Originally published Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 8:03 PM

New York Mets withhold Francisco Rodriguez's pay, place him on DQ list

The New York Mets are withholding injured closer Francisco Rodriguez's salary while he's sidelined, and the team wants to convert his contract...

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The New York Mets are withholding injured closer Francisco Rodriguez's salary while he's sidelined, and the team wants to convert his contract to a non-guaranteed deal.

The moves could be a prelude to the Mets releasing the star closer without paying most of his 2011 salary.

Rodriguez was placed on the disqualified list Tuesday, six days after he tore a ligament in the thumb of his pitching hand while punching his girlfriend's father outside a family lounge at Citi Field. Rodriguez had surgery Tuesday to repair the self-inflicted injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

The Mets said he won't be paid while on the disqualified list. In addition, they said they were exercising a contractual right to convert the rest of his $37 million, three-year deal to non-guaranteed, meaning they could try to avoid paying most of what's left on it.

The players' association planned to fight the team's actions.

Notes

• The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a contract with first-round draft pick Josh Sale, giving him a $1.62 million signing bonus. Sale, selected 17th overall, is an outfielder from Bishop Blanchet High School. The Rays also signed outfielder Drew Vettleson from Central Kitsap High. He was the 42nd player chosen in the June draft.

• Andy Pettitte will back off his rehabilitation program of throwing from a mound because tests showed his left groin has not improved. The Yankees say that an MRI administered Tuesday night showed a "small persistent strain of the left groin." The team said he will continue to throw off flat ground but will not throw off a mound for a week.

• Carlos Guillen sat out of the Detroit Tigers lineup because of a sore left knee a day after the second baseman was taken out on a hard slide by the New York Yankees' Brett Gardner.

What's this?

E-mail article Print Share

More Mariners

UPDATE - 7:15 PM
Mariners' Felix Hernandez has fun in spring debut, after scary start

UPDATE - 8:27 PM
Catcher Gregg Zaun retires after 16 seasons

Mariners' Ackley adjusting at second base

Carlos Beltran singles in first spring at-bat | Baseball

Sideline Chatter: And you thought there wasn't a Hornets in baseball

More Mariners headlines...

Comments

No comments have been posted to this article.

Read all comments / Share your thoughts