Fernando Rodney Could Be Waiting For a While
by Ian Casselberry on Dec 13, 2009 9:01 PM EST
in Hot Stove
33 comments
Soon after Brandon Lyon left Detroit for a three-year, $15 million contract with the Houston Astros, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said that trying to re-sign their other free agent reliever, Fernando Rodney, was "a long shot."
That was one of the only mentions of Rodney seen during the Winter Meetings, as the buzz around a closer who notched 37 saves this season seemed to be non-existent. (The only blip of interest was from the Baltimore Orioles, who have him at the top of their shopping list.) And now, we may know why teams were shying away from him.
From the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo:
The Astros were discussing Fernando Rodney, but the asking price was almost $30 million for three years. The market for Rodney at that price might not be significant. If he had accepted arbitration from the Tigers, he might have been up in the $9 million-$9.5 million range for a year. He may wind up regretting that decision. The Tigers would still love to have him back.
And you thought Lyon's contract was too much. Almost $10 million a year for Fernando Rodney? Is any team willing to pay that? (Consider that Francisco Rodriguez, last year's top free agent closer, will get $11.5 million the next two seasons. Kerry Wood will get $10.5 mil.) As we mentioned, the Orioles are interested. So are the Phillies, but it's difficult to imagine they'd want to shell out that much for a potential set-up man (or closer insurance against Brad Lidge).
We know the Tigers aren't going to give Rodney a multi-year contract, let alone one worth $30 million. So if he wasn't already ruled out as a possibility, this should do it. Of course, Rodney will probably have to come down from those contract demands. Just a bit.
0 recs |
33 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Who in their right mind..
..is going to give him 8-10 million a year in a multi-year deal???
He should be shooting for a 3 year 20-22 million then he will have suitors…
and if he gets that much, the team is crazy if you ask me!
but yeah, it’s possible
by Kurt Mensching on Dec 13, 2009 9:47 PM EST up reply actions
I literally laughed out loud when I saw 30 million...
He has one good season and that how much he thinks his 2 pitches are worth? Anybody who watched a Tigers game knows that most of those saves were Todd Jones like.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Inside A Head
So much hate for Rodney
Unwarranted. This man blew only ONE save last year.
His starting price is more than fair…..KRod was asking for $15 mil/per season after setting the record; then the market got em to go down. Kerry Wood had a worse season with the Cubs than Rodney did and got his 10 mil. So Rodney is doing the right thing. And he deserves to get 5-7 mil for 3 seasons. He earned.
Of course, the Tigers WOULD be crazy to give that. We don’t need to spend $$$ on the bullpen. Let spring training do the talking for all the golden arms that we got. And if no one, i.e. Zumaya et al. step up, then we still got time to get a closer.
With all that said, I think we should take a chance on Capps who will be cheap.
I don't hate Rodney
I think he got more than a little bit lucky and I wouldn’t pay $10 million a year for him, but I appreciate the work he did do for us.
I still think it’s ironic that in the one save he blew, he didn’t pitch all that badly.
by SabreRoseTiger on Dec 13, 2009 10:06 PM EST up reply actions
if Capps is good enough to be the answer for the Tigers
what makes you think other teams won’t want him, thus making him cost more?
by Kurt Mensching on Dec 13, 2009 10:31 PM EST up reply actions
that's the thing...
we’re not looking for Capps to be the answer. We’re looking for someone who is has closed before to compete for the job with our young arms. Is he gonna be dirt cheap? Probably not, but he’s probably gonna be cheaper than Rodney and the Tigers should at least make him an offer.
Detroit has some features about it that might make him come here for a lesser offer as well. Pitchers park, great owner. Plus Lyon came to Detroit for a season and ended up with a pretty good pay day afterwards.
Even if Capps had a “rollercoaster” season with the Tigers, history says that the team is experienced with that ride as well.
Lot’s of positives that could make a closer take a risk here hoping for a future payday.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Inside A Head
you know...
I’ve been looking at Capp’s contract, and I think an offer of 2-3 million for a year is definitely reasonable. If ewild below is correct in saying that he’s going for 3-4 million, than I think that’s to much considering what our system offers.
2-3 million plus the advantages I listed above that comes with playing for Detroit might be enough incentive for him to sign with us. It’s a pretty low risk situation if we sign him in my opinion.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Inside A Head
even if say...
Zumaya or Perry earns the job, I feel like some sort of insurance policy will be necessary for at least a season.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Inside A Head
Agreed
I would love to pick up Capps on the cheap and see what happens, but I’m with you Kurt… I think someone’s going to pay for potential and he’ll go for far more than he’s worth. It’s probably best that we stay away.
A lifelong Tigers fan
Depends on the price, really
If it’s a million or whatever, no big deal to give it a shot. Although frankly I’d really like to see the crop of young relievers get sorted out so the team will have answers in future years, the Tigers still feel like they can contend, so I expect them to act accordingly.
by Kurt Mensching on Dec 14, 2009 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
absolutely
That’s what I was thinking as well when I heard about the Capps non-tender yesterday, but today I’ve read some rumors that Capps will probably go for around $3-$4 million per year.
A lifelong Tigers fan
He's definitely not worth the money...
5-7 is reasonable, but 10? That’s crazy.
I’m in agreement about Capps though. A guy who has closed before who doesn’t walk batters and will probably be cheap is worth spending money on.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Inside A Head
I love Rodney.
Well, that’s a bit strong. But I certainly don’t hate him. $10 million a year for his services is a tad out of line, however.
His starting price is ridiculous.
He had one “blown save” but he’s not exactly a great option, or even a good option. He’s a generic reliever and he deserves what the market will pay.
Rodney would be crazy to ask for a pittance but no player as a right to a certain salary. He will get what a team deems him worth that he finds acceptable.
It's nothing to do with Rodney
Overpaid closers are overpaid. Only two closers in the league should be demanding that sort of salary, and Rodney isn’t one of them.
Mariano Rivera and Joe Nathan have absolutely stiffling control and don’t offer the nightly heart attacks that Fernando Rodney does. This isn’t just an anecdotal/subjective thing either. While he did only blow one save last year (and I was quick to mention that many a time in GameThreads) his efficiency was garbage. 2.12 SO/BB ratio compared with Rivera (6.25) and Nathan (3.50)? That doesn’t even touch on non-save situations, where Rodney is an awful 1.04 while Rivera (5.50) and Nathan (6.50!) are just as dominating
2100 Woodward and Twitter
by john.kmiecik on Dec 14, 2009 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
Rodney is not worth it.
Sometimes stats can be very deceiving. And in Rodney’s case they are. He was also one pitch away from blowing 37 saves. He was lucky as far as I am concerned. His men on base ratio was horrible. I think he had very few clean innings…. certainly not something you want in a $10 mill closer. Good luck to the team that signs him because they will need it.
oh crud
Stupid screwup.
Anyway, the stats aren’t misleading, it’s just that people put waaaay to much emphasis on saves. A better rubric would be the BAA, OPBA, and SLGA.
I agree with you, Fernando Rodney isn’t worth it, but some people apparently didn’t watch this season until September, because if they had, they’d know he was pretty damn lucky. I’m still amazed he recorded as many saves as he did.
by metatron5369 on Dec 14, 2009 2:15 AM EST up reply actions
If Rodney Signs for over 7 Million
Todd Jones should reconsider his retirement!! Anything over 3 Million a year is idiotic. Rodney is a nightmare waitning to happen to another team!
I think he should get it....
Just kidding!
Goodbye to F-Rod! hopefully for good!
by Fien SHOULD CLOSE on Dec 14, 2009 2:57 AM EST reply actions
you can't argue with one blown save
in that it’s a pretty damn good record.. along with some of his other stats. but his stuff isn’t all that amazing. I just don’t understand why 99% of the closers are getting paid what they are. good luck with that, rodney!
pretty much sums up Rodney's game right there...
he’s a 2 pitch pitcher. Fastball, changeup. Now both are very good pitches for him, powerful fastball and he brings his changeup out of the same arm slot and at the same arm speed, but he’s had an injury prone career.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Inside A Head
Interestingly
Rodney and Capps had almost the same xFIP (expected fielding independent pitching) in 2009. The Bill James projection is for Capps to have a better FIP in 2010.
So yeah, Rodney blew just one save. (I view it more as two, as Lyon got tagged for the blown save when Rodney walked the bases loaded against Chicago, but that’s the rules. But two is fine, too.) But that doesn’t mean saves should be overvalued going forward. Teams paying for a single statistic rather than a body of work get what they deserve.
by Kurt Mensching on Dec 14, 2009 11:13 AM EST reply actions
That's funny
I was just typing the exact same response when yours appeared!
Rodney has never been worth more than 3MM in any given season, and this year was statistically the year in which he brought the least value to the Tigers in any of his major league seasons since 2002. His peripherals are frightening, and he is easily replaceable. Capps would be an upgrade at a cheaper cost (3-4MM instead of 8-9MM), but if we really are trying to be cost conscious then we should sign neither and use that money in more effective ways.
Might as well give the job to Perry or Zumaya
After dumping Granderson and Jackson’s contract, there is no way they pay that much for him.
Back off man, I'm a scientist
I am in favor of using what we have, but....
I would choose Capps over Rodney, especially for monetary reasons. Capps had an off year in 09 and his numbers were still not far off Rodney’s stats. In 2007 & 08, he had ERA and WHIP’s 2.28/1.01 and 3.02/0.97. He made 2.4 million last year and we could most likely sign him for 1.5 million.
As I mentioned to someone earlier today
for that kind of money he’ll probably sitting at home in the Dominican Republic when spring training starts – waiting for the phone to ring.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bless You Boys
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
