Found December 10, 2008 on Vegas Watch:

Mets sign Francisco Rodriguez for five years, $75MM three years, $37MM with a $14MM vesting option for 2012.
Analysis: Law (now in Spanish!), Cameron, Watson.

The 2012 option sounds like it basically vests as long as he doesn't get hurt. I wonder what projection for that season looks like if you assume good health over the next three years, although I'm sure it's a line worth less than $14MM.

Rodriguez's declining peripherals have been talked about at length, but it's worth noting that he did have a fantastic second half, with a 36:8 K:BB ratio in 26.1 innings. So maybe his ankle really was bothering him in the first half, and he'll go back to striking out 12 guys per nine, as he did in '06, '07, and the second half of '08. Or maybe not.

I'm not sure there's much more I can add that hasn't already been said. I'm just kind of amazed that the contract signed by a guy with declining peripherals who just shattered the saves record doesn't seem entirely unreasonable. 5/75 would've been so much more fun, it's really too bad.

How would you rate the Mets' signing of Francisco Rodriguez?
( polls)

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