Francisco Rodriguez--Next Years Angel's Opening Day Closer?

[INKcogKNEEdough]

i havent read the rest of the responses but i will say quickly before i do,,,,,,pick him up,,,,,pick him up NOW,,,,nooooo pick him up YESTERDAY!!!! He should be on someones team in pretty much ANY league at this point. In KEEPER league though? The thought of him NOT being taken in a keeper league is mind boggling! I drafted him THIS year Specifically for next year and he may very well be the #1 keeper in the league certainly top 5 at least. Percival is done IMHO......Scoscia will HAVE to say all the right things 'percival is my closer yada yada' and may even put him back in the role when he comes off the DL, BUT if KROD keeps pitching anything close to what he has so far this year the fans will MAKE scossia Leave Krod in there.

just my opinion,


INKcogKNEEdough

[brdmaverick]

I'm shocked that he is a free agent. PICK HIM UP NOW. If you don't, someone else will, and you'll be kicking yourself.

[slomo007]

Gotta agree...I would be surprised if Percival finishes the year as the closer.

[Joe Mauer]

Well.....I was at the Comish's house last night when I discovered he was still a free agent (much to my surprise)....and I put a request in for him a few hours later (late into the night) so even though I haven't heard anything yet I'd be shocked if I didn't get him. Thanks for all the replys, they have made me very comfortable with my decision.

[Urge]

Whether or not Perci finishes this year as the closer, Krod is the man next year. Perci won't be coming back.

[donut]

Whether or not Perci finishes this year as the closer, Krod is the man next year. Perci won't be coming back.

right on. percy's a FA next year and the angles have no interest in signing him. k-rod is not a FA next year. he did sign a one year contract but k-rod still has at least another couple of years before he's a FA.
Can anyone explain how the MLB's FA eligebility works? how many years before a player obtains unrestricted FA eligebility and when they qualify for arbitration.

[Tavish]

When a player is drafted the team own the player for six minor league years. Once the player reaches the big league team they are not eligible for arbitration for 3 years (4 if the ownership is smart and doesnt let the player break camp with the team ala Greinke). Players underneath these restrictions are normally considered phase 1 players. They have very little rights and must take basically what the team pays them (minimum salary considered).

When those players reach arbitration eligible they move into phase 2 players. After 6 years of major league service players have full free agency rights and are considered phase 3 players.

In my orginal post I thought K-Rod had come up during the 01 season which would make him a phase 2 player at the end of this year. But he came up in 02 and will be arbitration eligible at the end of next year (assuming the Angels don't up his contract to something more reasonable than the 375K he makes now).