LAS VEGAS (AP) -Francisco Rodriguez became the first top-tier free agent to reach an agreement when he decided to join the New York Mets, and Kerry Wood was on the verge of striking a deal with the Cleveland Indians at the winter meetings.
Coming off a record 62 saves for the Los Angeles Angels, Rodriguez reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday on a $37 million, three-year contract with the Mets, desperate for bullpen help. The sides still have to work out a written agreement and the pitcher must pass a physical, two people familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been completed.
“He’s pretty special,” said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, familiar with K-Rod from his days managing the New York Yankees. “You got tired of looking at him in October. I mean, he had a lot of success against us and he’s certainly that dominant guy out there, and he’s very durable.”
e next week. The Mets wouldn’t comment publicly on it.
“K-Rod’s got very good stuff and he knows how to pitch,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “How a guy reacts in a situation, you never know, but you would think that he’ll continue to be very successful.”
Cleveland was closing in on a two-year contract with Wood, the former Chicago Cubs starter-turned-reliever, a person familiar with that deal said on condition of anonymity because the sides still were working through details. Wood, who has had numerous injury problems in the past, also needs to pass a physical before the deal can be completed.
Other high-profile free agents are taking longer to determine their market value. A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe likely will wait for CC Sabathia to make a decision. Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez also could become lengthy negotiations.
“We’re just waiting to see what happens with Teixeira and Sabathia,” Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, strolling casually through the Bellagio lobby.
In the second trade of the four-day session, the Cincinnati Reds acquired catcher Ramon Hernandez and cash from the Baltimore Orioles for utilityman Ryan Freel and two minor leaguers.
t there was something that we were lacking last year.”
The Dodgers reached a $17.5 million, three-year agreement with third baseman Casey Blake and a preliminary one-year deal with infielder Mark Loretta, pending a physical.
So far this offseason, teams are being more cautious about spending money on players, causing agents to play a waiting game to determine whether prices will go up.
“I would suspect that it has mostly to do with the economy and both sides trying to gauge what impact that should have on the market,” San Diego Padres chief executive officer Sandy Alderson said. “We are more mindful of the economy than we have been in the past.”
Sabathia told Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti on Monday that he wants to join Los Angeles, and Torre called the lefty “the pearl,” saying his statement “teases you.”
The Yankees offered Sabathia a six-year contract for about $140 million, a record for a pitcher, but he may prefer to avoid New York’s fishbowl atmosphere.
“It didn’t impact me until I was there a few years to watch, just players change from what you thought they were to, you know, what they became in New York,” Torre said. “They weren’t as comfortable as they appeared that they would be. And that’s what New York does to you.”
ical records of Ben Sheets.
Also:
– World Series champion Philadelphia exercised manager Charlie Manuel’s 2010 option and added a guaranteed salary for 2011.
– MLB announced it will toughen rules on bat manufacturing for 2009 to reduce broken bats and will double the authorization fee to $10,000 per supplier.
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AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick, AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley and AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
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