Did the Mets trade the last six weeks of Billy Wagner for two minor leaguers?

So it seems.

According to a report in the NY Post, Billy Wagner is “planning to retire.”

Wagner, who was traded from the Mets to the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 25 for Chris Carter and Eddie Lora, appeared in only 15 games for the Sox. He posted a 1.98 ERA and 1.098 WHIP in 13 2-3 innings.

Wagner told Mike Puma…

"I don't plan on talking to nobody," Wagner said, when asked where he might pitch next season.

Does that mean retirement?

"Why wouldn't I?" he said. "I've got nothing else to [accomplish]."

In that case, happy trails, Wagner. Enjoy your alpacas.

Mets, Red Sox finally complete Billy Wagner trade

After much confusion, the Mets and the Red Sox have finished the deal that sent Billy Wagner to the Red Sox.

The Mets got 20-year-old first baseman Eddie Lora and 26-year-old outfielder Chris Carter.

Here’s the full press release from the Mets…

The New York Mets today announced that they acquired minor league outfielder Chris Carter and minor league first baseman Eddie Lora from the Boston Red Sox as the two players to be named later in the Billy Wagner trade that was completed on August 25.

Carter was added to the Mets 40-Man roster which is now at 38.

Carter, 26, hit .294 (126-428) with 50 runs scored, 25 doubles, 16 home runs and 61 RBI in 116 games with Pawtucket (AAA) of the International League this year. From July 1st through the end of the season on September 7th, Carter batted .333 (67-201) with nine home runs and 32 RBI. The 6-0, 230-pounder went 0-5 with the Red Sox in four games earlier this season in April.

Carter batted .333 (6-18) with three RBI in nine games with Boston in 2008. He made his major league debut on June 5, 2008 vs. Tampa Bay at Fenway Park. He also hit .300 (141-470) with 25 doubles, 24 home runs and 81 RBI in 121 games with Pawtucket in 2008. Carter was acquired by the Red Sox on August 21, 2007 to complete the trade that sent outfielder Wily Mo Pena and cash considerations to Washington.

Carter doubled home J.D. Drew in the fourth inning with the first run of the contest in the Mets first ever exhibition game at Citi Field on April 3 in Boston's 4-3 win.

The lefthanded-hitting native of Concord, CA has batted .306 (850-2779) with 168 doubles, 126 home runs and 512 RBI in 726 career minor league games. He was drafted in the 17th round in the 2004 First Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lora, 20, hit .222 (22-99) with nine runs scored, six doubles, two triples, three home runs and seven RBI in 34 games with the Gulf Coast Red Sox this year.

Lora, who was born in New York City and resides in Santo Domingo, DR, was named Boston's Minor League Latin Program Player of the Year in 2008. Last year he hit .300 (36-120) with 21 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, five home runs and 26 RBI in 35 games with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox.

The 6-2, 205-pounder was signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent on July 24, 2006. He cracked four home runs and drove in 19 runs while hitting .222 (48-216) in 2007 for the Dominican Summer League squad.

Chris Carter DFA’d by Sox [Updated]

When the Mets traded Billy Wagner to the Boston Red Sox, they were going to receive two players to be named later in return.

One of those players was Eddie Lora.  The other was Chris Carter.  Carter was put on waivers with the intention that he would be shipped to the Mets.  The Yankees threw a wrench in that plan.  The Sox pulled him back and had to keep him on the 40-man.

Now, the Sox have designated Carter for assignment.

From where I’m standing this could mean one of two things for the Mets.  One, another team may claim Carter, further complicating the trade between the two teams.  Or two, the Mets claim Carter (if he gets to them in the waiver process) and finally complete the deal.

Here’s what it means for the Mets:

From Nick Migliore in the comments…

This is not the case. He was only designated for assignment, not waived, so nobody can claim him. The Red Sox have 10 days to decide what to do with him now (assign him, trade him, or release him).. Once the season ends the Sox and Mets will complete the deal.

And from Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post on Twitter…

It appears he's going to be traded to the Mets on Monday, the day after the season.

Mets, Sox complete Billy Wagner trade

When the Mets traded Billy Wagner to the Boston Red Sox, they were set to receive two players to be named later in return.

One of those players is Chris Carter.  He was all set to come to the Mets until the Yankees claimed him off waivers, forcing the Sox to pull him back.  Carter will make his was into the Mets organization once the season ends.

Now, the other player has been named.

Eddie Lora, a 20-year-old first baseman, his the final player in the Wagner trade.  This season, Lora has hit .222 / .287 / .414 with the Red Sox Rookie League team . 

For his career, spanning 569 plate appearances, none above the Rookie League, Lora has hit .227 / .359 / .362 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI.

Chris Carter claimed by Yankees

When the Mets traded Billy Wagner to the Red Sox, they were to receive two players to be named later.  It was reported that Chris Carter, a 27-year-old first baseman/corner outfielder, was one of the players heading to the Mets.

But a third team, the New York Yankees, have thrown a wrench into the process.

As the Sox need to send Carter to the Mets, they had to put him on waivers with the intent that he would not be claimed and they could send him to Queens.  Instead, the Yankees claimed him.

Obviously, the Red Sox pulled him back off waivers and will now have to keep him on their 40-man roster for the remainder of the season.

The Mets will still receive Carter, but it will have to wait until the off-season.  So thanks to the Yankees, instead of seeing Carter in Citi Field this September, we’ll have to wait until spring training to see what talent he has.

Thanks a lot, Brian Cashman!

Update: Let me clarify.

I think this is a bushleague move by the Yankees, as the Red Sox already have Billy Wagner and they just want Boston to have to keep Carter on their roster for the remainder of the season.

For the Mets, this won’t affect them much.  I have no notion that Carter is the next great first baseman the Mets have been searching for.  He might be decent off the bench, if that, but nothing more.

This is more a critique of the Yankees / Red Sox rivalry than anything regarding the Mets roster.

It would be nice to see Carter, but I’m not going to lose sleep over having to wait to watch him in blue and orange.

Report: Chris Carter coming to the Mets

In return for Billy Wagner, the Mets are likely to get two minor league players.  According to the Boston Herald, one of those players is OF/DH Chris Carter.

(Because the Mets need a DH.)

The Herald also went on to say, “According to the source, the other player dealt away to the Mets is a prospect “not of significance.”

Carter, 26, has seen 26 plate appearances with the Red Sox over the last two years.  He picked up six hits, all in 2008, and four RBI, with two walks and nine strikeouts.

This season with Triple-A Pawtucket, Carter is hitting .279 AVG / .340 OBP / .439 SLG with 14 HR and 54 RBI.  He has played first base, both corner outfield positions and DH’d this season, with the majority of his playing time coming in RF.