Francisco Rodriquez settles with New York Mets
Closer Francisco Rodriguez has settled with the New York Mets after his contract was deemed non-guaranteed, due to an altercation the pitcher had with his girlfriend's father Carlos Pena.
The altercation took place during a game on 11 August. The incident caused Rodriquez to injure his thumb, which kept him out for the remainder of the season. The Mets refused to pay the veteran for the time he missed at the end of the year. The total salary
the Mets refused to pay was $3.14 million. In addition, the club moved to make his contract non-guaranteed until an agreement was reached.
Nevertheless, Rodriquez agreed to forfeit the $3.14 million on Tuesday 19 October, allowing the club to once again guarantee his contract. The all-star closer is owed $11.5 million next season and has an option of $17.5 million for the following year if
he is able to play 55 games. If Rodriquez is not able to remain healthy in 2012 he will receive a buyout of $3.5 million.
The two sides had been scheduled to meet with an arbitrator until Rodriguez agreed to forfeit part of his contract. The star was apologetic for his indiscretion and is hoping to return to full health and re-join the Mets next season.
“As I have expressed in the past, I deeply regret the incident that occurred on August 11, 2010,” the pitcher said in a statement. “I sincerely apologize to [owners] Fred Wilpon, Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz, Mets fans, my team mates and the entire Mets organization.
I have worked hard since the incident to make myself a better person and member of this organization. I have been participating in an anger management program since August and I will continue in the program for the foreseeable future. I feel that anger management
counselling is undoubtedly making me a better person and a better father and will make me a better team mate and member of this great organization.”
Rodriguez had surgery on his thumb and will be pitching in winter league baseball, in his native country of Venezuela, in order to return to full health in time for the start of the 2011 season.
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