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Odds And Ends: Wagner, Santana, Strasburg

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More links for Tuesday afternoon…

  • Today's chat is coming up at 2pm CST.
  • Billy Wagner's agent, Bean Stringfellow tells Joe Haggerty that his client changed his mind at the "last minute" and decided to go to Boston. The agent told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Wagner "threw caution to the wind."
  • Finally, some relatively good news for the Mets. Jon Heyman of SI.com reports via Twitter that doctors recommend arthroscopic surgery for Johan Santana, who should be back for next year. Ben Shpigel reports that the surgery will end Santana's season.
  • As MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo reports, Stephen Strasburg will pitch in the Arizona Fall League this year
  • Tom Verducci of SI.com marvels at the success of the older Yankees hitters. Within his article, he suggests Brad Penny is no longer cut out to start in the majors.

Odds And Ends: Halladay, O’Day, Scott, Giambi

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Some links for the morning…

  • Be here at 2pm CST for this week's chat.
  • Jamey Newberg compares Roy Halladay and Derek Holland since July 31st and shows that the Rangers are looking good even though they didn't deal for Doc.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post says designating Darren O'Day for assignment was an "under-the-radar mistake" by the Mets.
  • MLB.com's Spencer Fordin says the Orioles are trying to evaluate Luke Scott at first base to see if he can play there long-term. No one's hitting him anything, so the O's are having trouble reading his ability.
  • Jason Giambi tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post that he has no problem playing in the minors or coming off the bench for the Rockies.
  • Curt Schilling said on WEEI in Boston that he's not surprised to hear Billy Wagner is passing up the chance to enter a playoff race.

Wagner Blocked Deal Because Of Health Concern

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Billy Wagner invoked his no-trade clause because he wanted to protect his arm for the final month of the season, according Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe. The Globe's sources say Wagner doesn't want to compromise his chances of landing a contract in the offseason and prefers to play in lower-leverage games for the Mets. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports passed along similar information in his FOX Sports report last night.

The Red Sox were interested in Wagner for this season and would likely have turned down the $8MM option for next year and chosen to offer him arbitration instead. Apparently, Wagner was more concerned about possible injuries than the possibility that the Red Sox might lower his value by offering arbitration.

Wagner could change his mind by 12:30pm CST, but one source said the talks are "probably dead."

Rosenthal On Mets, Cubs, Yankees, Hawkins

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders how Mets GM Omar Minaya and Cubs GM Jim Hendry will untangle themselves from their respective messes. Both execs have overpaid for players in the recent past, but both can point to recent successes. Here are the details:

  • The Mets are expected to lower their payroll from the $150MM range next season.
  • The Rockies obtained Carlos Gonzalez from the A's in last winter's Matt Holliday trade and, for all of Holliday's heroics in St. Louis, Gonzalez is out-slugging Holliday by 142 points since the A's flipped him to the Cards.
  • A Yankees official says it's "very likely" the team will bring Johnny Damon back after the season if he's willing to take a paycut.
  • Like their cross-town rivals, the Yanks are expected to be operating on a lower payroll next year.
  • The Yankees figure to be in the mix for Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, or both.
  • Alex Gonzalez could have vetoed the trade that sent him to Boston.
  • The Astros placed LaTroy Hawkins on waivers and Rosenthal expects the Rockies, Cardinals and Dodgers to at least consider him.

Team Claimed Penny; Red Sox Pulled Him Back

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An unknown team claimed Brad Penny earlier in the month, only to see the Red Sox pull him back, sources tell WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. The window for the Red Sox to deal Penny to the claiming team has passed, so they won't be able to trade him at all.

Penny, who lost his rotation spot, makes just $5MM plus incentives, so he's a more affordable option than Doug Davis or Jon Garland, but the Red Sox wanted more than salary relief or they would have handed Penny over. He isn't likely to net the Red Sox any compensation picks, since he doesn't project to be a Type B free agent.

Billy Wagner To Invoke No-Trade Clause

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10:49pm: Wagner will invoke his no-trade clause to stay with the Mets, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Rosenthal says the Red Sox were willing to concede to Wagner's demand not to exercise his $8MM 2010 option, but wouldn't agree not to offer him arbitration.  As Rosenthal says, Wagner could be stuck with an arb offer from the Mets anyway.

Our latest Elias rankings projection has Wagner as a Type A among NL relievers with 78.8 points.  Therefore, if Wagner's club is willing to risk him agreeing to a one-year deal for 2010, they'd have a shot at two draft picks by offering arbitration.  (If you need a refresher on free agent compensation, click here).  Wagner tossed a scoreless inning against the Phillies tonight, by the way.

9:24pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets the following: "The general belief is, Mets and Red Sox both want to do a deal. Thus, a possible Wagner trade will be up to, yes, Wagner." 

5:54pm: In a piece on ESPN.com this evening, Wagner would not commit to pitching after next season, saying "it's not going to be much longer," though no specific plans have been made.

Wagner cited concerns about how his career has affected his family, saying, "they've sacrificed enough." 

According to ESPN, Wagner says he would like to reach 400 career saves and then pass John Franco, who holds the record for lefty closers with 424. Wagner currently has 385 career saves, which puts him sixth on the all-time list.

5:25pm: Ian M. Browne of MLB.com has some quotes from Wagner, who told the media, "My gut tells me I'm going to Florida [for the Mets-Marlins series] now. Unless something changes, I'll probably be a Met tomorrow."

In regard to his role in the bullpen should he land with the Red Sox, Wagner said, "I'm too old to set up. I don't want to go there and feel like I need to impress someone. That may not be good for them or for me."

1:07pm: The Red Sox have to guarantee they'll turn down Wagner's 2010 option for him to accept a trade to Boston, according to Mike Fitzpatrick of the AP (via the Miami Herald). Wagner wants to close next year and Jonathan Papelbon has a secure grasp of Boston's closing job.

1:02pm: Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports that the Red Sox can't ask for a physical on Wagner. By placing him on waivers, the Mets are effectively guaranteeing Wagner's health. If it turns out that a player isn't healthy after he's moved, MLB can reassign him to his original team.

11:12am: This afternoon's Mets-Phillies game could determine whether the Red Sox acquire Billy Wagner. The Red Sox, who have until tomorrow to acquire the veteran lefty, seek clarification of Wagner's physical status, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Sources tell Olney that they're unsure Wagner is completely healthy.

If he has lingering health issues, the Mets will have to withdraw Wagner from waivers, which would prevent a move to Boston. Olney and Jon Heyman of SI.com both hear that Wagner's healthy, but a strong outing today could prove it. If he is healthy, the Mets could trade Wagner to the Red Sox (as long as he OKs the deal) or just hand the pitcher and his contract over.

Odds And Ends: Giambi, Wagner, Oswalt, Snyder

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Another round of links…

  • Ed Price of AOL FanHouse reports that the Rockies officially announced the signing of Jason Giambi to a minor league deal.
  • Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus says some clubs watch Latin American teams in the Little League World Series to establish preliminary lists of interesting players.
  • Billy Wagner pitched an inning for the Mets today and Gameday says he hit 95 mph. He threw nine of his 19 pitches for strikes and picked up two strikeouts, walking one without allowing a hit. The Red Sox were surely watching the outing since they have another day to work out a deal with the Mets for Wagner.
  • Roy Oswalt tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that time is running out and he wants the Astros to win soon, while he's around with Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman and possibly Miguel Tejada. 
  • As MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports, Chris Snyder is glad to have signed an extension when he did.

Heyman On Damon, Minaya, Wagner

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Jon Heyman of SI.com would like to see an Angels-Dodgers World Series. He breaks down lots of great possible matchups and, as always, provides some rumors:

  • The Yankees plan on bringing back Johnny Damon and they figure to make him an opening offer worth $6-8MM. It would be a big paycut from the $13MM he's currently making, but Damon seems to want to return to the Yanks.
  • As much as the Yankees like Hideki Matsui, they probably need the DH spot for players like Damon and Jorge Posada. Check out some possible destinations for Matsui right here.
  • It looks and sounds as though the Mets plan on keeping Omar Minaya around as GM, and the $3.5MM remaining on his contract definitely has something to do with their stance. As Heyman says, one of the best deals Minaya made was his own.
  • One GM believes Billy Wagner's a "difference maker" and suggested the Mets should seek a decent prospect in return for him.
  • The Cubs don't appear likely to fire Lou Piniella, Heyman hears.
  • Heyman guesses Tony La Russa will return when his contract with the Cardinals is up after the season.

Odds And Ends: Manny, Marlins, Wagner

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Some links to start the week off…

  • Manny Ramirez, who has a $20MM player option for next year, shouted "I'm going to be here next year" to his Dodgers teammates, according to T.J. Simers of the LA Times. You never know with Manny, but it's hard to imagine someone offering him a better deal.
  • If you've ever wondered about some of the more lucrative performance incentives around baseball, check out Jorge Says No!.
  • The Marlins have a tiny payroll, but call them a surprise and Larry Beinfest starts to bristle, says Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the feeling is the Red Sox will send a marginal player to the Mets for Billy Wagner if they can work out a deal with the former closer and his agent.

Drama Brewing Over Wagner Claim

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9:15pm: According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, "the Red Sox's chances of landing Mets reliever Billy Wagner are in serious jeopardy." 

There are two main problems: Wagner wants to have the option of leaving after the 2009 season, and the Sox are not willing to guarantee that his 2010 club option will go unexercised.  Boston management also wants to have the choice of offering the veteran salary arbitration, an idea to which Wagner's agent is adamantly opposed.  The two sides have about 40 hours to come to an agreement.

6:14pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman is keeping tabs, via Twitter, on a war of words that has sprung up between Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon and recently-claimed reliever Billy Wagner.  As Heyman "tweeted" a few hours ago, "wagner said he 'loves boston.' also said he doesn't expect to go. why? "inside intuition.''

Papelbon seemed to take exception to the comments and said Sunday afternoon that he doesn't feel the Red Sox necessarily need to add the 38-year-old veteran.  Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal passes along the quote:  "We have a good dynamic down there in the bullpen and guys who work well together," Papelbon said. "Is Billy Wagner a good pitcher? Will he bring more depth to our bullpen and make our bullpen better? There's no question about it. But you still have to think about what we have now and what we've been able to accomplish to this point in the season."

And here's Heyman, back on Twitter, with Wagner's response: "i dont have anything to say about somebody like that … when he walks in my shoes then i'll say something. let him be 38 and have tommy john surgery."

We'll keep you updated as the situation progresses.  Keep in mind that the Red Sox and Mets have until 1 p.m. EST Tuesday to work out a deal.

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