|
|
|
Yesterday, during his weekly interview with ESPN 1050, Billy 
Wagner said he feels ‘good,’ he is ‘ready,’ and is at or around ‘95 percent.’
However, Wagner said the team could wait to bring him back at the end of next week, as it has an off day on Monday as well as Thursday.
According to multiple reports, Wagner will throw a bullpen session before today’s game, then throw a simulated game over the weekend.
Wagner doesn’t understand why the team will mess with it’s current winning chemistry by using him as their closer, since they’ve been winning with out him, and, if so, he’d be willing to pitch in any role necessary, adding, “I know what my job is, I know what I’m best suited to do, but we’re trying to get in to the playoffs.”
By the way, Wagner has recorded the third most 1–2–3 saves this season, according to Jayson Stark, in his latest Rumblings & Grumblings column for ESPN.com.
…thanks to Matt F for the link…
Obviously very good news. Its really hard to say but I really havent missed him these last couple of weeks. Nontheless when hes ready to go, I want him where he belongs.
Nice comment by Wagner but raise your hand if you want Wagner coming in in the 7th inning of a tie game with runners on base?
This is coming from the guy who has said on multiple occasions that he can’t get up for a nonsave situation. I think I would trust Show and Feliciano in that spot more. LOL. If Wagner is here then I would think he has to be closer and Ayala would move to setup man.
Or I guess you could go with the 2 headed moster closer using match ups to base it. It worked in 86.
I think the best thing at this point is for Wagner to share closing duties. Let him close games based on match ups.
OK I see you beat me to my own response. haha
Maybe Wagner closes every game and Ayala comes in right when a baserunner gets on, since Wagner can only go 1-2-3.
In the beginning, I thought Wagner was going to be a real warrior. My opinion of him has plummeted.
I can’t believe Wagner actually said that. wow.
He knows fatigue and age contributed to his struggles. If the teams winning, he figure it makes more sense for him to try to push for that extra 5-10% of healthiness before ocming back stronger. Is it any surprise he was dominant early before season wear and tear caught up? If he can give us a Sept-Oct like April, we win.
period
Wagner is the football closer on this team. Wait another week or 2 and bring him back fresh and ready to go out there and throw gas.
Big, big big big big series starting tonight. This is what we’ve ALL been waiting for. One big push here and we smack that classless pathetic organization from Philly around like they deserve to be smacked around.
All the more reason we should sign K-Rod this offseason!!!
How would you guys like Wagner in the 8th and K-Rod in the 9th?!
billy just has to come back 100% whenever that is. He is still our closer and would take alot of stress and guesswork out for manuel to have that option back to him. Ayala can then be moved for a setup man role (ala duaner pre taxi) and we got our door shutters for the rest of the season.
I wonder if Wagner would have this same attitude next season if we went out and signed KRod?
ding, ding, ding, ding!
obviously it’s an empty gesture this year. wagner is going to be the closer for sure.
i want f-rod.
I hope to god we don’t sign K-Rod.
Why? Who is your closer next season? Billy I always get injured in big spots Wagner? Eddie I am no where near ready Kunz?
You either have to pony up for Krod or trade for a guy like Street. Relying on Wagner and Kunz would be like relying on Pedro and Niese next season.
What is K-Rod going to demand, like, 6-8 years $80 million plus? I know money isn’t an issue with this team, I just don’t like this guy that much. Declining K-rate already and a rising walk rate. He is still young, so that all could be an aberration. His delivery doesn’t give me the impression that he is going to stay to that healthy into his early 30s either.
he;s not declining. he has 54 saves this year. his walk rate is not up at all.
he is decling. his fast ball has lost three to 5mph. thats why he developed a change up.
He changed his delievery to ease potential problems and let off his FB a little all suggestions from his pitching coach. The internet is full of articles on it, you should try reading them.
He now knows that ground balls are very effective. Thus that rate has went up tremendously while his SO have went down. The guy is no where near in decline. Wagner is in decline, Krod is in prime.
I don’t know about K-rod, although I would worry about the over usage, but Street’s numbers are way down and his velocity is starting to slip, and considering what Beane would probably ask for there’s many red flags, in my opinion to go after him.
he may have lost a few miles per hour on his fastball, but that made him a better “pitcher.”
he has a career high in saves this year and will break the record for most saves. his #’s are consistent except k’s are down a bit. i’ve seen him pitch…he is still much better than 99% of closers and he’s young.
the mets definately need bullpen help…he’s the best outside of mariano.
I’d give him 4 years, $60 million
Over usage? He is on pace for exactly 67 innings, which would be his lowest in his six years. He is also on pace to throw a lot less pitches than he ever has. Just because they are save situations doesn’t mean he is used more.
I’d only be okay with that if we move wagner since it would be a lateral move salary wise, otherwise it’s taking up to much money. But regardless switching out Wagner with K-rod is only going to provide a slight upgrade in the bullpen, our problem this year hasn’t been Wagner as much as it was getting to Wagner.
good point.
I’d love to sign K-rod next season. Instead of assuming that neither one would accept a setup role – you simple tell wagner he’ll be setting up or you trade him. I’m positive they can get something of solid value for Wagner if he doesn’t accept a setup role – which I think he oudl judging by his comments today.
Anyways I’d like to see the O-dog playing 2nd, sure – but if Murphy can be taught the position perhaps he could be ready to contribute full time at 2nd base. I know Delgado has led this resurgence but I’d love to make a big splash and land Teixiera. Oh yea, big Tex. the SP will be an issue if Ollie yields too much money – which I’m sure he will. So basically, I hope the Mets sign the top free agents from each position they need to fill. Hopefully the payroll will bloat to $260 million, raise the ticket prices so no one can go and we have ourselves a good football team.
lol it would be great to hear him on his daily appearences on ESPN radio if they were to sign frod. It would be nice but i really dont see it happening real. I think the FO is gonna stick with billy until his K is over.
K=contract..sorry guys work mode lol
What’s up with the comment moderator on here? I just made a post bashing the Phillies (no cursing, no inappropriate-ness) and it hasn’t popped up. Is it me?
I’ll try one:
Phillies suck moose turds
I guess it’s just you.
na ive been having the same problem of late also..not with philly bashing but just some comments i write dont pop up. What i do is when im done with my comment i highlight and copy them just in case it doesnt show up.
mos def: any post over 50 words that you’ve put thought into, always copy before posting
I could see trading him to a team like Cleveland who will be desperate for a closer. He has a no trade clause but I expect he would waive it if he thought he would have to be a setup man here.
The problem that I see is that there are no decent closers on the market for 2010. You have the chance to get the best in the game this season. I think we would pay for it for years to come if we don’t make the move. Again, unless you can pull off a trade for Street or Ryan….
man im getting tired of my comments not showing up. basically i agree….
definately. you get a much better, much younger closer then either trade wagner for a good player as closer are valuable or he becomes one of the best set-up guys for a year
Billy Wagner wonders why the Mets will mess with chemistry and re-insert him into the closer’s role?
Perhaps because the Mets paid him about $40 million over a four-year period to do that job.
I think he is just affraid that his arm is not ready. That way if he comes in in the 7th and blows it he can blame the situation and not his inability to pitch.
I think what’s important to realize here is that no one enjoys listening to Billy Wagner talk more than Billy Wagner.
Hey, moderator – my comments keep getting blocked for no reason whatsoever. This is not right. That’s not a chance I can believe in.
We need to keep Wagner out for at least the Philadelphia series; the Phillies are in his head and he’ll blow a game for sure!
Not a good sign when a Mets fan doesn’t want the closer to come back for the biggest series of the season. But it does mean something – it means this team should sign K-rod and try to trade Bill-uh to address some other need. I’m not gonna bother coming up with any potential trades though, too lazy.
I got one, Wagner and Castillo to Cleveland for a guy like Rafael Betancourt and a bench guy.
Apparently Wags borrowed Beltran’s Health-O-Meter before going on ESPN….
I don’t think the Phillies are in Wagner’s head, or at least I certainly hope not, but what the hell…
95%?
He should be in the pen tonight, even if they can’t use him back to back days. You can’t tell me that Wagner in a big spot vs. Utley or Howard is not better than Schoenwiess.
It’s good that he said that and I was pretty surprised on some comments he made during the interview. Maybe he said that to be politically correct and try to help the team get in the playoffs. But as a Mets fan, I want a closer who’s not afraid to back down and wants to get his job back. Mariano would never say such thing.
Having said that, I believe that the Mets’ closer is Wagner and not Ayala.
I think he is trying to stir the media into the notion that he is confident in Ayala, nothing wrong with that, but I have a problem with I am 95% but not sure when I am coming back.
what player is not less than 100% this time of year?
i take it to mean that he is 95% ready for action, not 95% general health. No ball player expects to be 100% healthy and rested at this point of the season.
well right now, with the way the team is playing, and the off days, they have the opportunity to bring him back in at 100%….why not take advantage?
I’m glad to hear that Wagner is being the consummate team player, but when he is ready to come back, he needs to be closing games. The pen has done a nice job for the most part in his absence, but he will definitely add experience and depth… as well as a nice heater to mow down hitters.
When Wags comes back we can push Stokes and Ayala back to the 7th and 8th innings. Our bullpen can actually be a strength.
good to hear wags being unselfish and going team first instead of forcing his way back to his job. i think he knows chemistry is a very fragile thing and when your team has it you dont mess with it. way to go wags. with that in mind even if he comes back it should still be a situational bullpen and closer by commitee. its worked so far so why mess with it!!!
Joe B. on WFAN yesterday said it best, wags shoudl come back fired up and out to prove himself. this team has won fine without him and now he has to prove to them and us that he can still bring something to the winning equation that we have going. dont get me wrong, i think we are a better team with wags than without but how well weve done without should send a signal to wags that its time to put up or shut up!!!
but its also good to hear that hes willing to do whatever the team asks of him to win. thats being a team player. kudos wags!!!
I’m torn by this comment. On one hand, you love the selfless – team first – comment. On the other hand, I want my closer to say, I’m back….time for worrying about the back end of the pen to end, and I’m slam the door shut in the 9th all the way to the playoffs for this team.
Ayala has done a nice job so far, but he isn’t exactly lights out………then again, who really is.
Wagner’s comments get me fired up. I am ready to dropkick the Philly Phanatic and can’t wait for tonight.
We need everyone to have this mindset. Then we will really start winning and catapult into the playoffs.
One thing I ask, please don’t rush him back. Last thing we need is for him to blow his arm out and not be able to pitch in the playoffs. I know we have to make the playoffs first, but like he said, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The short-term looks ok with the bullpen.
If he can’t come back (seems unlikely), definitely worried. Don’t think the current crew can sustain for another month and a half without him.