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Just moments after his comments to reporters following today’s game, which you can check out here, Billy Wagner talked to ESPN 1050 in his regularly-scheduled, weekly interview.
During Wagner’s discussion with Kay, he had the following to say regarding his earlier comments to reporters…
“Well, I mean, I was not a participant in the game, and the guys that had participated were gone. I mean, we’re all upset, we’re unhappy with things that are going on, and how we’re playing, and I just felt like I hadn’t even played. I had no role in the game. David Wright is always there, and the same guys are always there. But there needs to be other guys that are accountable. It gets a little old when the same people keep getting interviewed even when they don’t participate…If you’re not there to answer the questions, the reporters can write whatever they want to. They can write you stunk, you sucked, whatever. But if you’re there to say, ‘Hey man, I wasn’t very good today. I came up and I had a chance and it didn’t work out.’ Well, you’re accountable. When you’re not there, it gets a little ridiculous…
…Paul Lo Duca’s comments from last year, about certain players avoiding the media, and suggesting that other players speak English too…
“I think it’s just certain guys. I don’t think it’s Latin or white or black. I don’t think it’s a color thing. I think it’s just as a whole. There’s guys that need to stand there and take the bad with the good.”
…whether or not he has talked with Willie Randolph or Omar Minaya about this…
“I think they understand. They know what goes on and I’m sure they’ve talked to everybody. That’s just a situation where I’m sure some of this stuff will be brought up tomorrow and see where we’ll go from there. I’m not saying it’s like earth-shattering. I’m just saying that I’m the closer of the baseball team – I’m not the captain. There’s other guys on this team that need to stand there and answer the questions during the tough times too.”
…he brings up an interesting point, in that by not speaking to reporters, it allows those reporters to frame reality however they see fit…and those stories, like it or not, tend to frame the discourse that goes on in the street, on talk radio and on blogs…and, this would not be such a big deal, but given how frustrated the fans are and how blah the team has been, it would make sense for the players to try and grab the wheel as much as they can…
To listen to Wagner’s entire interview, go to ESPN 1050.
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“I am not part of this team, I did not even play tonight. I am not the captain, I am just a closer. When I leave I will completely throw the entire team under the bus but in between now and then I must begin the process of all my teammates hating me.”
I see your point, maybe. He did the same act in Philly, but several guys afterwards said he was right.
I think he is trying to help them, but who knows. I don’t speak redneck.
I speak a little redneck (living in the south..), and to me, he doesn’t sound so much like he wants to help, as much as he just sounds pissed at someone. Though he denied it in the Kay interview, his original comments certainly seemed racially tinged (in redneck speak..)
Me too Mookie. He was angry but again, I call attention to his need for drama. Much like he can’t pitch unless there is drama, he can’t seem to shutup until there is drama.
I don’t think most of his teammates would even notice if he threw him under the bus. They would already be in their limo on their way home.
Wagner can be, and has been, an ass (”Know Your Place, Rook”), but he is completely correct here. Wagner only gets quoted because he is the only one around to talk to after the games.
Based on absolutely nothing at all except watching games on TV, it does seem like the majority of white players are trying (Wright, Church, Wagner, Maine, Pelfrey, Smith, Scho) and the the majority of latin players aren’t (Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Castillo, Perez, Sosa). I am guessing its more that some people show their emotions better than others, and there are definite exceptions (Alou, Santana, Heilman), but there is definitely a perception, wrong or right, that certain Latin players are happy just to pick up a paycheck.
Except for maybe Heilman, who I think is just stiff and as boring as white paint, every player who you could criticize for (rightly or wrongly) for not caring is Latin.
Its really not hard to insulate yourself from booing at Shea. Show that you give a crap and chances are no one will get on your case. For whatever reason, our Latin stars don’t seem to be able to do that (Reyes is a petulant baby who is more concerned with the post game than the game, Beltran is aloof and introspective, Delgado seems to think he is above the rest of the team). The fact that latin non-stars *can* (Endy is hitting .180 and hasn’t been booed because he wears his heart on his sleeve; Sanchez isn’t booed because he shows emotion and worked his ass off the get back to the majors) insulate themselves just shows that certain guys aren’t cut out for NY.
The end result is that Wagner is not the problem. Booing is not the problem. The problem is lack of hitting. If booing bothers the players so much, they should just show that they care. Some players seem incapable of that. You don’t need to hit .360 to be a fan favorite around here.
And Fire Willie.
Exactly, look like you care, look like you’re trying and you won’t get booed or will at least get booed less.
But that’s just it. Where’s Willie in all this? Passive Willie, not taking charge of this situation. I really like Willie. I want him to be successful. I want him to stay here at the helm. But jeez, this is something the manager has to get on top of, and should have been on top of all along. I think Wags speaks out like this because there’s no leadership anywhere else on the team laying down a basline of accountability for the players here. I like Delgado too. But it really seems like he’s just playing out this year and wants to put NYC in his rearview window asap. He’ll play the game but don’t ask him about anything. This isn’t a team anymore like it was in 2006, and then it probably was so simply because they had a great time together kicking some butt. When Pedro’s here he is the lightening rod, but in a lighthearted, lets have some fun, way. Why is Wags stepping up like this? Simply because there’s no leadership! And that falls to Willie. A really bad situation is forming up here.
Wagner always seems to make comments like this after games. Everyone thinks that its so great that he seems like he is the only one who cares. The fact is that Wagner is going to continue to burn bridges here just as he has done in every other city that he has been to. The fact is that the entire team is not happy with their performance thus far and why should they be. Yet Wagner is going to point out his teammates and place blame on them. The thing is Wagner was the guy who no one remembers down the stretch that he couldn’t pitch in one of those games when we needed him the most becuase he was suffering from “back spasims” and the Mets would go on to lose that game and the division. Where was Wagner then? Wagner is just one of those guys who is going to divide this team with comments like the ones that he made today and the ones that he has made for the entire season starting in the off season. I seriously can’t stand this guy and I can’t understand why he has to make a comment. Just walk away or say something political, but you should never make cause for a bigger scene. I just don’t think that this guy is as good as everyone is making him to be the fact is that Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran and other guys who haven’t lived up to thier billing this season are twice the ball player that Wagner is and that they are what you could call classy and Wagner is not. I would rather have 25 Carlos Delgado’s then 25 Billy Wagner’s any day of the week. And for all of those people who are out to fire Randolph I can understand where your coming from pointing out that he has made some very poor decisions thus far especially with the way that he has worked the bullpen and trust me he makes me very angry almost every game, but the fact is that he is a very good manager and no matter who is at the helm your going to always find flaws in their managing. I would be the first one to ask for Bobby Valentine back, however Randolph is a very capable manager and no one should be calling for his job mid season that will do nothing for our team. We aren’t the 2003 Marlins or the 2004 Astros this is a veteran club who is struggling right now, but once our bats start to his we will take off. If that doesn’t happen and we fail to make the playoffs this season then obviously we should make a change at manager, but until that happens Randolph should stay becuase the last thing that we need is more turmoil in this clubhouse. A clubhouse that use to be one of the finest and most fun in the entire league, and I am hoping that somewhere down the line that this team can find some of its old swagger from 2006 and 2007 season and once again be the top team in the National League like they should be.
“top team in the NL like they SHOULD be”?
Simply, right now they’re not. They don’t have the pitching depth, youth, or bench.
You don’t give yourself any credibility when you imply Wagner faked an injury.
I don’t know what a back spasm feels like, but I’d imagine it would be pretty hard to be effective at pitching if I had them.
What has Carlos Delgado done to deserve a pass? He hasn’t been productive in over a year. He’s struggling again, and he was nowhere to be found after yet another game where he went 0-4.
But when he hits his next home run, I’m sure he’ll have something to say.
I’ve had back spasms, and you generally can’t even walk, let alone pitch.
I’ve always liked Billy on the field. He’s a gamer, he’s a good pitcher, and he’s fun to watch throw. I also enjoy listening to him shoot off from the hip with his mouth. I do not however think this type of thing is healthy or productive to the future of this team..
Considering the future of this team is ending the season at or around .500 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year, I’d say it really doesn’t matter what the guy says.
Let his speak his peace. The high priced, platinum spoon fed crybabies aren’t going to be leading this team anywhere except maybe a third place finish in the NL East.
I agree with you on Wagner but totally disagree on keeping Willie. You mentioned about two or three times in your post that Randolph is a good manager, what are you basing your conclusion that he’s a good mananger? The fact that he was the manager in charge of the Biggest (That’s right, the Biggest) collaspe in Major League history? How about the fact that this team has been playing 500 ball since June 1 of last year! That’s what you call good managing? The team with the HIGHEST payroll in the NL playing 500 ball for almost a full season going back to last june. How about the fact that this team is playing well below it capabilities? Before tyou say Willie can’r hit or pitch for his players, stop. He is the Manager, if his players aren’t playing all out for him then he has to go, plain and simple. I know you’re trying to be a voice of reason by saying we should just wait till the end of the season and then make a decision on Willie. Are you kidding me…………….this is not Minnisota or Pittsburgh, this is NY!!! We do not put up with under acheivers or non-producers. You can not realistically expect Met Fans (or the Mets owners for that matter) after what happened last year to patiently and quietly put up with a team with all these high priced palyers and talent to play the way they have been playing. Especially after acquiring Santana in the off season. This malaise must come to an end soon, and By soon I mean in the next 10 days or Willie must go. This team needs a major shake-up, not complacency and “Oh, lets give Poor ole Willie sometime to rright the ship”. NOT.
Spoken like a true Steinbrenner.
as in a guy who does not tolerate losing and owns 6 championship rings??? yeah, pretty much…
Then never ever say a bad thing about Yankee fan entitlement again. Because thats exactly what it sounds like in my opinion. That were entitled to be the best team and no one is that.
When we have the third biggest pay-roll in baseball and just traded our top 4 or 5 prospects for 3 players in or close to their 30s, and I’m not bashing the trades just saying they are definitely win now moves, then what else should the fans expect. The fact that we have such a huge pay-roll and made those moves yet we’re still hovering around .500 means someone in the front office obviously messed up in their evaluation of the team.
“I would rather have 25 Carlos Delgado’s then 25 Billy Wagner’s any day of the week”
You want to relieve 2002?
You’d seriously take Delgado over Wagner? Even if he is a whiner I’ll still take the guy who is productive and accountable over the guy who has looked washed up for a year and a half and hides from the media.
I would take a team of 1335 Wagners over 1411 Delgados. Couldn’t you have just said you like Delgado better than Wags w/o having to field an entire team of each? Although I must admit that the idea of a team made of 25 Delgados is pretty effing hilarious when you think about it. Team BA would be around .200, We’d lead the league by far in both errors and hitting baserunners in the back, We’d have the highest payroll, play w/o a catcher entirely, and sny would go off the air because post game interviews no longer exist. And the best part is you’d have 25 playerswho never wanted to be a met in the first place, burned your gm at the negotiating table and again ripped Omar on a personal level in the national media after accepting less money to play for the Florida Marlins, and then rips the entire organization again by saying he signed with the Marlins because he thought they had a better to chance win a championship by the end of his deal. Thats quite a team you’d have there. The part thats not so funny is its looking right now like Delgado was actually right about who the better team would be by the end of his deal. Go figure.
Now that I think about it, Delgado probably hates Omar even more now that Florida, the team he was kidnapped from, is in first place. If the Marlins win the worldseries I think Omar better go hide somewhere.