Wagner to sign with Mets at 4/$40MM?

[don_kessinger_was_good]

The blog guy at mlbtraderumors that correctly scooped the Cameron for Nagy trade (he has close Mets contacts) is reporting that the Mets are about to announce a deal for Billy Wagner at 4 years, $40MM. Kind of puts the $$ amounts and years to Eyre and Howry (the two best free agent setup men on the market this year) into perspective. Wagner will be 38 years old in the last year of his deal.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[Sabermetrician]

Closers=most overrated "position" in baseball. Sign a middle reliever to close, maybe you'll get lucky and he'll be dominant, but regardless you could find one for $3 million a season that converts at a solid clip in comparison to ridiculous $10M/season closers.

[WrigleyField 22]

The blog guy at mlbtraderumors that correctly scooped the Cameron for Nagy trade (he has close Mets contacts) is reporting that the Mets are about to announce a deal for Billy Wagner at 4 years, $40MM. Kind of puts the $$ amounts and years to Eyre and Howry (the two best free agent setup men on the market this year) into perspective. Wagner will be 38 years old in the last year of his deal.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

 

It could also be that we set the market by signing Eyre.

[YearofDaCubs]

Well our track record for signing setup men has been abysmal so..

[abuck1220]

yeah, but wagner's way, way better than eyre.

[RockTheIvy]

FWIW, is there a Free agent that the Mets are not in contact with? It seems like they are after everyone.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

yeah, but wagner's way, way better than eyre.

 

He's also going to get three times the money per year. Is Wagner three times more valuable than Eyre? Especially to a team like the Cubs that already has a respectable closer in Ryan Dempster?

 

(And before anyone gets started on that canard, I remind you that as closer, Dempster was 4-0, with 33/35 saves, and an ERA of 1.85. "Lucky" indeed... :roll: )

[abuck1220]

 

He's also going to get three times the money per year. Is Wagner three times more valuable than Eyre?

 

yeah. given the amount of $ the cubs have to spend, i'd rather have wagner at $10 mil than eyre at $3ish.

 

and as long as we're throwing opinions out there, i'd rather have wagner at $10 mil than eyre, neifi and rusch at $10 mil.

[HoopsCubs]

The blog guy at mlbtraderumors that correctly scooped the Cameron for Nagy trade (he has close Mets contacts) is reporting that the Mets are about to announce a deal for Billy Wagner at 4 years, $40MM. Kind of puts the $$ amounts and years to Eyre and Howry (the two best free agent setup men on the market this year) into perspective. Wagner will be 38 years old in the last year of his deal.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

 

Then, I would assume that BJ Ryan will go to the Phillies.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

The blog guy at mlbtraderumors that correctly scooped the Cameron for Nagy trade (he has close Mets contacts) is reporting that the Mets are about to announce a deal for Billy Wagner at 4 years, $40MM. Kind of puts the $$ amounts and years to Eyre and Howry (the two best free agent setup men on the market this year) into perspective. Wagner will be 38 years old in the last year of his deal.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

 

Then, I would assume that BJ Ryan will go to the Phillies.

 

That would seem to be the way it's going. Atlanta re-signs Farnsworth, Cleveland re-signs Wickman, Baltimore can fight it out with Toronto, Boston and maybe Cincinnati for Todd Jones. Gordon likely stays in NY.

[fearthecubs]

Closers=most overrated "position" in baseball. Sign a middle reliever to close, maybe you'll get lucky and he'll be dominant, but regardless you could find one for $3 million a season that converts at a solid clip in comparison to ridiculous $10M/season closers.

 

Wrong wrong wrong. Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly, realize they need a closer, sign Foulke, and win the World Series. Houston had Lidge. St. Louis has Isringhausen, White Sox had Hermanson/Jenks. The truth is that having a great closer and setup man shortens the game to 7 or 8 innings.

 

Also, did you know that Hoffman has more saves than Mariano Rivera in less opportunities? Wagner is in that upper tier as well, either one is worth at least 3/30 to me. Wagner I'd go 4/40 without hesitation due to being younger.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Closers=most overrated "position" in baseball. Sign a middle reliever to close, maybe you'll get lucky and he'll be dominant, but regardless you could find one for $3 million a season that converts at a solid clip in comparison to ridiculous $10M/season closers.

 

Wrong wrong wrong. Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly, realize they need a closer, sign Foulke, and win the World Series. Houston had Lidge. St. Louis has Isringhausen, White Sox had Hermanson/Jenks. The truth is that having a great closer and setup man shortens the game to 7 or 8 innings.

 

Guess how Isringhausen and Hermanson became closers. Nathan, Dempster, and Gagne too.

[abuck1220]

Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly

 

wow...95 wins is failing horribly? sign me up for a couple years of that type of failure!

[fearthecubs]

Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly

 

wow...95 wins is failing horribly? sign me up for a couple years of that type of failure!

 

Obviously I was referring directly to their bullpen performance, any Red Sox fan will tell you that bullpen inconsistency doomed any chances of a championship.

[abuck1220]

Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly

 

wow...95 wins is failing horribly? sign me up for a couple years of that type of failure!

 

Obviously I was referring directly to their bullpen performance, any Red Sox fan will tell you that bullpen inconsistency doomed any chances of a championship.

 

so despite a bullpen disaster, they still won 95 games? sounds like a great pen may be overrated if you can win that many games w/ such a bad pen.

 

how about some offense?

[Drew Doughty]

He said championship--not regular season.

[abuck1220]

He said championship--not regular season.

 

i'll take 95 wins and a yearly playoff berth. the championship will take care of itself if you make it to the postseason consistently enough. a set of three short series is a crapshoot anyway.

 

besides, the cubs aren't in 'fine tune to put the finishing touches on a world series team' mode right now anyway. they've spent giles money on three non-impact guys and haven't filled rf or ss yet.

[fearthecubs]

Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly

 

wow...95 wins is failing horribly? sign me up for a couple years of that type of failure!

 

Obviously I was referring directly to their bullpen performance, any Red Sox fan will tell you that bullpen inconsistency doomed any chances of a championship.

 

so despite a bullpen disaster, they still won 95 games? sounds like a great pen may be overrated if you can win that many games w/ such a bad pen.

 

how about some offense?

 

Dude. When you play in the AL East you're not trying to win 95 games, you're trying to beat the damn Yankees.

[CubfaninCA]

He said championship--not regular season.

 

i'll take 95 wins and a yearly playoff berth. the championship will take care of itself if you make it to the postseason consistently enough. a set of three short series is a crapshoot anyway.

 

besides, the cubs aren't in 'fine tune to put the finishing touches on a world series team' mode right now anyway. they've spent giles money on three non-impact guys and haven't filled rf or ss yet.

 

What available impact SS or RF have they missed out on so far? It's not even December yet. Patience grasshopper.

[badger1679666666]

 

He's also going to get three times the money per year. Is Wagner three times more valuable than Eyre?

 

yeah. given the amount of $ the cubs have to spend, i'd rather have wagner at $10 mil than eyre at $3ish.

 

and as long as we're throwing opinions out there, i'd rather have wagner at $10 mil than eyre, neifi and rusch at $10 mil.

 

I'm bumping this thread when the old fart blows out his elbow next year and we will have avoided another Benitez/Urbina

[Balsa]

 

I'm bumping this thread when the old fart blows out his elbow next year and we will have avoided another Benitez/Urbina/Percival/Gagne

 

Fixed.

[ryno-mvp23]

He said championship--not regular season.

 

i'll take 95 wins and a yearly playoff berth. the championship will take care of itself if you make it to the postseason consistently enough. a set of three short series is a crapshoot anyway.

 

besides, the cubs aren't in 'fine tune to put the finishing touches on a world series team' mode right now anyway. they've spent giles money on three non-impact guys and haven't filled rf or ss yet.

 

what do you mean? they signed neifi didn't they? :D

[abuck1220]

 

He's also going to get three times the money per year. Is Wagner three times more valuable than Eyre?

 

yeah. given the amount of $ the cubs have to spend, i'd rather have wagner at $10 mil than eyre at $3ish.

 

and as long as we're throwing opinions out there, i'd rather have wagner at $10 mil than eyre, neifi and rusch at $10 mil.

 

I'm bumping this thread when the old fart blows out his elbow next year and we will have avoided another Benitez/Urbina

 

are you also gonna bump it if he has another season like this past one?

 

or if eyre sucks, neifi starts 110 games w/ a .280 OBP, or rusch posts a 4.90 era?

[somechick]

Closers=most overrated "position" in baseball. Sign a middle reliever to close, maybe you'll get lucky and he'll be dominant, but regardless you could find one for $3 million a season that converts at a solid clip in comparison to ridiculous $10M/season closers.

 

Wrong wrong wrong. Look at the Red Sox of 03, with the closer by comittee. Then they fail horribly, realize they need a closer, sign Foulke, and win the World Series. Houston had Lidge. St. Louis has Isringhausen, White Sox had Hermanson/Jenks. The truth is that having a great closer and setup man shortens the game to 7 or 8 innings.

 

Guess how Isringhausen and Hermanson became closers. Nathan, Dempster, and Gagne too.

 

For what it's worth, but Hermanson was drafted as a closer. It wasn't until '97 after being traded to Montreal (via florida) that Alou had him starting. then he bounced back and forth between starting and pen. he was, however, first a pen/closer to be guy.

[goonys evil twin]

For what it's worth, but Hermanson was drafted as a closer. It wasn't until '97 after being traded to Montreal (via florida) that Alou had him starting. then he bounced back and forth between starting and pen. he was, however, first a pen/closer to be guy.

 

Are you sure about that? Drafting closers to be closers has been a pretty new phenomenon.