Mets Get K-Rod

The Mets have reached an agreement with Francisco Rodriquez. (“That’s fun to say. Francisco. Frannncisco. Frannncisco.”) The contract is worth $37 million over three years, and there’s a rumor it includes a $14 million vesting option for a fourth year.

K-Rod was the best and safest closing option on the market, and Omar Minaya reeled him in for a lot less than the five-year $75 million contract that was making the rounds when the free agency period began. But the poor economy and the lack of big market teams in need of a closer had a lot more to do with that than Minaya being a genius.

But he did play things right, though. He could have signed K-Rod right away and just gave the closer what he wanted, but he didn’t panic or rush and got him for almost Brian Fuentes money (most reports had him looking for a three-year $33 million contract).

Omar didn’t have to give up any prospects (see J.J. Putz), and can still trade for a Huston Street type (or how about Huston Street himself?). If the rumor is true that Minaya turned down a Street for Aaron Heilman/Pedro Feliciano deal, he made a big mistake there. Get Heilman off the team and pick up a setup guy with closing experience? C’mon Omar, how do you not do that?

Even though he set the saves record last season (62, with seven blown saves), K-Rod still has a tendency to walk the tightrope in the ninth inning and is far from a lockdown, game-over guarantee. Here’s a scouting report from my inside source (ok, my Angels-fan brother who lives in California and sees him pitch a lot):

“He saves about 90 percent of his games. Not many 1-2-3 innings but he gets it done. Doesn’t seem to throw as hard as he did but he doesn’t get hurt. He will get the job done. Sometimes he drives you nuts if you are watching, though.”

His velocity may be down, and we all know the save is the most overrated stat there is, but he’s better than Luis Ayala, and probably Fuentes. And he’s not locked into some outrageously long contract.

Kerry Wood may have the most talent of any closer out there, but can the Mets take a chance on another injured reliever? A lot of people say K-Rod is an injury waiting to happen because of his violent motion, but it hasn’t happened yet. And he’s just turning 27 years old. Anytime “the Mets” and “youth” are in the same sentence, that’s good.

Now all Omar has to do is find six more relievers, get rid of Luis Castillo, figure out what to do with the catching and left field situations and come up with a few more starting pitchers. Good luck. But one thing is for certain with the K-Rod signing: with Rodriquez’s on-the-field celebrations making Jose Reyes look like Alan Greenspan, he’s sure to piss off the thin-skinned Phillies.