The Daily News LA has a brief update on the Angels and their attempt to re-sign Francisco Rodriguez. Apparently neither party has made much headway on getting a deal done before the season and now that Spring Training is ending K-Rod and his agent, Paul Kinzer, won’t negotiate during the season.
"…Kinzer said he has ’absolutely not’ given the Angels a deadline or ultimatum to sign Rodriguez before the season starts or watch him leave as a free agent next fall.
Rodriguez conceded Saturday that seems to be the likely outcome.
’Everything’s headed that way,’ he said. ’But there’s going to be six long months of the season and I can’t predict what’s going to happen in one week or one month or six months.’"
MLBTR suggests $50MM over 4 years is not unreachable for K-Rod, given Joe Nathan’s recent $47MM over 4 years. Still both sides are distant at this point as the Angels best offer has been $34 over 3 years. K-Rod argued for $12.5 in the arbitration case he eventually lost, so the Angels contract offer falls short of what Rodriguez feels he deserves now in arbitration. K-Rod is only 26, seven (!) years younger than Nathan, and for that should be able to command a 4+ year deal easily.
By Nat Boyle
