“Rodriguez told Collins during their discussion that he wanted to get rid of the option, so any decisions on how the Mets used him would be related strictly to baseball.
Collins told Rodriguez that contract negotiations were not his department; the matter was referred to General Manager Sandy Alderson.
A deal between the Mets and Rodriguez could not be worked out, but Alderson was able to convey to other teams that Rodriguez would be willing to forgo the option, making it much easier for the Mets to trade him.” – NY Times
Sans Goggles.
According to this report in the New York Times, the Mets had a chance to keep Francisco Rodriguez and waive his $17.5MM vesting option for 2012, but the deal didn’t work out. Shortly after being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, Rodriguez worked out a deal with his new team to waive his option.
While this trade seemed like a stroke of genius at the time, it must be questioned in light of this information, and the fact that Jason Isringhausen is starting to feel his age, or is being haunted by the ghost of Dallas Green.
How serious was Sandy Alderson about negotiating with Rodriguez? Could the Mets have kept him to close ballgames this year without the specter of the games-finished clause looming over their heads? With three consecutive games lost in the final two innings, one must wonder, would K-Rod have made a difference? Based on past performance, yes. Even when he blew a save, he came back the next day and redeemed himself.
With the Braves losing two in a row, the Mets would have had a chance to pull to within Wild Card contention. With these factors in mind, the K-Rod trade isn’t looking quite as good anymore.
10 comments
TRS86
8/3/2011-2:51am at 2:51 am (UTC -4)
I guess the question then becomes is it worth paying Krod the rather large portion of his remaining salary AND getting no prospects back for him in what is really a lost season in terms of standings? Is there really a big difference in 78 and 82 wins?
Anonymous
8/3/2011-4:46am at 4:46 am (UTC -4)
Especially when you consider that the financial resources
saved can be allocated to signing Reyes and/or their draft choices your point
is well taken.
Anonymous
8/3/2011-3:05am at 3:05 am (UTC -4)
It’ll come down to which 2 PTBNLs come the Mets way. I still think it was the right thing to do. Those savings could help get Nimmo signed!
But your point of having the Mets trade away their one true shining star from the BP does hampers ones ability to make a push for the playoffs.
Anonymous
8/3/2011-4:49am at 4:49 am (UTC -4)
I think it’s reasonable to believe that if Sandy truly believed the Mets were a playoff contender K-Rod and Beltran would still be with the Mets.
Anonymous
8/3/2011-1:18pm at 1:18 pm (UTC -4)
Good point.
Mr North Jersey
8/3/2011-3:05am at 3:05 am (UTC -4)
There is a saying that if I remember correctly says “The devil is in the details” or something close to that. Which is what is missing from KRod’s statement.
I have no doubt he would renegotiate his contract but for what? Surely not for half a million more to buy him out and get rid of his vesting option like he did with the Brewers.
I am sorry but that I just did not see him doing.
Would KRod renegotiate? Sure but like I said “The devil is in the details” regarding what would he renegotiate for.
Paul J. Festa
8/3/2011-3:19am at 3:19 am (UTC -4)
I hope the PTBNL prove to be contributers. No matter what, this trade helps the Mets financially. But I can’t shake the nagging thought that the Mets could have had K-Rod and their savings too.
Paul J. Festa
8/3/2011-3:19am at 3:19 am (UTC -4)
Great comments all, btw.
TRS86
8/3/2011-3:43am at 3:43 am (UTC -4)
I mentioned this when all the Krod stuff started coming up. Krod did not want the option to kick in. It actually would hurt his total value. He will get much more overall money coming up for FA this year instead of coming back on basically a one year 14M deal after you take out the buyout. That being said, the Mets would have still been on the hook for the rest of the year and the buyout no matter what with no return.
SaltyGary
8/3/2011-1:15pm at 1:15 pm (UTC -4)
The outcome of restructuring the buyout would of been different if he stayed on the Mets. The Brewers already had a closer and he didn’t want to be the setup man going into a contract year. So getting rid of it so they use him in a closing situation was a no-brainer. There is no way he would of done the same thing with the Mets because he had all the leverage. Move him into the setup role and he files a grievance. There was no reason to get rid of it but maybe he would of cut it significantly for another contract. Either with hindsight it was still the correct move.