Rest of Baseball Thread 2009

[hbionic]

FISTED!

I was half expecting to see a picture.

[BigEd76]

[PhillyPhreak54]

The Braves did not take long to find a new closer.

Billy Wagner could solve the Braves' closer situation. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)

The team reached preliminary agreement Tuesday with free-agent left-hander Billy Wagner on a one-year, $7 million contract with a vesting option for a second season, according to a major-league source.

The deal will become official once Wagner passes a physical, which he will take in Atlanta on Wednesday. The vesting option, worth $6.5 million, will become guaranteed if Wagner finishes 50 games next season.

Wagner, 38, would become the most significant player to change teams this offseason. He made a strong and rapid recovery from Tommy John surgery last season, working a pair of scoreless innings after returning to the Mets, then posting a 1.98 ERA in 13 appearances after getting traded to the Red Sox and serving in a setup role.

His return to closing with the Braves would give him a chance to earn the 40 saves he needs to pass John Franco for the all-time record among left-handed pitchers.

The Red Sox offered salary arbitration Tuesday to Wagner, a Type A free agent. If Wagner passes his physical, the Sox will receive the Braves' first-round pick next season — the 20th overall — plus a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds. Their selection from the Braves could drop to a second rounder if Atlanta signs a higher-ranking Type A free agent, but that is unlikely.

The Braves offered salary arbitration Tuesday to their own Type A free- agent relievers, left-hander Mike Gonzalez and righty Rafael Soriano. Either or both could accept one-year, non-guaranteed contracts, but both are drawing strong multi-year interest from other clubs, sources say.

The loss of either Gonzalez or Soriano would enable the Braves to recover the picks they would lose for signing Wagner. The losses of both would leave them with two additional picks.

$7M and two draft picks?! Bwahaa

[BigEd76]

one pick (the supplemental one is added, not taken), but they'll be getting four picks back when Soriano and Gonzalez sign elsewhere...

[Sgt PSN]

angels offered chone figgens arbitration

[Sgt PSN]

looks like figgens is close to sign with the mariners in the vicinity of 4yr/30+mil.  he was my preference but i can't say that i'd want to see the phils paying him that much.  if those numbers hold up then it makes the polanco deal look even better. 

[ice grillin you]

looks like figgens is close to sign with the mariners in the vicinity of 4yr/30+mil.  he was my preference but i can't say that i'd want to see the phils paying him that much.  if those numbers hold up then it makes the polanco deal look even better. 

figgins at 4 for 30 >>>>>>>>>> placido at 3 18

[Sgt PSN]

just talking in terms of available cash flow the phils would have to address other needs.  it's a reasonable price for figgens but they have too many other needs that they could be spending that money on. 

i guess you could say it's quantity vs quality.  phils went with quantity and i don't really blame them for it.

[ice grillin you]

i have no idea what youre talking about interms of quality vs quantity

one contract is a little over 7 mil per year the other is 6 mil per year

unless youre really concerned with what happens in 2013 how could not possibly thing figgins was the much better deal

[Sgt PSN]

it's actually close to 9mil/year for figgens because i think i read 4yr/34mil.....not positive, i sawit this morning and posted a couple hours afterwards, thus 30+mil. 

it's still not a horrible contract and maybe you think it's still worth it, but i think i'd rather see polanco @ 6mil and use the rest on other needs. 

[ice grillin you]

9 mil would be 36 mil for four

but even if its a little higher than the 4 for 30+ its still not even close to what the better deal is

i mean if the phils are that tight for money that two million bucks is a problem then they had no chance anyway and should have went with pete for one or two mil for one year

[MDS]

aint the $ its the length. they didnt want to commit more than 2/3 years for a 30+ 3b. polanco probably has a buyout for yr 3 so it really could be a two year deal.

[Rome]

It's 4/36 with a vesting option that would make it 9/45.

No thanks.

[ice grillin you]

It's 4/36 with a vesting option that would make it 9/45.

No thanks.

why?

[Rome]

because polanco at 2/3 the price is a better deal.