Two days after shelving J.J. Putz for a few days with a bone spur in his right elbow, the Mets got some good news regarding their former closer Billy Wagner who is rehabbing in Florida.
Adam Rubin of the Daily News reports,
Billy Wagner has returned to Port St. Lucie after a month-long moratorium on throwing off a mound. It looks like his projection to return from Tommy John elbow surgery by August may be on the mark. Wagner already is firing fastballs at 90 mph, a team source told the Daily News.
Wagner, 37, is owed $10.5 million this season, in the final guaranteed year of his four-year deal. The Mets have an option on Wagner at $8 million for next season, with a $1 million buyout.
Rubin, also looks ahead to 2010 and reminds us that the Mets also hold a $9.1 million option on J.J. Putz, and that current closer Francisco Rodriguez will earn $11.5 million next season, making it challenging for GM Omar Minaya to even retain two of the three relievers in 2010.
But for now, getting a healthy and effective Billy Wagner back to the bullpen would be quite a shot in the arm for the Mets come August.
The Mets bullpen is already considered the best in the National League and adding Billy Wagner would certainly be another lethal addition to an already formidable bullpen that leads the NL with a 3.13 ERA.
By the way, J.J. Putz will attempt to throw on the side today for the first time since receiving an anti-inflammatory injection and should be cleared to reenter games.
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This is great news, I love Billy Wags!!!
Putz-Rod approves! What a bullpen!
Wagner is one of the best closers in the game.
Having him back in the pen = WS Title for the Mets
I would rather have Wagner over Putz.
Wagner would be like acquiring a closer to pitch the 7th at the trade deadline, without giving up anything. This is great.
Very good news,
Not only could Wagner be a closer for the 7th or 8th but if he’s cool with it he can also be used as a situational left-hander just like Pedro Feliciano
They don’t use Feliciano as a situational
They leave him up against righties who hit .320 against him.
This is great! Wow. I’m a little curious about Pagan being called up…But in any case. A certain return for Wags? Wow. And he’s throwing 90 at this point. Something seems weird, though…Gotta admit.
Great news for the Mets. I’d expect Billy to be back up to 95 or so in a month. What a gutty player!!
A bullpen featuring Billy, J.J. and Frankie would be similar to the Nasty Boys in Cincinnati circa 1990 (Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble, Randy Myers). Oh, yeah…those 1990 Reds won the World Series.
Great analogy Ed Leyro. That’s exactly what it would be like. I hope gets back by late July. A lefty who can throw upper nineties in the late innings is a major, major weapon!
Hojo, I didnt mean to go off on you last week, I was just pissed after that Santana loss. No hard feelings, and this site kicks some major ass!
yes! Billy in the 7th, Putz in the 8th, and Frankie in the 9th is amazing.
How about if Billy Wagner is healthy and throwing at 90 plus MPH that the Mets have a terrific piece of trade bait? They have already committed Bobby Parnell to be the 7th inning guy and let’s not forget Brian Stokes either. Wagner’s return will be welcome but will just add more manpower to an already overstocked pen. Let’s use either Billy or Putz to get someone that we need. This may have been the idea all along by Omar to get both K Rod and Putz in the off season!
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
‘ON PAPER’ YOU’RE AL,L CORRECT; HOWEVER IS IT SO EASILY FORGOTTEN HOW UTERLY PEDESTRIAN WAGS CAN BE IN NON SAVE SITUATIONS. SEEM TO REMEMBER RANDOLF BLOWING GAME Vs NYY USING WAGS IN NON-SAVE. MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE WAGS RET’N EFFECTIVE PRIOR TO 7/31 & DEALING HIM FOR GREAT VALUE. I’M NOT SKEPTICAL OF REPORTS ON VELOCITY, SINCE DIDN’T NYM SHUT HIM DOWN DURING ST FROM HIS PERSONAL WORKOUTS, THIS IS THE SAME GUY, WHO AS A KID WAS SO DETERMINED TO PLAY TO SELF LEARN LHP WITH BROKEN R WING. K-ROD’S AWESOME WS CREDENTIALS Vs WAGS’ NON-EXISTANT ONES. NO CONTEST! PLEASE PUT DOWN THE KOOLAIDE, NEXT WILL FLOAT A STORY OF PIAZZA RET’N(LMAO)
Billy will be all fired up to show that he can pitch at a top notch level in order to assure a contract for 2010 and beyond with a team that needs a closer. So he will find a way to be effective in the non-closer role with the Mets this season. There is just too much riding on it for him not to perform. It is Putz who may get traded for value. So Parnell/Putz/KROD may give way to Parnell/Wags/KROD as we reach August. When Billy is back, Putz becomes superfluous and too expensive as a non-closer since you will then be able to cover the 8th inning without him for the balance of the season. For 2010, Parnell will own the 8th inning and someone else will be phased into the 7th.
I can’t imagine anyone wanting to pick him up late in the season, knowing how much money he is owed and just coming off major sugery.
I don’t think we should count on Wags in anyway at this moment and if he does come back, then its just gravy!
LGM YGB
wow. This is great news. Wagner sure is a fighter.