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Red Sox's chances of signing Wagner in doubt

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Ken Rosenthal

Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since August 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter.

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Updated Aug 23, 2009 10:07 PM ET
     
 
The Red Sox's chances of landing Mets reliever Billy Wagner are in serious jeopardy. The Sox, who were awarded a waiver claim on Wagner on Friday, denied the pitcher's two conditions for waiving his no-trade clause, according to his agent, Bean Stringfellow. The conditions, as described by Stringfellow, were designed to enable Wagner to become a free agent without restriction at the end of the season, even though his contract includes an $8 million club option for 2010. Stringfellow said he wanted the Red Sox to guarantee that they would not exercise the option, a move that would have enabled Wagner to become a free agent rather than the setup man for Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. Stringfellow said he also asked the Red Sox to guarantee that they would not offer Wagner salary arbitration, making him more attractive on the open market by allowing teams him to sign him without forfeiting draft picks. The Mets and Red Sox have until early Tuesday afternoon to complete a deal. However, Wagner's complete no-trade clause gives him the power to block any move.
Wagner, 38, needs 15 saves to reach 400 for his career and 40 to pass John Franco as the left-hander with the most saves in major-league history. He underwent Tommy John surgery last September, and rehabilitated with the intention of resuming his career as a closer. He could not do that if the Red Sox picked up his option — unless the Sox traded Papelbon this off-season, using Wagner as a one-year bridge to right-hander Daniel Bard, their potential closer of the future. The Red Sox obviously could not make Wagner such a promise, particularly when he has made only one major-league appearance since rejoining the Mets. But the control of Wagner for next season surely appeals to the Sox, who could attempt to trade the pitcher if they exercised his option, or accept draft picks if they declined it, offered him arbitration and lost him as a free agent. Wagner currently projects as a Type A free agent; his original team would receive two high picks as compensation if he signed with another club. The Mets almost certainly would offer Wagner arbitration to ensure that they received the picks. Wagner almost certainly would decline the offer rather than become a setup man for Francisco Rodriguez. The Sox still might find Wagner appealing as a six-week rental even if they promised not to pick up his option or offer him arbitration. But their loss of 2010 control in accepting such conditions would diminish their willingness to part with a better prospect. The Mets could save the nearly $3.5 million remaining on Wagner's contract simply by allowing him to leave for the Red Sox. But if no deal is reached, they might prefer to pull him back from waivers, retaining the possibility of offering him arbitration and injecting two high picks into their depleted farm system.
Tagged: Mets, Red Sox

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