K-Rod traded to Milwaukee per Jon Heyman

[revo]

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.

You're right, but you're missing my point a bit.

In this particular case, the Mets are not re-using the resources saved by shedding themselves of KRod. Your point was that shedding his salary was enough. My point is, "yeah, that would be the case if they re-use those dollars." But they're not -- they're using it (or going to use it) to pay for their outside activities.

From our perspective as hardcore baseball fans, yeah, it was a no-brainer to dump him, as closers are easily replaceable.

But saving money means little when it's not going to be re-spent on baseball activities.


And JJ's right -- I'm no Mets fan.

[Hammer]

You're right, but you're missing my point a bit.

In this particular case, the Mets are not re-using the resources saved by shedding themselves of KRod. Your point was that shedding his salary was enough. My point is, "yeah, that would be the case if they re-use those dollars." But they're not -- they're using it (or going to use it) to pay for their outside activities.

From our perspective as hardcore baseball fans, yeah, it was a no-brainer to dump him, as closers are easily replaceable.

But saving money means little when it's not going to be re-spent on baseball activities.


And JJ's right -- I'm no Mets fan.

I agree with this. Why would fans care if the Mets save money by trading K-rod if all it means is that the payroll went down by 15 million?

[Moonlight J]

You're right, but you're missing my point a bit.

In this particular case, the Mets are not re-using the resources saved by shedding themselves of KRod. Your point was that shedding his salary was enough. My point is, "yeah, that would be the case if they re-use those dollars." But they're not -- they're using it (or going to use it) to pay for their outside activities.

From our perspective as hardcore baseball fans, yeah, it was a no-brainer to dump him, as closers are easily replaceable.

But saving money means little when it's not going to be re-spent on baseball activities.


And JJ's right -- I'm no Mets fan.

We don't know what they're going to do with the money saved yet. That said, who cares! Save it for next year's FA class if nothing fits your need this season. Or, if it helps pay down the mess that Minaya has gotten the team into, so be it.

The Rays cut payroll by $33M this season and are projected to finish 5 games last year's pace. 5 games doesn't make a difference when Boston could become the first team to win 100 games after starting 0-6, but I digress.

[cardboardbox]

I wouldnt bet a whole lot on it, but theres a decent chance Parnell puts up similar numbers to Krod next year so Mets fans should be satisfied.

[Erik]

The Mets do plan to spend more on draft picks. They never busted slot before Alderson came aboard, and now that will change. So maybe some of the money will go to that.

[Judge Jude]

Seemed like K-Rod getting that contract change after the trade might have quieted him down, especially as the Brewers are in the postseason tuneup mode already.

But in a shocking twist, he's still not happy, after the Brewers for some reason told him he'd get plenty of SV opps himself:

Francisco Rodriguez told Scott Miller of CBSSports.com that he is unhappy pitching in a set-up role.
"I'm not fine," said Rodriguez. "They told me I'd have the opportunity to close some games, and we've had 20-some save opportunities since then and I haven't even had one." K-Rod has a 2.31 ERA and 24/9 K/BB ratio over 23 1/3 innings since being acquired by the Brewers, but John Axford has been nearly untouchable during the same timespan. Rodriguez will have no choice but to grin and bear it until he becomes a free agent following the season. Source: CBSSports.com Sep. 14 - 12:02 am et

K-Rod broke the SV opp record by a staggering amount in his "most SV ever" year, and it seems like he thinks that makes him an iconic closer or something. Good luck to the Brewers in the next few weeks, and to his next team next year. Also a good postgame interview opp if Axford blows even one postseason lead.

That said, I have him for 25, and if an NL team is willing to pamper the prima donna in 2012....

[schlesinj]

Seemed like K-Rod getting that contract change after the trade might have quieted him down, especially as the Brewers are in the postseason tuneup mode already.

But in a shocking twist, he's still not happy, after the Brewers for some reason told him he'd get plenty of SV opps himself:

Francisco Rodriguez told Scott Miller of CBSSports.com that he is unhappy pitching in a set-up role.
"I'm not fine," said Rodriguez. "They told me I'd have the opportunity to close some games, and we've had 20-some save opportunities since then and I haven't even had one." K-Rod has a 2.31 ERA and 24/9 K/BB ratio over 23 1/3 innings since being acquired by the Brewers, but John Axford has been nearly untouchable during the same timespan. Rodriguez will have no choice but to grin and bear it until he becomes a free agent following the season. Source: CBSSports.com Sep. 14 - 12:02 am et

K-Rod broke the SV opp record by a staggering amount in his "most SV ever" year, and it seems like he thinks that makes him an iconic closer or something. Good luck to the Brewers in the next few weeks, and to his next team next year. Also a good postgame interview opp if Axford blows even one postseason lead.

That said, I have him for 25, and if an NL team is willing to pamper the prima donna in 2012....

He asked for it...
John Axford will not be available in a save situation Wednesday night against the Rockies.
Axford will get the night off after throwing 25 pitches over two innings in Tuesday's extra-inning win. Francisco Rodriguez, who told Scott Miller of CBSSports.com on Tuesday that he was unhappy in a set-up role, will get the ball in a potential save situation Wednesday.

[chancellor]

He asked for it...
John Axford will not be available in a save situation Wednesday night against the Rockies.
Axford will get the night off after throwing 25 pitches over two innings in Tuesday's extra-inning win. Francisco Rodriguez, who told Scott Miller of CBSSports.com on Tuesday that he was unhappy in a set-up role, will get the ball in a potential save situation Wednesday.

If he gets the save chance and screws it up, this will get ugly.

[Judge Jude]

Actually it will get uglier if it's a 1-2-3, no?

[chancellor]

Actually it will get uglier if it's a 1-2-3, no?

No, because Axford will go back into his role. But if K-Rod would be a prima donna AND fail, Brewer fans would get all over him.

[Judge Jude]

I'd rather have Brewers fans angry with K-Rod (who won't get a SV chance tonight), then an emboldened K-Rod demanding more action. At least if he had blown one, he had less of a case.

Fans can boo all they want, but if K-Rod is pissed off in his "understudy" role, that's not a great spot come postseason. Both his manager and his GM promised him SV opps, he pitched well (and Axford was as good or better), and he didn't get any.

Amazing to trade for a prima donna, promise him something, watch him pitch well - and then prove to be liars. Dopey.

from mid-July:

http://www.wiscnews.com/portagedaily...cc4c002e0.html'

"Melvin and manager Ron Roenicke said Rodriguez and Axford will share closer duties, and maintained there will be no closer controversy. The bottom line, they insist, is winning games.....

Rodriguez recently switched agents, joining the stable of super agent Scott Boras, who also happens to be Fielder's agent. Boras obviously doesn't believe his new client is a setup man.

"Francisco Rodriguez is a historic closer," Boras told Newsday earlier this week. "He's not going anywhere to be a setup man. Closers don't make good setup men. Does anyone want an unhappy setup man in their clubhouse?".......

"I think there are going to be times that both of them are used in that setup role," Roenicke told MLB.com."

...........

with any luck, it won't matter. limited number of postseason opps, and either the Brewers go down quickly anyway, or they keep winning and maybe that shuts up K-Rod (as long as Axford doesn't stumble). And if it is a late meltdown, well, it won't matter next year.

Brewers are lucky this didn't flare up sooner. K-Rod is so dumb, I guess, that he just noticed that he got scammed....