You sure don't hear much about Francisco Rodriguez's velocity these days, which was down a few ticks in early April while he was wobbling around on two bad ankles.
Speaking of which, you don't hear much about those ankles anymore, either, now that they're healed and K-Rod again is eliminating batters by the score with his wicked, 92 mph slider and scooping up more saves than anybody in the game.
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| Francisco Rodriguez is an Angel who'll receive some serious manna from heaven. (Getty Images) |
What's interesting about Rodriguez's leaving everyone else in the dust is the fact that he lost to the Angels in arbitration last winter (he's earning $10 million this season rather than his requested $12.5 million) and the fact that he's also working as his own set-up man.
As in, he's setting himself up for a windfall on the free-agent market this winter.
"You couldn't have scripted it any better," says Paul Kinzer, Rodriguez's agent. "He's on an unbelievable pace. More than any of us would have hoped for."
Indeed, the February arbitration hearing figures to be the last time the Angels have the upper hand on him, financially speaking.
Though Kinzer and Angels general manager Tony Reagins have spoken a couple of times since the season started, they have not talked about a long-term contract for Rodriguez. And with the Angels contending again in the AL West and figuring to keep their focus on October, though Rodriguez and Kinzer are open to in-season negotiations, the agent figures it probably won't happen.
And at that point, they figure to open for business when free agency arrives.
"I'd imagine if it goes through the end of the season, it only makes sense that you see what's out there," Kinzer says. "It doesn't mean he's going to sign elsewhere. But you're going to find out what the market is."
Rodriguez says he's long since gotten over any bad feelings that might have resulted from losing the arbitration hearing, saying that he feels both happy and appreciated by the club.
"They give me the respect any player deserves, and I really do think they appreciate my work, which is good," says Rodriguez, who had converted 25 consecutive save opportunities before Wednesday and whose 159 saves since the start of the 2005 season are the most in the majors.
The fact that he's sure not hurting himself financially while his future remains open isn't lost on him, either, though the man who has a tendency to tick off opponents with his showy manner on the mound is fairly humble about what's happening this year.
