Olney On Wagner, DeRosa, Betancourt, Wolf

I don't think Wagner would be well advised to turn down arbitration if offered. Not many teams are going to give up a 1st round pick for an aging reliever only just coming back from Tommy John. Would the Redsox want to pay as much as he could get in arbitration to only set up though?

If I am not mistaken, part of the reason Wagner accepted the deal to the Red Sox in the first place was because they promised him they would not offer him arbitration at the end of the year. Am I wrong on that?

"Am I wrong on that?"

He did request that. He said he would waive his no trade for the deal if they agree to
a) void option
b) decline arbitration

he settled for only one of the two - the option voided

Nope, his agent was pushing for that. In the end, th Sox agreed not to pick up his option but they didn't agree not to offer arbitration.

The Sox would be happy to pay him what he would get through arbitration to set up- he was lights out when he pitched in 2009.

It is a given though, that Wagner would not accept arbitration, I think at this point, he is more determined to get to 200 saves than to get money, so he'll probably be willing to sign pretty cheap with a team willing to give up a draft pick.

From an august 25th post on here about the Wagner trade

Olney says the Red Sox have agreed not to pick up Wagner's 2010 option, but they can still offer him arbitration (and collect compensation picks if he signs elsewhere).

"Did I read somewhere that theMets do not have to surrender the pick this year if they sign a type A free agent? If so, leg up on signing Randy Wolf?"

Uh, what makes you think the Mets wouldn't have to surrender a draft pick to sign a Type A free agent?

Posted by: vtadave | November 10, 2009 at 11:21 AM
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If the team picking up the free agent has one of the top 15 picks in round 1 of the subsequent amateur draft, then NO that team does not forfeit their first round draft pick. Instead, they would forfeit their SECOND round pick.

Bernard is correct. The Mets would surrender a second round pick for Wolf, unless they also signed a higher ranked type A free agent, in which case they would surrender their third round pick for Wolf. Their first round pick is theirs no matter what.