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Billy Wagner finally agreed to accept the terms the Red Sox offered when the put in a claim to acquire the vertern lefty.
The Sox agreed to not pickup Wagner's $8 million option for the 2010 season, but the will reserve the right to offer him arbitration, meaning they would get two compensatory draft picks if another team signs him.
This was a sticking point for Wagner and his agent over the past two days, but Wagner has apparently decided that pitching for a contender in 2009 is more valuable than not having draft picks attached to him in 2010.
So what does this all mean?
1. We got to watch Papelbon compare this move to the Eric Gagne signing from 2007... which in turn, pissed off Billy Wagner... only to watch Paps dance around those comments a day later and praise Wagner AND Gagne for their experience and talent.
2. Wagner will give Tito an experienced left-handed pitcher to play with down the stretch. Wagner owns a 2.39 career ERA and is 15 saves shy of 400. He hadn't pictched sicne Aug. 2nd of 2008 before pitching in two recent games from the Mets, but he did post solid numbers in 2008: 2.30 ERA, 27 saves, 52 Ks, 10 BBs and a .185 BAA.
Wagner has held left-handed hitters to .203 BA in his career, but with over six times as many innings against rightes, Wagner has held them to a .186 BA. Billy is not a "lefty specialist" so Tito will be able to look to him in for help in any capacity - as long as he stays healthy.
3. And that is the big question. Wagner said he wanted to stay with the Mets because it would enable him to stay out of pressure situations and keep his surgically repaired arm healthy. Now in Boston, the Sox will be looking for him to so what former closer Takashi Saito and possible future closer Daniel Bard have done - set up Paps and fill in for a save if Paps needs a break.
Will he be able to step in and get some big outs down the stretch or will he ask the Sox to take it easy on him?
Which leads to the really big question: Who's spot in the pen is Wagner going to take?
IMO, the answer is Bard. Bard rose to the expectations after being called up mid-season, but he has crashed back to earth in August, allowing 12 hits, 9 runs and 4 homers in 8 innings of work. The Sox can save Bard's arm and his confidence by sending him to Pawtucket until the roster expands in September.
Tim Wakefield will likely take Enrique Gonzalez' spot on the roster when he is activated for Wednesday's start, and if Junichi Tazawa is going to remain in the starting rotation, that means Brad Penny will be eating a roster spot as the "long man" and Bard will likely have to go.
But is this the right move?
You guys tell me what you think should happen when Wagner arrives.
Bottom Line: If he's healthy, Wagner will help this ball club. And hell, as bad as the Gagne signing turned out, we won a World Series in the end... I'm just saying...
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