Francisco Rodriguez just signed a big-money contract with the Mets, who have missed the playoffs the last two seasons. CC Sabathia chose to become the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, signing with the Yankees in spite of the fact that they play in what is considered the toughest division in baseball and failed to make the postseason in 2008. What drew Sabathia to the Bronx and K-Rod to Queens? It wasn’t a near-guarantee to return to the playoffs, which they could have had with the Angels. They didn’t grow up in New York dreaming of wearing Yankee Pinstripes and Met blue and orange one day. There’s only one thing it could be: money – $161 million for seven years of Sabathia and $37 million for three years of Rodriguez.
Francisco Rodriguez
19 December 2008
3 July 2008
The closer position in baseball is a relatively recent development, one which has only come about as a full-time position with specific duties in the past twenty years. There were closers before then, guys who came into the game in tight situations, but they might appear in the sixth or seventh inning as the ninth, and (at least early in this century) might be starters pitching on their off-day.
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