Red Sox Claim Billy Wagner

by USG on Aug 21, 2009 6:20 PM EDT Comment 19 comments

New York Mets relief pitcher Billy Wagner (13) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009, in New York. The Mets lost the game 3-2. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

3 months ago: New York Mets relief pitcher Billy Wagner (13) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009, in New York. The Mets lost the game 3-2. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Ken Rosenthal reports that the Red Sox have claimed Mets reliever Billy Wagner off of waivers. Wagner returned from Tommy John Surgery yesterday, striking out 2 in a perfect inning of relief.

The Sox have been active in the waiver market, claiming Chris Woodward and Alex Gonzalez earlier this month. There were also reports that the Red Sox had attempted to acquire Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman, but those turned out to be incorrect.

Wagner carries a price tag north of $3 million for the season and has an $8 million club option for 2010. If the Red Sox choose not to pick it up, he would likely bring compensational draft picks.

For Wagner to make it to the Sox, every team except for the Angels and Yankees will have to pass on him.

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I have a feeling that someone will claim him before he gets to us.

DH Lowell.

by BoldandBrash on Aug 21, 2009 6:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nah, he's all ours:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9966794/Source:-Mets%27-Wagner-claimed-off-waivers-by-BoSox

YAY!!!

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Aug 21, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I think we need to put him in some games with big leads before we put him

in a critical situation. BTW, how old is he?

DH Lowell.

by BoldandBrash on Aug 21, 2009 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

38

Besides the TJ surgery he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. If we don’t give up much (anything) I’m all for this. But I agree, give him some low leverage situations first and see how he does. I wish they had waited a couple days so they can see a larger sample size.

"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.

by Rogue Nine on Aug 21, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We're giving up a roster spot for at least a week and a half...

And potentially more if he’s on the 25 man Sep 1st.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Aug 21, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He'll be a Type A free agent

But I can’t see anyone giving up a draft pick for him, even if he does reasonably well for the rest of the season.

DFA Beckett

by South Coast Ghost on Aug 21, 2009 6:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He would have been a Type A...

But it’s a two year average, and I’m not sure how injuries count. That, and he’d probably accept arbitration.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Aug 21, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mets fan chiming in

His comments have indicated that closing is more important than money to him…he really wants 400 saves at this point. He may not be a lock to accept.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Schmidtxc on Aug 21, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does he have a no-trade?

Because he’s not going to get saves with us, even if he’s better than Paps.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Aug 21, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He does, but he said he'd waive it for any contender but Philly this season.

I think he’d be pretty pissed if you guys got him and picked up his option, but he’s made it pretty clear he’s willing to set up for the rest of the season.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Schmidtxc on Aug 21, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh.

@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Aug 21, 2009 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes

DFA Nick Green

by gizmosandy on Aug 21, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pretty sure injury time isn't applied to the Elias ratings

Last I saw he was comfortably in the Type A.

DFA Beckett

by South Coast Ghost on Aug 21, 2009 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Probably doesn't matter

If he’s type A, it’s unlikely another team signs him. Either way, we’d probably just end up with a supplemental.

by BigRedDog42 on Aug 21, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only way a team signs him as a Type A is if their pick is protected or they have another Type A on the market

If he’s absolutely lights out for the rest of the season it could happen.

DFA Beckett

by South Coast Ghost on Aug 21, 2009 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

See, we always think this

We think to ourselves no way that type A guy gets signed by anyone. Only one guy in recent memory couldn’t get himself signed because of the Type A status, and that is Juan Cruz.

Some team desperate for a closer will sign him. Even if they do have a protected pick that’s still a supplemental pick, right? That’s worth a lot to teams like the Red Sox who will spend the money to bring in a top talent, regardless of the cost.

"I got my pregnant wife (the Yankee fan) with me. Hoping my kid learns to kick her everytime the Mets score." -Schifftis-

by future on Aug 21, 2009 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anything is possible, not denying that.

And you’re right, a team might be desperate for a closer (the Astros are losing Valverde, right?) and give up their pick. But he’s also coming off of TJ surgery, so he really needs to prove he’s worth the pick.

Of course, if he really cares about the saves, maybe he’ll work for cheap, which would help.

DFA Beckett

by South Coast Ghost on Aug 21, 2009 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs