Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes? It's becoming increasingly likely the Mets will have their choice about which free agent closer to sign.
Neither K-Rod, who recorded a major league-record 62 saves with the Angels last season, nor Fuentes, the erstwhile Rockies closer, will return to his former team, and the Mets appear to be the only big-market team intent on spending significantly for a closer. Billy Wagner is likely lost for the entire 2009 season following Tommy John surgery. The Mets are expected to begin their bidding during Thanksgiving week. Movement on a closer has been stalled slightly because Mets officials were awaiting the free agents' medical records.
Agent Paul Kinzer, who represents Rodriguez, said "some type of misunderstanding" with the Angels stalled the medical records being sent to him to forward to interested teams.
"We'll get everything to them and other teams," Kinzer said, referring to the Mets.
Though some observers wonder if K-Rod's mechanics might be an injury waiting to happen, Kinzer noted about Rodriguez's career: "Frankie had problems with his ankle, but he's had no arm problems at all."
The Mets often meet with their top free agent targets in person before consummating a deal, either at the players' home or in New York.
"We have no plans at all for Frankie to be there right now," Kinzer said. "If talks progress and something gets close, we're always open. But we have nothing scheduled at all."
