The bigger question is why does a number one market team have to compete with a mid-range payroll…I’m not in favor of the Omar approach – which was to throw a ton of money at a few players and ignore things like the bullpen. The reality is that it takes more money to get quality players to play in NYC.

And NYMetsfan – I hope you are right.

Krod’s numbers were not that good. Look below the surface. The guy choked on every single high pressure situation he was put in. He always let runners on. He was not and will never be a lights out closer. I will always remember all the homeruns he gave on the 9th inning.

The attitude, the ego, the bumness and the outrageous option, switching to scott boras…

So glad Krod is gone!

K-Rod had the two worst seasons of his career in our uniform and got himself hurt and missed the last 6 weeks in the other year.

He’s a pitcher who is either in decline or pitching through some type of injury while focusing on making sure his option vests. Once that 55 games finished clause kicks in he and Borass will begin their power play. He’ll be a problem in the clubhouse, go on the DL, demand a longer guarantee (2/24 + 3.5 M buyout)or some other creative Borass type squeeze play. Getting out from under that option at any cost was a huge move by Alderson. Thank God Minaya didn’t give a blanket no trade or we would have been seriously hosed.

K-Rod saves games at an 85% clip (with a lot of ageda) That’s not something a well conceived bullpen can’t replace by spreading it around as opposed to giving it all to one guy and having to scour at the landfill like last off season.

As for the return from the Brewers it has to be put in context. Milwaukee was one of only 19 clubs that didn’t require K-Rod’s consent (which Borass almost assuredly wouldn’t have given) In addition, of the 19 clubs which K-Rod could be dealt to, anyone without a clear #1 closer was out of the running unless they were willing to let that option vest. We have no idea which clubs we could/couldn’t make a deal without securing K-Rod’s consent so we have no idea how many of those 19 clubs, A.) were “in the hunt”, B.) had an established closer (or didn’t mind if the option vested), C.) could even take on salary if they wanted or D.), even wanted a set up man with declining skills, or E.) was dying to have a Borass represented player with a performance based option in his potential walk year.

I’d say that list of teams that qualified on all 5 accounts was pretty limited. Less than 5 of the 19 for sure so striking a deal with any of them was a win for us as it will allow us to offer a Chad Qualls a 2nd year to come here or pay an Aaron Harang double or add a Joel Peralta or whatever other type of move would better benefit the club in 2012 and 2013. where the odds of actually winning a wild card should hopefully be a heck of a lot better than they are right now sitting 7 back of a team with an excellent rotation and bullpen with less than 80 games to go and five other teams in between and two more on our tail.

The fact that Alderson reacted so quickly to Borass’ attempted squeeze play will only serve to make subsequent dealings with agents a little less heavy handed and some GM’s who preffered to “wait and see” a little quicker to pull the trigger on Alderson’s terms rather than risk losing a player they would really like to have as reflected in Bob Melvin’s statement about how he would be “kicking himself” if something had happened and he hadn’t agreed to the deal.

I wonder how K-Rod feels about winding up in Milwaukee with very little chance of his option vesting now? It really wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see him hurt his value by pouting in the Brewer clubhouse. I also wonder how the guy who really did need K-Rod feels right now (Cashman) The NYY didn’t require approval, have the most credible closer of all time and certainly could have afforded the 17M (and saved their season) if Rivera did go down.

Alderson showed both of them and served notice to all the others at the same time that we are no longer at the mercy of agents and shrewder GM’s because we have one of those our self now. If we were able to extract a useful part or two from Milwaukee that could either be a long term meaningful piece or a closer, short term hold the fort guy that would be very welcome. Our farm system is packed solid with potential utility and back up types so anything that we get from the Brewers that represents an upgrade over that is just gravy.

Of course this is all over the monkey’s head because he cannot think more than 1 step ahead and will react to this move by being a fighting, angry, spitting monkey but that’s alright. The monkey might be able to learn a thing or two in due time even if the odds of that are considerably longer than the odds of us winning a Wild Card this year, with Frankie or without.

I’m presuming that they got something better than that.

The whole stop going to the ball park does crap except tell the rest of the world we aren’t tough enough to deal with adversity.

Psst, the Wilpons ARE in the process of selling and if you think this small part to Einhorn is all he’s going to settle for, I have a bridge to sell you.

It’s common sense, CLOWN

Just maybe this will leave money to re-sign Reyes, but lets not bother look beyond the tip of our noses or anything. Let the words be thrown around inaccurately.

Talk about white flag waving morons…………

The Wilpons should sell. The fans should stop coming to the ball park until they do.

This has a late 70′s smell to it.

K-Rod bounced back nicely from a tumultuous 2010 season. His competent performance and rehabilitated character allowed for this trade to occur.

Alderson had no choice but to deal K-Rod. Inasmuch as I would like Beltran to stay and Bay to go, that’s not in the tea leaves. Beltran will be the second commodity to go. Beltran’s value will never be higher. He is a knee injury away from having absolutely no value. I like Beltran alot, but he’s got to go.

I pray that Jason Bay’s bat wakes up. He’s the nicest person one could ever meet. He needs to take those outside pitches to right field, as he did in LA. He swings and misses when he pulls off those pitches. Easy to say, difficult to do.