As I mention here, the Mets have activated Billy Wagner from the disabled list.
Let’s refresh your memory. Wagner has been a closer for various teams, most notably the Phillies, Astros and most recently, the Mets. He went down with Tommy John surgery last year and has just returned.
Wagner can still bring it according to scouts who watched him on his rehab assignment. He has a no-brainer-to-be-declined $8 million club option for next year ($1 million buyout) and will make a total of $10.5 million over 2009.
Should the Red Sox bring in Wagner in advance of August 31 (the date you must be a member of an organization to be eligible for the playoffs)? Yes. Absolutely, unequivocally yes.
Wagner can impact the bullpen in a major, major way. The Mets are looking to get out from under his salary, so if the Red Sox are willing to eat some money would give up no one of consequence in the minor leagues.
I’m pretty sure Fernando Cabrera has no options left, so we would probably lose him on waivers unless we were to ask him to accept an assignment to Triple-A and bring him back in September. But should Cabrera stand in the way of Wagner? I think not.
