Quote: Wagner from 1050 on Identity
By Matthew Cerrone - Apr 25, 2008 9:36 am

Yesterday, during his weekly appearance on ESPN 1050, Billy Wagner talked about his early season success; his new windup; Duaner Sanchez; and the team’s inconsistent play, among other things.

When asked if the Mets have found their identity yet this season, Wagner said, “No, and we shouldn’t have, it’s only 20 games…You don’t expect to be at your peak level.  I think we are right where we need to be.”

…first off, it’s nice to hear a player from the Mets being asked questions from some one not on WFAN…which is not to say WFAN does a bad job with interviewing, because i actually think they’re all quite good – Mike and the Maddog included – it’s just not to hear a different line of questioning from time to time

To listen to Wagner’s entire interview, go to ESPN.com.

For more on Wagner, who is not fazed by his lack of save opportunities, read Newsday.

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36 Comments »

Comment by mikey_FF
2008-04-25 09:45:05

Wrong Billy … you guys couldn’t find your identity all last year. Enough with the “it’s early” excuses. Next thing you know it’s August and you still have not found your identity for more than a year.

And you think you’re right where you need to be as a team? OK … you keep telling yourselves that.

 
Comment by LoDuca
2008-04-25 09:49:10

That fire Willie petition gained 25 sigs last night.. If your interested you can see it here at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?willsux

~The Man
http://www.metsprospectus.blogspot.com

Comment by AlreadyMissShea
2008-04-25 10:25:52

These petitions are really silly.
Willie will be fired at the end of the year.
But these petitions never serve as anything more than another place for people to vent.

Comment by AlreadyMissShea
2008-04-25 10:29:38

I just looked at the signatures.

Nice to see the following people have chimed in on the petition:

Steve Bartman
Joe Girardi
Willy Randolph
Willie Randolph
Willie’s Mother (seriously)

It was a funny read for about 12 seconds. Oh, and I didn’t sign it.

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Comment by Chiefman
2008-04-25 11:06:23

Petitions are a joke…if you are in junior high school and want the locker room left open for an extra hour you might find a petition to be moderately useful.

But a petition to get a baseball manager fired? What an utterly useless and laughable concept.

 
Comment by MetLifer
2008-04-25 11:10:28

So we can all blame Willie now on the struggles of Heilman, Sosa, Delgado and others right?

 
 
Comment by stellar
2008-04-25 09:51:22

Matt:

Yesterday you called one of them a jackass, but now they’re “quite good”?

Comment by plasto
2008-04-25 09:53:42

One can be a jackass and still be quite good at interviewing. Hell, most “journalists” fit that description, especially on sports talk radio.

 
Comment by Steal Home Jose!
2008-04-25 09:55:05

I think he might mean that they can be jackasses, yet interview well..?

 
 
Comment by Fregosi
2008-04-25 09:51:53

I dissagree. This is the Mets idenity. An aging group of players with a stud #1 pitcher, an MVP at 3B, and an inconsistant streaky SS. We’ll go as far as those three will take us.

Comment by Ollie Ollie Oxen Free
2008-04-25 10:52:18

Whoa. First off, what MVP at 3B? Last I checked, Rollins is the reigning MVP. Chase Utley looks more like an MVP than Wright does right about now. No denying that.

As much as I hate Philly and their jackass fans (I was at the Sunday night game and drove up the turnpike with my tail between my legs), Utley is a helluva player. Better than D-Wright.

On another note, I realize we can’t (and shouldn’t) boo Reyes. I understand this. But, can the guy be a leadoff hitter already? If not, I have no problem with flip-flopping him and Castillo. Castillo seems to be coming around a little bit with the bat (read that, not looking as lost as he did in the first 3 weeks) and he is also stealing bases. Just a thought.

Comment by metsftw
2008-04-25 11:12:10

utley is not better than wright. his home/road splits prove that.

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Comment by Ollie Ollie Oxen Free
2008-04-25 11:14:20

I’m not looking at stats. I’m just telling you what I see with my own two eyes. If it was game 7 of the World Series with two outs and the tying run in scoring position, I would rather have Utley batting. Not by much, but still Utley.

I can see the Wright argument. Not to mention, Wright is younger. I think Utley is more of an MVP candidate than Wright is. But then again, I thought Del-lost-it was going to have a bounce back season.

 
Comment by AlreadyMissShea
2008-04-25 11:21:04

Utley is a hell of a player.
Is there anyone here that can honestly say they wouldn’t like to have him on their team?

 
Comment by MEX
2008-04-25 11:24:04

Utley is the non-Mets player I covet most. A Reyes, Scheneider, Wright, Utley, Beltran, Alous fist fsix would be amazing.

 
 
 
 
Comment by Jim
2008-04-25 09:54:09

Sounds like the same crap Willie says on a daily basis. Hey Billy up 7 games with 17 to play was right where we wanted to be as well…………………HOW DID THAT WORK FOR YOU?

 
Comment by 7train
2008-04-25 09:54:52

Hey guys can we make this the Carlos Delgado sucks thread until matt posts something direclty related. Alright cool. LETS GO.

-Wow he is finished. He is so finished that I hope he goes with out a hit, till his avg is unbearable and then we can get someone else in their.

-Listen I’m not mad at Delgado the guy is aging horribly. But for the sake of the team we gotta do somethin. He can’t be in the lineup.

-He’s an automatic out

Comment by SPINK3
2008-04-25 10:00:23

Is there anyway we can add heilman to this?

-Do you have to give up big homeruns every time u go out there to lose games for us.

-Please leave the team asap

-Thanks for Game 7

-He can be good somewhere else just not New York. STOP GIVING UP HOMERUNS

Comment by Jim
2008-04-25 10:02:22

What cracks me up is he still thinks he should be a starter. WHAT?

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Comment by Ollie Ollie Oxen Free
2008-04-25 10:56:23

Can we add Jorge Sosa to this?

-Jorge, throw a pitch other than a slider.

-Jorge, throw a pitch other than a 87mph fastball.

-Jorge, get Ronny Cedeno out.

-Jorge, don’t look so surprised when you give up a home run.

 
 
 
Comment by mex84
2008-04-25 11:19:30

Or, we can start a free Dan Johnson fan club! What is the story with this guy anyone here any news where he might go? He could push Delgado at first, and if that doesn’t work, play first until maybe one of the bing boys comes up.

 
 
Comment by SheaVendor
2008-04-25 10:10:55

“What cracks me up is he still thinks he should be a starter. WHAT?”

I may be wrong…but has Aaron actually gone on record recently saying “I want to be a starter”? I have not read or heard anything about this so far this season.

Comment by Jim
2008-04-25 10:15:48

I heard talk of it in the off season. Not sure if they were just recycling the past comments or that was his present feelings. the point is you can’t be a starter, a long relief guy or a closer if you give up home runs every time and can’t get anyone out.

 
 
Comment by therealsince86
2008-04-25 10:41:54

I think it’s ok for Wagner to say that his team has not found it’s identity. This is not last year’s team. It will be compared to them just like 07 was to 06 or 87 to 86. However, there are many new pieces on this team and a few old ones gone. I am willing to give them some time to find it.
Church, Pagan, Schnieder, Figgy, Santana and end Sanchez are all new and playing a significant part. That is still a lot of turnover.

 
Comment by 7train
2008-04-25 10:54:24

Theirs no doubt Delgado’s demise is a huge reason why their is such a drop off from 06.

He hit like an animal in 06, we had a legitimate 4 hitter. Game changing power.

That player no longer exists. In his stead is now an automaitc out.

Yes Heilman has been atrocious. He no longer has control of his pitches. He can still throw 95 and he can still throw 10 mph less with his changeup at 85, the only problem is he’s throwin more MEATBALLS than my grandmother can make for Sunday Pasta.

Ba Fongul

Comment by Metsgoon2117
2008-04-25 11:31:10

I know this might sound a little bit crazy, but does anyone think Delgado was using ‘roids, and has since stop using them over the past couple of years and that is what is leading to his downfall?

Comment by therealsince86
2008-04-25 11:52:27

Most likely, the majority of power hitters prob. were.

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Comment by darkstar73
2008-04-25 13:59:57

you never know i suppose, but this is the normal period for drop off for a hitter like Delgado was, excluding the ‘roids era. He’s simply getting older and dropping off quickly, its happened throughout history. Hard to imagine it happens this fast though, so who knows.

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2008-04-25 11:30:23

I just heard that the National League has hit 4 grand slams this season… Heilman and Sosa are responsible fore 3 of them. That is absolutely disgusting.

 
Comment by zen
2008-04-25 11:40:17

i wonder if ruben gotay will get the return of mike piazza treatment at shea tonight. standing ovation every ab with a curtain call for a home run.

ru-ben go-tay, clapclap clapclapclap
ru-ben go-tay, clapclap clapclapclap

it’s the homecoming of a legend.

Comment by Ollie Ollie Oxen Free
2008-04-25 12:16:49

Ruben Gotay today = :-)
Luis Castillo today = :-|

Ruben Gotay in 4 years = :-)
Luis Castillo in 4 years = :-(

*Editor’s note: 4 years is coincidentally ( i swear) the length of Castillo’s contract.

Comment by therealsince86
2008-04-25 12:31:59

Ruben Gotay now _____
Ruben Gotay later _____

Nothing there either time, huh. Don’t know how that happen.

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Comment by Ollie Ollie Oxen Free
2008-04-25 13:52:46

I’m not saying Ruben Gotay is the 2nd coming, but when you get 1:1 odds on betting that someone (Castillo) is going to hit a ground ball to 2nd base, you’ve got a problem.

Fact is, I would have much rather let Gotay and A-Hern fight for the job in spring training (lest we forget that Anderson Hernandez was our starting 2nd baseman on Opening Day 2006?), than have to suffer through 4 years of 4-3 putouts.

Sorry. had to get that off my chest. Although he is streaking. He is 2 for his last 4.

 
 
 
 
Comment by kiy-big
2008-04-25 13:24:11

When does Moises come back? Can we make room on the roster for him BY DROPPING HEILMAN?!!?!?!?! This guy is a cancer to the team!

Comment by Ollie Ollie Oxen Free
2008-04-25 13:53:21

No.

Comment by Nate W.
2008-04-25 15:16:43

yes, Heilman has an option year left. If he is still pitching like this in a week they should send him to St. Lucie so he can get the complete attention of an instructor.

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