K-Rod to get $15 MILLION a YEAR!

[HoustonGM]

Actually yes, it is Ohms. In judging of overall talent, J.J. Putz is wayyyyyyyyyyy better than K-Rod. Putz is being paid 4 1/3 million dollars a year.

Putz has yet to hit free agency. You can't compare free agent salaries with the salaries of pre-free agency players. Francisco Cordero got $12 million a year on the open market, and Rodriguez is better than him

[etothep]

Putz has yet to hit free agency. You can't compare free agent salaries with the salaries of pre-free agency players. Francisco Cordero got $12 million a year on the open market, and Rodriguez is better than him

When has logic ever got in the way of sports debates on here?

[BINGLEBOP]

Once J.J. Putz is eligible for free agency, he'll be right up there as well, barring major injury.

[asianinvasion]

I dont think Putz will get 15 mil a year. By the time he hits free agency after the 2010 season, he will be 33. I see him getting 9-10 million.

[ohms_law]

By the time he hits free agency after the 2010 season, he will be 33.

What's so different about that? Mid-30's are when players typically earn the most...

[HoustonGM]

What's so different about that? Mid-30's are when players typically earn the most...

I don't know if that's true...Well, I guess, typically, yes, because all players in their mid-30's that have been playing will likely be free agents, and thus receiving market price, but, I'd say that mid-30's free agents compared to mid/late-20's free agents actually make less.

A player that hits free agency at 26-27 is in the typical prime years of his career, while a mid-30's player is usually on the decline. On average, the guy in his late 20's will get a longer deal than a guy in his mid-30's. Of course, the average annual salary and even the deal length depends heavily on the player's talent level.

Putz isn't a good player to use in this discussion though as he's coming off a rough year in which he dealt with injuries. Unless he bounces back to his 2006-2007 levels, he likely will never see such a big deal.

[asianinvasion]

Hes had injury problems this year. I dont know if it was a one time thing or a reoccurring thing. And I dont think a team would want to lock him up long term with a five year deal.

[ohms_law]

Good point(s).

[justanewguy]

Actually yes, it is Ohms. In judging of overall talent, J.J. Putz is wayyyyyyyyyyy better than K-Rod. Putz is being paid 4 1/3 million dollars a year. $15 million is too much for a closer, especially for one who's likely going to have a serious arm injury soon, and one who's as inconsistent as Rodriguez.

Putz is not "wayyyyyyyyyy" better than K-Rod. He's not even a little better. I'd probably prefer Putz if I were building a team (because of money), but Rodriguez is a better reliever than Putz at the moment.

62 saves doesn't say "inconsistent" to me at all. Certain aspects of his game are somewhat inconsistent, but he's a pretty consistent performer.

That said, $15 million is too much for a closer. There's always a closer out there who is comparable and can be had for cheaper than one of these expensive, "top-shelf" closers. Putz would be an option, but you're not getting a BETTER pitcher with him, just a cheaper one, and one that can be nearly as effective.

[TheNamelessPoet]

thats true. the huge save total DOES show he is consistant. granted i think the stat is over use and over inflated its not like he saved 60 and lost 15. he is very consistant

[Swampdog]

Agree with everything justanewguy said. Putz is 5 years older than KRod, and did not have a good season in 2008. Putz has had 2 great years...well, one great year and one unreal season (2007). Rodriguez has had 6 great years, and he is 26 years old. At this moment, Putz is not nearly as good as Francisco and, if they were both free agents, would not get nearly as much money.

And yes, closers are very overrated. Someone did a study of relief pitchers and late inning leads, and the results showed that baseball teams ability to protect late inning leads is basically unchanged over the past 100 years. When starters pitched nearly all complete games (say, 1910), or when relief pitchers were relied upon to a small extent (maybe 1950), or when relievers became a bigger factor (1970), or when we invented 1 inning "closers", the success rate in late innings is still the same. I believe that the "blown save" concept gets so much publicity (see the 2008 Mets) that the value of closers is very much overstated.

[MeetDaMets]

It is a lot for a closer. Only one other closer has ever gotten that much (Mariano Rivera). So, yes, it's a lot.

Is it market value? Probably.

I wouldn't ever give that much money to a reliever, no matter how good he is. Teams like the Padres and Athletics have proven that it's not that hard to put together a cheap, effective bullpen.

Then again, its also possible to put together a bullpen that coming into the season SHOULD do well, but ends up being gadawful.

Consider the Mets. Under Jerry Manuel they 55 - 38 (591 wp%)
That was with may have been one of the worst bullpen performances of all time.
If they get that K-rod like results ,
they win a lot more games
which drives more fans to the park,
sells more hot dogs beers and souvenirs
and gets them at least a coupla home playoff games.

2 home playoff games = about 5.5 million JUST in ticket sales at pretty LOW avg of $50 a pop.

seems like a freakin bargain to me.

[koolzach1]

they could go after brian fuentes unless he accept 10million in arbiration to rockies very doubtful

Yeah, a lot of the reports from what I have heard, are saying that the Mets like Brian Fuentes more than K-Rod.

[nuzzy62]

Carlos Silva is making 12 million a year to put up an ERA over 6.00. So while I realize its starters vs. relievers, I'd say K-Rod for 15 mil is somewhat of a bargain.

Scott Boras would love you. Some stupid owner overpays for one player and all of a sudden it becomes the bar.

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

Some stupid owner overpays for one player and all of a sudden it becomes the bar.

Pretty much, yeah. Its a case of supply and demand.