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Francisco Rodriguez

Mets Closer Situation

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It’s well-known the Mets plan to add a closer this winter.  Joel Sherman notes that Omar Minaya does not necessarily have to sign Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes – there are many ways to handle the ninth inning beyond signing one of the two proven closers on the market.

Signing K-Rod or Fuentes is the easy route.  Overpay for an established closer who is likely to have a solid 2009, helping fans and media members forget the bullpen woes of 2008.

It’d be bolder to add Kevin Gregg or Huston Street via trade.  Both have had ninth-inning success in the past, but were dethroned this year.  Street is preferable, as he allows fewer walks.  Hopefully Minaya will bring in several arms beyond the veteran closer, and find the next Grant Balfour, Brad Ziegler or Joakim Soria.  Easier said than done, I know.  But how many times have we seen GMs throw money away assembling free agent bullpens?   

Heyman’s Latest: Yankees, K-Rod, Moyer

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Notes from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…

  • The Yankees apparently want to sign two free agent starters out of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe.  If Sabathia is one of them they’d be looking at a total outlay of $200MM or more.  Ken Davidoff of Newsday notes that Sabathia might feel pressure from the players union to take the highest offer.
  • Heyman believes the nation’s struggling economy might temper spending, but not in the Yankees’ case.
  • Heyman doesn’t see the Angels as terribly gung-ho about retaining closer Francisco Rodriguez.
  • People close to Jamie Moyer say he wants to pitch until he’s 50.  Moyer didn’t rule it out when asked in August.

Angels Rumors: Teixeira, K-Rod, Uggla

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The Angels were eliminated, so it’s time to look forward to the offseason.  Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times has the latest.

  • Mark Teixeira said the right things again, about how his time with the Angels gives him something to think about as a free agent.  Joel Sherman believes Tex is a great fit for the Yankees, even if he is the "ultimate Boras client."  Sherman figures the Yanks, Red Sox, Orioles, and Angels will compete for Teixeira.
  • Francisco Rodriguez’s first choice is the Angels.  Sherman believes the Angels’ apparent willingness to let K-Rod go is a warning sign for other teams like the Mets.
  • Garret Anderson will be bought out for $3MM, and didn’t want to discuss whether he’d return after that.  Shaikin says Chone Figgins could move to left field if Anderson leaves.
  • Shaikin says the Angels have considered acquiring Dan Uggla as a way to compensate if Teixeira leaves.  Uggla would probably play third base.
  • John Lackey answered in the affirmative when asked whether he’d wait to see the Angels’ offensive plans before considering an extension.  Lackey’s $9MM option is an easy decision but he is a free agent after the ’09 season.

Odds And Ends: Cardinals, Astros, K-Rod

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Links for Saturday…

  • It doesn’t sound like Jon Daniels has autonomy in Texas.
  • Ian Hunter of Country 103.9 in Ontario recently talked to MLBTR about the Blue Jays. Click here to download the mp3.
  • Reds GM Walt Jocketty has talked to three or four of the Reds’ nine free agents.  John Fay speculates those players are David Weathers, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mike Lincoln, and Jeremy Affeldt.
  • The Padres’ grievance against shortstop Khalil Greene won’t be heard until spring.  The case of Doyle Alexander may be a precedent; the Yankees were not able to recover any money after Alexander broke a knuckle by attacking a dugout wall in ’82.
  • Matthew Leach of MLB.com takes a look at the Redbirds’ upcoming offseason.  Leach estimates that after all the contract and arbitration items are settled, the Cards will have around $25MM to look for a middle infielder, a middle reliever, and perhaps a new closer or #4 or #5 type slugger.
  • Likewise, earlier this week Astros MLB.com beat writer Alyson Footer reported on GM Ed Wade’s offseason plans. Wade is expected to make some tweaks to the roster, but it’s unlikely he’ll make any major moves. Footer suggests the Astros could look for a couple of rotation arms, and speculates on the possibility of signing Ben Sheets.
  • The O.C. Register’s Mark Whicker doesn’t see Francisco Rodriguez coming back to the Angels.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: alexo05 {at} umpbump {dot} com.  Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Holliday, Teixeira, Mussina

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A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…

  • MetsBlog recognizes that Francisco Rodriguez will improve the team and appease fans, but is not sure he is worth a four or five-year deal.
  • Mets Geek projects the Mets ’09 roster and looks at some options from outside the organization with Pat Burrell and Derek Lowe being the biggest offseason targets.
  • Was Watching says bringing back Brian Cashman was a mistake.
  • River Ave. Blues assesses the Matt Holliday market and feels that Phil Hughes and Robinson Cano for Holliday "doesn’t make much sense."
  • Sox and Pinstripes provides an in-depth preview of the upcoming offseasons for the Yankees and Red Sox and wonders if Theo Epstein can convince the Rockies to take J.D. Drew and a top prospect for Matt Holliday.
  • iYankees notes that Brian Cashman wants to make the Yankees’ OBP a priority this winter and feels Mark Teixeira fits the bill.
  • Oriole Post does not want to see Mike Mussina return to the O’s and would prefer they "stay the course" with young players.
  • C70 At The Bat takes a look at the Cardinals’ decision to sign Kyle Lohse and what it could mean for the offseason ahead.
  • Viva el Birdos projects the Cardinals ’09 roster and payroll.
  • McCovey Chronicles reacts to some quotes from Brian Sabean and what they mean for the Giants’ offseason.
  • Newberg Report thinks the price for the Rangers to acquire Jake Peavy would be too high, even if he’d waive his no-trade clause to go there.
  • Athletics Nation sees no point in signing Jason Giambi.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

How To Fix The Mets

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I will offer my own opinions on how to improve the Mets in the Offseason Outlook, due within a few weeks.  Many journalists have already weighed in – let’s take a look.

  • Newly added bullet: John Harper of the New York Daily News.  He advises the Mets to decline Delgado’s option while signing Orlando Hudson, Raul Ibanez, and Derek Lowe and trading for J.J. Putz.  Say goodbye to Castillo, Perez, and Martinez in this plan.
  • Ken Davidoff of Newsday: Sign free agents Francisco Rodriguez, Darren Oliver, Juan Rivera, Fernando Tatis, and Wes Helms.  Also sign one of Jon Garland, Derek Lowe, or Oliver Perez.  Exercise Carlos Delgado’s $12MM option.  Trade/release Aaron Heilman, Duaner Sanchez, Scott Schoeneweis, and Luis Castillo.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post: Sign C.C. Sabathia, even if it takes $150MM over six years.  Sherman notes this would lessen the load on the bullpen (Sabathia averaged 7.23 innings per start in ’08).  I prefer this plan to spending $100MM on K-Rod and a mid-tier starter.
  • Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog: Buy Delgado out for $4MM rather than exercise his $12MM option.  Interesting, unconventional thought by Cerrone.  Cerrone, like Davidoff, finds the idea of trading David Wright or Jose Reyes to be misguided.

Heyman’s Latest: Manny, K-Rod, Cashman

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Lets discuss the latest column from SI.com’s Jon Heyman.

  • The Mets are "disinclined" to go after Manny Ramirez or break up the Jose Reyes–David Wright–Carlos Beltran core.
  • Heyman, like Ken Davidoff, feels the Mets can’t afford to sit out the Francisco Rodriguez sweepstakes.  If not him, then at least Brian Fuentes.
  • Heyman says Brian Cashman "appears likely" to return as Yankees GM.  He notes that Cashman wouldn’t have ended up in Seattle anyway because of the return of Mariners chairman Howard Lincoln.

Tigers To Decline Renteria’s Option

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John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press has the news – Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said today the team will decline shortstop Edgar Renteria’s $12MM option for 2009.  They’ll pay the $3MM buyout instead.  Next question: will the Tigers offer him arbitration?  Renteria is a Type A free agent, and he’ll be less attractive to the other teams if he’ll cost draft picks.

Dombrowski will be looking to improve the club at catcher, shortstop, and closer next year (though Francisco Rodriguez will be too costly).  Dombrowski debunked the rumor about the Tigers reducing payroll – he says it won’t be down significantly.  In general, the Tigers will not be active on the free agent market.  One other note – Kenny Rogers says it’s the Tigers or retirement for him in ’09.

Mets Rumors: K-Rod, Castillo, Pedro

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Let’s collect some a few postmortem Mets articles floating around this morning. 

  • Ken Davidoff suggests the Mets patch up their bullpen with Francisco Rodriguez.  It’d be an obvious overreaction, and would ignore past history of big money tossed at relievers.  The Mets had a firsthand look with their own Billy Wagner signing.  $43MM for 193.3 innings – was it worth it?
  • David Lennon believes Luis Castillo is as good as gone, though I’d be surprised if eating half of his contract is enough.  Would Castillo get a three-year, $9MM deal on the open market right now given numerous palatable one-year options?  Adam Rubin sees the Mets trading Castillo, Aaron Heilman, and Scott Schoeneweis (he suggests eating 90% of Castillo’s contract).
  • As for the rotation, Lennon doesn’t see the Mets involved on C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, A.J. Burnett, Oliver Perez, or Pedro Martinez.  I imagine the Mets will add one starter to follow Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, and John Maine though.  Freddy Garcia could make sense.  Rubin says Derek Lowe and Brian Moehler are rumored possibilities, though Moehler already re-signed with Houston for ’09.
  • Bob Klapisch wonders if the Mets should consider trading Jose Reyes, David Wright, or Carlos Beltran to shake up the team.

Week in Review: 9/14 – 9/20

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Another week down here at MLBTR, here’s your review!

  • The Brewers fired manager Ned Yost on Monday. Yost has taken a lot of criticism, and while I personally don’t feel like it’s a bad move, it seems like an odd time to disrupt the clubhouse, given that the Brewers are right in the wild card race. Perhaps this was intended to spark the Brewers and act as a wakeup call, but they have just two wins since the move.
  • In an attempt to cut payroll, the Tigers may have to move Magglio Ordonez this offseason. Ordonez will make $18MM next year and has options for 2010 and 2011. Anyone else think the Reds should make a serious run at Maggs? A lineup filled with Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Edwin Encarnacion, and Ordonez could be extremely potent, to go along with a rotation anchored by Edinson Volquez, Aaron Harang, and Johnny Cueto.
  • Despite their bullpen woes, the Mets are not likely to make a run at either Francisco Rodriguez, or Brian Fuentes either. The Mets’ internal options have been bad, but K-Rod is in for a record-setting deal, and aside from the sheer number of saves, I don’t feel that his numbers stand out to the point where the team that lands him is going to get the full value of that contract. Personally, I think passing is a good decision.
  • Are the Royals currently interested in making a move for Braves’ right fielder Jeff Francoeur? The Royals have very few guys with solid OBPs, and adding Francoeur to the everyday lineup doesn’t seem like the route to go. Still, he has a long-standing relationship with Royals GM Dayton Moore, so it could be a valid possibility. The Royals have said they are willing to part with anyone aside from Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, and Joakim Soria.
  • The Red Sox and Theo Epstein have agreed to a contract extension.
  • Things to think about for in the offseason: Kevin Gregg expects to be traded, Matt Cain wants to stay in San Francisco, Milton Bradley wants a long-term deal and feels he has a 50-50 chance at returning to the Rangers. In the meantime, likely non-tender candidates include both Josh Bard and Erik Bedard.
  • Tim updated the Offseason Outlook series with entries for the Athletics, Braves, and Tigers. He also took a look at the Third Base Market, led by Casey Blake.
  • And for anyone curious about Manny Ramirez’s end in Boston, here’s Curt Schilling’s take on the situation.
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