K-Rod (and cash) acquired; The cost? LH reliever Daniel Ray Herrera and low-A RHP Adrian Rosario

[Raw Biz]

eh, every time a closer by committee strategy is tried out, it ends up that one player earns the role and is there full-time by the end of the year. i'm expecting about the same situation. i'm also not ready to assume that K-Rod's vesting option will necessarily kick in with 55 games finished, because it's still very likely that some agreement is in place for him to become a FA regardless. K-Rod could block a trade to 10 teams, so maybe that left Boras with a lot of opportunity to change the contract around. Boras wants him to be a FA and certainly Melvin does, too.

 

we'll need two closers to handle all of our second-half wins, anyway.

Why do you say that? I would think if this were the case, Melvin or someone would've just come out and said it so everyone can stop worrying about whether or not the option will vest. That way the union, fans, KRod, Axford, Roenicke, and everyone else don't have to speculate on whether or not the Brewers are deliberately trying to prevent him from reaching that option.

[NievesNoNO]

i'm expecting about the same situation. i'm also not ready to assume that K-Rod's vesting option will necessarily kick in with 55 games finished, because it's still very likely that some agreement is in place for him to become a FA regardless. K-Rod could block a trade to 10 teams, so maybe that left Boras with a lot of opportunity to change the contract around. Boras wants him to be a FA and certainly Melvin does, too.

 

we'll need two closers to handle all of our second-half wins, anyway.

That's actually an interesting take on this. I suppose it's possible that the two sides come to an agreement to let K-Rod finish games as long as they can void the vesting option from the contract. Both sides win. K-Rod keeps his ability to rack up saves en route to a large payday next season (as mind blowing as it is to overpay a reliever for their saves) and Axford I guess bites the bullet because he's a young player and his income won't really be affected either way for next season. Seems like WAY too much money for a player to walk away from though. He might not even be able to get a two year deal worth that much.

 

[walleye]

Think of what the mind set of our starting pitchers should be now, get 6 in and turn the lights out. That alone should improve our starting pitching.

In this day and age of baseball a bull pen as good as what we have is few a far between/.Nice move DM

[pebadger]

I don't really think there is more to the story, unless it's on the Mets end. The Mets needed to move K-Rod. They weren't going to move him in their own division, both because they probably wouldn't want to and nobody there really needs to make that move. No real fit for him in the NL West. So it's likely the Brewers were only competing against a precious few AL teams for K-Rod. There may not have been much competition at all.

[The Truth]

Think of what the mind set of our starting pitchers should be now, get 6 in and turn the lights out. That alone should improve our starting pitching.

In this day and age of baseball a bull pen as good as what we have is few a far between/.Nice move DM

Not exactly. Its more like turn in 7 and then lights out. I don't fully trust Loe, Braddock, Hawkins & Saito

[ChristopherLinton]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but with Boras being the agent for Rodriguez now, is there any link to Fielder here?

 

Why tick off Boras by refusing to use Rodriguez as a closer if there is even the slightest chance they sign Fielder?

[FVBrewerFan]

I wouldn't even call it 7 innings then lights out. We need to be realistic. Axford has been very good, but it's reasonable to expect a couple blown saves. KRod is an improvement for the 8th inning, but it's not like he's untouchable.

 

Very simply, this was a chance to imprve the team, and DM jumped at it. But let's not pretend that somehow this is an automatic 6 outs at the end of every game.

[Mass Haas]

More audio with Doug Melvin, this time with Homer on ESPN540.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Why tick off Boras by refusing to use Rodriguez as a closer if there is even the slightest chance they sign Fielder?

Boras is his new agent, and wasn't around for his previous contract. It is very possible, even probable, that Boras would make more money if Rodriguez hits free agency this offseason. I think the risk of Rodriguez accepting arbitration is small for the same reason...Boras clients tend to end up on the open market so as to have maximum leverage. For Rodriguez, this might be his last chance to cash in and he'll be looking for the usual free-agent closer overpay.

It's quite possible that everyone (team, agent, player) is already on the same page here, but they will not be broadcasting that. And of course things can change...

[mkm13]

Those that are getting mad at Roenicke already for his comments about Rodriguez being a potential closer are getting mad at the wrong person. It will not be Roenicke's decision whether or not Rodriguez is the closer and finishes more than 21 games.

[chuckiehacks]

It is very possible, even probable, that Boras would make more money if Rodriguez hits free agency this offseason.

Boras didn't negoatiate the current contract, so he will not make anything on the vesting year. Boras won't make money until K-Rod signs his next contract.

 

The way I see it, K-Rod won't finish enough game to vest the option. The Brewers will offer arby, since there is no way he'll accept a one-year deal to be a set-up guy at age 30. This is likely his last chance for a multi-year deal, someone will give it to him. Plus that makes Boras the most $$. Worst case, he accepts the arby offer and the Brewers deal him, just like the Braves did with Soriano a couple of years ago.

[interestobserver]

That $17.5 million vesting option is really irrelevant to the discussion. Who care’s how much an option that will never vest costs? The answer in the real world is zero.

 

Apologies if this has already been answered. But when will we know the prospects. Also, why was this done as a PTBNL? Or do we need the answer to the first question to get the second?

[LouisEly]

I think Mark A might have a little chat with RR if that option comes close to vesting. Mark A won't sit idly by while a manager costs him $14 Million for no good reason.

It will be worth a lot more than $14M to Mark A. if the Brewers make the World Series. Heck, it might be worth close to that just to get into the playoffs. 45,000 fans/game... if the average fan spends $200/game on a ticket/concessions/parking/souvies... that's $9M in revenue per game.

 

I don't think Mark A. is going to hold anyone back.

[ChristopherLinton]

It was reported that the Mets wanted more time to scout the players on the list. This makes me think the minor league names involved are more likely to be some of the more obscure names.

[And That]

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Brewers will get about $6 million from the Mets - they'll just about split the remainder of his salary this year and the Mets will pick up the $3.5 million buyout.

[ChristopherLinton]

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Brewers will get about $6 million from the Mets - they'll just about split the remainder of his salary this year and the Mets will pick up the $3.5 million buyout.

The wording in the article says the the Mets are responsible for the 3.5M buyout in 2012. So Melvin negotiated a deal with the buyout specifically accounted for. Are there any questions yet on how they intend to use him?

[Warning Track Power]

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Brewers will get about $6 million from the Mets - they'll just about split the remainder of his salary this year and the Mets will pick up the $3.5 million buyout.

So if I got this right, K-Rod is owed approximately $9.5MM for this year and the buyout and the Brewers only pick up about $2.5MM. The Mets are only getting $2.5MM in salary relief from the trade. Really?

 

Did we really just pick up K-Rod for 2 non-elite minor league prospects?

[trwi7]

The Mets are only getting $2.5MM in salary relief from the trade. Really?

It's very likely his option would have vested if they didn't trade him.

[Raw Biz]

The Mets are only getting $2.5MM in salary relief from the trade. Really?

It's very likely his option would have vested if they didn't trade him.

Yeah that's what people tend to forget when analyzing this trade. It wasn't about getting anything in return. It was about not having to pay him 17.5 mil next year. And they couldn't just move him to a setup role because the union likely would have filed a grievance.

[Warning Track Power]

I think its shocking that apparently the Mets shopped K-Rod around after our offer and we were willing to take on the most salary and it was only $2.5MM. That blows me away.

[jjfanec]

Here is a quote from a Mets fan from the minor league thread.

 

"Anyway, wanted to relay something to you from this afternoon here in NY. Sandy Alderson was on WFAN after his formal press conference, and concluded his interview with the following, in response to a question about when we would learn the identities of the 2 PTBNLs:

"We have one guy we're deciding on who has been in the big leagues, has been reasonably successful in the big leagues, he would have a role for us right away and we could decide on him shortly."

He says one is a guy who has been reasonably successful in the majors. Could it be a guy like Stetter, Difelice, McClendon, or Rivera?

[endaround]

If could be Stetter since he's on the DL.

[JCREW]

Could Parra be an option? - DL like Stetter.

[brewmann04]

I wold hate to lose our Best Lefty.

[DocLuna7]

Very interesting. I doubt that it's Rivera, I wonder if they'd take Sean Green back? (blue)