K-Rod Traded

[G-Fafif]

Melvin says Axford and Rodriguez will share closer duties.

John Axford was the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers. When the phone rang, he knew it was for him.

JOHN AXFORD LOUNGING IN BREWER BULLPEN AS PHONE RINGS.

AX: Hey, I got this.

But Francisco Rodriguez was one of the game's most celebrated closers. When the phone rang...

FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ LOUNGING IN MET BULLPEN AS PHONE RINGS.

K-ROD: Hey, I got this.

Then one day, Francisco Rodriguez was traded to Milwaukee.

JOHN AXFORD AND FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ LOUNGING IN BREWER BULLPEN AS PHONE RINGS.

AX & K-ROD TOGETHER: Hey, I got this.

AXFORD AND RODRIGUEZ TURN AND STARE AT EACH OTHER.

AX & K-ROD TOGETHER: I said I got this!

MILLER PARK PA ANNOUNCER: Now pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers...uh...

JONATHAN LUCROY: HUH?

BOB UECKER: Say, there's something you don't see every day -- two closers on one mound! Looks like the Brew Crew is gonna hafta get six outs here in the ninth.

AXFORD AND RODRIGUEZ EACH GO INTO THEIR WINDUPS.

ANGEL HERNANDEZ: Strike! Ball!

MATT HOLLIDAY STARES IN DISBELIEF.

HOLLIDAY: Man, you really are a bad umpire.

DOUG MELVIN IN THE PRESS BOX, TURNS TO UECKER.

MELVIN: This only counts as half-an-appearance for Rodriguez, right?

UECKER: Just a bit unorthodox.

Learn what happens when two closers from different worlds try to share one job...and end up sharing each other's hearts.

Will Ferrell is John Axford.

"I'm the closer around here. Why don't you set me up with a beer?"

John Leguizamo is Francisco Rodriguez.

"You're lucky I underwent court-mandated anger management or I'd treat you like a member of my family!"

Ray Romano is Ron Roenicke.

"Fellas, c'mon. You can't both have balls. Wait, that's not what I meant."

And Bob Uecker as himself.

"Ax strikes 'em out! But K-Rod gives up the grand slam. It's a single-game split for the Brewers here at Miller Park."

Ax & Rod...coming this July to a theater near you.

AX: Save isn't the only thing you're blowing, buddy.

ROD: You wish.

Rated PG-13

[Fman99]

soupcan wrote: metsmarathon wrote: we had no leverage. plus, we just got $17.5M for next year. that seems like plenty. Agreed. The biggest thing to me is that with Frankie gone and Beltran coming off the books, there is plenty o' do-re-mi to sign a really good shortstop. No excuses now.

First, best thing I thought when hearing of this trade.

[smg58]

Show me a team that has two closers and I'll show you a team that has none. Roenicke needed to make a definitive decision so that the move helps the team more than it hurts, and it appears he's done the opposite of that.

[Ceetar]

smg58 wrote: Show me a team that has two closers and I'll show you a team that has none. Roenicke needed to make a definitive decision so that the move helps the team more than it hurts, and it appears he's done the opposite of that.

Why do you think Girardi wished Soriano into the cornfield?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Melvin says Axford and Rodriguez will share closer duties. John Axford was the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers. When the phone rang, he knew it was for him. JOHN AXFORD LOUNGING IN BREWER BULLPEN AS PHONE RINGS. AX: Hey, I got this. But Francisco Rodriguez was one of the game's most celebrated closers. When the phone rang... FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ LOUNGING IN MET BULLPEN AS PHONE RINGS. K-ROD: Hey, I got this. Then one day, Francisco Rodriguez was traded to Milwaukee. JOHN AXFORD AND FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ LOUNGING IN BREWER BULLPEN AS PHONE RINGS. AX & K-ROD TOGETHER: Hey, I got this. AXFORD AND RODRIGUEZ TURN AND STARE AT EACH OTHER. AX & K-ROD TOGETHER: I said I got this! MILLER PARK PA ANNOUNCER: Now pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers...uh... JONATHAN LUCROY: HUH? BOB UECKER: Say, there's something you don't see every day -- two closers on one mound! Looks like the Brew Crew is gonna hafta get six outs here in the ninth. AXFORD AND RODRIGUEZ EACH GO INTO THEIR WINDUPS. ANGEL HERNANDEZ: Strike! Ball! MATT HOLLIDAY STARES IN DISBELIEF. HOLLIDAY: Man, you really are a bad umpire. DOUG MELVIN IN THE PRESS BOX, TURNS TO UECKER. MELVIN: This only counts as half-an-appearance for Rodriguez, right? UECKER: Just a bit unorthodox. Learn what happens when two closers from different worlds try to share one job...and end up sharing each other's hearts. Will Ferrell is John Axford. "I'm the closer around here. Why don't you set me up with a beer?" John Leguizamo is Francisco Rodriguez. "You're lucky I underwent court-mandated anger management or I'd treat you like a member of my family!" Ray Romano is Ron Roenicke. "Fellas, c'mon. You can't both have balls. Wait, that's not what I meant." And Bob Uecker as himself. "Ax strikes 'em out! But K-Rod gives up the grand slam. It's a single-game split for the Brewers here at Miller Park." Ax & Rod...coming this July to a theater near you. AX: Save isn't the only thing you're blowing, buddy. ROD: You wish. Rated PG-13

I'd totally wait for it to come out on DVD, but I'd eat it up then.

[TransMonk]

soupcan wrote: The biggest thing to me is that with Frankie gone and Beltran coming off the books, there is plenty o' do-re-mi to sign a really good shortstop. No excuses now.

I can still find excuses for that seventh year that we are going to have to offer. But, I guess we can cross 2018 when we come to it.

[MFS62]

smg58 wrote: Show me a team that has two closers and I'll show you a team that has none.

'86 Mets - McDowell and Orosco - both had 20 (or more) saves.
Later

[smg58]

A different era. Neither of them had the ego that Rodriguez has, and they had a manager who wouldn't stand for it if they did. Plus the matchups generally dictated who got used when, while Rodriguez and Axford are basically the same pitcher (righthanded, high K and high BB). Roenicke will have to decide between keeping both pitchers happy (assuming that's even possible) and keeping the controversy from becoming a distraction.

[Benjamin Grimm]

smg58 wrote: Show me a team that has two closers and I'll show you a team that has none. Roenicke needed to make a definitive decision so that the move helps the team more than it hurts, and it appears he's done the opposite of that.

I don't think that's true. I know "times have changed" but having two closers worked out when they were named Orosco and McDowell, or McGraw and Frisella. And it would have worked for Franco and Benitez too.

[Edgy MD]

I would think so, and yet a strong willed manager like Valentine didn't think it worth it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

According to the New York Times this morning, Rodriguez's original agent never got around to submitting the list of ten teams to which Frankie could reject a trade, which meant that the Mets could have traded him anywhere. However, they expected that Scott Boras would soon get that list submitted, and he'd have the advantage of selecting the teams based on the current landscape, which would have made trading Frankie very difficult. (Boras, of course, would want some compensation for waiving the trade veto.)

So Sandy decided he needed to act quickly. Getting out from under that $17.5 million obligation was paramount.

The Brewers gave the Mets a list of five prospects. The Mets will scout them aggressively over the next couple of weeks and then choose two of them.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Interesting.

[duan]

and if I'm K-Rod I'm suing my former agent for the difference between what I get next year & 17.5 million.

[seawolf17]

Boras: "So, Sandy. Just calling to let you know that we've got that list of ten teams just about narrowed down for you, heh heh."
Sandy: "Yeah, about that..."

[batmagadanleadoff]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: According to the New York Times this morning, Rodriguez's original agent never got around to submitting the list of ten teams to which Frankie could reject a trade, which meant that the Mets could have traded him anywhere. However, they expected that Scott Boras would soon get that list submitted, and he'd have the advantage of selecting the teams based on the current landscape, which would have made trading Frankie very difficult. (Boras, of course, would want some compensation for waiving the trade veto.) So Sandy decided he needed to act quickly. Getting out from under that $17.5 million obligation was paramount. The Brewers gave the Mets a list of five prospects. The Mets will scout them aggressively over the next couple of weeks and then choose two of them.

I'm speculating here, but this line in the NYT article:

The Mets thought that once Boras assumed representation, he would scrutinize Rodriguez�s contract and either try to submit a list or perhaps file a grievance that might allow him to do so.

suggests that team K-Rod might have waived or forfeited their right to designate their 10 teams by not doing so in timely fashion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/sports/baseball/mets-traded-rodriguez-because-of-money-not-manpower.html

OTOH, if that right was forfeited, then there would've been no rush on the Mets part to trade K-Rod. But OTOH maybe the Mets just in cased it to be safe.

[Benjamin Grimm]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: But OTOH maybe the Mets just in cased it to be safe.

That's what I think happened.

[batmagadanleadoff]

However, [the Mets] expected that Scott Boras would soon get that list submitted

But then OTOH, that line is inconsistent with team K-Rod forfeiting its right to submit a 10 team list.

It ain't easy to interpret a contract without the actual contract itself to read.

[Ceetar]

seawolf17 wrote: Boras: "So, Sandy. Just calling to let you know that we've got that list of ten teams just about narrowed down for you, heh heh." Sandy: "Yeah, about that..."

One day, I hope someone writes a book about this guy and the behind the scenes stuff. Bet there's some rather intriguing maneuverings going on, much like this.

[TransMonk]

Have Boras or K-Rod actually bitched about any of this?

Joe Petruccio's take:

[soupcan]

Taking into account Boras' history as a knowledgable, wiley agent, they figured he find a way to get that 10 team list submitted and accepted.

Well done on Sandy's team's part on recognizing this aspect of the deal and getting it done.

What a switch from the previous administration.

[Willets Point]

The best thing about this trade is that now all the top threads on the 'Pool are about K-Rod rather than Jeter. Gradually we may reach a point where the threads are about players currently on the Mets.

[Ceetar]

Willets Point wrote: The best thing about this trade is that now all the top threads on the 'Pool are about K-Rod rather than Jeter. Gradually we may reach a point where the threads are about players currently on the Mets.

Hopefully by this time next week they're all about Reyes again.

[bmfc1]

Possible identity of one of the PTBNL:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mcclen001mic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McClendon_(baseball)

based on:

http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/07/a-possible-player-to-be-named-later.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29&utm_content=Twitter

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Better guess could be Mat Gamel, I think.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Better guess could be Mat Gamel, I think.

Only... he's the Prince Fielder insurance, I think.

[TransMonk]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Better guess could be Mat Gamel, I think. Only... he's the Prince Fielder insurance, I think.

Very much this. I don't think he is going anywhere and will be the opening day starter at 1B for Milwaukee in 2012.

[metirish]

Love Prince but often think Mo Vaughn when I see his girth .

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm hoping for a starting pitcher and a catcher.

[metirish]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'm hoping for a starting pitcher and a catcher.

I assume you are looking for a catcher to supplant Thole?

[seawolf17]

metirish wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'm hoping for a starting pitcher and a catcher. I assume you are looking for a catcher to supplant Thole?

Well, they can't fit back there at the same time.