Fuentes Gets His Wish

[love_that_reefer]

The Los Angeles Angels have found their new closer.

The Angels and left-hander Brian Fuentes have agreed to a two-year contract, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

Fuentes, 33, saved 30 games for the Colorado Rockies last season with a 2.73 ERA in 62 2/3 innings.

Francisco Rodriguez, the Angels' closer last season who saved a major league-record 62 games, signed a three-year, $37 million contract earlier this month with the New York Mets.

It will be interesting to see how much money he gets. The Cards had their shot and blew it. Now they are stuck with no closer. The Angels get the best available closer and for cheaper than what Krod would make. Angels also add another lefty to that pen which is something they needed. Good deal regardless of how much the deal is worth.

[CrazyEights]

It will be interesting to see how much money he gets. The Cards had their shot and blew it. Now they are stuck with no closer.

I'd really like to know how the Cards blew it. They never had a chance at Fuentes. The Cards were "agressive" at pursuing him and made him an offer, but he was waiting for the Angels to offer him a contract.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Fuentes isn't as good as the money he's gonna get. I see him being a bust in LA. He's a much better fit for the NL

[love_that_reefer]

The Cards were not aggressive and only made an offer when it was too late. We have been over this before! The Cards blew it and there is no way around it!! Fuentes only made it clear the Angels were his choice when they pulled out of the Teixeira sweepstakes. To say the Cards never had a chance is ignorant!

[CrazyEights]

The Cards were not aggressive and only made an offer when it was too late. We have been over this before! The Cards blew it and there is no way around it!! Fuentes only made it clear the Angels were his choice when they pulled out of the Teixeira sweepstakes. To say the Cards never had a chance is ignorant!

That is not true. Fuentes said that he wanted to play for the Angels before the Anges were even interested in him. How can you say the Cardinals made an offer when it was too late? They made an offer before the Angels signed Texeira, and before the Angels made an offer to Fuentes. The Cardinals were agressive, until Fuentes made it clear that he wanted to play in LA because it would be fun. I think you need to get your timeline straightened out.

[love_that_reefer]

Please explain to me how the Cards were aggressive. I can't find one source that says the cards even sat down with Fuentes!! The Cards made their offer on Dec 17th. How the **** is that aggressive?? A month and a half of free agency went by and no offer? Yes, they made an offer before the Yankees signed Teixeira but after it was apparent the Angels were out of it and Fuentes made his comments. It was a smart play by Fuentes and the Cards were dead at that point. My time lines are right. The Cards even failed to get Fuentes at the trade deadline last year!! Twice they have dropped the ball! Cards are ****ed next year with no closer! They Cards were not aggressive at any point and would love to be proven wrong but you will be hard pressed to do so.

[CrazyEights]

The Cards didn't make an offer when free agency started, because Fuentes was not their first choice. K-Rod was their first choice, and they apparantly made an offer to him first. Once he signed, then they made an offer to Fuentes. If his demands of 3 years at $33Mil scared them at first, then I don't blame them at all. Fuentes isn't worth that much plus a 1st round draft pick. Of course, the Angels won't have to pay that much.

[love_that_reefer]

Krod was never a realistic choice for the Cards and they never sought after him. Can't find anything to suggest that. LaRussa named Fuentes the #1 priority of the offseason when free agency began. They waited a month and a half and never met with Fuentes face ti face. Even the Mets did that! So where were they aggressive?

[love_that_reefer]

Two years, $17.5 million with an option for a 3rd year.

[CrazyEights]

Krod was never a realistic choice for the Cards and they never sought after him.

really?

General manager John Mozeliak said Tuesday that he would not confirm rejected bids, but a source said the Cardinals pursued Rodriguez before the former Los Angeles Angels closer reportedly accepted a three-year, $37 million bid from the New York Mets.

Though unable to land Rodriguez, the Cardinals took his signing as relative good news since he represented the ceiling for free-agent closers.

LaRussa named Fuentes the #1 priority of the offseason when free agency began. They waited a month and a half and never met with Fuentes face ti face.

I'm pretty sure LaRussa made that comment after Rodriguez signed with the Mets.

I don't know if they met with Fuentes face to face, but they met with his people.

Unable to acquire both a top-shelf closer and a second-tier starter through free agency, the Cardinals have met with representatives for free-agent lefthander Brian Fuentes, but first the team plans to explore trades.

They did, they explored a trade with the Mariners for Putz which would have been better than signing Fuentes.

12/10/2008 - Search for a closer escalates - STLtoday.com

[love_that_reefer]

So let me get this straight! The Cards were afraid of Fuentes' supposed 3 year, $33 million deal but not Krod's price tag? That's rich! The Cards never went after Krod or even thought of him as a realistic possibility. LaRussa's comment came right around the GM meetings. Can't remember if it was before or during.

Fuentes met with the Mets face to face, a lot more aggressive than the Cards wouldn't you say?

Not only did they take their time with Fuentes, they couldn't work out a deal for Putz? It keeps getting better and better but realy, nothing in that article says the Cards actually went after Putz. And how would Putz be better than Fuentes? Putz is coming off an injury riddled season.

So no Fuentes last year at the deadline and no Fuentes this year. No closer last year at the deadline and no closer this year. So again and for the last time, just how were they aggressive?!?!?

EDIT: Definition of aggressive-The Giants signing of Affeldt.

[CrazyEights]

So let me get this straight! The Cards were afraid of Fuentes' supposed 3 year, $33 million deal but not Krod's price tag? That's rich!

Are you comparing Krod to Fuentes? KRod is better than Fuentes, so a team would be more willing to spend the money on Krod. Fuentes is overrated, and isn't worth $11 per year for 3 years. Putz would have been a better option, because he wouldn't have cost $33Mil plus a draft pick. IIRC, the Cards offered a package including Ankiel for Putz. They would have been dealing from a strength of Outfield depth. I thought you liked the idea at the time, I may have been mistaken though. I would go back and check your post on the Mariners forum, but I don't have the time now.

As far as being agressive? It was mentioned numerous times in articles that the Cardinals were being agressive. Maybe you know more than they do though. I would consider the first team to offer him a contract being agressive. As far as I know, they were.

[love_that_reefer]

Did I compare Fuentes to Krod? I don't remember doing so. Oh that's right, I didn't!! I said if the Cards were scared of Fuentes money then they would not even touch Krod with a 10 ft pole...and they didn't!

It was mentioned several times that the Cards were interested in Fuentes. Don't mistake that with being aggressive. Being aggressive is meeting face to face, making a better offer and doing it way before a month and a half into free agency. The Cards have not been aggressive at all but you believe they have. You as a Cards fan will have a hard time realizing they did in fact screw the pooch. Its OK, I get it. I too like the Cards and see they didn't go after Fuentes back in July (which cost them the playoffs) and were not aggressive here this offseason.

[catman]

The Angels are moving on without Tex and K'Rod. They should be fine.