Billy Wagner is extremely candid about his feelings about the Mets chances entering 2008 in an article on Mets.com

“Someone asked me what I thought of our team,” Wagner said in an interview with MLB.com. “I said, ‘What team?’ We’ve lost 13 games [Glavine's victory total], and now we are going have to give up something to get those games back. I’m afraid we’re just going to create other holes if we give up a [Lastings] Milledge, a [Mike] Pelfrey or a Heilman.”

Wagner expresses his concern about the loss of Tom Glavine.

“I’m trying to be positive. I’m saying we have some good players. But I’m worried. The Braves are getting better, and the Phillies made a move [acquiring Brad Lidge]. We’ve brought back some people, and that’s good. But losing Tom is big. It’s a lot more than the 13 games he won. It’s what he did for John Maine and Oliver Perez and how professional he was. People want to focus on one bad game or just the day-to-day stats. I do that myself when I read about football. By I’m involved in this, and I know how important [Glavine] was. We don’t have him, and we don’t even get to the last game with a chance. He was one of the few leaders we had.

“The Mets didn’t do anything wrong. I know he wanted to be home more. I understand that, but where does that leave us?”

Wagner is adamant about not trading Aaron Heilman.

“We’re down 13 games already, plus all the games Tom deserved to win,” he said. “Without Aaron, it’d be like another 10 or 12. It would be a big chance to take. Without Aaron, [the bullpen] don’t even exist. No way you can trade him.”

Wagner goes on to question using Orlando Hernandez out of the bullpen, the lack of clear roles for members of the bullpen, and his displeasure with the Mets letting Paul Lo Duca walk.

Some people will say Billy should shut up and pitch, that they don’t pay him to make personnel decisions. I happen to appreciate his honesty. Someone has to keep it real, and express their concerns about the team if they have them. Its up to Omar Minaya to take his opinions into consideration, or not, but I happen to agree with every single one of them.

I know a lot of folks aren’t thrilled with Heilman, and of course Billy is going to defend his teammate, but if you want to get rid of him, you need to replace him with a suitable arm. I think people tend to magnify Heilman’s faults and overlook the quality innings he provides. I don’t think he’s all that easy to replace. I do believe you have to trade him if as part of a package he nets you a top flight starting pitcher in return.

Keep in mind though, in order to be a playoff team, I don’t think you can make it without a solid 7th and 8th inning bullpen arm. The Mets will have to address that in some way. You have no idea what to expect from Duaner. There are very few reliable bullpen arms, but Ron Mahay and David Riske in my opinion are two guys who fit that description and should be pursued.

The importance of middle relievers in baseball has increased in recent years, as the trend of starting pitchers failing to go deep into ballgames continues. The Hardball Times provides a graph of the decline in the number of innings pitched by starters over the past hundred years.

With this increased importance, comes a price. In the New York Times, Murray Chase points out that relievers had an average salary of $1,433,992 in 2006 up from $1,316,384 in 2005.

The Mets currently have Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey tentatively penciled into their rotation for 2008, with a fifth pitcher likely to come from free agency or via trade this winter. The uncertainty of the Mets rotation makes the need a quality bullpen even greater. The inconsistency of the Mets rotation last season caused the Mets starters to fail to get deep into ballgames, and put a great degree of pressure on an overworked Mets bullpen.

The Mets enter 2008 with a bullpen consisting of Billy Wagner, Scott Schoeneweis, Duaner Sanchez, Jorge Sosa, Pedro Feliciano, Joe Smith, Juan Padilla and possibly Orlando Hernandez.

The Mets will likely use Aaron Heilman as a trading chip to acquire a front line starter.

As we scan the free agent landscape this off season, there are quite a few quality arms available to upgrade with. Two big name closers are on the market, Francisco Cordero and Eric Gange, but will want to close so would be of no use to the Mets.

Ron Mahay, Jeremy Affledt, David Riske, LaTroy Hawkins and Scott Linebrink, Octavio Dotel, and Byung-Hyun Kim are some of the other arms who might be worth a look as middle relievers. Chad Cordero is a longshot, as the Nationals have asked for Carlos Gomez in return and Cordero is also likely to perfer a closing role.

Mahay was 3-0 last year, with a 2.55 ERA and 1.33 WHIP over 67 innings for the Braves. He is considered the best of the middle relievers on the market and has attracted the Yankees interest.

David Riske was 1-4 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP over 69.7 innings for the Royals. Riske hasn’t had an ERA over 4 since 2002.

Matthew Cerrone on Mets Blog relays information from Mike Pagliarulo who advises the Yankees, who Mark Feinsand of the Daily News said has interest, to steer clear of Linebrink, whose stats indicate a ‘structural decline.’

Octavio Dotel was traded to the Braves from Kansas City at the trade deadline and compiled a 4.11 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP. He spent time on the disabled list with a shoulder strain in August.

The Orioles could look to move Chad Bradford, who is signed to a three year, $10.5 million contract. He compiled a 3.34 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP.

The Yankees have reportedly offered Mariano Rivera $45 million over 3 years, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. 

$15 million a year would be a record contract for a relief pitcher. Billy Wagner is making $10.5 per year on a contract he signed in 2005.

If that deal is accurate, there is no way Mariano leaves the Yankees. I don’t see how anyone can match that offer.

Dave Lennon of Newsday reports that Billy Wagner feels ready for the season. Lennon says Wagner is physically ready for the season, as well as feeling anxious, and bored of the preseason. Wagner told him:

I believe that point Wagner makes right there, is one thats been argued several times in the comments here, at metsblog, and in the Bleachers.

Lennon further reports that Wagner feels his slider and fastball are both into regular season form. Wagner will pitch twice more before the end of training.

The article also has a nice little peak inside the bullpen corner of the clubhouse, talking of Wagners trash talk to the other pen guys. Wagner and the Show getting along has been mentioned before, but its always good to see that the guys can get along off the field.

Marty Noble over at mets.com is reporting that Smith and Sele will both be joining Chan Ho Park in the bullpen on the 25 man roster. The rest of the bullpen would then consist of Wagner, Heilman, The Show, and Feliciano.

While the article claims that nothing is set in stone, the fact that its appearing on the official team page as news, one would assume that barring any major problems or injuries (or a Sele or Park temper tantrum) thats the bullpen. This at least answers some questions, though still no word on if they plan on going with four starters for the first stretch, and if they do if they'll carry an extra arm in the bullpen (perhaps Sosa) or an extra bat on the bench.  Speaking of which, while its generally assumed Newhan is getting that last bench spot, still no official word there either.

Regardless, it seems that much like of the readers and posters here, the Mets brass believes Burgos needs more time in AAA.

That's what Mark Herrmann asks in his column in Newsday.  The answer?  You better believe it.  Pedro Martinez is curently rehabing his shoulder, while the Mets continue their spring training schedule.  A late July- early August return is believed for Pedro.

Many in baseball said that Pedro's contract was absurd.  He was a pitcher that was believed to be one injury away from retirement. Of course, this current injury he has could be just that.  However, if Pedro doesn't sign here, I fully believe Carlos Beltran isn't here, then neither is a guy like Billy Wagner, etc. 

Pedro (and Omar Minaya) helped make the Mets mean something again.  So, in my mind, I couldn't agree with Herrmann more that Pedro was well worth the money.

Billy Wagner and Scott Schoeneweis have become quick pen pals. Sharing a fandom of the Blue Devils, they bonded quickly over discussing Duke basketball, as David Lennon describes in Newsday.

The story also goes on to detail how Scott or “The Show” as some of his former teammates referred to him, has had to battle several setbacks in his career, which included surviving testicular cancer as a sophomore at Duke only to blow out his left elbow and require Tommy John surgery. Despite the serious issues Scott has had to deal with he seems to be one of the best new personalities to join the team this year. The Mets beat writers hav remarked that he's tremendously upbeat, great for a good quote, and has a charming demeanor.

A perfect example is where Scott talks about his number, 60, and how it helps him remember where he came from.

Billy Wagner didn't appreciate the comments King Albert made regarding his teammate Tom Glavine. Pujols has exactly zero home runs and zero RBIs in the series.

Meanwhile, Pujols is hearing it from Glavine's teammates. On Sunday it was Billy Wagner's turn. As Wagner put it to Pujols, “It's not a good idea to take on a Hall of Famer.”

Added Wagner: ”If [Glavine] wasn't all that good, then how do you look?”

However Wagner, forgives Puljos, noting he's said things he's regretted before himself.

Wagner also brings us his latest article today in The New York Post.

Speaking of sticking a foot in ones mouth, I hope Billy never does that and gives anyone bulletin board material with that New York Post gig of his, ala David Cone and the Dodgers in 88. The whole idea of our closer penning his own piece on a regular basis in a New York tabloid makes me nervous as hell.

Billy Wagner in his latest article in The New York Post tells us the Shea crowd was the loudest he's ever heard it when he entered the game last night to face Albert Pujols…

In the ninth inning, running in from the bullpen to “Enter Sandman,”
the atmosphere was the loudest I had ever heard. It was ear-shattering.
My heart was pounding. I told myself to get the job done; to deliver
for the sake of my teammates and for the sake of the fans.

As
fate would have it, it was a two-run game, and the first guy I faced
was Albert Pujols. Knowing that as a lead-off hitter he couldn't hit a
two-run homer was comforting. He's a great competitor, and I knew I had
to make my pitches count. Our defense was fantastic and Carlos Delgado
saved me on Albert. It was a relief knowing that I could go out and get
that first out.