Wagner to have surgery -- out for year (update)
The Mets learned today that Billy Wagner has a torn MCL in his left elbow and will need season-ending surgery that is likely to sideline him for most of 2009 as well, a person familiar with the situation said. In what figured to be his last obstacle, Wagner cut short a simulated game on Sunday and left Shea without speaking to reporters. He had an MRI this morning that reveled the extent of his injury.
Wagner, who turned 37 in July, has one season left on his four-year, $43-million contract and the Mets hold an $8-million option for 2010.
Wagner has been on the disabled list since Aug. 3, and after some trial-and-error, the Mets have turned over the closer’s duties to Luis Ayala, who is 5-for-6 in save opportunities. Ayala was acquired from the Nationals on Aug. 17 for Anderson Hernandez. But with Wagner now in doubt for 2009, the Mets could be involved in the bidding for the Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez, who will be a free-agent at the end of this season.
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Comments (17)
That seals it....sign K Rod...give him all the millions he wants....thanks for the run Billy, it was nice while it lasted.
WFAN read the official announcement that Wagner will likely miss most or all of next season as well. Definitely have to sign K-Rod.
im not thinking about next year, as for this year, to be honest, ive seen what billy does in the big games, and ill take my chances with luis ayala. Billy has had a decent mets career, but he tends to give up back breaking home runs in the biggest of games, with ayala, it seems as if his sinker should at least keep the ball in the park, and give him a chance to get out of a jam he may create. with billy its generally walk, single, homer then he gets the next three outs and looks like an ace doing so. good luck to billy in his surgery and rehab, for now lets go get em with what we have.
What about Kunz? He was the talk of the preseason, Wagner himself was coaching him on the closer position, and endorsed him as the next closer for the team when he retired. Why is it always buy buy buy. Keep the young guys coming up, they're playing great!
How could they not know he had such a bad injury all this time? Did he do it trying to come back or was it there all the time?
I wouldn't be surprised if this is career-ending for Billy. It's hard enough to come back from Tommy John surgery, but at 37 the healing process takes longer, and he was already talking about retiring after 2009. I feel bad for him, especially since this season started so promisingly with the 9 game no-hitter (which seems so long ago now). I think signing K-Rod is a no brainer. I felt this way before Billy's surgery and now feel even stronger about it. Going into this year, Teixeira looked like the guy the Mets needed, but he turned out not to be a franchise player (just ask the Braves), and Delgado is a relative bargain at $12 million next year. Minaya and Wilpon need to spend whatever it takes to get K-Rod. Kunz looked completely unready to pitch in the majors (you can't get by just with a fastball), and I think Ayala is better as a set-up man (although he has done a very creditable job filling in as closer). They spent for Beltran and Santana, and K-Rod could be the last piece that puts them over the top.
David, do you think it's a no brainer to sign k-rod? I don't considering he's goin to be more costly most likely than guys like ollie or ben sheets...and he'll still blow around 6 saves most likely...I just don't know if he's worth all that money.
Go after K-Rod. He even has the proper surname!
Actually, its not that bad. I personally do not believe that unless you have a K-rod, Gagne hopped up on 'roids or Mariano Rivera, then you really don't have a closer - just a guy who pitches the 9th inning. This will allow Jerry to mix and match in the 9th instead letting the "closer" blow the lead before a pitching change is made.
Believe it or not Mets fans - unless Wagner is 100% this is a blessing.
Vin,
Ben Sheets? The guy is a medical basket case. He also had a losing record coming into this season. Assuming he can manage 2 more starts (and that can be iffy with him), this will be the first time he's managed to start 30 games since 2004.
If K-Rod is willing to play in NY, they should sign him. He's young, and works a lot of games.
You can't count on Kunz yet, he's still an unproven commodity. K-Rod would be another building block - if you want a quality team, you need quality players (Johan is a great example).
Quick glance at K-Rod's career stats:
201 Saves, 12 SO per 9 IP, 1.1 WHIP
And he's still only 26 years old. It's going to take a lot of money, but you have to at least make an attempt to sign him....
Second base, left field, another starter (or two), middle relief and revitalizing the bench (Easley and Tatis won't play forever) should be given greater greater priority than opening the vault for K-Rod. Unless those areas are addressed, K-Rod won't produce that many additional wins.
not only do we need to get K-Rod, we also need to dump Heilman, and Schoenweis and just move some other guys into that spot until something clicks. I can see Ayala as an 8th inning guy with Sanchez, Smith and Feliciano as the bridge. The bats will produce with Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado. You can pretty much fill in the gaps with those four, and don't expect another good year from Delgado either, he just wanted to get paid one last time.
Ok...Lindro made a good point. For this team who plays pretty good if not sometimes great defense Ayala is perfect. He pounds the zone down, gets ground balls, and lets the defense behind him do the work. I mean you will run into things like last night where Victorino and Stairs both got infield hits but nothing last night was hit hard with the exception of the Tracy fly ball. Then again that proved my point about the defense. In the 9th inning the Mets will almost always field one of the best fielding outfields in the game. With Beltran and Endy roaming left and center both of which have great arms and cover a lot of ground and Church who isn't a burner but can throw a strike to home without a bounce they have 3 great fielding outfielders who can get anything they will make up for most mistakes a pitcher makes. Billy was wonderful while he was here but to often he tried to blow people away which is fine when you can locate but unlike in 1998 when he threw 100 mph he would fall behind way too often and then have to throw a strike which he paid for big time. 7 blown saves is a lot. I just hope he gets better.
Also the KROD thing...does anyone know what happened to Thigpen after his 57 save year. No...neither do I. The problem with signing a guy with that many saves and that many appearances is that is the wear and tear he has put on his arm. No one is going to say that Franscisco is a well built guy. He is small and throws the ball with a lot of torque. I think they would be better served trying to pry Joe Nathan from the Twins if they felt they weren't beaten like they stole something on the Johan deal. If not Nathan see if the Royals would be willing to part with Joakim Soria. Go young not older so the closer spot of good for a few years.
no Krod pleas
As much as K-Rod is racking up the saves, he is not putting in a ton of innings. This will be the first season he appears in more than 69 games and he hasn't worked 80 innings in a season since 2004. I'm not saying the Mets should open up the checkbook for him, but there is not a ton of wear and tear on that arm like some people are suggesting