Tag: Billy Wagner

Giants 10 – Mets 1 Aug. 17, 2009

Livan Hernandez
Image by tedkerwin via Flickr

The Mets got smacked around by the Giants in the final game of the four game series to earn a split. The big news is that David Wright and Billy Wagner were both in the dugout with the team, although they’re headed in different directions.

Also big news, Livan Hernandez actually made it out of the first inning without giving up a run. But he ended up going 5.1 innings and giving up 6 runs on 11 hits and a walk. Tim Redding also got bombed in the eighth inning giving up 3 more runs on 4 hits.

The Mets weak offense reared its ugly head again with the team only able to come up with 8 hits and 4 walks. Only one of those hits was for extra bases, a double by Daniel Murphy.

The Braves come to town for a series starting tomorrow night.

Box score

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Mets In The News Aug. 12, 2009

Gary Sheffield
Image by paul.hadsall via Flickr

Another day, another loss. This time in Arizona. As the Mets try to avoid a sweep again on the road, we have some interesting news on the team.

Adam Rubin of the Daily News writes that Billy Wagner will be back in the bigs on Sunday. He’s agreed to waive his no-trade clause to go to a contender if the Mets can swing a deal by Aug. 31.

Matthew Artus of NJ.com writes about the pro’s and con’s of releasing the entire 2003 MLB Steriod Survey Testing List. I’m just assuming almost every player was dirty between the late 80’s and beginning of this decade. Until I hear otherwise, that’s what I believe.

Gary Sheffield expressed a desire to stay with the Mets for the rest of the season but left the door open for a trade. I have no idea why he’d want to stay, this team isn’t going anywhere. If he could catch on with an AL team that needs a DH, he should jump at the chance.

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Mets In The News Aug. 9, 2009

Billy Beane's Parking Spot
Image by pursuethepassion via Flickr

The Mets are playing to avoid a sweep in San Diego this afternoon and the piling on continues. Kevin Kernan of the New York Post writes that the team should fire GM Omar Minaya and hire Billy Beane. Beane was the Mets first round draft choice in the 1980 draft and played 13 games in the outfield for the Mets in 1984-1985. I find it extremely difficult to believe that the Wilpons would fire Minaya and keep him on the payroll for three more years. He just signed an extension before this season. I don’t see it happening for financial reasons more than anything.

The New York Post Mets Blog notes that Billy Wagner threw another scoreless inning during a rehab game in Florida yesterday. The target date for him to come back to the Mets is Aug. 21. Wagner is scheduled to pitch back to back games for the first time on Monday and Tuesday. I have a hard time seeing Wagner pitching anything but the ninth inning. The Mets don’t want him back. They’ve already told him that they’re not picking up his contract option for 2010. Let him pitch a game or two in the bigs and then see if he has any trade value before the Aug. 31 waiver deadline.

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Mets In The News Aug. 7, 2009

We have several good reads today for disheartened Mets fans. Read on…

  • Adam Rubin of the Daily News writes that Billy Wagner and Carlos Delgado could be traded this month.
  • Rubin also writes that Bobby Parnell is making his first big league start on Saturday. Although he made 92 starts in the minors.
  • Billy Witz of the NY Times writes that the Mets injuries may be due to poor strength and conditioning programs.
  • Greg Prince of Faith and Fear In Flushing writes that the 2009 Mets really suck.
  • Kerel Cooper of On The Black gets fan feedback on the Mets moving Bobby Parnell into the starting rotation.
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Mets 2009 Season Close To Oblivion

Carlos DelgadoWe’ve been waiting for months now for the injured Mets to heal and get back to help this team to a miracle playoff run. But if the current Mets can’t, at least, hang on there won’t be a chance at all. The Mets need to go 40-18 over their final 58 games of the 2009 season to reach the 90 win plateau. That’s the number of wins that it took the Milwaukee Brewers to beat out the Mets by one game in 2008 for the wild card spot in the National League. It should take about that same number of wins to take the wild card spot this year.

The Mets had a good little run going against Houston and Colorado over the last week. But that will come crashing down quickly if the Mets lose tonight to the D-Backs and Dan Haren. Losing three out of four games at home to a team that’s completely out of it, like the D-Backs, is going to hurt the Mets badly this late in the season.

Even if Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, J.J. Putz, John Maine, and Billy Wagner are playing for the Mets in September, will it really matter? September could be a very quiet venue for the Mets. And the season ticket holders that are trying to sell on Stubhub and eBay will be taking a big loss in the secondary market.

I understand why Mets GM Omar Minaya chose to stand pat at the non-waiver trading deadline. The team often looks dead and spending resources appears to be a lost cause. But it would have been nice to bring in some much needed offense that would be here next season too. Say a Victor Martinez. But that didn’t happen. So we’re still watching and waiting. Watching this impostor of a big league team. Waiting for the players to heal. The same high-priced players that are drawing their salaries from the pricey seats at Citi Field.

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Mets Injury Updates: Putz, Wagner

PORT SAINT LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 28: Pitcher B...
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Before yesterday’s game against the D-Backs J.J. Putz spoke to the media and said that he pitched in the bullpen at Citi Field and he’s shooting for a return in about three weeks. He’s been on the disabled list for about two months after having surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow.

Billy Wagner is going to pitch again in St. Lucie today in a rehab game. He threw an inning on Friday for them as well. It looks like he’s on track to return to the Mets around the same time as Putz, at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, I think they’ll both be coming back to a team that’s out of playoff contention. But both players are really pitching for next season. Putz has a team option for next season at $8.6M with a $1M buyout. It’s highly unlikely the Mets will exercise that option. And Wagner has a team option for $8M with a $1M buyout that the Mets have already told him that they aren’t picking up.

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Mets Injury Updates: Billy Wagner, Jose Reyes

NEW YORK - MAY 02: Billy Wagner #13 of the Ne...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The Mets have to be encouraged that Billy Wagner threw an inning in a minor league rehab game for the St. Lucie Mets yesterday. He threw 10 pitches and got two strikeouts and one ground ball for a clean inning. The Mets have already told Wagner that they’re not picking up his option for next season, so he must be intent on getting a contract with someone in the offseason.

It’s nice to think that the Mets could have Francisco Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, and J.J. Putz finishing off games for them late this season. The problem is that the team appears that they may be too far out of the playoff picture for it to matter.

The Mets also announced before yesterday’s game that Jose Reyes didn’t run the bases in Florida as he was supposed to. He’s still just doing some light jogging, not running full speed. The word from the team is that he may run the bases this weekend. I can’t wait to see him back with the team. He’s missed more than any of the big name players on the DL right now. The dropoff from his production to the backup players is huge. Again, he may be coming back too late for it to make a difference this season though.

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