MLB - Sports Rumors

Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:31 am EDT

Closer Billy Wagner retiring

By Mark Miller

“BillyIt's looking like former All-Star closer Billy Wagner(notes) is going to forever be stuck at 385 saves in the record book. The word is that he's retiring this off-season, according to the New York Post.

The former reliever for the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies was considered one of the best closers in baseball for a time but injuries have hurt him in the last few years and he spent most of 2009 rehabbing along with most of the other Mets' starters.

But he got a slight reprieve when he got picked up by the Boston Red Sox, where he appeared in 15 regular season games and two postseason games against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Source: New York PostNew Window

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90 Comments

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  1. Matt
    1. Posted by Matt Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:53 am EDT

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    Strange move......
    Either this is a very new decision/feeling for Wagner....or why make such a big deal about arbitration and his option year when being traded to Boston?
  2. Artist formerly known as Evil Empire!
    2. Posted by Artist formerly known as Evil Empire! Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:57 am EDT

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    For some strange reason...I dont believe this.
  3. Matt
    3. Posted by Matt Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:08 am EDT

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    whenever you see "..according to the NY Post" after a statement, there is a chance it's total BS.
  4. Dominick
    4. Posted by Dominick Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:11 am EDT

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    Why take the time to rehab for so long? Did he suffer another injury or was he bothered by past injuries?
  5. str A's hooter
    5. Posted by str A's hooter Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:12 am EDT

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    Good luck! Villie. Wagner pitched well for Boston to end his career gracefully. Too bad Boston's hitters floundered against Anaheim's pitching. I would have loved a NY-Boston Playoff.
  6. Mark
    6. Posted by Mark Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:16 am EDT

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    Pretty odd. Red Sox were probably figuring him in to their 2010 plans in one way or another.
  7. Cantankerous
    7. Posted by Cantankerous Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:19 am EDT

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    All it will take is a decent offer for him to return. He should get one, because he proved his arm is healthy enough to be effective. Somebody will give him a chance as a closer in 2010.
  8. CJ
    8. Posted by CJ Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:25 am EDT

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    Can you say leverage? An offer will have to entice him to come out of retirement, not just select a team to play for. I'm not exactly a fan of Wags, but this seems brilliant.
  9. str A's hooter
    9. Posted by str A's hooter Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:26 am EDT

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    Boston will have a long winter. Billie Wagner will have plenty of time to decide if he wants to pitch one more year. He won't be used in save situations, so he might hang it up. In any case, he has had a great career, is recovered from arm trouble, and can pitch bating practice to the local High School team. Good Luck, again!
  10. Artist formerly known as Evil Empire!
    10. Posted by Artist formerly known as Evil Empire! Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:31 am EDT

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    Leverage for sure. You dont walk away from 8+ million if he is going to be offered arbitration. This sounds more like a way to get Boston to not offer it so he can choose whatever team he wants. Either way it is sounding like he is toying with the Red Sox
  11. More
    11. Posted by More Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:36 am EDT

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    he is probably already sick of Boston and the people who live there.
  12. dagoldeneagle
    12. Posted by dagoldeneagle Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:39 am EDT

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    billy is a closer. PERIOD.
    if the sox want him back, get rid of papelbon. he's on the decline anyway and will never be half the closer billy is.
    wagner should get a chance to close next year.
  13. coachP
    13. Posted by coachP Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:12 am EDT

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    I'm glad he's retiring. We won't have to hear from another negative, I'm the victim (my time in Philly), sourpuss, who had the world by the tail, but never knew it. Adios Billy Wagner. Now you'll have to live like the rest of us commoners live. How's THAT going to fit in with your retirement plans?
  14. Rattle and Hum
    14. Posted by Rattle and Hum Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:15 am EDT

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    As mentioned earlier, anything cited in the NY Post (a/k/a extra toilet paper) has to be taken with many, many grains of salt. But, if this is true, I hate to see him go out like this. B-Wags, we hardly knew ye.
  15. Jordan F
    15. Posted by Jordan F Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:16 am EDT

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    Why spend the entire offseason rehabbing so you could get back by August just so you could retire at the end of the season anyway?... Seems weird to me..
  16. joarby2
    16. Posted by joarby2 Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:17 am EDT

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    Artist, I thought he has the option to walk if he choses to no matter what. Regardless, I think he is still a closer just not for the Sox.
    The Sox will need to start producing another closer to replace Pap in the next 3 yrs b/f Pap's velocity starts to diminish. He is very hittable at and below the 94mph. Right now I think his intensity, arrogance and youth is taking him to the edge of greatness but certainly will never get there...it will soon be over b/c he doesn't possess the go to pitch such as Mo does.
  17. joecas7
    17. Posted by joecas7 Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:25 am EDT

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    I dont see him retiring and I don't see papelbon on the decline either, I do see the sox not paying up for papelbon and going with wagner and bard as closer toss ups because it is cheaper.
  18. Artist formerly known as Evil Empire!
    18. Posted by Artist formerly known as Evil Empire! Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:26 am EDT

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    joarby - He had his 2010 option declined but Red Sox retain the right to offer arbitration. Wagner made a big deal about not wanting to be offered it b/c it will hurt his chances on the open market knowing teams will have to surrender draft picks. This limits his options and wasnt happy about it at first. i think this retirement talk has something to do with the arbitration situation
  19. SCSF- LA where repeats and 3-peats happen!
    19. Posted by SCSF- LA where repeats and 3-peats happen! Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:40 am EDT

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    Wags is just tired of breaking out the ENGLISH 2 CHOWDER / CHOWDER 2 ENGLISH dictionary.......
  20. joarby2
    20. Posted by joarby2 Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:44 am EDT

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    Artist, I see...
  21. Vince S
    21. Posted by Vince S Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:49 am EDT

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    Cya, Billy. You're whiny comments and willingness to throw former teammates under the bus will be missed.
  22. Matt
    22. Posted by Matt Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:29 am EDT

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    This is not a 'brillant' move if he's trying to get more money.
    There are far, FAR too many other closer options on the market this winter. A team can easily just saw o well to Wagner and move on to another player nearly as good and younger.
    I don't mean to start a controversy.....but sadly in this day an age it needs to be said.....
    Could he have been secretly caught by someone using HGH or something else during his rehab?
    He did come back VERY strong and faster than most near-40 year olds do from TJ surgery. It raises some eyebrows for sure........just saying.....
    Again, not saying he did use. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and saying he didn't.........but if you found out he did, would you be at all suprised?
  23. scott
    23. Posted by scott Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:34 am EDT

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    Paps is on the decline because of one bad game? Tough crowd in Boston. I think I remember Mo being on the decline about 7 or 8 years ago. Yeah, he really sucks.
    Artist, I'll agree, this is a bargaining chip. Wagner was in 15 games, that makes him a rental.
  24. Daniel V
    24. Posted by Daniel V Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:35 am EDT

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    Artist, agreed on why the retirement talk is around him now. Doubtful there is any truth to it only to avoid aritration with the Sox, unless maybe his elbow had still been hurting him and he'd rather walk away now than risk further damage to both the elbow and his reputation as a great closer. Not out of the realm of possibilities would be returning to the Sox on a 1 year, incentive laden deal, make Bard the setup guy, and trade Papelbon as part of a deal to get another bat in the lineup. All signs up here point to the Sox not signing him to the $$ he is going to be asking once he becomes unrestricted after the 2011 season, and you figure trade him now while his value is still high. Sox have a lot of interesting decisions to make this coming offseason, and a lot of contracts up after next season, which makes it even more interesting to see if other names get tossed around in trade talks. Maybe even Beckett too, you never know.
  25. Brad S
    25. Posted by Brad S Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:38 am EDT

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    the red sux got swept!! ha ha ha hahh ahha don't blame billy for your teams lack of heart. they got what they deserved

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