Could the Braves have claimed Billy Wagner?

by gondeee on Aug 21, 2009 4:41 PM EDT in Braves Trade News

Jon Heyman of SI.com has a Twitter post up that says Mets reliever Billy Wagner has been claimed on waivers by some unknown team. After some head scratching, I just keep thinking that it might make sense for the Braves to have claimed him.

Wagner is owed about $2.5 million for the remainder of the season, and he has a $1 million buyout on an $8 million option for next year. There's a chance that we still have $2.5 mil in the kitty to spend for the remainder of this season.

If the Braves did claim him -- and they got a chance to see how good he was up close last night -- it makes sense from several angles. First, one of the teams rumored to need him is the Marlins, who may have been ahead of us in the standings at the time of the claim. Blocking Wagner from going to the Marlins would potentially help us in the division or wildcard race. Heck, several of the teams in the wild card race might want him, and blocking him from going to one of those teams is a wise move.

Another angle here, is if the Mets were willing to just let Wagner go and let us assume his contract, then we get another fresh bullpen arm for the rest of the season. We would also essentially be giving Wagner a two month audition to see if he can be our closer next year (with Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez both free agents this winter).

We're also somewhat thin in quality bullpen depth. Take a look at our 40-man roster and there's only one or two relievers not currently on the 25-man roster who could help out in case of injury.

Anyway, I'm totally spit-ballin, but this kind of makes some sense.

[UPDATE 6:15pm]

So much for that theory. According to K-Ros, it looks like the Red Sox claimed Wagner.

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Intriguing

I’d like to see how Wags looks on back-to-back nights before proclaiming him a good addition, but last night certainly impressed me.

by Yakker on Aug 21, 2009 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

It would definitely improve our team a lot. Imagine having a rested bullpen of Moylan, Gonzo, Soriano, and Wagner along with K-Med who has been incredible lately, and also EOF. Very strong, and I for one hope it’s true

by BigG1392 on Aug 21, 2009 4:56 PM EDT reply actions

no

I think it’s Cubs

by RehabReject on Aug 21, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

any reason for that… just curious where u heard the cubs

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Aug 21, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

yea doesnt the division get first dibbs when a player is put on waivers. The Braves were not going to let the Marlins or even for that matter the Phills with Lidge struggling get Wagner. Its almost a no brainer that the Braves claimed Wagner.

Baseball is my life

by That a boy on Aug 21, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

i’m just guessing since Gregg is awful and Marmol is a headcase

the Marlins have denied putting in the claim and the Phillies can put Myers in the pen when he returns

by RehabReject on Aug 21, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions

ok that makes sense… i didn’t know if you had heard something substantial or if it was just an educated guess… it certainly makes sense…. the Cubs need help in the pen…

I beleive the waiver process goes from the team with the worst record to the team with the best…but I’m not positive.

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Aug 21, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

It is plausible, at the least, and definitely makes sense for us.

"Actually, Justin was right."
by bigjoe on May 15, 2009 9:04 AM PDT

by justincredubil02 on Aug 21, 2009 5:18 PM EDT reply actions

It’s never bad to have another arm out there in the pen. If it is us that put in the claim I think it’s a good move.

by eaheckman10 on Aug 21, 2009 5:37 PM EDT reply actions

Jayson Stark said that Wagner would command more than $3.5M for the rest of the season…what is the true dollar amount?

"Actually, Justin was right."
by bigjoe on May 15, 2009 9:04 AM PDT

by justincredubil02 on Aug 21, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions

i thought it was $1.5

Baseball is a game where a curve is an optical illusion, a screwball can be a pitch or a person, stealing is legal and you can spit anywhere you like except in the umpire's eye or on the ball.
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by dc_allday on Aug 21, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve read it’s $2.7M.

by AndiRose on Aug 21, 2009 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

i hope so.

send down logan and that gives us a rediculous 7,8,9 of Wagner, Gonzo, Soriano. almost puts us on par with the Red Sox pen

by drumzalicious on Aug 21, 2009 5:43 PM EDT reply actions

don’t forget about Moylan and Medlen.

"Actually, Justin was right."
by bigjoe on May 15, 2009 9:04 AM PDT

by justincredubil02 on Aug 21, 2009 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions

well

I don’t know exactly how it is figured but if you go by games played then the mets have played 121 games so far thus eating just over 8 million of Wagner’s salary for the year. That means he has 2.73 million left on the books for the rest of the season. That is if it is figured by the games of a season and not by days. either way if it is less than 3 million I say do it and you have insurance if we lose Gonzo and Soriano in FA and Wagner has said he wants to be close to his Virginia home and here we are with a good team. Nice fit don’t ya think

by mauck98 on Aug 21, 2009 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

WELP

Apparently he has been claimed by the Red Sox. Kinda ironic since i had just said he would put our bullpen on par with the one of the Red Sox.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/billy-wagner-claimed-on-waivers.html

by drumzalicious on Aug 21, 2009 6:09 PM EDT reply actions

Crimey. Is anyone suprised the Red Sox yet again are making a transaction in a futile effort to catch NY?

by kalesi on Aug 21, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

whats interesting

is that means almost every team passed on him i think a lot of teams were hoping for him to just get released.

by drumzalicious on Aug 21, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

kinda like they did with Smoltzy.

7/24/2009 - "The Phillies are too far ahead in the NL East for the Braves to make a run." - Buster Olney

REMEMBER THAT BOYS.

by Scott Coleman on Aug 21, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Sigh

Wouldn’t it be great if ATL could plunk down $3M for 6 weeks from a banged-up RP?

by Yakker on Aug 21, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions

It was hard for me to believe

the Braves would spend $1.5 or $2 million or whatever it was for a potential 6 week rental. that would look like a really stupid trade if we dont make the playoffs.

7/24/2009 - "The Phillies are too far ahead in the NL East for the Braves to make a run." - Buster Olney

REMEMBER THAT BOYS.

by Scott Coleman on Aug 21, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry, but it wouldn’t look any dumber than the trade for Mark Texirra. He truned out to be a 1 1/4 yr. rental and cost the Braves 3 or 4 studs.

by coltzfan on Aug 21, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

facepalm.

"Actually, Justin was right."
by bigjoe on May 15, 2009 9:04 AM PDT

by justincredubil02 on Aug 21, 2009 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions

That was one of those trades that looks a lot worse as the years go on than it did when it was first made. I remember the Braves made a claim on Mark Kotsay and the player in return for the A’s was Joey Devine. Didn’t work out all that well despite his injury. Who would we have given up to get Wagner? The jury isn’t even out on the Javy V. trade yet even though it was an immediate success. I think if you’re the Braves you stand pat with Hudson coming back, there isn’t enough evidence on Wagner to trade a prospect and pay the extra money that could go to salary next year or the draft. Our whole draft was 5 million, 3 million for 20 innings seems a lot.

Random but would that Tex trade have been so bad if we got back Kendry Morales from the Angels last year? Looking at Morales’ production in the past I doubt the Angels would have said no to that deal.

by crime_dog on Aug 21, 2009 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions

i don’t know the Angels were always reportedly very high on Morales (what team isn’t high on their players, tho)…..i don’t think we could have gotten him and i think the Braves wanted to proven starter back and I’m not sure Morales would have fit the bill that said I would love to have him on our roster right now.

Heyward,Hanson,and Shaffer r ready now!! Why do you think they havent signed the "right handed bat"?

by fatazfoot on Jan 7, 2009 8:59 PM EST

by Swo12bv on Aug 21, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Add in the Jair trade and I’d say we’re even.

If Dunn walks 30 fewer times, he'll drive in 15 more runs. This is thanks to the scientifically proven formula: RBI = (this is nonsense) (I made it all up).

Here's a stat: Wins as manager: Dusty Baker, 1,162; Bill James, 0.

by TradeAndruw on Aug 22, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions