Robert Beck/SI
LAS VEGAS -- While a person familiar with the Mets' search for a closer suggested things have "loosened up a bit'' on the trade front, it appears that these are the team's top four closing options as general manager Omar Minaya heads to the winter meetings.
1. Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod, by virtue of his history as a master saver in a major market, gets the nod if his price isn't well above second choice Brian Fuentes. While there are internal concerns over a loss in velocity (he's down to 93 from 97), those worries are tempered by K-Rod's continuing success. The goal would be to keep him to a three-year deal with a fourth-year option and avoid anything longer than that.
2. Fuentes. Mets people seem to like the fact that Fuentes' stuff held up throughout the 2008 season and that he's throwing as well as ever (82 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings). At 32, he's considerably older than K-Rod though.
3. Kerry Wood. Baseball people generally say his stuff trumps the other two. But the Mets are understandably worried about past arm troubles since their first star closer, Billy Wagner, is on the shelf. No way do they want to have more than Wagner's $11 million in closing monies on the disabled list.
4. A Trevor Hoffman-Huston Street combo. This is an idea a lot of Mets people seem to like. If they can acquire Street from the Rockies via trade, the idea would be to sign Hoffman to share closing duties. They don't see either pitcher as a slam-dunk closer for them. But together, they could do the job, Mets people think.
The list is actually longer than this, as Minaya is in search of a closer at just the right time. There are several good ones available, either through free agency or trade, and only a few other teams competing for these closers. (Others include the Indians, Rangers and Cardinals.)
Another plus for the Mets is that most of the other teams looking for a closer aren't major-market teams that could compete with the Mets. Some other options could be trades for J.J. Putz, Bobby Jenks or Jose Valverde, though the Mets and White Sox appear to have made little progress on Jenks and the Mets don't love Valverede's contractual situation.
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Comments (9) Add A Comment
Why not sign both Fuentes and K-Rod .. If you got the money to do it , why not. Bring in Fuentes to counter against the Phillies tuff lefties with K-Rod getting a bulk of the other save opportunities.
MrMet78
Total Comments (19)
"Why not sign both Fuentes and K-Rod .. If you got the money to do it , why not."
Good point. However, with Fuentes costing over $10mil and KRod costing $15mil, it would leave the Mets with about $500,000 to get a top starting pitcher and a 5th starter. So they don't have the money. But if they did, why not?
GregSL
Bloomfield , NJ
Total Comments (1)
hey mets fan, i'd stay away from k-rod... better off signing kerry wood. seriously
Yank-ee Base-ball
Coram , NY
Total Comments (552)
Do the mets even have anyone to give up if they were to trade?
A2Z
Chicago , IL
Total Comments (1)
Not Really
MrMet78
Total Comments (19)
Gee, did anyone think the Hispanic players would not top Omar's list?
mishagothe
Littleton, CO
Total Comments (433)
Yeah, overpay two overrated relievers and have them throw 100 innings between them! Great idea! Why get a filet mignon like Teixeira/Sabathia when you can have two dried up beef jerky cubes for the same price?
yngwiescruggs
Tempe, AZ
Total Comments (386)
The mets need two front of the rotation starters and a LF. K-rod would make that bullpen solid with Heilman, Sanchez and Burgos filling their rolls. Lowe and Sheets would be the two guys I would go after if I was the mets. They have the money with the new Stadium and with Pedro's Salary gone that will help with the winter spending.
jb12bb
Saratoga Springs , NY
Total Comments (101)
I was thinking of the same thing cause felicano will have his hands full with the phillies and the more arms inthe bullpen the better
Gang Green
Northford , CT
Total Comments (77)
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