Either of These Relievers Worth A 2nd Round Pick?
He's pitched against the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, compiling 79 K's, 33 saves, and a (4-1) record with a 1.42 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP and a .180 BAA in 60 appearances and 63.1 IP against the DC franchise, and now, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, who update their column entitled, "Latest buzz from the MLB offseason", with a report subtitled, "Interest in Wagner still strong", the Nationals are one of five teams who have expressed interest in 38-year-old left-hander Billy Wagner according to uname--, huh, according to Wagner's agent Bean Stringfellow. The FOXSports.com writers note that Wagner's a Type A free agent, meaning he'd cost the team that signs him a draft pick, but he's not the only left-handed reliever whose name has been linked to the Nationals, with MLB.com's Bill Ladson reporting late last week, in an article entitled, "Nats show interest in DeRosa, Gonzalez", that former Pirates' and Braves' reliever Mike Gonzalez was also on the Nationals' radar...though Gonzalez too is a Type A FA...but as MLB Fanhouse author Ed Price noted, in an article entitled, "MLB Free-Agent Compensation, 'Elias Rankings' released" (in case you've forgotten or didn't know), a team signing a Type A free agent only loses their 1st Round pick if it falls between 16-30, and since Washington, for the second-straight year, has the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, they'd forfeit their second-round pick if they somehow sign a Type A...One Note: Mr.'s Rosenthal and Morosi mention in their article that, "...only the Red Sox — Wagner's most recent team — would slot him in a role other than closing," which is interesting in light of Mr. Riggleman stating this past Friday, in an interview with DC area internet writers, that one way to attract free agents to a team coming off a 100-loss season is to offer an opportunity that other teams aren't, or in Mr. Riggleman's own words:
"If they are a closer, if they can come in and be the closer, instead of being a set-up guy. There are different reasons for guys to go places. They may want to be the closer..."
Are either Gonzalez or Wagner worth a 2nd Round pick?