All it took was a fight after a game, and one torn ligament in the right thumb for Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez to be in trouble with the law, as well as financially.
According to the USA Today, the four-time All-Star was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and second-degree harassment after a fight with his girlfriend’s father near the family lounge at Citi Field in New York Aug. 1.
On Sept. 22, Rodriguez made more headlines after sending his girlfriend dozens of text messages begging for forgiveness, which violated a restraining order that was issued after his arrest. Add that incident, and you got yourself seven counts of criminal contempt.
The Mets organization let it be known that this would not be tolerated, and exercised a contractual right to convert the rest of Rodriguez’ 3-year, $37 million deal to non-guaranteed, meaning the Mets would be attempting to avoid paying most of what’s left.
According to the USA Today, the Mets also put Rodriguez on the restricted list for two days, costing the reliever a little over three million of his $11.5 million 2010 pay.
The organization is arguing that the injury stemmed from a non-related work activity, and they thus have the right to convert the contract to non-guaranteed.
However, that won’t stop the player’s union from filing a grievance in an attempt to recover the 3 million dollars, and switch Rodriguez’ contract to non-guaranteed.
An arbitration hearing is set for Oct. 18, where one would hope the arbitrator would rule in the Mets favor, considering the injury stemmed from a physical altercation that was a not a sports-related injury.
However, arbitrators have been ruling in favor of players recently, but this has been mostly due to arbitration eligible players in a salary dispute with teams. Among the most notable to win an arbitration hearing have been the Dodgers’ Russell Martin last season and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun.
In any case, what appears to be a blatantly valid move won’t stop the union from stepping in. No matter what the circumstance, unions these days will back a co-worker, now matter how black and white the argument might be.
Rodriguez not only injured his thumb from a non sports-related injury, but he also did it assaulting his girlfriend’s father; assaulting the father outside a family lounge where many families of players, including children, were present.
This behavior is highly unacceptable, and is an embarrassment to the organization. The contract stipulated that the salary would be based on his performance on the field. Since he will most likely not be able to perform, requiring off-season surgery, who in their right minds would think the Mets would be willing to pay for a player who injured himself in a physical altercation, and will thus be unable to contribute.
The fact that the player’s union and Rodriguez would even think this is an option is beyond me. Arbitrators have made some controversial decisions in favor of players regarding salary increases, but I would hope that this arbitrator makes the right moral and ethical decision, ruling in favor of the Mets.
Rodriguez broke the law, and also violated a court order by contacting his girlfriend when a restraining order was put in place. Based on his actions, termination of employment should not be out of the question.
The Mets have an option here: they can release him once training camp roles around, only required to pay 30 days pay as stipulated in the termination agreement of the contract, or keep him on.
It is certainly a disappointing for a Mets organization that was eager to bolster their bullpen with a closer who broke the MLB record for most saves in a season when he recorded 58 in 2008 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels, before signing a contract with the Mets in the 2008 off-season.
Too many times it seems players’ egos and tempers get out of hand, and humiliating incidences of physical altercations are the result. The fact that Rodriguez has the nerve to feel obligated to continue to be paid when he not only broke the law, but also injured himself in the process, is astounding to me.
Where has professional sports gone? When in doubt, just get the union to back you up. It’s like a lawyer who knows darn well his defendant is guilty. They will still try to defend him and let him walk.
It is with only hope that Rodriguez will have to tread through quicksand to walk out of the courtroom with the 3 million the Mets took away, and watch his guaranteed contract get up and fly away like a balloon.
Those poor Mets. It’s just one thing after another isn’t it?