Let the Debate Begin

75Well, that was pretty swift and anticlimatic, if the reports coming in late this afternoon are true: The Mets have a new closer, Francisco Rodriguez, and their first Uni Controversy of the 2008-09 Offseason.

Rodriguez, as you probably all know, favors the same No. 57 on the back of Johan Santana (and, even more famously before him, Jason Roach). And if the purveyors of Met logo-gear hope to make a few sales in what’s turning out to be The Year Without a Christmas, a swift resolution is in order, so let the speculation begin.

The guess here is that Rodriguez winds up in No. 75. His demonstrative body language tells me he’s the kind of guy who likes attention and who wouldn’t easily find comfort in the standard-issue relief gear of say, No. 49 or No. 38, to mention a few of the seemingly available digits (as if the Mets really need another guy to add to their reputation as borderline poor sports and the bane of the opposition). No, this is a guy who’ll demand more, and the Mets will be willing to give. I mean, they let Ricardo Rincon have his 73 last season. Seventy-five is a nice switch on the traditional for Rodriguez, but it will come down to him ultimately. If he wants 97, I think he’ll have that too.

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One comment

  1. Jon Springer says:

    Submitted by gored82 on Tue, 12/09/2008 – 5:26pm.
    ah yes, Jason Roach Motel, LOL!

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    75 in the lead. 62 would

    Submitted by G-Fafif (not verified) on Tue, 12/09/2008 – 6:13pm.
    75 in the lead. 62 would have some Met style to it, but also akin to a target on his back. 47 would reclaim that number’s fine legacy from the stain it absorbed between 2003 and 2007; wouldn’t it be nice to envision another 47 closing out a World Series once more? (Or maybe a 36, for that matter.) And how about some consideration for 17? The last big acquisition deprived of his trademark digits by Met circumstance was Keith Hernandez, who was 37 in St. Loo (or “the Loo,” as some would have it). 17 should be retired, but in lieu, how about putting it to good use (no offense, Mr. Tatis) as Keith so ably did?

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    My guess is with 75 too.

    Submitted by Dave Mackey (not verified) on Tue, 12/09/2008 – 7:45pm.
    My guess is with 75 too. We’ll see when Mr. Rodriguez is formally introduced. I’m sure the folks at Majestic Athletic are hoping soon. Like last year, I want the new t-shirt on my back as soon as I can.

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    Although I would like to see

    Submitted by Chris C. (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 8:36am.
    Although I would like to see him in 75, my Rodriguez guess would be 47. I like the idea of posters being printed with both Orosco and Rodriguez saving World Series games AND it would give the number a clean slate from the Braves taint it has now.
    97 might cause another controversy if the Mets sign Biemel.

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    Funny, I always knew Glavine

    Submitted by gored82 on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 12:45pm.
    Funny, I always knew Glavine would go back to Atlanta if he got the chance, but I don’t think of his number as having a “Braves taint,” perhaps because Tom was a Met for 5 seasons, which is a fairly long time. He also got his 300th win as a Met, and was generally more successful than not, the 2007 finale notwithstanding… and PS – I don’t think Joe Beimel is going to cause any uniform number controversies, LOL!

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    From this weekend’s New York

    Submitted by Mr. Met (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 1:08pm.
    From this weekend’s New York Times article, entitled Mets’ Santana Is On The Road To Recovery:

    Foremost is adding a closer, the first step in remodeling a bullpen that cost Santana seven potential victories last season, and Minaya may, for the second straight off-season, wind up acquiring a Venezuelan pitcher who wears No. 57: the free-agent closer Francisco Rodríguez. Santana said that his homeland would erupt if two of its most celebrated players were united on one of its most popular teams but, with a laugh, added that he would not surrender his number.

    “I got mine before he did,” Santana said.

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    From Newsday , looks like 17

    Submitted by metirish on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 3:27pm.
    From Newsday , looks like 17 as suggested above.

    “So what number will K-Rod wear? His first choice is 57, but that’s taken by Santana. Next is 37, but that once belonged to Casey Stengel and is retired. So that leaves his next favorite, the No. 17, which Fernando Tatis wore last season and was famously owned by Keith Hernandez. It’s safe to say that K-Rod may be able to wrangle the No. 17 from Tatis — perhaps with a new Rolex or some other token of appreciation”

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    Late thought (relatively

    Submitted by G-Fafif (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 4:51pm.
    Late thought (relatively speaking): 9, for the inning he is being paid to make less anxious.

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    Mystery solved: Mets.com

    Submitted by G-Fafif (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 6:04pm.
    Mystery solved: Mets.com newsletter e-mailed moments ago says it’s 75.

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    Do you think he will start

    Submitted by Keith (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 11:01pm.
    Do you think he will start the season with 75. I can see him getting 17 from Tatis. What was Tatis number on his other teams

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    So now that we have a setup

    Submitted by gored82 on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 11:43pm.
    So now that we have a setup man, does HoJo surrender no. 20 to JJ Putz?

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    From tonight’s “Flushing

    Submitted by Ron Hodges (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 – 11:45pm.
    From tonight’s “Flushing Flash”:

    “Find the perfect gift, like K-Rod’s personalized No. 75 Mets jersey, for your biggest fan this holiday season!”

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    Late thought (relatively

    Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/13/2009 – 2:35am.
    Late thought (relatively speaking): 9, for the inning he is being paid to make less anxious.

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    I guess I am a little late

    Submitted by Stan Brower (not verified) on Thu, 01/29/2009 – 11:55am.
    I guess I am a little late to give in any opinion. I think 75 is good, will do him good.

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