option plus performance bonuses.

6:32am: David Lennon of Newsday also speaks of a three-year deal worth $12MM a year being close.

2:46am: Jon Heyman says the Mets appear to be closing in on a deal with K-Rod, likely for three years and about $37MM.  The gap was apparently closed when the Mets guaranteed a third year.  Just a year ago, a lesser, older free agent closer, Francisco Cordero, received four years and $46MM.

12:54am: According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are on the brink of landing Francisco Rodriguez.  His agent Paul Kinzer is more optimistic than ever.  A deal could be done before the end of the Meetings.

Mets Bullpen Rumors: Monday

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11:56pm: Rodriguez’s agent Paul Kinzer on whether the rumored two-year, $25MM offer with a third-year option is true: "Absolutely not."  It will require three guaranteed years at least to sign K-Rod.

8:43pm: K-Rod gave some quotes to the media, nothing interesting.

7:14pm: Stark says the Mets finished their meet with Fuentes; Hoffman is up next.  Wood is not in Vegas.  Stark adds that the Mets discussed concepts but did not make a formal offer to K-Rod.

6:45pm: Sherman now says the Mets’ offer was for $25MM over two years plus a third year option.

6:03pm: Rodriguez’s agent Paul Kinzer told Sherman he’ll try to be creative with this contract. Sherman asked whether that could mean an opt-out clause, and Kinzer responded in the affirmative.  Sherman says the Mets’ offer is in the range of three years, $33MM; no talk of the vesting option Heyman mentioned.

5:26pm: Jon Heyman says the Mets offered K-Rod a two-year deal worth about $12MM per with a third-year vesting option.  Doesn’t sound like something he’ll jump at.

2:14pm: Joel Sherman rejects Graziano’s report.  Sherman says the Mets have not talked to the Jays about B.J. Ryan.

1:39pm: Gerry Fraley learned from a team official that the Mets made a three-year offer to K-Rod, but they don’t expect him to take it immediately.

12:06pm: Joel Sherman has details on the Mets’ talks for Huston Street.  Omar Minaya called the Rox a few weeks ago suggesting Aaron Heilman and Pedro Feliciano for Street.  The Rockies took the weekend to think about it, but when they called back Minaya had changed his mind.

In another article, Sherman says Omar Minaya’s approach toward free agent closers is Boras-like.  He believes the Mets’ offer to K-Rod last night was three years with an option.

11:16am: Jon Heyman and Ken Davidoff/David Lennon agree that the Mets are meeting with Fuentes and Hoffman shortly.  And Heyman believes the Mets’ offer to K-Rod last night was for three years.

10:33am: Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger says the Mets and Blue Jays had discussions about B.J. Ryan.  However, the Jays want Fernando Martinez and the Mets don’t want to trade the young outfield prospect.

7:50am: According to David Lennon of Newsday, the Omar Minaya and other Mets officials dined at a steakhouse with Francisco Rodriguez for over four hours Sunday night.  Lennon believes the early presence of Mets COO Jeff Wilpon implies that negotiations with K-Rod may have reached a critical stage. 

SI.com’s Jon Heyman wrote earlier yesterday evening that the Mets were expected to make an offer to Rodriguez at the meeting.  Maybe three years with a vesting option.

The Mets also plan to meet with Brian Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman today, with Kerry Wood also on the radar.  Ken Davidoff looks at the options and says, "It’s gotta be K-Rod."  The Rangers like Wood as well, by the way. 

Indians Hope Mets Sign K-Rod

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8:55pm: Rosenthal says the Indians met with Kerry Wood’s agent today and remain interested in Fuentes and Trevor Hoffman.

1:03pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Indians hope the Mets sign Francisco Rodriguez, as they’d like to get a bargain on Brian Fuentes.  The Tribe could also attempt to acquire J.J. Putz from the Mariners.

Only Oliver, Weathers Accept Arb Offers

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman says relievers Darren Oliver and David Weathers were the only two players of the 24 who accepted offers of arbitration.  That means Juan Cruz, Orlando Hudson, Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez, and Jon Garland declined in addition to those we’ve already reported.

Mets To Make Offer To K-Rod Tonight

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9:55pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Mets will meet with K-Rod, Fuentes, and Kerry Wood within the next 24 hours.  They won’t be making simultaneous offers to all three.  Instead, they’ll probably start with an offer to Rodriguez as Heyman mentioned.

8:35pm: According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Mets GM Omar Minaya is meeting with Francisco Rodriguez tonight and is expected to make an offer.  Internally, the Mets have discussed offering a three-year deal, possibly with a fourth year vesting option.

Minaya has face-to-face meetings planned with Trevor Hoffman and Brian Fuentes as well, which could become unnecessary if K-Rod jumps at the first offer.  Seems unlikely he’d do that.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Teixeira, Closers, Castillo, Cantu

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up, let’s take a look at the highlights:

  • Rosenthal doesn’t see Mark Teixeira signing with the Nationals, even for the rumored ten-year, $200MM contract. He’s got better options in the Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees. Scott Boras managed to get Alex Rodriguez a ten-year deal with a losing team in 2000 when he signed with the Rangers, but Rosenthal doesn’t forsee a repeat.
  • The Indians are waiting on the Mets’ closer decision to make a decision of their own. Once New York signs or trades for a closer, the market will likely collapse. The Mets are preparing simultaneous offers to Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Kerry Wood.
  • The Brewers could spend big money on a closer once they hear from Ben Sheets and C.C. Sabathia. If the Brewers can somehow retain both, they won’t have money to spend on a closer and would likely have to trade Prince Fielder.
  • The Mets are desperately trying to unload Luis Castillo so they can make a run at Orlando Hudson. They’re having no luck though, even in trying to swap him for another bad contract. The Rangers rejected a swap of Castillo for Vicente Padilla.
  • Nationals GM Jim Bowden is interested in Willy Taveras. Doesn’t make any sense to me. The Nats already have Lastings Milledge, Josh Willingham, Elijah Dukes, and Austin Kearns.
  • The Rockies prefer to keep Garrett Atkins, but the Twins, Dodgers, Giants, and Phillies are all interested. Chase Utley has been a long-time supporter of bringing his former UCLA teammate to the Phils for a reunion.
  • The Marlins are getting several inquiries on Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla. They don’t plan to trade either, though if the Giants were to offer Jonathan Sanchez for Cantu, the Marlins would jump at the chance.
  • Jermaine Dye, Mike Cameron, Marcus Thames, and Marlon Byrd are all available via the trade market, for teams needing a right-handed hitting outfielder. Rosenthal still feels Cameron could still end up in pinstripes.

Heyman’s Latest: Furcal, Sabathia, K-Rod

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Jon Heyman has a few new posts on his Fan-Nation blog:

  • Heyman thinks its peculiar that Rafael Furcal passed up his last offer of 4 years, $35-40MM, especially while the shortstop market is thinning out. The Giants signed Edgar Renteria. The Cubs want a lefty-bat. The Braves need to deal Yunel Escobar before they’ll be interested in Furcal. Again, Buster Olney noted today that Furcal was asking 4 years, $52MM.
  • Can the Giants afford CC Sabathia? They’ve already signed Renteria, Jeremy Affeldt, and Bobby Howry. And he would be the team’s second $100MM contract having already made the mistake of overpaying Barry Zito. They admit they need a bat more than another arm. And while Sabathia would like to play in San Francisco, would he like to make less than Zito’s $18MM on the same team?
  • No surprise that Francisco Rodriguez is sitting atop the Mets closer wish-list. According to Heyman, he’s followed by Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, and then a combination of Trevor Hoffman and Huston Street, who would need to be dealt from the Rockies. Heyman doesn’t complete the list beyond those 4 options and notes that the Hoffman/Street option is a popular idea in the organization. For K-Rod, 3-4 years would be the Mets threshold.

Olney’s Latest: Winter Meetings

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As we wait for arbitration decisions, Buster Olney offers his latest on the winter meetings:

  • CC Sabathia, who will be sitting down with the Red Sox and Yankees today or tomorrow, may want to wait for Mark Teixeira to sign first. If the Angels don’t land Sabathia, they could be expected to compete with the Yankees $140MM offer.
  • Francisco Rodriguez is not going to get the 5 year, $75MM originally anticipated by his agents and he may find it in his best interest to seek a 3 year deal, and re-enter free agency, perhaps in a better market, before he turns 30.
  • Says Olney, "Look, [Jake] Peavy is going to be traded, and what will be left is a team looking at a long rebuilding process."
  • The Nats are courting Adam Dunn as well as Teixeira, pointing out that Jim Bowden ran the Reds when they drafted Dunn. No word on Dunn’s interest in Washington.
  • Sources say the White Sox moving Jermaine Dye is "overblown." He’ll cost $11.5MM next year with a $1MM buyout for 2010 and teams in need of a corner outfielder can target Dunn or Bobby Abreu rather than give up prospects to the White Sox.
  • Orlando Cabrera has been made aware that Alexei Ramirez is the starting shortstop in 2009 and, for that reason, OC is expected to decline arbitration even in a depressed shortstop market.
  • Olney reports that Rafael Furcal’s final contract request was 4 years, $52MM. He wound up rejecting the offer of 4 years, $35-40MM.
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