K-Rod Working with MLB Equivalent of Ankle Bracelet

Many teams are facing important questions this year.  None are coming to me at the moment–there’s probably some correct way to phrase an inquiry about the Pujols thing–but this is the way I’ve chosen to begin this paragraph, and I’m not changing it now.

The Mets have a question of their own; and no, it’s not some heinous, jokey question like, “Where is all of our money?” or “Oh my god, seriously, it’s all gone; where is it, somebody call Bernie.”

Shame on you.

No, the Mets; big question this year is, can Francisco Rodriguez go 55 games without derailing like a rage-train?Michael Weiner is the chief of the MLBPA.  He recently shut all the doors in the Mets’ clubhouse and told them what’s going to unfold in the coming weeks.  Being the Mets, when an authority figure adopted a grim look and announced a closed door meeting, they assumed they’d already been eliminated from the playoffs.

Instead, Weiner (stop laughing it’s just a name) informed the team of the attempts at resolving their biggest issues with ownership.

"“It’s in the interest of everybody associated with baseball that the National League franchise in New York be a strong franchise.”–Michael Weiner"

Is that actually true?  I can’t tell.  He didn’t say “best” interest, so maybe it is true.

"“And the Wilpons have always attempted to field a competitive team.”–Michael Weiner"

That… can’t be true.

Now that the New York Mets are contenders again, their main concern will be K-Rod, and the explosive temper that ended his season last year.  This time, however, there is a much more influential factory in play than merely not embarrassing himself:  money.  $17.5 million of it, and it all goes to K-Rod should he finish 55 games this year, the option vests.  Weiner showed up to make sure the Mets knew–they would not be interloping in this affair.

Under the careful, usually half-asleep, stare of the MLBPA, K-Rod will go into 2011 with more eyes watching than ever before.

Okay.  Lets get all those laughs at the word “weiner” out now.