That Signing K-Rod Thing is Working Out Well

Mets closer has been worth every penny

It's been a funny week of contrasts in New York baseball. No matter what happened before the final inning in the Bronx, you knew the Yankees were going to lose. They did it in a variety of ways, with a variety of goats, but every loss came to fruition nonetheless.

With the Mets, the opposite was true. Carlos Delgado might drop a pop-up or the offense might take the night off when Johan Santana pitched or they might bash three homers in one game, but the end result was the same each time. Francisco Rodriguez saved four straight wins, wins that quieted just about every critic who was out for blood at this time last week.

Funny how that works. One week you are a passionless team without the intestinal fortitude to win games in the clutch, and the next you have ice in your veins and a nose for victory. The truth, of course, is a bit less worthy of locker room inspirational posters. The Mets have gotten good starting pitching in all four of their wins and Rodriguez has done exactly what he was brought to Queens to do.

That's not to minimize what he's done, because four saves in four nights is more than most closers do, but it does make signing him look like the best move of the offseason. Confidence can spread, and another couple of weeks like this might make all the memories of collapses seem sepia-toned.

Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.

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