MLB

AGENT: K-ROD, METS A ‘GOOD FIT’

Francisco Rodriguez’s agent seems to think his client would look awfully nice in a Mets uniform.

Paul Kinzer, speaking on WFAN’s “Boomer and Carton Show” this morning, said he believes the free-agent closer would be a “good fit” for the Amazin’s, who have deep pockets and a glaring need for a closer next season.

“(There are three to four teams in the running) besides the Mets,” Kinzer said. “It’s a good fit because he likes pitching in the big games on the big stage and you definitely have that in New York. I think it’s a good fit for everybody. We have some other teams involved, but we are intrigued by that fit.”

But along with being the best closer available on the free-agent market, Rodriguez also is the most expensive.

Kinzer said Rodriguez likely would not be interested in anything less than a four-year deal. And Kinzer, who said he expects to have a deal for Rodriguez before the MLB Winter Meetings (Dec. 8-11), hinted that the 26-year-old is looking for something in the $15-million-a-year range.

Co-host Craig Carton asked if the Mets were to offer Rodriguez four years, $60 million, would there be interest on his side?

“I would have talk to my client, but we would have definite interest in that,” Kinzer said.

There are several other talented closers available and reports have stated the Mets might be more interested in going a cheaper route. Former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes, the Padres’ Trevor Hoffman, the Cubs’ Kerry Wood, and the Nationals’ Chad Cordero likely all would be available for less money and fewer years than Rodriguez. But none of them have the resume of Rodriguez, who set the all-time single-season saves record with 62 in 2008.

“We’ll be talking to Omar (Minaya),” Kinzer said. “Francisco’s been for four years, every closer has peaks and valleys, he has been one of the most consistent guys in the game.”

The Mets know all too well the peaks and valleys a closer can go through, having watched Billy Wagner’s inconsistencies in his time in Queens. Then they watched the rest of the patchwork bullpen falter down the stretch after Wagner went down in early August with an elbow injury that will keep him out through next season, his final season under contract with the Mets.

When healthy, Wagner had 27 saves in 34 opportunities with a 2.30 ERA. Rodriguez also had seven blown saves with the Angels, but saved those 62 games and had a slightly better 2.24 ERA.

“Mike Scoccia did a pretty good job with him and his arm strength, he hasn’t lost his velocity as much, he says he has a better feel for the changeup,” Kinzer said. “And there’s games, if you go back and look at, he touched 96 and 97 (mph).”

The market for Rodriguez may be limited with most of the big-market teams that would be able to afford him already having closers: Yankees (Mariano Rivera), Red Sox (Jonathan Papelbon), White Sox (Bobby Jenks), Phillies (Brad Lidge) and Dodgers (Takashi Saito).

“It’s a little quiet right now, because we can’t negotiate money until after Thursday night,” Kinzer said. “But there’s definitely interest.”