In light of the news that New York Mets closer Billy Wagner will undergo surgery that will cost him at least one full year, the Mets find themselves without a closer at the back end of one of the most vulnerable bullpens in the league.  Surely, they must shore up this position in the off-season if they wish to improve upon their recent success and enhance their future odds of winning a championship.

Francisco Rodriguez has become one of the most dominant closers in today’s MLB.  He is one save shy of Bobby Thigpen’s all time single season saves record of 57 and still has three weeks to play.  The Angels know how valuable he is, the fans know, and more importantly, Rodriguez himself knows it.  This has often been a topic of debate, as the 27-year old K-Rod has made it known that he will be seeking a salary of roughly $15M per season, probably for 5 seasons, following this year.  And with the barren market for a top flight closer, he will surely get it. (more…)

This Saturday marks the highly comical return of Carl Pavano to the decimated Yankee rotation.  With the Yanks sitting six games out of the Wild Card spot and just over a month to play, will he provide enough of a boost for the Bronx Bombers to reach the playoffs for the thirteenth consecutive year?  Or will he only provide enough to boost his own personal checking account this off-season?

The timing for Pavano’s latest comeback attempt is convenient enough to weasel yet another lucrative contract offer out of another team looking for starting pitching depth – something that all 30 teams are interested in.  If he comes on strong in the final five weeks of the season and shows flashes of returning to his 2004 form, will another team pay a hefty salary in hopes that he can anchor the number two or three spot in their rotation? (more…)