If the Mets want to trade Francisco Rodriguez, he can’t afford too many bad performances like the two blown saves he had before yesterday.
“I don’t think about that,” Rodriguez said after he rebounded to pick up his 20th save in a 4-1 win over the A’s yesterday.
But if the Mets do move Rodriguez, Jason Isringhausen said he could see him taking on a setup role someplace else.
“It would only be a couple of months,” Isringhausen said. “You put all that other nonsense to the side when you have a chance to win another ring. And then you go sign another contract next year if you have to.”
If Rodriguez becomes a setup man, he is unlikely to finish the 55 games he needs to have his $17.5 million option for next season kick in. Rodriguez has finished 28 games.
Terry Collins and Rodriguez agreed the closer needs more consistent work to be effective while he’s still with the Mets.
“Like he told me, the more he pitches, the better he is,” Collins said. “He and I will do a better job monitoring his work.”
Rodriguez didn’t pitch in the five days between blowing a lead in Atlanta last Thursday and doing the same thing against the A’s on Wednesday. Rodriguez hadn’t blown a save in 19 opportunities after his season-opening hiccup in Florida and the games against the Braves.
“It’s not an excuse,” Rodriguez said. “[But] it’s not a bad idea at all. The more opportunities to be in there, the more I stay sharp.”
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Jose Reyes didn’t have much reaction to a report in which Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Reyes wouldn’t be coming to The Bronx.
“I don’t worry about that,” said Reyes, who this week decided to postpone negotiations with the Mets until after the season. “I play for the New York Mets. I don’t care what [the Yankees] say. I’m focused on this team.”
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Collins sat Ruben Tejada yesterday, as the young second baseman continues to have difficulty at the plate. He was a defensive replacement in the ninth inning. . . . Jason Bay was back hitting sixth and went 1-for-4 with a run.
Collins said he was in “total shock” Washington manager Jim Riggleman resigned yesterday when the team refused to pick up his option for next season. “He’s a very good friend of mine,” Collins said. “There’s gotta be something else. He worked too hard.”
Tickets from yesterday’s game can be redeemed for complimentary tickets to the Mets-Padres game on Aug. 11. . . . Double-A Binghamton pitcher Matt Harvey and Single-A St. Lucie third baseman Jefry Marte were named to the XM Futures All-Star Game in Phoenix on July 10.