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Originally Published: August 24, 2009

BP Daily: Weighing Wagner's impact

If utilized as a lefty specialist, the Mets reliever could aid Boston in October

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By Eric Seidman
Baseball Prospectus
Archive

By signing Francisco Rodriguez to a lucrative three-year deal and acquiring J.J. Putz from the Seattle Mariners in a trade, the New York Mets virtually ensured that their ties would eventually be cut with Billy Wagner, the injured left-handed closer with an $8 million option looming in 2010. Entering the season, PECOTA did not factor in Wagner's recovery from ulnar collateral ligament surgery, projecting a 3.03 ERA and 1.9 WXRL in 49.1 innings. Though his rehab and recovery was always going to preclude him from amassing a good chunk of playing time, many thought of Wagner as a potential bullpen boon to a contending Mets team upon his scheduled August return. Wagner did, in fact, return last week -- to a Mets team that is out of the playoff race and has little interest in exercising his option. Wagner may still find himself in the position to provide a bullpen boon to a contending team, since the Boston Red Sox claimed him on waivers.

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