Sources: Mets, K-Rod agree to 3-year, $37M deal

He turned down a generous offer from the Angels during the season because he wanted Mariano Rivera-type money. And just when it looked like Frankie Rodriguez would regret not accepting LA's last offer, the Mets offer enough money to bring K-Rod to NYC.

FOXsports.com: The New York Mets have reached an agreement in principle with All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez on a three-year, $37 million contract, according to major-league sources. The deal includes a $14 million vesting option for a fourth year that would raise the total value of the contract to $51 million.

The deal is contingent upon Rodriguez passing a physical, and the language of the contract still needs to be finalized.

That vesting option is within reach as long as Rodriguez pitches his normal number of innings as a closer, either in the third year of the deal or in a combination of years two and three. "Basically, he's just got to be healthy," one source said.

The deal also includes performance bonuses that are considered within reasonable reach.

News of an imminent deal was first reported by the New York Post. Contract figures were first reported by SI.com.

K-Rod recorded a record 62 saves for the Los Angeles Angels this year, five more than the previous big league mark set by Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox in 1990, and then filed for free agency.

A three-time All-Star who turns 27 next month, Rodriguez was regarded as the top closer on the market.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Don't Believe The Hype Of The Curse

I know some of you have already been talking about it, but I don't want to hear it. I know it helps you deal with the pain of yet another playoff loss, but I don't want to hear it. I know it's the only reason you can come up with to explain why this keeps happening, but I still don't want to hear it.

THERE IS NO BOSTON RED SOX CURSE ON THE ANGELS!

Just go ahead and get that nonsense out of your head right now. There is no curse. It does not exist. It never has and it never will.

A curse is not the reason the Angels lost this series. A curse is not the reason why Reggie Willits didn't catch that ball in Game 2. A curse is not the reason why the Angels had 20 hits in the first two games but only one of them went for extra bases. A curse is not the reason Erik Aybar missed the bunt on that suicide squeeze.

The Angels lost because they didn't play well enough. It's that simple.

We've seen it countless times across countless sports. The best team doesn't always win, and it's always for the same reason. They simply didn't play well enough to win.

Mike Scioscia and the rest of the team will be the first to tell you. They had their chances, but they didn't take advantage of them. You can get away with that sometimes during the regular season, especially in the AL West. But in order to advance in the playoffs, you have to make the most of each and every opportunity.

Now, the Angels will be faced with some serious decisions in the off-season. The futures of Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Teixeira, Jon Garland, and Frankie Rodriguez will all be determined by either Arte Moreno and Tony Reagins or, in some cases, the players themselves. This winter will go a long way in shaping the Angels chances of a return trip to the playoffs to pursue yet another World Series title.

But if you want to do your part to help the Angels this off-season. Do everyone a favor and get that damn curse out of your head. Holding on to such nonsense is not good for the soul or the team. Just ask the Cubs!