Wagner Placed On Waivers

The NL East. The Phillies, Marlins and Braves all still have a need for relief help

Good calls. Would the Mets deal within the division?

"The Cubs could use him."

Yea they could. Marmol isn't a closer and the cubs have reported interest in him.

Johnathon Broxton is struggling and kuroda got a concussion so some relief help should be pretty usefull

True, good examples. I can't imagine Mets would be too picky about who Wagner goes to considering their situation. It also looks like Putz is on his way back, which makes me think the Mets would be even less hesitant to cut ties, regardless of their not being in contention.

How about the Cardinals trade Glaus for Wagner straight up? Mets could use Glaus at 1st base since he cannot throw far and the Cards could always use more bullpen help even with the Smoltz signing using him as a 5th starter/bullpen guy.

yankees

"How about the Cardinals trade Glaus for Wagner straight up? Mets could use Glaus at 1st base since he cannot throw far and the Cards could always use more bullpen help even with the Smoltz signing using him as a 5th starter/bullpen guy."

That's a horrible trade for the Mets. Glaus has a NTC and he'd be a waste. They'd want 1-2 young players, not some washed up veteran.

The Yankees will put a claim on him and DFA Mitre. If Wagner is even 75% of what he was for the Mets pre-injury, he would be an amazing 7th inning pitcher for the Yanks, and would allow them to rest Aceves and Robertson more. I really wouldn't be surprised if he gets claimed and the Mets let him go for a mid level prospect. It's either the Yankees or the Marlins at this point. If he goes to the Fish, I think they become more play-off favorites.

icedrake,

You are on drugs if you think Wagner will get '1 or 2 players' in return.

If he gets anything higher than a low-ceiling AA player I'd be SHOCKED. Been out a year and is a free agent after the season (no one will pick up that option, even if he performs the last month).

The Rangers are a team that could use him. Rotation has held steady, but they could always use an insurance policy at the backend of that pen. Could really help them beat the Red Sox for the Wild Card.

Yankees? Not unless Mariano is retiring next year...

Wagner has been quoted to all that he's coming back to get a contract as a closer next year - not a set up or 7th/mop up guy. He needs 15 saves for 400. That's his goal. He didn't go through another TJ surgery to come back at 38 for the money...

1st, I'm sure someone else before the Yankees puts in a claim to get Billy.

2nd, Rangers definetly would be interesting since he pitched in Houston all those years.

3rd, He has an option on next year so technically he's not a free agent and does he really qualify for type A?

Rangers make sense. They need a 2nd lefty in their pen to compliment CJ Wilson ... especially since Guardado has been horrid and now on the DL.

the yankees probably wil not get him as they are the last team on order for claiming rights, hope the Cubs pick him up and DFA Gregg.

Why exactly would a team like the Mariners, who are out of contention (hence the Washburn trade) claim a closer who has an extremely expensive option next season and won't be a difference maker this season?

@PrepLoco

I'm pretty sure Wagner would accept arbitration were it offered him. His present salary is 10.5 million, meaning that his arb-case could not be settled for less than 8.4 million, which probably not coincidentally is more than the team option on his contract.

So the Mets options are:

1. Pay the $1M buyout, and let Wagner sign a one-year deal for $3M with another team.

2. Pick up the $8M option. This would be dumb.

3. Pay the $1M buyout and offer him arbitration. In this case, Wagner is the one with the choice to make:

a. Decline arbitration. Become a free agent and seek a contract with another team. Here's the problem: the team that would sign him would lose their first round pick to the Mets. There's no way a team will want to give up that pick for Wagner. If someone did, they wouldn't pay him much above league minimum. Wagner would be really stupid to decline arbitration.

b. Wagner could accept arbitration, and per league rules, would be guaranteed a one-year deal worth at no less than 80% of his previous year's salary--around $8.4M.

If offered arbitration, there's no way Wagner doesn't accept it. The Mets aren't getting picks out of Wagner. Thus, they want to trade him, and will probably do it for next to nothing, just to let someone else pay the buyout.

"Whoever thinks Wagner is going to the Dodgers doesn't know the real situation for their team. W/ the addition of Sherrill and Kuo coming back the Dodgers arguably have the best backend bullpen in the NL. Their need is starting pitching not closers/setup man and there is no chance they will go after Billy unless he somehow becomes a starter which isn't going to happen."

Posted by: Cub Killer | August 19, 2009 at 08:30 PM

man, you can argue all you want that the Dodgers have the best back-end... but if you watched the Dodger game tonight (where Broxton with the help of Martin messed up the game) then you might change your opinion.

Broxton is NOT pitching like he can.. and you never know when Kuo will fall apart and hurt himself.

it NEVER hurts to sign another pitcher. never.

Broxton didn't exactly "mess up the game" tonight by walking the best hitter in baseball.

Makes no sense for the Dodgers to sign Wagner.

no way wagner goes back to philly; he has done nothing but speak of his displeasure towards his time there since he came to the mets.

And as for the Glaus for Wagner proposed trade above: No.
The trade makes absolutely no sense. The Mets aren't trying to unload Wagner just for the heck of it, or to try to ship him to a contender. They're doing it to get a prospect out of it. Obviously they're not going to get a high class prospect out of this deal, but its better to get a mid-class prospect than to keep Wagner and pitch him for a team that's going nowhere this year.

And the Mets don't need a washed up/injured veteran like Glaus on their team, as the rest of the season is just going to be used to find out who makes the team next year. 1st base will hopefully (well, at least I hope) be manned by Daniel Murphy/Nick Evans the rest of the way.

With the uncertainty surrounding Brad Lidge, if Wagner shows he's still got it, the Phillies would have to take a flier on him. If that waiver order is right tho, there's no way the teams above the Phillies would let him fall that far. In terms of 'would the Mets trade in the division', I really don't think the Mets have any leverage in any situation anymore. Just take what you can get and call it a success. That whole front office is probably gone after the season anyway.

mbl002, the Mets certainly have leverge. They don't have to trade Wagner, at all. Is it in their best interst to? Sure. But they can easily pick up his option and use him as a set up man (ala Putz) next year.

I realize that would not make Wagner happy and it's probably not the route the Mets will take but, to say that they don't have leverage on this particular situation is nonsense. They currently own three Closers - KRod, Wagner and Putz (injured but still). And, when healty, most teams would pay a pretty penny to have them.

It makes far too much sense for the Cubs to not trade for him.

I don't think anyone would claim him but the Yankees. He's still due almost $4MM. In this climate, no one's taking on that kind of money.

To whoever saying Texas needs him!

You dont know your own team. Look at there bullpen and how many guys hit 100 on the radar. They dont need him. The Cubs would be my first guess as to where he will be going.