MLBPA Serves Mets Notice On K-Rod Option

20 Comments + Add Comment

• t agee February 22, 2011 at 1:02 pm

  If K-Rod pitches the 8th at home in a tie game and we were to win it in the 9th, does that count as a “finish?”
  • Joe D February 22, 2011 at 1:04 pm

    I would have to say definitely yes, as he was the last Met to pitch.
  • XtreemIcon February 22, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Not unless K-Rod also pitched the ninth.
    • t agee February 22, 2011 at 1:40 pm

      Sorry guys. Misphrased that. I mean’t to ask, if K-rod pitches the top of the 9th in a tie game and we win in the bottom of the 9th, that would have to count as a “finish” right? After all he would in that case have been the last Met to pitch.

      Add in a few blown saves of his own as well and that could be 10 right there.

      40 saves and a handful of “getting some work in” type finishes and he’s there.

      Using him in the 8th on the road in high leverage situations is key. If he gets a 5 or 6 out save he can always be rested the next day or even two depending on his prior day’s workload.
      • XtreemIcon February 22, 2011 at 1:52 pm

        T Agee, yes, in that instance, he’d get a “game finished.” And also a win. The game finished is credited to the last guy to pitch, win or lose, UNLESS it’s a starting pitcher pitching a complete game. If you add the games finished totals to the complete games total, it was always equal the amount of team games played. Look at this link of the 2010 Mets sorted by games finished to get a better understanding: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2010.shtml#team_pitching::10
        • t agee February 22, 2011 at 2:22 pm

          Thanks X.
      • METS62FAN February 23, 2011 at 11:43 am

        T, I’m envisioning a potential fullcourt press effort to deal him ala Wagner should the vesting look fate acconpli. u?
        • t agee February 23, 2011 at 11:56 am

          ’62, Boston and NYY have well insulated bull pens. Bard, Jenks, Miller and Papplebon for the Bosox and Mariano and Soriano (Mo and So) in the Bronx take away two of the biggest spenders.

          Only dire need by a win now club would make anyone else even look at 17.5 M in 2012 for a closer.

          These vesting options look like they make sense when contracts get agreed to but frequently hurt both the team and the player down the road but 17.5? for 60 innings? Whew.

          ’62, Getting out from under that option will help with the resigning of Reyes. I hope we can.
          • METS62FAN February 23, 2011 at 12:09 pm

            T, here’s the one certainty I’ve figured on counting upon for 2011.

            IT WILL BE DAMNED MORE INTERESTING THAN ’09-’10 COMBINED!

            ROTS OF RUCK! as was once commonly said, hadn’t though that phrase in decades; but just popped between my ears & seemed a perfect sentiment.

            Suprisingly no one has yet to figure they could possibly retain Reyes @ mkt value & cut payroll from ’11 level simultaneously.
            Solution: as Beltran’s 100% departing making 18.5M in ’11 alongside Reyes’ 11M option. u simply slide the Beltran earmark over to a Reyes’ offer & pocket the 11M u were paying Jose since Pagan will cover CF, a MiLBer for RF @ not nearly combined 11M. TA DA!
            …and my hands never left my keyboard! lol

            On a different topic, u may want to check the amazing similarities between Straw’s debut season & Ike’s
• Mr North Jersey February 22, 2011 at 1:33 pm

  I would really hope that this doesn’t become an issue where the Player Union has to become involved down the road.
  • SFloridaMetsFan February 22, 2011 at 3:34 pm

    They are already involved. What Weiner just did is put the Mets on notice, letting them know that there are rumblings about how to keep K-Rods option from vesting, and the MLBPA will watching.
    • SFloridaMetsFan February 22, 2011 at 3:35 pm

      I hate Omar!
    • Mr North Jersey February 22, 2011 at 4:09 pm

      i guess i should of said “further involved” to be more specific.
• MetsMan86 February 22, 2011 at 3:55 pm

  If K-Rod gets over 55 finishes, I hope its because he’ll have at least 45 saves. Granted, the option is a hefty amount of money (these days) but if he’s successful this year, and next year, I suppose it will be worth it.
• alwaysnextyear February 22, 2011 at 4:02 pm

  the manager should never manage based on contracts. He should be focused on winning games.

  that said, he should also be cognizant of the big picture. And that simply means no letting rankie pitch the 9th in a blow out, to just “get work”. If he can’t get his work in the pen, then he can pitch the 8th inning in a romp if he just wants some action. Even the MLBPA should not be able to complain about that!

  as to the trade, more likely scenario is a team desperately needing a set up man, that doesn’t plan to use him as a closer because they already have one. again, nothing to complain about there!

  Pretty much becomes moot if he has an injury along the way. Miss 3 weeks, and not likely to get to 55 anyway. Or if the mets are free falling like last year, not many save ops!
• Pete February 22, 2011 at 4:08 pm

  Maybe he’ll punch somebody and break his hand.
• francis February 22, 2011 at 8:54 pm

  here’s a question.

  if he gets traded, does the option still stand ?

  i suppose yes.

  if it does still stand, who pays the 17.5 million for next year.

  i suppose the new team.

  if all that’s true. i would guess that the number of games finished he has in mid-July impacts his trade value.

  a team that’s on the hook for the option will not trade for him.
  • Mr North Jersey February 22, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    Well ask yourself this then.

    What if as you say the number of games finished he has in mid-July is one where he most likely will have his option vest. At the same time KRod is having a great (All-Star caliber) year as a closer. Now pick any team in the race in dire need of a premier closer to have a real chance at winning a World Series.

    How much is it worth said team to add a Closer of KRod’s caliber for the post season run?
    Is it worth 17.5M?
    • francis February 22, 2011 at 9:15 pm

      i doubt it, although anything is possible.
  • XtreemIcon February 22, 2011 at 9:16 pm

    The team K-Rod ends the season with is on the hook for the option.