Billy Wagner Signs with Braves

According to multiple sources (originally Ken Rosenthal), former Mets closer Billy Wagner has signed a one-year, $7M contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Yee ha. Can’t wait to see Wags 18 times a year.

Hat tip to MetsToday reader “Walnutz15”, who is quite perturbed. Says Walnutz:

So, as we figured from the start — the Mets made their typical salary dump trade at the deadline…..acquiring Chris Carter; who could be a clone of a handful of players they currently have (some promise with the stick; no defensive position).

Meanwhile, the Red Sox take a “risk”; offer him the arbitration after the season — knowing he’d have no chance to close in Boston — and now receive the Braves’ 1st round pick and a sandwich pick in the next season’s draft.

Chris Carter and Eddie Lora + $3 or so million to waste away on Alex Cora?

Just defines this mess of a franchise……….they’d rather overpay old, banged-up scrap-heap friends of the program – than invest in the MLB Draft.

Have to say I’m with Walnutz on this one. Though Carter arrived as the most polished hitter in the Mets’ farm system, there are doubts he has enough ability to rise above his status as a “AAAA” hitter. Lora is highly projectable. Do Carter and Lora equal two first round picks? More to the point, is the Mets’ system more desperate for players like Carter and Lora or two picks? That one is arguable, depending upon your perspective. I’m in the camp that believes the Mets need to build more for 2015 than 2010, so I’d lean toward the picks. But, you never know — Chris Carter could turn out to be the next Travis Hafner, and/or Lora may develop into something better than the Mets can draft in June 2010.

But, I’m also reacting with more emotion than logic. It is annoying that Wagner stayed in the NL East, and we’ll constantly be reminded of the trade if Carter doesn’t pan out. I might feel differently if Wags went to the AL — after all, the Mets may not have been smart enough to make the most of those draft picks anyway.