The Astros have just sent Billy Wagner to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Brandon Duckworth and prospects to be named. More to follow.......
Here is the full article Phillies acquire Astros' Wagner for Duckworth, prospects Nov. 3, 2003 By Scott Miller SportsLine.com Senior Writer Tell Scott your opinion! What the Philadelphia Phillies learned last year was that, even after signing free agents Jim Thome and Kevin Millwood, they were not a playoff team with Jose Mesa closing games. Advertisement What they hope to do this year is change that, and to that degree, the Phillies are quick out of the gate with the first significant move of the winter: They have acquired closer Billy Wagner from Houston for starting pitcher Brandon Duckworth and prospects, according to SportsLine.com's sources. The trade is expected to be announced Monday afternoon. The acquisition of Wagner is a significant upgrade for the Phillies in the NL East, which has gotten progressively better over the past few seasons. Wagner, a classic overpowering closer whose fastball touches 100 mph, converted 44 saves in 47 opportunities last season. He is a two-time All-Star. As a team last season, the Phillies converted only 33 of 51 save opportunities. Mesa collected 24 of those in 28 opportunities, but ninth innings with the veteran right-hander on the mound were always an adventure. Manager Larry Bowa lost faith in him and finally took the job away from Mesa down the stretch. Also, Duckworth was never as economical with his pitch counts as the Phillies would have preferred and, consequently, never got the results Bowa was looking for. Wagner is due $8 million in 2004, and his contract calls for a club option of $9 million in 2005. In Houston, depending on which moves the Astros make this winter, setup man Octavio Dotel is positioned to become the closer.
i take that back, i thought he was much younger http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?statsId=6673
Hopefully they got some young pitching in return. That is the only sensible answer. This new firesale really irks me. When they signed Kent I thought they were gonna try to win for at least the next couple of years. Now they're going backwards. Richard Hidalgo is on the clock...
the problem i have is you trade Wagner, you trade Hidalgo and Drayton is able to free up 21 million. Most of that will go to Oswalt, Miller and Dotel in arbitration. the other goes the pay raises of Bagwell and Berkman. I just don't see Drayton going on and getting anything to make up for the losses. The cubs and cards have a payroll that's 15 to 20 million dollars higher. Slowly the astros are losing ground.
Solid back of the rotation guy, which the 'Stros needed. Would've preferred Padilla or Myers, but all sources said the Phils considered them both untradeable. We won't have any idea how good this trade was for about 3 years, at least - gotta see who else is in the deal & what they do. Sometimes the throw-ins turn out to be the best players in the deal, you never know. Considering what Boston (the only other team really interested in Wags) had to offer (next to nothing), I like this deal.
That age old question needs answering...NOW: what the hey is a duck worth? There is ClutchCity and there is FireSaleCity. Go Rox, Go Texans. Just go, Drayton.
I dont think the public will take this very well, Wags has been a fan favorite for years. Its true that they dont need him for the money he demands but they better put this money to use or theres going to be alot of upset people. Because it looks like theyre just cutting salary. I thought they'd get alot more for wagner. Duckworth? C'mon
if Houston is able to pry Andy Pettitte away from Steinbrenner and company then trading Wagner for next to nothing and shipping Hidalgo out it won't look like a fire sale. The stros need starting pitching, and if that's what it takes to get it done then so be it. However, if Wagner and Hidalgo are trading for prospects and no other position is upgraded to hell with Drayton McClain Jr.
You have to remember a few things: 1. Closers are not the commodity that many here seem to think. You sure as hell don't get a #1-2 starter for a closer, ever; 2. There was a very, very limited number of teams that the 'Stros could deal with, need-wise and money-wise: Boston, Philly, maybe the White Sox (but they're paying Billy Koch $4+ M already); 3. We have no idea who the other players are; 4. We have no idea what the 'Stros will do with the extra $$$ Wait & see.
I am pleased to see that your glass is half full. 1. Closers like Wags are great assets. Ask the Yanks, Dodgers or Braves. Or Red Sox! In the 'stros' case, relievers covered starters' deficiencies. 2. We know that -- how? Need-wise, there were two dozen who need a BW. Money-wise, that's another issue. 3. No idea, indeed. Optimistic are you? 4. We all have an idea what Daddy McLane will do with the extra $$$ -- spend it to be a chump-ion.
Buck, understood, but what was once this team's only strength has now been dismantled. Drayton had better damn well make use of this money.
1. Closers like Wags are great assets. Ask the Yanks, Dodgers or Braves. Or Red Sox! In the 'stros' case, relievers covered starters' deficiencies. You may think so, but their trade value, especially when they make $9M, is not that high. 2. We know that -- how? Need-wise, there were two dozen who need a BW. Money-wise, that's another issue. No, it's not another issue. It's a huge part of *the* issue. When you make a trade, you have to have a willing partner. There were not more than 3-4 teams interested in Wags. Give me a better, feasible trade proposal from either Boston or Philly, the only known suitors for his services. 3. No idea, indeed. Optimistic are you? Purpura & Gerry have given me absolutely no reason not to be. 4. We all have an idea what Daddy McLane will do with the extra $$$ -- spend it to be a chump-ion. Would you rather keep Wagner, given that we have a perfectly suitable replacement, and lose one or more of the following: Miller/Oswalt/Dotel? This is not fantasy baseball, you're dealing with finite resources here, and you have to allocate them reasonably. Closers are not worth $9M, especially when you can replace them, with a pitcher just as effective, for most likely half that amount. Wouldn't have minded seeing them get Jason Michaels, though. "Decimated", cabbage? Hardly.
of course, the marlins and angels both played at about 15 to 20 million dollars less than us the last two years...and won world championships.
