The Red Sox traded for New York Mets’ reliever Billy Wagner today for two players to be named later, reports ESPN.
As part of the deal, the Sox are not allowed to pick up his option next year. They are allowed to offer him arbitration, however, so, they can potentially receive compensatory draft picks.
Wagner has an $8 million option for 2010 with a $1 million buyout.
The 38-year old reliever has looked sharp in his 2 innings pitched thus far in 2009, posting 4 Ks against 1 BB. Based on this small sample, his fastball velocity is unchanged since his last healthy season in 2007, sitting at 94.6 mph. That’s a good sign.
Wagner will be a welcome addition to the bullpen, even if Papelbon doesn’t want him.
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Eric Gagne, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo
“Billy the Kid: Here’s the deal. What I win, I keep. What you win, I keep.
Bill (John Henry), Ted (Theo): Sounds good, Mr. The Kid!”
Generally, I’m in favor of it. I think Wagner will be a nice option to have down the stretch. Think we could use starting pitching more. But, maybe, we could skip the starter and pitch just our *new and improved* bullpen for a game or two.
I like this move. We gave up real players for Gagne, at most this just means we lose money.
since when do 2 players to be named later mean just money?
not trying to be harsh here but i am a bit worried that we keep picking up reclamation projects and unless i do not understand the terms of this “trade” we have an expensive rental for the rest of the year with maybe a compensatory draft pick IF we can offer arbitration…
i still feel funny bout Smoltz and how if it was just tipping off batters or did he need just another week or so… seems or i hope that a trip to the bullpen will help Penny
I feel that the move to DFA Smoltz was very ill-advised, and I will hold that sentiment until I find out that Smoltz had refused a move to the bullpen or wanted a trade. His peripherals were off-the-charts, though he was abysmal. He had potential to be good, which is about the same thing that Buchholz, Bowden, and Tazawa all provide. He was terrible, but not someone to DFA.
As for acquiring Wagner, this move doesn’t bother me because the Red Sox have so much money that they can make these moves. This could all change depending on the players we have to give up. But right now, since this year’s budget is pretty much set, we obviously had money to burn, so why not use it?
I’m very happy that we are not allowed to pick up the option, as I would fear an $8 million, 39-year old injury prone reliever. That would be a waste and a poorly caluclated risk. With this part of the deal, it at least guarantees that we would either lose him, sign him for less, or get a draft pick. All good options.
Sometimes I don’t agree with Theo’s moves, and to be honest, I have disagreed more than I have agreed. The Smoltz DFA was one I didn’t agree with. He still had value. The Wagner pickup, barring us giving up any serious prospects, is one I agree with.
I hope it works out, but in the end, I agree with Papelbon, that we have a very deep bullpen and I’m not exactly sure where Wagner fits in.
Either way, this looks like a good calculated risk, as Wagner used to be one of the best in the game and we have no “true” ace reliever, Papelbon included. That 2.04 ERA is very lucky this season.
If you can get something for nothing, it’s always a good move, especially with Wagner’s upside.
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.”
so basically we sent a guy who has no position (except DH) to an NL team and we’re giving up another prospect of no significance. In return we get the second lefty we need out of the bullpen not to mention a guy who before getting hurt was the best closer in the NL. I like the move a lot. And I wouldn’t compare it to Gagne because a) Wagner has had more sustained success with more teams than Gagne who essentially had 2-3 great years pitching in a good pitchers park and then flamed out Wagner succeeded in two band boxes in Houston and Philly before going to the Mets and b) there’s no pressure on him, the Sox have plenty of bullpen arms this year they don’t need to throw him into the fire like they did with Gagne, he can ease in
In fact the only context in which this trade makes sense for the mets is as a salary dump, they desperately need to shed any payroll that they can immediately. Carter won’t (or at least shouldn’t) play for them, they’re already one of the worst fielding teams in baseball and they don’t have the option to stick him as a DH and the other prospect won’t be worth anything. They could have waited two months and collected two draft picks that would have been worth more to them than whatever they get from the Sox. Now the Sox get a potential quality arm who they WILL offer arbitration to (Wagner had no leverage with that demand since NY would do it anyways) and collect two high draft picks for. Thos draft picks alone are probably worth more than what the Sox gave up based on potential alone since Carter wan’t going to help this team and PTBNL will likely be someone like Jason Place who has no future in Boston anyway
Not sure why this move is provoking so much angst. Aside from the cost of Wagner’s remaining 2009 salary, it’s a low-risk, high-reward move. Sure it could turn out to be Gagne all over again — but if so, Wagner has a few bad outings and then gets shunted aside, and the Sox still have a superior bullpen. If he is fully recovered or nearly so, the Sox have the deepest, most dangerous bullpen in all of baseball. And if Chris Carter is the top prospect being dealt, well, he wasn’t going to get any more chances in Boston anyway.
After the season, the Sox can be pretty much assured of netting a good draft pick if nothing else. Considering what they’ve done with compensatory picks in the past, that’s a great addition in itself. I see no drawbacks to the trade.