Report: Mets Would Not Have Offered Wagner Arbitration
By Mike Silva ~ August 26th, 2009. Filed under: Rumor Mill.
The Billy Wagner saga finally ended yesterday. One thing’s for sure, despite the lost season, the Mets really know how to make for an interesting news story. One minute Billy wants to get healthy in the obscurity of fourth place, the next he is telling Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post that “he is outta here”. I am sure we will hear more dirt from Wagner in the future, but right now you have to be pleased that the Mets got something in return.
NYBD contributor Joe Demayo reached out to a league source that is familiar with the Mets thinking. According to our source, the Mets were pushing a deal because they knew they would lose Wagner for nothing in the offseason. This is because ownership was not willing to offer Wagner arbitration. Even though there was a minuscule chance Wagner would accept, if he did, the team would be on the hook for an expensive setup man with the potential for injury. Despite what you hear publicly from the organization, there is a budget in Flushing.
Reports continue to circulate that the Mets are cutting payroll. We have been told that many expect the Mets to keep the payroll “around $125 million dollars”. The feeling is that Minaya will forced to “get creative” with filling holes throughout the roster. Think about it, Chris Carter is a potential cheap replacement that could be the Mets version of Eric Hinske. Obviously I don’t think he will be a star, but you have to be encouraged about reports on his plate discipline and power potential. Remember, with the dearth of talent in the upper rungs of the organization, the Mets could use more Chris Carter’s in the short term than draft picks.
Obviously fans are going to be upset because they want the two draft picks that Boston will recieve. In reality, the chances of Wagner accepting arbitration aren’t farfetched with the current economic uncertainty surrounding the game. The Mets are quite simply not willing to take any kind of risk with respect to the Wagner situation. In the end, the Mets got someone who can help them in 2010, while Wagner gets a chance to compete for a title and improve his chances of being signed this offseason. It’s the best case scenario for what seems to be a franchise in financial flux.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:53 am
So your telling me that the Mets are incapable of a verbal deal with Wagner not to accept arbitration. It happens all the time. It’s a weak excuse if you ask me. On a team laoded with guys who are marginal players they get another one. Now that’s a reason to get excited. PA-Lease. This organization is pathetic.
August 26th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Chris
It’s a great question. All everyone keeps telling us is that the Mets are very much in cost savings mode. Things change with this organization daily, no news cycle can keep up with them. I wish I could even opine on it, but I honestly don’t have anything else left to say but you are right.
August 26th, 2009 at 11:38 am
The notion that Wagner would agree to a verbal deal not to accept arbitration is not realistic. It no longer “happens all the time.” For Wagner to be offered arbitration and turn it down would completely wreck his value on the FA market. Teams don’t want to give up high draft picks anymore, especially for a 38-year-old reliever with injury concerns. Wagner would have had every incentive *not* to give the Mets that assurance. He would have wanted to give the Mets reasons not to offer him arbitration, e.g. the risk he might accept it.
August 26th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Even at a paultry $125M a team can afford two high priced arms in the bullpen. Wagner’s option for next year is 8M compared to Putz’s 10.5M. I know Wagner is 38 and comming off of surgery, but that salary seems reasonable to me. Plus alot of guys comming off Tommy John throw harder when they come back. Throw in his career numbers, tenacity, work ethic, and closer mentality and you have a valuable asset on your hands. Just look at what happened to the bullpen when he went down with injury for proof of that.
August 26th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
With 2009 essentially done everyone has been putting on their GM cap. Here’s my stab on a ’10 $125M roster. any comments? (I’ve included actual ’10 salaries;est=these are estimated arbitration/FA numbers. Just gave everyone in this situation a 20% pay hike from ’09).
starters: C Santos (.4M); 1B Murphy (.4M); 2B Castillo (6.25M); 3B Wright (10.25M); SS Reyes (9.375M); LF FA (est 8M); CF Beltran (18.5M); RF Francoeur (est 4M)
Bench: OF Pagan (est .7M), OF Sullivan (est .75M), 2B/SS FA (est 1M), 1B/3B FA (est 1M), C FA (est 2M)
Rotation: Santana (21M), Maine (est 3M), Pelfrey (.5M), Perez (12M), Niese (.4M)
Bullpen: Long Man Nieve (.4M), Parnell (.4M), Stokes (.4M), Green (est .57M), Feliciano (2M), FA Setup (est 8M), KRod (11.167M)
extras: Putz buyout 1M; Bonilla payment (1.2M)
total: $124.662M
thoughts: Basically it boils down to what you upgrade to starters/pitchers with 16M? Lost in all the injuries and talk about no power bats is the fact that the starting pitching after Santana has been sub-par. Even if you can find that ace for 16M is that putting too many eggs in that basket when you have other holes? I think so. The problem is that the 8M guys just seem like such a crapshot. Just look at our 12M guy, Ollie. Even if 8M could get you a guarantee for 12-8 with a 4+ ERA who is to say Niese couldn’t do that for you? It just seems money spent in the bullpen yields more predictable results. With ’06 & ’07 still fresh, I’ld like to see a 2nd closer type seting up Frankie and getting those big outs late in the game. (I tell ya a Wagner/KRod combo would have been fun to watch). So that leaves 8M. Either you relegate Murphy or Pagan to the bench to find some power. I just think Pagan makes more sense. He can play all 3 outfield positions well and covers alot of ground (potential injury replacement for 3 guys). He can pitch hit or come in as a defensive replacement late in games for our newly acquired slugger. Basically Chavez, with more skills & pop. People forget, but Murph hit .313/.397/.473 in 49 games last year. The kid is 24yrs old and playing back in the infield where he looks comfortable (he played mostly 3B in the minors). I’m interested in giving him a longer look to see what his upside could be. Will he ever pop 30+ playing at Citi half the time? probably not. But with that smooth swing, plate discipline, & bat control of his, if he can approach ~.360+OBP he’ld be an important cog in the offense when it has the likes of Beltran, Wright, & Reyes. Personally, I think he’s best suited for the 2 hole, but not when Castillo is playing lights out. I wonder if he pans out if he could slide over to 2B and bat #2 in the order in 2 years when Castillo is finished.