Note: Manuel to Occasionally use Putz as Closer
The Mets introduced Francisco Rodriguez to reporters yesterday, prior to the team’s annual Holiday Party, during which Mike Pelfrey dressed up as Santa Clause and John Maine served as his elf.
During the event, Jerry Manuel told reporters that Rodriguez and J.J. Putz will share the closing duties next season – with Rodriguez getting the majority of opportunities.
…as he should…i think this will be a great situation, especially since K-Rod has shown himself to be only a one-inning pitcher…i’m sure some newspapers will try to spin this in to an unnecessary ‘quarterback controversy,’ but in reality this is nothing but a good thing…
Putz will be introduced to today in an informal Q&A with reporters, during a walk around Citi Field.
To read quotes from Manuel, as well as other details from the event, check out the New York Post, the New York Times, the Bergen Record, and Newsday, who quotes Pelfrey as saying:
“As a starter, your job is still to go as deep into the game as possible, but you only have to go seven now… You give the ball to those guys in the eighth and ninth and you know pretty much that they’re going to shut the door.”
…by the way, according to the Times report, rodriguez had, ‘K-Rod,’ stitched in to the sleeves of the dress shirt he was wearing with his three-piece, pinstriped suit…slick, buddy…
