"As the trading deadline nears, there has been a lot of talk among Met fans that Alderson should renegotiate K-Rod's deal. That will not happen because it does not make financial sense.K-Rod's current deal has a 17.5 million dollar option for 2012 that automatically vests when he finishes 55 games. If he remains a Met the entire year, he will easily finish 55 games and next year would be the highest paid closer in league history. If his option does not vest, he gets a 3.5 million dollar buyout.

K-Rod has indicated a willingness to waive his option if he gets a multi-year extension. It was smart of K-Rod to make this known because his option will not vest anyway. The Mets will trade him, at the deadline, to a team with an established closer and K-Rod will become a highly paid setup man for some contending team. After the season, he will be a free agent with none of the big market teams in the market for a closer. Heath Bell will also be on the market, so it makes sense for K-Rod to try to get a deal now because there will be no Omar Minaya out there willing to overpay him in the off-season.

Many fans see this and say, since the Mets will need a closer next year, they should be the team to offer him that multi-year extension. Well, there is a new sheriff in town and he will not overpay a player, tie up a significant percentage of payroll in the closer position or negotiate against himself

The average salary for a major league closer is five million dollars. The median salary is four million dollars (i.e. HALF of the league's closers make four million or less). The highest guaranteed closer salary next year is fifteen million for Mariano Rivera. The next highest is Brian Wilson at 8.5 million. K-Rod will want an annual salary somewhere between those numbers. He makes twelve million now, it stands to reason he will be happy with twelve million for a couple more years. Twelve million dollars is 10% of the Mets projected 2012 payroll."