Billy Wagner Has Thrown His Last Pitch as a Met, Says Billy Wagner

When Mets GM Omar Minaya announced that Billy Wagner needed Tommy John surgery, he refused to rule out the possibility that the Mets might pick up Wagner's $8 million option for 2010. That was nice of him, I suppose, but one day after Wagner underwent surgery, he admitted that it was extremely unlikely. From Mike Puma of the New York Post:

"I've played my last day as a Met, that's the way it goes," Wagner said.

[...] "It's going to be hard to find that team that gives you a chance to get 400 saves and gives you a shot to win a championship when you're coming back from major surgery," said Wagner, who wants to remain a closer. "There are not going to be too many people beating down my door."

Even if he doesn't think he'll return to the Mets, Wagner is committed to signing with some team in 2010. But unless the perfect storm of opportunities presents itself, he'll likely have to make a choice between chasing 400 or winning a title. If he resembles the pitcher he was before he got hurt, just about any contender would be willing to find a spot for him in their bullpen as a setup man, but vacant closer jobs are few and far between.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-12-2008 @ 9:54PM

zomgMatt said...

He could come back to the Astros. We let Biggio hang around for 3000 hits, I'm sure we'd move Valverde for nostalgia purposes.

9-23-2008 @ 7:22AM

LEW said...

BILLY IS THE BEST. COME BACK SOON. CASTILLO UP WITH 2 MEN ON AND NO OUTS. HE CANT HIT TO SAVE HIS LIFE. MANUEL WHY NOT BUNT THE RUNNERS OVER, YOU DONT USE YOUR HEAD, NEXT A DOUBLE PLAY. MANUEL WHO SAIS YOUR A MANAGER. YOU DONT KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GAME. YOU HAVE TO MOVE RUNNERS UP. YOUR AN IDIOT. LEARN BASEBALL METS GO GET A MANAGER FOR NEXTYEAR. AND A PITCHING COACH.IM SICK OF A MANAGER WHO DOESNT USE HIS HEAD,

11-15-2008 @ 6:10PM

jorge said...

Once again the Phillies beat the Mets, this time by not signing Wagner to that 4 year contract that he wanted. Excuse me if I'm gloating, but Wagner is a rat-fink that was hated by the Phillie's fans when he was there. They even changed the location of the bullpen to protect him because the fans threw insults and tossed other things at him.