Olney On The Market For Billy Wagner
If he finishes the season well, Billy Wagner could see multi-year offers as a free agent after the season, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney. If, as expected, Wagner becomes a Type A free agent, teams would have to surrender a draft pick to sign him, but a mid-nineties fastball and high-leverage success could be enough to attract teams regardless. Of course, there's a chance Wagner pitches to mixed results with the Red Sox. If that's the case, he could become this year's Juan Cruz and see limited interest because of his Type A status.
Olney breaks down possible suitors in depth and finds that the Tigers, White Sox, Cubs, Brewers, Orioles and Braves could have some interest in closers this offseason. However, Wagner is one of many in a deep class of closers that includes Trevor Hoffman and Jose Valverde.
One talent evaluator suggested the Red Sox could keep Wagner as their closer while Daniel Bard continues to develop. This would enable them to trade Jonathan Papelbon. Two other evaluators believe teams will be willing to forfeit a draft pick to sign Wagner.
Rosenthal On Wagner, Rays, Hawkins
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from one GM who believes Billy Wagner's best financial move may be to accept arbitration after the season. The Red Sox have the right to offer Wagner arbitration, but they'd have to offer over $8MM, so they could choose not to. Here are the rest of Rosenthal's rumors:
- Jeff Niemann and Jason Hammel have performed well for their respective clubs, so the Rays' decision to trade Hammel worked out for everyone.
- A number of teams are sure to claim LaTroy Hawkins by noon CST today, when his waivers expire, but it's likely the Astros will pull him back. Rosenthal hears that Hawkins is open to returning to the Astros after the season.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels estimates that three quarters of MLB players hit waivers in August, so don't fret about this news if you're a Brewers fan, but Trevor Hoffman, Mike Cameron, Craig Counsell, Jason Kendall, Braden Looper and Felipe Lopez have all been placed on waivers, according to Rosenthal's source. The Brewers say they don't intend on becoming sellers.
Angels Had Interest In Wagner; Still Looking
The Angels had interest in Billy Wagner before the Red Sox worked out a waiver trade to acquire the lefty from the Mets, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. The Angels may or may not have claimed Wagner- GM Tony Reagins wouldn't say- but the Red Sox, who have a worse record than LA, had priority regardless.
The Angels have an inexperienced group of relievers after Brian Fuentes and Darren Oliver, so Reagins said the club continues to monitor the waiver wire and explore possible trades.
Brewers Aren’t About To Start Selling
Rival GMs have been calling Doug Melvin to see if he has interest in trading his veteran players, only to hear that the Brewers aren't inclined to start selling, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. At this point in the season, teams aren't willing to offer enough to interest the Brewers.
"They'll give you cash, but they don't want to give me a player," Melvin said. "I can't imagine that a team would give up a good player for one month, unless there is a key injury. I don't anticipate anything."
Trevor Hoffman, Felipe Lopez and Mike Cameron would presumably draw interest from other clubs, but no deal seems likely. Instead, the Brewers may simply try to finish strong, as Buster Olney suggested yesterday. Plus, it's hard to imagine any team offering more than the equivalent of the two draft picks the Brewers will receive if they offer Hoffman arbitration and he signs elsewhere.
Stairs Wants To Return To Phillies In 2010
Matt Stairs will be 42 by the time Spring Training starts next year, but he says he has another year left in him and wants to spend it with the Phillies, according to Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Stairs, who makes a base salary of $1MM this year, becomes a free agent after the season.
Stairs knows his future depends on the team's interest in bringing him back, but assistant GM Scott Proefrock said it's too early to think about free agents. Despite his recent struggles, Stairs has four homers and a .739 OPS in just over 100 plate appearances this season.
Odds And Ends: Ackley, Reds, Bradley
Some links for the morning…
- Dustin Ackley will arrive in Seattle Monday to work out with the team, meet the media and officially sign his $7.5MM deal, according to MLB.com's Jim Street.
- Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News says the Reds are desperate for starting pitching just a few months after it looked like their rotation was set.
- This is not what the Cubs envisioned when they signed Milton Bradley to a multi-year deal last offseason. Bradley told Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that he "never" feels comfortable at Wrigley Field because he gets booed. However, he insists that he'll be all right in spite of the hatred he faces "on a daily basis."
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post says Mets GM Omar Minaya looks clueless at times, but the mess hardly stops with him.
Nationals Sign Livan Hernandez
Livan Hernandez will return to the Nationals after a three-year absence. The club signed Hernandez to a Major League deal, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, so the Cuban righty returns to the organization that first acquired him more than six years ago. The Expos traded for Hernandez in 2003 and he stayed with the organization until they traded him to the D'Backs in 2006.
Hernandez has since played for three more teams, including the Mets, who released him last week. He has allowed 164 hits and 51 walks in 135 innings this year, striking out 75.
Red Sox Acquire Billy Wagner
5:51pm: According to Nick Cafardo at the Boston Globe, the Red Sox were given permission from MLB to talk to Wagner, and Theo Epstein claims he didn't know Wagner would even be shipped over until the final hours of the proceedings. In reaction to previous reports that Wagner would not join the Sox, Epstein said:
"You guys (media) had nothing to do during those 48-hour windows, so there have been a lot of stories come out. Basically he had a full no-trade clause, so it was up to him whether he wanted to stay with the Mets or go to the Red Sox. Ultimately, in the end he woke up and said he wanted to join a team that was in the middle of a pennant race, had a chance to pitch into October, and a chance to get a ring."
4:39pm: The Boston Herald reports that the Mets will acquire Triple A outfielder Chris Carter in the deal. The second player, whose identity remains unknown, is apparently "not of significance."
12:53pm: Olney reports that the Red Sox won't send any top prospects to the Mets. Bart Hubbuch hears they're AA-level players. 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).
The Red Sox will pay the rest of Wagner's salary, according to Heyman.
12:39pm: Heyman says the Red Sox acquired Wagner. Lennon says the Mets obtain two players to be named later.
12:26pm: Heyman reports via Twitter that Wagner is "on the verge" of accepting a deal to the Red Sox. He has four minutes to decide.
12:23pm: Olney reports that the Red Sox are expected to complete a deal for Wagner.
12:22pm: Via Twitter, Lennon says it looks like the deal will go through. An announcement is coming shortly.
12:12pm: Newsday's David Lennon hears that, while no deal is complete, the Mets and Red Sox could agree on one "soon."
12:00pm: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe reports that Billy Wagner is now considering a deal to Boston. He is apparently drawn to the Red Sox because they're in the pennant race. Earlier today, we heard that Wagner blocked a deal because he didn't want to risk injuring himself down the stretch. ESPN.com reported today that Wagner's agent believes his client should only pitch once every three days.
With the deadline for a deal approaching, the Red Sox were talking to Wagner in an attempt to work out a deal, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Mets are "trying to talk sense" into Wagner. Heyman hears that the Red Sox still hope a deal will go through.
Odds And Ends: Selig, Hughes, Byrd, Santana
More links for the afternoon, as the Red Sox just keeping adding players…
- If you've ever wondered about the view from Bud Selig's office, what the commissioner eats for lunch or who his all-time favorite player is, check out Hal McCoy's piece in the Dayton Daily News.
- As effective as Phil Hughes has been out of the Yankees' 'pen, the Yanks will have a tough call when it's time to determine his role next season, as Dave Allen of FanGraphs notes.
- Jay Jaffe of Baseball Prospectus doubts that teams will overpay Marlon Byrd by much this offseason. Byrd's about to turn 32, but his versatility and pop should attract interest, even if he doesn't see massive offers.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer says the Mets mishandled Johan Santana by continuing to trot him out there.
Royals Rumors: Soria, Gordon, Buck, Jacobs
ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick explores many of the disappointing elements of the Royals' 2009 season and turns up some rumors along the way. Here they are:
- GM Dayton Moore says he tried to build a winner and holds himself accountable for the team's failure.
- Now he wants to build through scouting and player development. The Royals' system has improved as the team has spent more, but there's not an abundance of talent in the upper minors.
- Crasnick says the Royals need a "major overhaul" but suggests no one on the team's roster other than Zack Greinke or Joakim Soria would fetch much in a trade.
- Some believe the Royals would be better off shopping Soria for two or three young players. Moore says he'll be open-minded to that sort of deal if it helps the Royals long-term.
- One AL scout says the Royals rushed Alex Gordon and prevented him from developing fully.
- The Royals may not offer contracts to John Buck and Mike Jacobs after the season.