Fastballs have sped Wagner to the top of his profession. He is tied with Doug Jones for fourth in saves on the Astros' career list. Because Wagner's fastballs do reach triple-digit velocity, the club has been forced to add digits to a new contract. The top 17 percent of those players are eligible for arbitration after two years instead of three, as was the case under the union's former contract. The financial security makes things a little bit easier.
Management believes it'll save money in the long run.
Without a long-term contract, Wagner could have returned to the arbitration each of the next three years. It's definitely the largest contract given to a closer with less than three years' service. This contract allows us some protection, as opposed to going year to year, against escalating salaries. On the flip side, it offers the player the protection of financial security, even though going year to year might have afforded him more money over the three-year period. While sweet, Wagner's payday is less than what shortstop Nomar Garciaparra wrangled last March from Boston.