Mets prepared for a Wagnerless world
Billy Wagner has likely pitched his final game as a New York Met, and you wonder what his legacy will be. I know his bobblehead just went up in value -- and I have two!
Many fans bemoaned Wagner as being less than automatic, that Wagner was not quite lights-out. But if you throw out the non-save situations, where he -- like many closers -- often came up short, Wagner did a more than admirable job with the Mets.
In his three seasons at Shea, Wagner saved 101 games out of 118 chances , an 86 percent success rate. Over the last three seasons, Mariano Rivera has converted 92 percent of his opportunities, while Francisco ("I've always loved Flushing") Rodriguez has converted 90 percent of his save chances. So Wagner has been pretty good at sealing the deal.
Wagner struck out 226 batters in 187 2/3 innings, pitching to an ERA of 2.40 and a WHIP of 1.06 -- fantastic numbers for a closer. And while he was dominant at times, you get the idea that Mets fans will more remember the times Wagner failed. Not winning a championship will do that.
What I liked most about Wagner was his good-old-boy candor and filter-free mouth. He said what was on his mind, and while he backtracked a few times, you know that was strictly on management's orders.
It is ironic that the player he seemed to call out for not being accountable -- Carlos Delgado -- is now leading the Mets' playoff surge while Wagner is helpless to contribute. Delgado has also earned his way back on the team next season, while Wagner will be out rehabilitating his left arm for a possible return to the majors, likely somewhere else.
The good news in all this is that the Mets have had plenty of time to adjust to life without Wagner, although no Mets fan can be too confident with Luis Ayala walking out to close a playoff game. The other thing to remember is that Wagner has awful postseason numbers -- an ERA of 9.58, with 11 earned runs allowed in 10 1/3 innings, with 19 baserunners.
Wagner won't get a chance to improve those numbers in New York, and that's too bad.
Many fans bemoaned Wagner as being less than automatic, that Wagner was not quite lights-out. But if you throw out the non-save situations, where he -- like many closers -- often came up short, Wagner did a more than admirable job with the Mets.
In his three seasons at Shea, Wagner saved 101 games out of 118 chances , an 86 percent success rate. Over the last three seasons, Mariano Rivera has converted 92 percent of his opportunities, while Francisco ("I've always loved Flushing") Rodriguez has converted 90 percent of his save chances. So Wagner has been pretty good at sealing the deal.
Wagner struck out 226 batters in 187 2/3 innings, pitching to an ERA of 2.40 and a WHIP of 1.06 -- fantastic numbers for a closer. And while he was dominant at times, you get the idea that Mets fans will more remember the times Wagner failed. Not winning a championship will do that.
What I liked most about Wagner was his good-old-boy candor and filter-free mouth. He said what was on his mind, and while he backtracked a few times, you know that was strictly on management's orders.
It is ironic that the player he seemed to call out for not being accountable -- Carlos Delgado -- is now leading the Mets' playoff surge while Wagner is helpless to contribute. Delgado has also earned his way back on the team next season, while Wagner will be out rehabilitating his left arm for a possible return to the majors, likely somewhere else.
The good news in all this is that the Mets have had plenty of time to adjust to life without Wagner, although no Mets fan can be too confident with Luis Ayala walking out to close a playoff game. The other thing to remember is that Wagner has awful postseason numbers -- an ERA of 9.58, with 11 earned runs allowed in 10 1/3 innings, with 19 baserunners.
Wagner won't get a chance to improve those numbers in New York, and that's too bad.
Labels: Wagner
posted by Gaspo @ 6:18 AM
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