William "Billy" Edward
Wagner (born July 25, 1971, in Tannersville
, Virginia
) is an
American
Major League Baseball player who is
currently a free agent . Previously, Wagner pitched for the
Houston Astros ( - ),
Philadelphia Phillies ( - ),
New York Mets ( - ) and
Boston Red Sox (2009). During his career,
Wagner has established himself as one of the best closers in
baseball, and he is perhaps best known for his ability to throw a
100mph
fastball despite having a relatively
slight frame for a pitcher.
Career
As a youth, Wagner was a natural
right-handed pitcher,
but after breaking his throwing arm twice, he taught himself how to
use his left arm by throwing nothing but fastballs against a barn
wall.
He
graduated from Tazewell High School
, where he was named the 1990
Baseball Player of the Year. He then attended Ferrum College in Virginia and went
16-4 there, while setting single season NCAA records for
strikeouts per nine
innings (19.1 in ) and fewest hits per nine innings allowed (1.88 in
1992), and holds the Division III mark
for career strikeouts (227 in 182.1 innings pitched).
Wagner was
inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame in Salem, Virginia
, in February 2003.
Wagner was selected in the first round of the June Major League
Baseball draft by the Houston Astros, and was used exclusively as a
starting pitcher in the
minor leagues. In 1994 he led all
minor league pitchers in strikeouts, with 204. He made his major
league debut on
September 13, 1995,
retiring the only batter he faced in a 10-5 defeat against the
Mets. It was his only appearance during that season.
Houston Astros
Wagner began in the minors as a starter, and finished it by
becoming a major league reliever. He posted a 6-2 record with a
3.28
ERA in twelve starts for
Triple-A
Tucson. His contract was
purchased by the Astros on
June 2, and Wagner
was immediately converted to a
reliever. He finished the year with nine
saves in 13 opportunities, allowed
only 28
hits and struck out 67
hitters in 51.2 innings (11.7 SO/9). Opponents
hit only .165 against him.
In , Wagner played his first full season in the majors. He
converted 23 of 29 save opportunities while striking out 106
hitters in only 66.1 innings, which established a major league
record for SO/9 at 14.4, breaking the old mark of 14.1 set by
former
Reds reliever
Rob Dibble in (110 SO in 70.1 innings). He struck
out the side 13 times, and his 106 strikeouts also set a club
record for relievers.
In , Wagner posted a 4-3 record with a 2.70 ERA and 97 strikeouts
in 60 innings, and saved 30 games, which was the third best single
season in club history. He converted 19 consecutive save
opportunities between his first blown save against the
Dodgers (
April
12) and his second facing the
Cardinals (
July
11). On
July 15, while trying to hold on
to an 8-7 lead against
Arizona,
he was struck on the left side of his head behind the ear by a line
drive off the bat of
Kelly Stinnett.
Wagner was alert and conscious on the ground as his vital signs
remained good.
He was removed from the field on a stretcher
after suffering a concussion and spent the night at a Phoenix
hospital. The next day, he returned to Houston
and was
placed on the 15-day disabled
list. Wagner worked on balance and coordination
exercises before being cleared by doctors to go on a rehabilitation
assignment in the minors. After working three games, he was
recalled on
August 6, and remained healthy
for the rest of the season.
Wagner had an outstanding season. He captured the
Relief Man of the Year Award
in the
National League. He saved 39
games and struck out 124 in only 74 innings (15 SO/9), establishing
a new major league record for strikeouts in at least 50 innings,
including the side 15 times. Wagner posted a 4-1 record with an ERA
of 1.57, and actually had more saves than hits allowed (in 74.2
innings, he allowed 35 hits).
The season started off in typical fashion for Wagner, who saved
three of the Astros' first four
wins
while retiring 16 of the first 20 batters he faced. But after
recording a save on
May 4 against the
Cubs, he suffered back-to-back blown saves on
May 12-
13 versus the
Reds. While he was still hitting 100-MPH on the radar gun, he
wasn't throwing his 85-90 MPH
slider as much
as he used to. Wagner would continue to struggle before going on
the disabled list with a torn flexor tendon in his pitching arm and
would miss the final three and a half months of the season. He
finished with 2-4 record, a 6.18 ERA, and six saves in 15
opportunities, striking out 28 and
walking 18 in 27.2 innings. He would rebound
in . Coming off elbow surgery, he posted a record of 2-5 with 39
saves in 41 chances, and an ERA of 2.73. He was one of the leading
candidates for
TSN
Comeback Player of the Year in the National League. In 62.2
innings, he struck out 79 hitters.
In , Wagner went 4-2 with a 2.52 ERA, 88 strikeouts, and 35 saves
in 75 innings. Then, he enjoyed his best season in 2003, when he
reached career-highs in saves (44), innings pitched (86.0) and
games (78), and got 105 strikeouts while leading the league in
games finished. In that year, he also
cemented his status as the hardest-throwing man in baseball by
leading the major leagues with 159 pitches at 100
mph or above. Second on the list was starter
Bartolo Colón with 12.
On
June 11, 2003, Wagner closed out a
no-hitter thrown by a record six pitchers.
To date, it is the most recent Astros no-hitter.
Philadelphia Phillies
Wagner was traded to Philadelphia before the 2004 season, only to
have his season shortened by a strain in his throwing shoulder. He
had the best ERA of his career in 2005 and again led the league in
games finished. Wagner became a
free
agent after the 2005 season and signed a four-year, $43 million
contract and a one-year club option, for 2010 with the New York
Mets on November 28, 2005.
In a May 7,
2006 interview, Wagner stated that
he was confronted by all of his former Phillies teammates in
September 2005 after Wagner criticized their performance in the
media by repeatedly saying that the Phillies had "no chance" of
making the playoffs, with Phillies
left
fielder Pat Burrell reportedly
calling Wagner a "rat." The confrontation reportedly was one of
several factors that drove Wagner from Philadelphia in the 2005-
offseason.
New York Mets
Wagner finished 2006 with 40 saves and a 2.24 ERA and recorded his
milestone 300th career save on
July 4, 2006,
against the
Pittsburgh Pirates.
His performance contributed to the Mets' first division title in 18
years. Wagner did not have a great post-season; he recorded 3
saves, but
lost one game and allowed
6 runs over 5.2 innings for a 10.38 ERA.
Wanger with New York Mets in
2007
Wagner had a good first half in . He converted 17 of 18 save
opportunities with a 1.94 ERA. July was his best month, as he
recorded 8 saves in 8 chances, did not allow a run, and won the
DHL Delivery Man of the Month Award for July.
During this month he produced an ERA of 0, giving up 2 hits, and
pitched enough innings for a
complete
game shutout. His first half performance
earned him a spot on the All-Star team. His second half was not as
successful. Overall, he converted 13 of 17 save opportunities and
had a 3.90 ERA. His performance declined during the last two months
of the season. On
August 30, Wagner blew a
pivotal save in the fourth game of a four game series between the
Phillies and Mets, resulting in a critical four-game sweep by the
Phillies that proved to be the difference, as they finished one
game ahead of the Mets on the final day of the season. He had a
6.23 ERA in August and was plagued with back spasms during
September.
On
May 15, , Wagner ran off a profanity laced
tirade after the Mets lost a 1-0 game to the
Washington Nationals. Some speculated
that it was directed toward teammates
Carlos Beltran and
Carlos Delgado about them not being available
for interviews in the locker room following games. In the
2008 All-Star Game, Wagner gave up a
game-tying double to
Tampa Bay Rays
third baseman Evan Longoria, and the National League fell to
the
American League in 15
innings.
In September 2008, the Mets announced that Wagner tore the
medial collateral ligament in his
left elbow and his
flexor pronator,
would require
Tommy John surgery,
and he would be out for a year. Wagner, who has a guaranteed
contract, will be paid $10.5 million in 2009. For 2010, the Mets
have a $8 million option with a $1 million buyout option. In a news
conference following the injury announcement, Wagner vowed to
return playing. Although having previously stated that he will not
pitch beyond the 2009 season, Wagner said he does not want to end
his career in this fashion, and would like to win a
World Series and reach around-420 saves.
However, Wagner stated that he has "played his last game as a Met".
Wagner explained that it would not make sense for the Mets to pick
up the 2010 $8 million option. Despite this, Wagner remained on the
Mets roster on the DL at the start of the 2009 season. He made his
first 2009 appearance for the Mets on August 20 in a game against
the Atlanta Braves, pitching a perfect 8th inning with two
strikeout.
Boston Red Sox
On August 21, 2009, it was reported that the Boston Red Sox claimed
Wagner off waivers from the Mets. After initial reports suggested
Wagner would invoke his no-trade clause to veto a trade, he agreed
to be traded on August 25 for
Chris Carter and Eddie
Lora, and with the added stipulation that the Red Sox cannot pick
up his 2010 club option, but could offer him arbitration.
See also
References
- [1]
- [2]
- Sports American League (Baseball) Baseball AL West
Division Major League Baseball - SI Vault
- [3]
- http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4415035
- http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4421684
External links
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