Hands up, everyone who thought Carlos Beltran would outlast Francisco Rodriguez as a Met. No sooner had the dust cleared on the National League’s 5-1, Not-Many-Stars triumph than Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin confirmed to the Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt he’d acquired reliever Rodriguez from the New York in exchange for two players to be named later.  The Mets are paying a portion of Rodriguez’ remaining 2011 salary as well, though if the Brewers are wise, they’ll demand cash rather than a check.

“I couldn’t walk away from the chance to get a pitcher like Francisco and wish later I hadn’t let him get away,” Melvin said. We’ve had some injuries in our bullpen, including (setup man Takashi) Saito, and if I let (Rodriguez) get away and somebody went down, I’d kick myself.”

Melvin said he wouldn’t worry about a closer controversy perhaps disturbing the chemistry of a close clubhouse and a team that is tied for first place in the National League Central Division.

“John has done a good job for us and I still have confidence in him,” said Melvin. “I’m not going to get into (a possible controversy). This is just a chance to get a quality arm that’s not easy to get.

“It’s a matter of having two great pitchers at the back of our bullpen.”

 

 

The unspecified amount of cash coming to the Brewers will help defray what remains of Rodriguez’s $11.5 million salary for 2011. He also has a club option for 2012 at $17.5 million with a $3.5 million buyout.

I’m gonna take a wild guess that Bobby Parnell will have a chance to close (meaningless) games down the stretch for the Mets ; presuming you’re ok with Sandy Alderson waiving the white flag at this stage of the season, to have obtained any value for K-Rod given that his new employers have $17.5 million reasons to limit his role to setting up John Axford, is not the worst thing in the world.