On Sunday, according to Lider en Deportes, Francisco Rodriguez told reporters in Venezuela that he traveled to the United States on Saturday to get a blood test and take an MRI to verify his health for teams who are interested in signing him.
…so, basically, he was getting checked out for 
his own medical report, which he and his agent will give to inquiring teams, not just the Mets…
Interestingly, though, when asked about the report last night in El Universal, which reported Rodriguez was in New York City to have a physical, Rodriguez’s agent, Paul Kinzer, told MLB.com, “Unless I know nothing about it, there’s no truth to it…it wasn’t for a physical.”
…so, it’s understandable that the Mets denied last night’s report, and were ‘annoyed,’ as the Bergen Record wrote, because technically they had nothing to do with the physical, and it was certainly not being done in advance of a signing…
…however, kinzer might want to give his client a call…since, despite what the agent told MLB.com, according to K-Rod, the closer was apparently inspected by someone in a white coat, who took his blood and gave him an MRI…and, i would hope it was a doctor…i’m just saying…
“Right now, nothing is concrete,” Rodriguez told reporters of negotiations, adding that his agent will be sending his medical report to interested teams.
According to Rodriguez, the Mets, among other teams, have already been in contact with Kinzer.
…Update…9:17 am…
…the best part of all of this is learning that his nickname in his hometown is ‘El Kid Rodriguez,’ according to Andres M, who helped translate the article for MetsBlog…
{ 31 comments }
I like the direction this is taking. Last year we could have had Santana in December or early January if we just parted with F-Mart and ended it like a lot of home GMs wanted, but Omar was patient and it paid off. I think a little more patience and smoke signals that we are not all that interested will get him here for three years and $50mil with an option for a fourth.
3/50!?
That’s $16.5 mil a year.
4 years and 56.. done…
There will be no more mocking of the foreign papers…
why? the got exactly one part of the story correct, that he was in New York. Everything else was BS
You people need to lighten up. It was a joke.
I’ll mock you instead of foreign papers. Your call brah.
Heh. Go for it mothermocker.
the humor didn’t really translate through my computer screen.
my bad.
Damn those computer screens. Try a Mac…
I know its not official yet, but I would love to see k-rod get a save against the phillies at CBP and celebrate like crazy like he always does.
that’d be sweet.. with that been said there will be a lot of new york haters who would critize that as usual.. he’s been doing that his whole life, but it will escalade once he’s here in ny.. GO METS!!!!
K-Rod is emotional? I haven’t heard much about his personality.Does he kied to be involved with reporters?Billy Wagner put on quite a soap opera drama last year with the press.I ‘ll miss that!!I think it would be totally entertaining to see K-Rod and Reyes together this coming year.Can he fill Wagners shoes(healthy shoes)?
I think calling what they have done a “physical” is an understatement. A physical takes an hour or two, a pro athlete physical takes 8-10 hours and includes running on a treadmill for an hour, MRIs galore, and blood tests.
Not to mention, rumor has it that K-Rod hasn’t pi$$ed in 5 days. So how could he pee in a cup for them?
ha, The Kid Rodriguez needs to stay away from those hoochies. One is liable to get salmonella from those birds.
Maybe the Mets will take the DNA from K-Rod’s blood sample and clone themselves an army of closers.
maybe they are stealing his mojo and are going to give it to aaron heilman!
They’d be no match for the ‘roid army….
an army of closers who are losing velocity, but are still effective. who needs effectiveness when you have velocity?
-that’s for all the k-rod detractors.
This still doesn’t make sense to me.
Why would K-Rod waste his time getting his medical report ready for when teams ask for it??
If I’m the Mets, or any team for that matter, I’m not signing a player without MY doctors evaluating him. Especially for that kind of money.
Somethin’ still fishy about this whole thing.
Good point, but many players do it early just to drive up the price. Usually be the time a team request a physical the terms of a contract are already worked out.
And why in NY of all places?
Still says US I think. But if it were NY, then why not go to the city where the team that is in line to give you the most money resides?
I just hope his name isn’t really Francisco Torrealba.
They said on ESPN radio that the Mets have made formal offers to K-Rod for three years and an option, and to Brian Fuentes also
Above I said 3/$50, but my math was off. If they can get him for 3 and an option and under 15 per, they should do it and move on.
not really a bad idea, and quite Omarish, to let the available guys play against themselves.
If they know that there is a limited number of prime opportunities, and that someone may get shut out (and get a smaller deal, or less desirable job) it puts pressure on one of them to just take the deal on the table before the other one does.
heck, put an offer out for Woods too. make things interesting.
Make them fair but not overly generous, and the first one that bites gets it.
If they all pa-ss, you haven’t really lost anything. At least having an offer on the table means they for sure will be checking in before signing!
Great point.
Let’s review…
Available closers in free agency: K-Rod, Fuentes, Wood, Hoffman, Lyons, Cruz
Available closers on the market (trades): Jenks, Putz, Street, Valverde
Teams who are actively looking for a closer: NYM, CLE, STL, TEX, DET (excluding LAA because they’ve stated they’ve moved on and will give their flamethrower Arredondo the opportunity to close)
That’s 10 closers (AT LEAST) for 5 teams in definite interest for a closer. There could be more closers available via trade or more teams who aren’t making it known publicly they’re looking for a closer.
Regardless, supply easily trumps demand this year. And it bodes well for Omar…
“and, i would hope it was a doctor…i’m just saying…”
He went to the United States for the check up. Not Guatemala.
Ha, come back with just one kidney………..oh never go to TJ either.
Comments on this entry are closed.