Mets ink closer Rodriguez for $37M

Free-agent reliever Francisco Rodriguez finalized a three-year, $37-million US contract with the New York Mets on Wednesday.

Rodriguez, 26, was rumoured to be seeking a five-year commitment in the neighbourhood of $75 million US, but he settled for three years with a vesting option for 2012.

"Mets fans are very passionate, and playing in a new ballpark is going to be great," Rodriguez said in a statement. "I'm going to do everything I can to help bring a championship to Citi Field."

The Mets were determined to land either Rodriguez, a flamboyant Venezuelan right-hander with a devastating changeup, or fellow free-agents Trevor Hoffman and Brian Fuentes because incumbent closer Billy Wagner is expected to spend next season recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery.  

"One of our primary goals this off-season was to secure a top of the line closer to anchor our bullpen and, by acquiring Frankie Rodriguez, we feel confident that we have one of the best closers in the majors," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said in a statement.

Rodriguez, nicknamed K-Rod, posted a major-league record 62 saves for the Los Angeles Angels last season, eclipsing Bobby Thigpen's record of 57 set in 1990.

'He is an exciting guy to talk about'

Rodriguez finished 2-3 with a 2.24 earned-run average in 76 relief appearances, striking out 77 batters and walking 34 in 68 1/3 innings pitched.

The three-time all-star is 23-17 with 2.35 ERA and 208 saves in 241 opportunities in 408 relief appearances since he broke into the majors with the Angels on Sept. 18, 2002.

"He is an exciting guy to talk about," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "Anytime you acquire a person at that level, it raises the level of everybody else.

"It is almost the same as saying Johan [Santana] is pitching. You see a different spirit with your team.

"To have a guy, a guy of that sort at the end of a ball game is very important, very critical for us. Or for anybody."

Rodriguez made $10 million US last season, even though he lost to the Angels in arbitration.