On the Mets beat

I never liked this guy, he's just someone to bring people to the stadium, and he was a right-place-at-the-right-time for the Angels. And you can't expect him to follow that up. Look at Gagne...where is he after his streak of not blowing a save? He can't even hold down a 7th or 8th inning anymore. If I were management I would be looking at Fuentes at the Rockies, and no further than him. If they can't lock him down, don't put this contract onto their team, he's not as good as people think he is...

Easy now, F-ROD is easy a top 10 closer in this league. The Mets have a glaring need for a closer and he is a free agent. Yes he has his moments but who doesnt. Sorry there are not any Marianos out there for the taking. When does someone like him come around, once every 50 years. Come on, Fuentes is not in the same class as F-ROD.

I think the "Lets Go" moment you alluded to was K-Rod trying to pump up his team, as opposed to him being negative....C'mon we see articles written about players who try to motivate their team using similar tactics. How can you hold this against him?

And Andy, for the record, Gagne's streak was enhanced due to PED's....The second he stopped using them, the injuries came, which is what was his downfall. There is no evidence that K-Rod is getting any chemical assistance.

Seriously, we don't need someone who tries to motivate a team... no place for that on the Mets.

It doesn't seem like there is a whole lot to choose from as far as bullpen help. One things for sure, if Schoenweiss/Heilman/Sanchez don't get cut loose, it will be a llllloooooooooooooonnnngggggggg 2009.

It cannot be a negative for a guy to be screaming "let's go come on score us some runs" considering that the Angels lost 10 straight to Boston in the playoffs. I think a little screaming was probably more than appropriate.

And then you're talking about the change up krod teed up, where a few sentences earlier you remarked how it wasn't his fault. Doesn't really make sense but whatever.

The one good point you made is about krod's stuff. He wasn't throwing nearly as hard as he usually does and he relied way too much on his off-speed stuff.

I think it really comes down to what Pat said above. The Mets need a closer to begin the Citifield era, and coincidentally one of the best closers in the game is available. Mets need to sign him.

Being in Orange County I have seen many Angel games. The reason I would not want to sign K-Rod is because he is still in his 20's (26) and is already showing a decline in performance. His ERA is right around his career average, but his walks and hits allowed are both up and his K's are down, all while logging just about the same amount of innings. And speaking as someone who sees him on TV all the time, he just doesn't look like the dominant guy he was 2 years ago. On a side note, while I do not put too much stock into the argument that other teams hate how much the Mets celebrate, I figure the last thing they need is to add a closer that dances and celebrates as much as K-Rod.

- Get K-Rod...100% it needs to be done. Anyone who says otherwise should get their heads out of their [buttocks] and realize that this is the OVERWHELMINGLY best option for the Mets with the amount of money they have to spend.

-Heilman for Huston Street...straight up. (If not, throw in Castillo if they would take most of his contract. They have question marks about 2nd base.) Oakland will seriously consider that trade. They have ample amounts of bullpen talent and Street won't even be Oakland's setup reliever next year. GM Billy Beane views Heilman in a COMPLETELY different light than we do as fans and being slightly biased by the the decisions made by the Mets upper management. (I say slightly because many of his terrible performances speak for themselves.) He wants to make Heilman a starter, and I can see Heilman really succeeding in that role in Oakland.

-Brian Fuentes...Why not? We need to solidify this bullpen and he would be a more than qualified to be the set-up man for K-Rod. Worth 8mil/yr.

-Eddie Kunz...brings something else to the plate with his heavy sinker.

-Joe Smith...Mighty Joe!

-Need someone for long relief

-On the bubble...Feliciano, Sanchez

-Needs to go...AYALA, Schoenweis, Heilman

Thanks Michael ... That was some good insight. As for what I said about screaming on his way to the dugout, it's just unusual behavior from a closer. And for guys that play nine innings, every day, I think they'd be like, "Yeah, whatever, dude." Just my opinion. Teams don't score runs because the closer fires them up. They'd be more likely to roll their eyes.

Candyman -- I didn't say the changeup wasn't his fault. I said that stuff happens. With the exception of Brad Lidge, nobody's perfect. I just didn't like what I saw from him in general on Sunday night.

I'm not enamored with K-Rod.

I don't like the idea of giving any reliever a four or five year contract.

I really don't like the idea of signing a guy who's starting to show signs of declining ability.

But if not K-Rod, then who else?

Brian Fuentes does not excite me either, and the in house options terrify me.

David,

Fair enough. But can you do some kind of blog about how to possibly overhaul the bullpen. Who should stay, who should go, who should be brought in etc.

There has been a lot of talk about the Heilmans, Felicianos, and Smiths losing their effectiveness when asked to face batters from both sides of the plate. And I'm not sure how that notion will play a part in who Omar keeps.

One guy I think the Mets are high on is -- Bobby Parnell. He looked good in September. Brian Stokes looked good too.

K-Rod is a tough one. The Mets are in a tough spot. They need to find what are called "under-the-radar-guys." No more big money stiffs, think Schoenweiss.

Minaya I believe will pull off a highly unexpected trade. It will be an interesting off season.

I think K-Rod has great stuff - mid-90s fastball, great change, knee-bending curveball. And he is great at setting hitters up. There is no question that he is currently among the best closers in MLB.

But did anyone notice that after every single pitch the guy falls down to his left side? He's on the ground after every pitch. Anything hit up the middle, any bunt, any infield hit to the right side that requires him to cover first base - even backing up home plate - it's just not going to happen with this guy.

I don't care about the whole 'screaming at teammates' thing - I think the Mets need more, not less, of that. He's a great closer. But with few exceptions, closers don't last. Any team that gives a 5-year contract to a closer (or any pitcher), especially at mega-big bucks, is just asking for trouble.

I understand the market has changed over the past 20 years, but there was a time when 5-year contracts for ANY pitcher were virtually unheard of, and rightfully so. The Mets have numerous holes (LF, 2B, two starters, at least 5-6 relievers), and while signing K-Rod would make a big splash, it still doesn't cover innings 6-8, where the biggest bullpen weakness lies. And to the extent that it precludes the Mets from spending money to fill the other holes, it would be a foolish signing.

Which is why I think the Mets will sign K-Rod.

I honestly did not follow the Angels much, and certainly Rodriguez had a shaky postseason... But it still boggles me how we can say this guy decreased in performance after saving 60 games?

And the question that comes to mind - if you do not pay this guy, who is closing games next year? In my mind, this might be similar to the Beltran signing - yeah, the Mets overpaid. Agreed. But they needed him to stabilize the outfield and produce offensively - I have no problems with the results of the Beltran signing... and I have no reason to think K-Rod would not at least provide the same type of stability in the bullpen for many years to come.

As for his celebrating.. Give me a break... You guys notice Papelbon screaming after getting outs?

AC-- save totals mean almost nothing. he wasn't that great this season. soria, nathan, papelbon, and mariano were all better. soria and nathan never get talked about, of course.

A bigger issue, getting to the closer! Except, maybe, Joe Smith, everyone else MUST go. And I am sure some(Heilman, Sanchez) will flourish elsewhere. Rather than K-Rod, go after Sabathia, then we should have 2 starters that can go 7-8 innings each start. Considering what Ollie will get(Paul Byrd got 13 million), CC will be a bargain. The last 3 weeks were a joke, using 6-7-8 pitchers every game. That alone was reason enough that Manuel deserved to be back.

His attitude is somewhat irrelevant to me, but his insistence on throwing off speed pitches in a tight spot is a wee too familiar for my stomach.

SIXTY saves means nothing?! Perhaps that is the most insane comment ever posted! If the Mets had had 30 less blown saves, they'd have had homefield for the NL playoffs.

And the yelling at teammates comment was stupid too. Players are allowed to speak, even at high volumes. They aren't robots.

My concern would be the [over] reliance on changeups. That pretty much provides any batter the opportunity to come through with the game on the line. That said, show me a relief pitcher on the Mets you'd rather bring in in a close situation than K-Rod. And it's not like closers are growing on trees.

The Mets need at least two new effective setup relievers, to replace Schoenwies, Heilmann, and Sanchez. Sure, I realize Feliciano sucks against righties, but he's probably still effective as the left-hand batter specialist.

K-Rod probably won't price himself out of the Mets reach. So, unless there are better alternatives...

Where are the guys who argued with me all yar that the Sox would not beat the Angels ??

Come on you know who you are....Sox vs. Phillies....CALLED IT GAME ONE !!

**As for Krod....Give me a brek...He is a must. Let me get this straight...You want to keep the core, Keep Omar the fool, keep Manuel the choekr, and not add Krod ??

So basically hold your breath and hope other teams fold ! Comical !

The Mets are a mess and you people do not even see it ! Sad actually!

Regarding the remark about a closer yelling at teammates, I'm old enough to remember how a crazy closer named Tug fired up his Mets teammates in '73 and made an improbable late season run. I agree that if it was a mediocre middle reliever yelling at the team, it would be counter-productive. But K-Rod is different. 60 saves counts for something. I bet in a close game, Brad Lidge has the right to yell for some runs from his Phillie teammates. And talking about Lidge, everyone thought he was washed up and, as a fly ball pitcher, would be a disaster in Citizens Bank Park. Now, he will finish in the top 10 for MVP and is the real difference between why the Phillies finished first and the Mets second. Give the Mets a real closer, and they would have finished first. And K-Rod gives them that closer without depleting their already thin farm system.

I think omar needs to step up and actually do something this year. Unlike last year where he just signed Johan Santana (which was a great deal). We need to get rid of Aaron Hielman and find a decent CL K-Rod would be a great addition but i dont think he would take the deal to go to the mets or the angels will not give him up just like that.