It seems like everyone wants to play the blame game these days. Blame Bud Selig and the other MLB big wigs for allowing performance-enhancing drug use. Blame Alex Rodriguez for the Yankees’ post-season woes. Blame the umpires for not having eagle-eyesight and missing a call. Blame Willie Randolph for his team’s ability to be consistently average with a $138 million payroll.
The most popular version of The Blame Game, however, is Blame Billy Wagner. Blame him for being outspoken and not sugarcoating his opinions, for expecting more out of his teammates, and for sticking up for Randolph. Wagner has made controversial comments on three different occasions and has been roasted by the media and bloggers alike. In none of those instances was he wrong.
Comment #1: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
After starter Oliver Perez gave up 7 runs in one and two-thirds of an inning on a day in which manager Randolph was severely limited with the bullpen, Wagner said:
Perez honestly has got to step up and know that we've just used every guy in the bullpen the night before. He can't come in and come out there and decide that he doesn't have it today, and so be it.
This seems like it's motivational rather than a finger-poke in the chest. What was so wrong about that? Far be it for the media to blow something out of proportion, right?
Comment #2: Thursday, May 15, 2008
After a 1-0 loss to the Nationals in which the Mets made a host of base running blunders, including Carlos Beltran’s getting doubled off at third base to end the game, only a few Mets hung around to talk to the media. One of them was Wagner and he wasn’t happy about his teammates not hanging around to own up to their mistakes.
Can somebody tell me why the closer’s being interviewed and I didn’t even play? Why they’re over there not getting interviewed? I get it. They’re gone. Shocker.
As employees of a Major League Baseball team – one of thirty who need to have their players represent the club to the media on a daily basis – the Mets players have a responsibility to hang around and answer questions. We are not talking about the paparazzi; no one’s rights are being infracted and no one’s privacy is being invaded.
So, when Wagner is upset at the lack of accountability on the part of his absent teammates, he absolutely has a point. Wags excluded third baseman David Wright, and despite the media’s urge to have you believe otherwise, the closer never cited Carlos Delgado as an escape artist.
As mentioned, the Mets made numerous base running gaffes:
Bottom third Inning, two outs: David Wright poorly hit a fly ball to right field and assumed it would be caught. So, too, did Luis Castillo, who was on first base. Both lazily jogged around the bases while Kearns lost it in the sun. Castillo could have easily scored and Wright should have been on second base. Instead, they had runners on first and third with two outs for Carlos Beltran, who lined out to right field.
Bottom eighth inning, no outs: Jose Reyes reached base via an infield single. Luis Castillo attempted to move him up with a bunt. Due to the bunt, no one was covering third base for the Nationals, so Reyes decided to advance. Shortstop Cristian Guzman, who is nimble, reacted quickly and caught the throw from first base and tagged Reyes out.
Bottom ninth inning, one out: Carlos Beltran led off with a single to right field. After Ryan Church flied out to left field, Carlos Delgado came up. Beltran stole second base and went to third on a throwing error by catcher Jesus Flores. With the score 1-0, a runner on third base, and a fly ball-machine in Delgado, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Mets would tie the game, right? However, Delgado yanked a line drive down the right field line that was caught by first baseman Aaron Boone. Beltran, who had been running on contact, was easily doubled off third base to end the game.
Comment #3: Monday, May 26, 2008
With all of the “Fire Willie” chants coming from the fan base and media alike, several Mets came to Randolph’s defense. Billy said,
We don’t want to see Willie get fired. I don’t want to see anyone get blamed for something I’m responsible for. That’s what we feel as players. Willie’s not out there having bad at-bats or making bad pitches, that’s us.
Yeah, that’s right: Wagner threw his teammates under the bus while slinging Randolph over his shoulder and helping him escape criticism!
I lied. That was actually David Wright who said that, but because he’s not constantly speaking his mind, and he should be the vocal leader in the clubhouse (according to everyone who isn’t directly involved with the New York Mets franchise), he gets a pass.
What we've done isn't Willie's doing. He's done a good job with what he's got. He can't play for us, but I think he'd like to ... because he loves to win. It's unfortunate we put him through this. He's our leader. Unfortunately, we're not all followers.
His political correctness meter wasn’t in the red until that last comment, “Unfortunately, we’re not all followers.” He insinuated that some of his players aren’t listening to Randolph or are otherwise being insubordinate! How dare Wags say something like that!
I know we live in a politically correct society these days, and Wagner’s propensity to be vocal and honest doesn’t mesh well with the P.C. philosophy, but when he speaks out, he usually has his bases covered:
* His claims aren’t egregious.
* He’s either taking his part in the blame or he’s playing well enough to make criticisms.
ESPN reported two years ago that Wagner told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he was not popular with his Phillies teammates and that Pat Burrell called him a “rat.”
Last July, Wagner said the Phillies "ain't got a chance" of making the playoffs and criticized his teammates for not having enough intensity, saying they quit when they got behind.
That led to a team meeting where Wagner told the Inquirer he felt it was "24 against one," and added that Burrell called him a "rat" during the meeting.
Also, Wagner said he didn't believe the Phillies supported him and felt that he deserved to fail, especially in a late-season loss to Houston where he gave up a ninth-inning, three-run homer to Craig Biggio in an 8-6 loss.
Unless Wagner completely pulled those comments from his posterior, there’s nothing wrong with what he said; it’s simply not politically correct to talk about it. Most of these comments seem to be Wagner’s way of trying to motivate his teammates. There are more tactful ways to go about motivating teammates, but perhaps those other methods wouldn’t yield the results Wagner was looking for, and they wouldn’t suit his personality anyway.
Finally, to prove that Wagner both talks the talk and walks the walk, check out his statistics in Philly and with the Mets.
2004 (PHI): 48.1 IP, 2.42 ERA (185 ERA+), 59 K, 21 SV
2005 (PHI): 77.2 IP, 1.51 ERA (292 ERA+), 87 K, 38 SV
2006 (NYM): 72.1 IP, 2.24 ERA (195 ERA+), 94 K, 40 SV
2007 (NYM): 68.1 IP, 2.63 ERA (162 ERA+), 80 K, 34 SV
2008 (NYM): 20.0 IP, 0.45 ERA (900 ERA+), 21 K, 9 SV*
*Excludes last night’s game.
Wagner definitely has the right to speak his mind and he should not be made into a villain for doing so.