Billy Wagner: What an ******* Im really starting to dislike Wanger. He just needs to let it go. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2434307 "I'm not a big fan of Drayton's, but I'm happy for Roger and Andy. It's every kid's dream to play at home. I'm also happy Baggy and those guys have some pitching. Maybe if they'd gone out and gotten us a pitcher last season, things would have ended differently." "After the trade, he called me and said, `I'm going to miss your pitching for us, but what I'm really going to miss is watching you and your little boy there in the clubhouse.' I know Jimy well enough to know that's exactly how he feels. If I had a chance to pitch for him again sometime down the road, I'd do it. I'd take a pay cut to pitch for him." Really Billy??? Didn't hear you offering to cut your salary so we could bring in extra starting pitching last year. "I've always said I'd like to pitch in St. Louis. It's a great baseball town. I don't know Philly. My feelings could change. Pitching in St. Louis would be a good way to come back and stick it to the Astros." Ok, this does it for me. Wags is just an *******.
DITTO, codell. The guys in SportsRadio 610 would call his comments a "francis". They say this is a new verb in the dictionary: francis: (v.) to say something before you think about how silly or stupid it may sound, esp. in the sports industry. BTW, i am back after a long hiatus! GO ROX!
The article is right, in that BIlly was no doubt, a fan favorite. Yet, Billy is starting to assure himself of a good booing every time he starts back up on Drayton and the Astros. He says hes happy for Bags and everyone else, yet he says he wants to go to St. Louis so he can stick it to us. Gee, how would that make his former teamates feel???
billy wagner was one of my favorite astros...but he stuck his foot in his mouth so many times last season, that diminished really quickly. this guy just flat out comes off like an idiot.
regardless of how dominant he was, he folded in the playoffs, when it really counted. In a jam in a really important game...pitching staff got your bases all loaded up, try Billy Wagner, good for a grand slam on pitch number one.
I'm a big Astros fan .............but everything he said was true and he is entitled to be a little bit bitter. How many of you were wondering 'Why aren't we adding an arm ?' last season all the way up to the trading deadline? I wish the man well.
yeah...he's entitled to be bitter against an owner who coddled him and made him a millionaire more than a few times over... whom he has trashed in the media... and to an owner who has responded with nothing but kind words for billy after the fact... ridiculous. people get traded all the freaking time. players move on to new teams all the freaking time. he wrote his ticket out of town when he complained left and right and then walked into the locker room on the last day of the season saying "goodbyes." he's a relief pitcher getting paid $8 million/season when we have a reasonable substitute who gets paid a lot less. without his loss the astros likely don't sign pettite or clemens. if wagner had offered a pay cut to get in a new starter, i'd understand his opinions...but his words remain empty. tell him to complain in philly...he'll have lots of company there.
To be fair, Wagner could not have offered to tear up his existing contract and take a pay cut. The MLB Player's Association would never allow that. I don't understand why he's taking this so personal, but then again this was the first time he's been traded so I guess he's just being reactionary. He makes elite closer money, and as such shouldn't be surprised when he gets traded when we've got a much cheaper alternative in Dotel who's almost as good. The man needs to move on already.
Who??? Would you have given up Chris Burke for 2 mo. of Jeff Suppan? The BoSox got him for Freddy Sanchez (their top high-level mid infield prospect). What 2 young starting pitchers would you have traded for 2 mo. of Sid Ponson? The Giants gave up Damian Moss & Kurt Ainsworth. Kris Benson & Ismael Valdes, 2 pitchers thought to be available, went on the DL 2-3 days before the trading deadline. Who else was out on the market? These things don't occur in a vacuum, you have to look at context.
I wonder how philly fans will react to wagner knowing he would rather play for the cards and "stick it to the astros" instead of playing for a championship contender...
They'll wait until after his first game winning bomb...will probably be against the Braves. He'll say, "I just got beat with my best" after throwing Larry Wayne Jones 5 straight fastballs & shaking of Lieberthal's slider call before every pitch. Duracell or Energizer? C or D cell? These are the only questions. Billy gonna luv Philly.
i dont mind what he said personally....its hard being with a team for 8 years to get traded and not get a phone call from the owner personally saying why...he prob shouldnt have said what he said in public but i bet 99% people would have thought the same thing...good luck billy
