According to Buster Olney, in a post to his blog for ESPN.com, the Mets may decide to make appropriate offers to each closer, ‘and the first one to jump at their proposal will be signed.’
“For example,” Olney explains, “It is not known exactly what the Mets intend to offer to the top-flight closers, but let’s say they proposed a three-year, $36 million deal to Francisco Rodriguez; a three-year, $30 million offer to Brian Fuentes; and a two-year, $18 million offer to Kerry Wood. And then they could tell all three that the first to bite gets the contract. The Cardinals, Brewers, Indians and other teams are looking for closers, but probably won’t spend at the same level as the Mets.”
…this is an odd strategy, unless, of course, the Mets truly do not care which of these three is their closer…in that case, if they value them all the same in terms of talent, in terms of ability to close out a game, then i guess it makes sense…assuming these take-it-or-leave-it offers are the absolute minimum the Mets are willing to pay, before lowering the bar to a point that other teams could jump in…
Olney also blogs about potential talks between the Dodgers and Yankees, regarding Robinson Cano, and how that could impact Orlando Hudson; Atlanta’s offer to A.J. Burnett; Jason Giambi’s lofty request; and whether Jon Garland will accept arbitration from the Angels, among other things.
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I think getting Wood on the (relative) cheap would be great. I’m all for the lesser commitments to these guys.
He certainly has the nastiest stuff of everyone, and will probably be the most dominant (if he can stay on the field of course).
I have said this a lot. Kerry Wood is the Best pitcher available in teh free agnet market regardless of closing or starting. The reality is that can’t start, and he is a bigger injury risk then K-Rod as a closer. No doubt he has the best stuff/comand of all the closers available.
If we sign Wood in 2 yrs or maybe next year we’ll be looking for a closer again and K-Rod will not be around !
If Omar does his job, Street can step up in case of a Wood injury.
But we need a GREAT closer we can’t rely again in struggling guys !
One, we can add a club option for a third year for Wood that we could exercise if the first two years work out well.
Two, three years is enough time to find another closer. Look, we had Wags for only three years and we’re looking for one now.
I have liked the thought of Wood from the very start. He would be cheaper and probably better than the others.
Injury risk is an issue. But any pitcher can go at any time, so a short commitment is wise in this case.
How about a trade for Soria of KC he is young throws hard and can be a closer for a long time or use him as a setup man and sign K-Rod but NO FUENTES! he is overrated and lost his closer job in 2007…. Trade Castillo to Arizona for byrnes bad contract for bad contract even if Mets have to eat a little…. play byrnes in left move Murphy to first and trade Delgado for a starting pitcher…. ALSO PLEASE GET RID OF THE BLACK UNIFORMS AND BRING BACK THE OLD LOOK FROM 1969! so we can actually look like a baseball team!…. anyone heard any rumors of a uni change?
If you want Soria, be prepared to give up Pelfrey.
interesting concept. But it is hard to do unless you really don’t care which guy you get (or more accurately, you do care, but that is factored into your offer).
I have seen this done buying a car, but 1 Honda Civic is pretty much the same as another new one. Not like with closers!
A better option might be target the first guy, give him the offer and a deadline, knowing that the offer for the next guy is ready to go.
Or decide who will be best for the team, and try to work out something reasonable for both sides.
Just get this done, since it seems like the unknown about the closer (FA or trade, how much money) might be impacting what other moves they make. Can’t trade parts if you might need them to trade for a clsoer, and can’t spend money on someone worthwhile like Tex if you have to get a higher priced FA closer.
As an attorney and businessman…that negotiation strategy doesn’t make a lick of sense. (Olney’s reporting on the Mets’ alleged strategy….stickguy’s is far more normal.)
Ok here is my take on it. In 2003 the Red Sox lost to the Yankees in game 7 of the ALCS and then won the WS in 2004, Th ePhillies got sweept away in the NCDS in 2007 and won the WS in 2008, the METS lost in game 7 of the NLCS and them collapsed in 2007 and 2008, do you see a patern here? An impact player such as Santana only has a small window to change th eteam and if we don’t win the WS in 2009 then Santana was a bust. Piazza signed in 1998 and in 1999 we went to the playoffs and the WS in 2000. Pedro, Beltran and Wags did nothing for us. IF we don’t get over th ehump and win it all in 2009 then I don’t think this team has what it takes at all. I am getting disgusted in the team. As a fan I deal with the fans of other teams and hear it all the time. The Mets fold under pressuer like a house of cards. Lets walk the walk and talk the talk and kick some butt!!!! WIN allready. I think that we have a good team and can win it, but, it seems to me that the team has given up and just plays out the games. PLEASE play the way we all know you can and win. LETS GO METS !!!!
As a businessman, does it not make sense to come up with a formula that figures out the value of each of these guys relative to the Mets? In this case, each contract offered would be of the same value (want Wood less than K-Rod so his offer reflects that.) Essentially, at least theoretically, they would all be the same offer when value of each pitcher is weighted among other factors (age, ability, injury history, etc.)
The only problem is… then you have to actually play, and then the theoretical becomes real.
That sounds like a horrible idea.
Why would they value all three equally? They are not all equal.
Hasn’t Omar had 2 months to figure out who he wants and now he decides he doesn’t care who it is.
they don’t value them all equally. Hence the different offers (years and $$). Plus 2 cost a 1st round pick also.
Now, if you don’t have budget constraints, then you just go for the best talent.
But if you do have a spending cap, if you save $$ with Fuentes, you can upgrade elsewhere with the money saved.
Ofcourse is a horrible idea ,we just have to wait for any team to meke an offer to K-Rod and outbid that offer by 1 dollar then trade for Heilman and Feliciano for Street ,and we can trade Kunz,Show and Evans or Carp for George Sherrill and this way we have two 8 innings guys to counter the other teams bats in the 8 inning !
K-Rod
Street
Sherrill
Smith
Arthur Rhodes?Eddie Guardado? another Loogie
Sanchez
Ayala or Parnell or Stokes
I would have to say that the Sherril idea is a good one, but for some reasonn the propsal doesn’t jive. Can’t figure out why though.
K-Rod
Street
Sherrill
is nasty.
No, no, no, to Fuentes…they guy folded like a cheap suit under the glare and pressure of playing for the….COLORADO ROCKIES! We’d be insane to bring him to NYC.
I would not be at all happy with brian fuentes as our closer. This guy is nowhere near k-rods or even woods caliber. Dont be an idiot Omar. K-rod’s there for you to have. Just sign him already, dont try any cute crap.
Exactly!
21 million for woods and k-rod.. then 15 millions for sheets.. trade delgado for whatever.. lose 12 millions and sign #25 at 18 or 19 millions.. that’s at total of 43 millions.. if you take the 9 off from woods and get either putz or street we can still sign a scrap shoot pitcher like penny or garcia..our payroll would be aroun 140 to 150 millions.. that’s good enuff for me..
I would love to see teixeira. but ive already given up hope. And I also like the sheets scenario but with his injury history, maine’s arm, and john niese at the bottom of the rotation is a scary proposition that could be terrible. I’d sign sheets for a 1 or 2 year deal if, and only if, they re-up perez, sign a guy like garland, or trade for a reliable starter. Otherwise, too risky
oh yeah. Of these options, I like wood the best, and spend the money saved improving elsewhere.
Just think of how much better off the team would be if they could have developed a closer in house to be ready for when Wags went down. I guess heilmann and Sanchez where the theroetical options at one point, and we know they didn’t work out. parnell has potential, but needs a year at least setting up to prove he can do it.
Wood and K rod are only available now because the Cubs and Angles have young, cheap in house guys taking over.
So get wood, and make sure to have a couple of young hungry set up guys waiting to grab his job! Street can be one of them. I want parnell groomed to be the other one.
Agreed! I think Duanar could be usefull in the pen though.
I know, they should have been drafting college closers instead of all these starters and position players…
I like Wood better than Fuentes, especially now that Wood wont cost compensation.
In fact I would offer Wood and K-Rod deals, and take whoever agrees first. sign a loogy instead of Fuentes who will end up as an overpaid loogy if he is signed.
in two years someone like JJ Putz or Sherril will be more available by trade or a free agent like Jenks will be on the market. Don’t worry that far down the line, Omar sure doesnt, so why should we…
When did we start acting like a craigslist post?
Maybe they should just set up the closer position on Ebay and let all the available closers bid on the position.
This is an odd strategy to say the least. I don’t think Fuentes is comparable to either one of the other two so I don’t get this approach at all.
I hope Omar doesn’t over play his hand. He can get burned by it and the Mets will end up with Looper as a closer
he’s available! Bring him back as the #5 starter.
New concept. A BP and rotation full of closers! Sign up Schmoltz too.
I really don’t think Looper is not a bad choice as #4-5 starter, but I’m not sure if he’s willing to come back to NY.
Looper has as much chance of returning to New York as Kenny Rogers.
not a big difference in Looper or Heilman as a #5 …
except that Looper has had success as a starter.
not in NY
he hasn’t had a chance to be a starter in NY, so I can’t really say that.
saw him as a reliever in NY…. dont think i want to see him a a starter
He has been pretty good in St Louis.
Looper was a fine closer in 2004 and in 2005 pitched injured. He wouldn’t be a bad choice as an #5 starter at all.
I dont think anyone anywhere has ever talked about braden looper this much
or defended him this much…very true.
This is only a good option if they are viewing the big picture in a related sense. As in, if they get Fuentes they will use the other $6mil to upgrade another position, like SP. If they get Wood, they have even more money to get another offensive player.
If they don’t apply the savings to another aspect of the team this strategy is a joke.
The thing about Fuentes is that we don’t know how he will play in NY. It’s certainly different from Colorado with fans and media. KRod and Wood has shown that they both can perform well under pressure. KRod would be less risky choice between the two in my opinion, but Wood would be great too.
KRod would be less risky in terms of injury history. But Wood would be less risky in terms of declining stuff and peripherals.
True. I really would love to see both of them signed, which I doubt will happen.
This makes no sense, I highly doubt that the front office would be this careless.
Is it me or are Olney’s reports suspect?
It might just be same as all the other false rumors to lower the prices on these pitchers
you can only take this approach if you have a street or putz in hand… these agents know the Mets need a closer and may not bite… it may give some of the other teams a chance to swoop in..
Didnt the Mets play this game recently with Catchers – with less than perfect results?
Ding ding ding you are the winner !
AGREED 100%
Yes. That was the happy dual contract offers to Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez. And what did Omar get at the end of all that scheming?
Paul LoDuca.
Here’s to hoping that we somehow end up trading for Joe Nathan at the end of this.
I would feel so confident seeing Wood come out of the bullpen in the top of the ninth with J-Rolls, Utley and Howard due up. Wood would eat them alive.
Rollins has a career OPS of 1.007 vs. Wood. Utley is 0 for 5 and Howard is 0 for 2.
Just adding some numbers to your thought.
Wood:
bb/9: 2.44
k/9 :11.40!
h/9 :7.33
BAA:.219
K-Rod
bb/9:4.48
k/9 :10.14
h/9 :7.11
BAA:.216
This is Surprising
Fuentes
bb/9:3.16
k/9 :11.78?!?!
h/9 :6.75
BAA:.205
Thank you for this post Cool because I think im one of the few who actually think fuentes is pretty dam good. And this just proves he had a better yr then krod last yr but most of the people here dont know baseball and just see sportscenter and krod celebrating breaking the saves record. I would definitely rather have krod dont get me wrong, but if somehow we didnt, fuentes is a great fallback. Also people should think about the phillies lefties and fuentes being a lefty. He would be great to have against the phils
It’s because Fuentes is a pretty good reliever. But i’m not sold on him succeeding in NY. If the Mets do end up signing Wood they had better make a trade for Huston Street so they have another closer with true experience.
Fuentes isnt bad. But I just cant see any good reason why a supposedly hopeful world series contender would pick fuentes out of these three options. Colorodo aint NYC or Chicago. And Wood and K-Rod have proven themselves to be big time, big game, contenders. Id be happy with either, and dissapointed with fuentes unless he took a big big discount. The idea that he should only have to take 6 mil less than k-rod is absurd and pure speculation. I bet if this happens the mets will offer k-rod an extra year than fuentes and about 4 million more annually.
Toby at the minor league blog did a nice breakdown of the numbers at the following link. He prefers Wood, and I think the numbers do a good job of showing why the Mets should too.
http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2008/11/17/the-mets-should-sign-kerry-wood/
Off Topic, but what do you guys think of Prior? I know he’s been injury prone for a long time, but he would be a very high risk/reward guy, especially if you sign him for a short term. I’m sure he’ll come a lot cheaper than Garland or Sheets or anybody that the Mets are looking at.
Not a bad idea if you can do a one-year deal. Have him be the #5 until he breaks down.
Yeah. I’d even do 2 year deal something like 2 year 8-10MM with incentives. If he breaks down, they can always find a decent #5 or they can go to Niese.
Sign Prior and Sheets?
Si senor.
In my opinion the Mets are going to make offers to all three and sign all three. I know this sounds ridiculous, but if the Mets want to make a splash in in off season this is how to do it. Wow, What a bullpen that would be. I know I’m going to get ripped a new one for even posting this. It’s just a feeling I have. I think Omar is trying to have a dummy proof bullpen with zero flaws. Like I said this is just a feeling I have. Now bring on the comments and be gentle.
this is unrealistic, but if we get all 3, our games will be 6 inns games. that will be a lethal bullpen. you never know omar might do it. sign this 3 and go with the same team and hope our prospects step up to fill the other needs.
It would be sick, but they would not want to sign and not be closers. We don’t want angry players in the bullpen. We don’t need another grouchy Heilman.
If we sign KRod as the closer, why would Wood and Fuentes want to be a setup man when they could be closers elsewhere?
After the first one signs with us, there is little chance for either of the other two coming to NY to be a setup man. They’re just not worth as much in the future if they’re not closing.
That would be a pretty beast bullpen. Maybe the most expensive ever, something I would have in MLB 2k9 (MVP 2005 was the best ever btw)
Not realistic, but it’d be fun to watch,
Sounds great, the problem is ego’s and $. These guys know closers make more money, so if they’re the closer, they’re going to want closer money once they sign their next contract.
well at least thats a better idea that taking Bradford back at 3 or 4 mil.
I am as suming that someone has already said this but come on guys this is just a marketing ploy.
Say this and it puts more pressure on Krod.
Ok Krod, Wood has already agreed to the “2/18″ are you sure you don’t want to take the offer? After we are out who is going to give you what you want?
Yeah i think K-rod is and has always been the target. But Omar had no intentions of 4 or 5 years so hes playing hard to get
Exactly, where is the market going to come from? The Brewers? Who has even rumored to offer him 4 years much less 5.
It will come down to a 3/36 year offer from another team. We will say 3/39 and throw in an option and be done with it.
i don’t like the strategy.
you don’t offer a contract to a player you don’t really want to save a few dollar (wood for 2 years…hope not).
sign k-rod.
Im actually soooo tired of this talk about Krod…2 days ago I was still excited to get him…but as of ohh 10 mins ago..I just suddenly felt better seeing Wood on the mound….here is my dream winter meeting deals…
Sign Wood or Krod (get it done)
Trade Loogy and Heilman 4 Street
Sign Randy Johnson to a 2yr deal(crazy right?)
he gets win 300 in CitiField – tight
Sign Cruz & Punto
Sit down with Ollie and remind him how it feels to dominate in Blue and Orange …..
FINGERS CROSSED!!
Lowe wants 90mm for 5yrs…wow
That’s Boras asking for that, not Lowe.
still krazy
If the Mets truly valued all three closers the same they would offer them all the same contract. That they want to pay each one tells us that they don’t value them equally.
I think the Mets are being cheap and they really can’y afford to be. Not only do they need to increase the team’s attraction going into the new stadium, they need some new talent of they expect to be anything other than also-rans in 2009.
Give K-Rod or Fuentes what they’re asking for and sign Derek Lowe. They can afford it and they need those guys far worse than they need the Mets.
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