Jon Heyman of SI.com has a Twitter post up that says Mets reliever Billy Wagner has been claimed on waivers by some unknown team. After some head scratching, I just keep thinking that it might make sense for the Braves to have claimed him.
Wagner is owed about $2.5 million for the remainder of the season, and he has a $1 million buyout on an $8 million option for next year. There's a chance that we still have $2.5 mil in the kitty to spend for the remainder of this season.
If the Braves did claim him -- and they got a chance to see how good he was up close last night -- it makes sense from several angles. First, one of the teams rumored to need him is the Marlins, who may have been ahead of us in the standings at the time of the claim. Blocking Wagner from going to the Marlins would potentially help us in the division or wildcard race. Heck, several of the teams in the wild card race might want him, and blocking him from going to one of those teams is a wise move.
Another angle here, is if the Mets were willing to just let Wagner go and let us assume his contract, then we get another fresh bullpen arm for the rest of the season. We would also essentially be giving Wagner a two month audition to see if he can be our closer next year (with Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez both free agents this winter).
We're also somewhat thin in quality bullpen depth. Take a look at our 40-man roster and there's only one or two relievers not currently on the 25-man roster who could help out in case of injury.
Anyway, I'm totally spit-ballin, but this kind of makes some sense.
[UPDATE 6:15pm]
So much for that theory. According to K-Ros, it looks like the Red Sox claimed Wagner.
0 recs | 26 comments
Intriguing
I’d like to see how Wags looks on back-to-back nights before proclaiming him a good addition, but last night certainly impressed me.
Yakker - August 21, 2009
It would definitely improve our team a lot. Imagine having a rested bullpen of Moylan, Gonzo, Soriano, and Wagner along with K-Med who has been incredible lately, and also EOF. Very strong, and I for one hope it’s true
BigG1392 - August 21, 2009
no
I think it’s Cubs
RehabReject - August 21, 2009
any reason for that… just curious where u heard the cubs
Swo12bv - August 21, 2009
yea doesnt the division get first dibbs when a player is put on waivers. The Braves were not going to let the Marlins or even for that matter the Phills with Lidge struggling get Wagner. Its almost a no brainer that the Braves claimed Wagner.
That a boy - August 21, 2009
i’m just guessing since Gregg is awful and Marmol is a headcase
the Marlins have denied putting in the claim and the Phillies can put Myers in the pen when he returns
RehabReject - August 21, 2009
ok that makes sense… i didn’t know if you had heard something substantial or if it was just an educated guess… it certainly makes sense…. the Cubs need help in the pen…
I beleive the waiver process goes from the team with the worst record to the team with the best…but I’m not positive.
Swo12bv - August 21, 2009
It is plausible, at the least, and definitely makes sense for us.
justincredubil02 - August 21, 2009
It’s never bad to have another arm out there in the pen. If it is us that put in the claim I think it’s a good move.
eaheckman10 - August 21, 2009
Jayson Stark said that Wagner would command more than $3.5M for the rest of the season…what is the true dollar amount?
justincredubil02 - August 21, 2009
i thought it was $1.5
dc_allday - August 21, 2009
I’ve read it’s $2.7M.
AndiRose - August 21, 2009
i hope so.
send down logan and that gives us a rediculous 7,8,9 of Wagner, Gonzo, Soriano. almost puts us on par with the Red Sox pen
drumzalicious - August 21, 2009
don’t forget about Moylan and Medlen.
justincredubil02 - August 21, 2009
well
I don’t know exactly how it is figured but if you go by games played then the mets have played 121 games so far thus eating just over 8 million of Wagner’s salary for the year. That means he has 2.73 million left on the books for the rest of the season. That is if it is figured by the games of a season and not by days. either way if it is less than 3 million I say do it and you have insurance if we lose Gonzo and Soriano in FA and Wagner has said he wants to be close to his Virginia home and here we are with a good team. Nice fit don’t ya think
mauck98 - August 21, 2009
WELP
Apparently he has been claimed by the Red Sox. Kinda ironic since i had just said he would put our bullpen on par with the one of the Red Sox.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/billy-wagner-claimed-on-waivers.html
drumzalicious - August 21, 2009
Crimey. Is anyone suprised the Red Sox yet again are making a transaction in a futile effort to catch NY?
kalesi - August 21, 2009
whats interesting
is that means almost every team passed on him i think a lot of teams were hoping for him to just get released.
drumzalicious - August 21, 2009
kinda like they did with Smoltzy.
Scott Coleman - August 21, 2009
Sigh
Wouldn’t it be great if ATL could plunk down $3M for 6 weeks from a banged-up RP?
Yakker - August 21, 2009
It was hard for me to believe
the Braves would spend $1.5 or $2 million or whatever it was for a potential 6 week rental. that would look like a really stupid trade if we dont make the playoffs.
Scott Coleman - August 21, 2009
Sorry, but it wouldn’t look any dumber than the trade for Mark Texirra. He truned out to be a 1 1/4 yr. rental and cost the Braves 3 or 4 studs.
coltzfan - August 21, 2009
facepalm.
justincredubil02 - August 21, 2009
That was one of those trades that looks a lot worse as the years go on than it did when it was first made. I remember the Braves made a claim on Mark Kotsay and the player in return for the A’s was Joey Devine. Didn’t work out all that well despite his injury. Who would we have given up to get Wagner? The jury isn’t even out on the Javy V. trade yet even though it was an immediate success. I think if you’re the Braves you stand pat with Hudson coming back, there isn’t enough evidence on Wagner to trade a prospect and pay the extra money that could go to salary next year or the draft. Our whole draft was 5 million, 3 million for 20 innings seems a lot.
Random but would that Tex trade have been so bad if we got back Kendry Morales from the Angels last year? Looking at Morales’ production in the past I doubt the Angels would have said no to that deal.
crime_dog - August 21, 2009
i don’t know the Angels were always reportedly very high on Morales (what team isn’t high on their players, tho)…..i don’t think we could have gotten him and i think the Braves wanted to proven starter back and I’m not sure Morales would have fit the bill that said I would love to have him on our roster right now.
Swo12bv - August 21, 2009
Add in the Jair trade and I’d say we’re even.
TradeAndruw - August 22, 2009
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