Did the Cubs Claim Billy Wagner?

Former dominating closer Billy Wagner was placed on waivers two days ago by the Mets.  On Friday, an unnamed team claimed Wagner, giving the Mets three days to work out a trade with that team.  If no deal is reached, the Mets can either pull Wagner back or let the claiming team have him.

There has been a fair amount of speculation going around the web that the Cubs are the ones who put in the waiver claim on Wagner.  And by speculation I mean the completely unfounded kind that involves random people saying random stuff on message boards and in blog comments.

The thinking is that, with the Cubs floundering and the back end of the bullpen being basically ineffective, it would make sense for them to take a flier on Wagner for the rest of the season, even though they would have to pay him $2.7 million.  And if Wagner somehow regained his old form, the Cubs could pick up his $8 million option for 2010, perhaps solving their closer problem at least in the short term.

$10.7 million for a healthy, effective Billy Wagner for a year+ doesn’t seem entirely ridiculous.  He is 38, and coming off Tommy John surgery.  However, he has been clocked at 96, and pitched a scoreless inning of relief in his return from the DL against the Braves.

We will have to wait and see if the Cubs are indeed the team that claimed Wagner.  So far it is only a rumor.  Responsible sources speculate that the Tampa Bay Rays or Florida Marlins may have actually done the claiming.