K-Rod traded to Milwaukee per Jon Heyman

[Hammer]

K-Rod pitching the 8th

[revo]

I think it'll be Izzy as well. What's the difference if they give the job to Parnell now or hold an open competition in spring training? Either way, we all know the Mets will not be signing a closer, so it'll have to be someone in their pen. Will giving Parnell a shot now do anything for his confidence next year? I'm not sure. I think he'll get some chances, but perhaps Alderson also thought he wasn't losing much by turning to Izzy, who needs just 7 saves for 300 in his career, over K-Rod.

And Izzy gets the first post-KRod save.

[Judge Jude]

mlb.com wrapup:

"Pujols fouled off two 100 mph pitches from Bobby Parnell then hit a grounder that Reyes fielded right at second base. He stepped on the bag and made a strong throw to nail Pujols at first, falling down on the follow through.

It was Pujols' major league-leading 22nd double play.

"I thank Bobby for getting through Albert for me," said Jason Isringhausen, who came on in the ninth for the Mets' first save opportunity since trading Francisco Rodriguez -- who had 23 of New York's 24 saves this season -- on the night of the All-Star game.

He pitched a perfect ninth for his first save since 2008, when he was with St. Louis. Isringhausen saved 217 games with the Cardinals before being injured. He wasn't even sure he'd make the Mets roster this spring.

"I knew it was going to happen this way," Isringhausen said of getting his first save against the Cardinals. "The baseball gods, that's how they do it."

Collins said that he'd likely go with Isringhausen as the closer but will try to spread the chances around."



"Right now Izzy would be the guy. Yes." Collins said.

It was Isringhausen's second save for the Mets. The other was the first of his career, in 1999.

[Roto Rooter]

http://www.metsblog.com/2011/09/01/k-rod-deal-complete-mets-get-rosario-herrera/

The Mets will get Adrian Rosario and Daniel Ray Herrera as the players-to-be-named-later in the deal that sent Francisco Rodriguez to the Brewers, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

[Moonlight J]

Getting rid of the contract is a win in the trade...those guys aren't

[revo]

Getting rid of the contract is a win in the trade...those guys aren't

But is it?

Of course there's no reliever not named Mariano who deserves a salary like that. But the Mets aren't going to use that money to bring in any other players, and that money is probably not going to be able to save Reyes from walking. So besides Met ownership, exactly who does saving KRod's salary help? From a Met fan perspective, they lose a quality closer and gain nothing. Trimming salary and not re-using it is of no help to a Met fan.

[Bodhizefa]

But is it?

Of course there's no reliever not named Mariano who deserves a salary like that. But the Mets aren't going to use that money to bring in any other players, and that money is probably not going to be able to save Reyes from walking. So besides Met ownership, exactly who does saving KRod's salary help? From a Met fan perspective, they lose a quality closer and gain nothing. Trimming salary and not re-using it is of no help to a Met fan.

I don't think that's fair. You have no clue what the Mets will do with the money they saved from the ludicrous option that would have vested had K-Rod stayed with the Mets. That's a boatload of green that could be used wisely by the Mets in the off-season.

[revo]

I don't think that's fair. You have no clue what the Mets will do with the money they saved from the ludicrous option that would have vested had K-Rod stayed with the Mets. That's a boatload of green that could be used wisely by the Mets in the off-season.

Sure we have clues -- the Mets are likely on the hook for clawbacks due to the Madoff lawsuit.

Alderson's on record saying the Mets payroll will likely drop from $140m to $100-$110m in 2012. Besides Reyes, the Mets have no FAs of any significance, and they have no players of any significance who are arbitration-eligible. The likelihood is they're not putting the money back into the team, and KRod was a must-cut for Met ownership due to his onerous contract.

My point is that it's akin to the Dodgers situation -- trimming payroll for outside baseball activities is of greater importance at the moment than putting it to good use in the ballclub. If that changes, better for Mets fans. At the moment, all Met fans knew what this trade was about.

[chancellor]

Heck, the Mets might as well be fiscally prudent - it's pretty evident they're not going anywhere soon, Reyes or no.

[Moonlight J]

But is it?

Of course there's no reliever not named Mariano who deserves a salary like that. But the Mets aren't going to use that money to bring in any other players, and that money is probably not going to be able to save Reyes from walking. So besides Met ownership, exactly who does saving KRod's salary help? From a Met fan perspective, they lose a quality closer and gain nothing. Trimming salary and not re-using it is of no help to a Met fan.

Closers are terribly replaceable. If the Rays getting saves out of Troy Percival, Kyle Farnsworth, and J.P. Howell haven't proved that, I don't know what else can.

K-Rod has been worth 2.5 wins or less since the end of the 2004 season. Jonathan Niese has been worth 2.8 wins this season.

Keep overpaying closers and you keep wasting money. The Yankees can afford to do it and Papelbon just this season got terribly expensive. Bobby Parnell has been worth 0.1 wins less to the Mets than K-Rod was in his time there and he's done it for 10% of the costs. Save your money and spend it on starting pitching. One of these days, GM's will get the message.

[Erik]

I don't think that's fair. You have no clue what the Mets will do with the money they saved from the ludicrous option that would have vested had K-Rod stayed with the Mets. That's a boatload of green that could be used wisely by the Mets in the off-season.

That's the first time I've seen "Mets" and "wisely" in the same sentence in a long time.

[revo]

Closers are terribly replaceable. If the Rays getting saves out of Troy Percival, Kyle Farnsworth, and J.P. Howell haven't proved that, I don't know what else can.

K-Rod has been worth 2.5 wins or less since the end of the 2004 season. Jonathan Niese has been worth 2.8 wins this season.

Keep overpaying closers and you keep wasting money. The Yankees can afford to do it and Papelbon just this season got terribly expensive. Bobby Parnell has been worth 0.1 wins less to the Mets than K-Rod was in his time there and he's done it for 10% of the costs. Save your money and spend it on starting pitching. One of these days, GM's will get the message.

It's not that. With the Mets, it's 'save your money and spend it on nothing.'

At least with KRod, they had a star. Now they have Bobby Parnell. And this ain't Tampa Bay, where you can get Rays tickets for two bits. Mets tickets are 'spensive! Met fans demand seeing non-Bobby Parnell types for their hard-earned dough.

[Judge Jude]

I have never met anyone who factored K-Rod into the ticket-buying equation even 1 pct.

I tend to agree with MoonlightJ. K-Rod was effective, but not overwhelming, and while Parnell may not be the answer (but he might be), the Mets would have been incredibly foolish to get stuck with K-Rod next year. K-Rod was NOT popular with Mets fans after beating up his baby mama's dad last year at the stadium - hence the lack of backlash from the trade (and I'm surprised they got back a LHP candidate for the 2012 pen who pitched 70 G for the 2009 Reds, and an A ball player who the Orioles plucked in last year's Rule 5 draft but he didn't stick. Those are not just two boxes of baseballs).

The Mets also could save half the K-Rod costs next year, and spend the rest. That would still improve the overall team.

Now, Reyes, that's a different story. He is extremely popular, and when you factor in cost per year, certainly they could lose $1M plus annually in ticket sales without him (or more). Still might be debatable whether to 'overpay' him, but it's not as simple as on-field nuts and bolts there.

[Moonlight J]

It's not that. With the Mets, it's 'save your money and spend it on nothing.'

At least with KRod, they had a star. Now they have Bobby Parnell. And this ain't Tampa Bay, where you can get Rays tickets for two bits. Mets tickets are 'spensive! Met fans demand seeing non-Bobby Parnell types for their hard-earned dough.

Then Mets fans are as inept as Omar Minaya

Opportunity gets you saves, skills keeps you in that role. The Rays have had 7 different relievers lead the team in saves each of the last seven seasons and that includes 2 division titles in the toughest division in sports and a trip to the World Series. If they can do it, certainly other teams can do it.

[Judge Jude]

Pretty sure Revo is not a Mets fan - he's just 'projecting.'

I know plenty of Mets fans, none of whom were sad to see K-Rod and that albatross contract go.