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Last week it appeared that both Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez were sure bets to reject the Braves offers of arbitration, so of course the team went ahead and made future arrangements.

The team announced it had signed Billy Wagner to a $7 million contract for next season with an option at $6.5 million for 2011. A day later a deal for Takashi Saito was finalized with a guaranteed $3.2 million, Saito could also make an additional $2.3 million in performance bonus’ but most of them are based on games finished.

Then a news story that Rafael Soriano was considering accepting the Braves offer of arbitration came out. The story has only gained traction in the last 24-36 hours and with the free agent market what it is it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Soriano actually accept arbitration with a projected salary of a $8 million. Last season he made $6 million and racked up 27 saves at the back end of the Braves bullpen.

Now the Braves are faced with the possibility of paying three pitchers at the end of the ballgame a total of $18.2 million, all while still trying to find a trade partner for Derek Lowe or Javier Vazquez.

Of course had the Braves known Soriano was serious about returning, the team may have taken him up on that offer and would have avoided Wagner.

While it was believed the Braves were willing to wait and continue trade efforts on Lowe, one would think that should Soriano actually accept arbitration that the team may turn it’s focus to to trading Vazquez in order to gain financial relief and perhaps pick up low cost outfield and first base options.

Originally the belief was that the money the Braves could save from trading Lowe or Vazquez would be able to pay for an upgrade at first base or outfield but if an additional $8 million is added to payroll, the money available for that drops to numbers that may only allow the team to take a gamble on a low cost veteran who has something to prove.

To top it off the pen is still a bit of confusion. After all Soriano was the closer last season, if he was to return as the eighth inning setup man there would be a whole lot of questioning Billy Wagner should he blow a save or two in early April. Then theres the odd situation where your eighth inning setup man makes more then your closer.

Jose Valverde who is viewed as the top closer on the market is leaning towards accepting the Houston Astros offer of arbitration. The Astros much like the Braves were looking for some financi

al freedom this winter but should either pitcher accept arbitration then it creates an immediate situation in the payroll department.

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Ken Rosenthal broke news that the Atlanta Braves signed closer Billy Wanger to a one year $7 million contract last night. Wagner  returned from Tommy John surgery last season to appear in 17 games for the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

There is also a vesting option for 2011.

Signing Wagner will undoubtedly ease the pain from the probably loss of both Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez but comes with great risk as Wagner has yet to throw a season worth since his surgery and is 38 years old.

The Braves offered both Gonzalez and Soriano arbitration, as they are both Type-A, but never really got engaged in contract talks with either. The Braves have also shyed away from multi-year deals with relievers in the past and injury concerns about Soriano and Gonzalez are as great of a talking point as those same concerns about Wagner.

Should Soriano accept arbitration he’d make in the neighborhood of $8 million, as for Gonzalez he’d figure to make $5 million.

This does little to change the fact that the Braves are still seeking to trade either Javier Vazquez or Derek Lowe. Should Wagner stay healthy the pen would be pretty solid for the Braves with sidearmer Peter Moylan, lefty Eric O’Flaherty and reliever/spot starter Kris Medlen also in the fold.

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A few weeks ago sources reported that the Atlanta Braves had interest in reliever Billy Wagner to fill the role of the teams closer. Considering that Rafael Soriano who took over the role early last season, and Mike Gonzalez who also has experience in the position were free agents it was unsurprising that the Braves were looking to find an answer at the end of games.

Well the Braves are still interested in Wagner according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Last year the 38-year-old left-hander posted a 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 26/8 K/BB ratio and limited opponents to a .174 batting average in 15 appearances after returning from Tommy John surgery late in the season.

Wagner is experienced as anyone at the end of ball games. After all he’s been a closer for three different teams in his career. After racking up 225 saves in 9 seasons with Houston, he was traded to Philadelphia prior to 2004. In two seasons with the Phillies he picked up another 59 saves before becoming a free agent and joining the Mets. In his first three seasons with the Mets he picked up 101 saves but late in 2008 tore the medial collateral ligament in his left elbow and his flexor pronator sending him to Tommy John surgery. Wagner hardly expected to be used by the Mets in 2009 and after two games was traded to Boston.

All and all, Wanger has pitched for 15 seasons in the majors and picked up 385 saves. He’s been a six time all-star and only once had an ERA above 2.85 and that came in an injury shortened 2000.

Wagner may not be the safest bet to avoid injury in 2010 but considering the histories of Gonzalez and Soriano he’s no worse a bet. Wagner may not have 10 seasons left in his arm but he still projects as a reliable option at the end of games.

It’s unclear how much money Wagner expects to make though, and while there have been other teams linked to his name there has been no dollar amounts next to them.

If Wagner was to sign with the Braves he’d be giving the team a proven closer, and he’d inturn be getting his best chance at a World Series ring should he be searcing for jobs as a closer only. It remains unclear if Wagner would accept only offers that gave him a chance to be the clubs closer or if he’d sign with a contender as a setup man.

The talks between Wagner and the Braves figure to heat up during the winter meetings.

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