It looks like Billy Wagner has thrown his last pitch of 2008, and well into 2009.
The fireballer will undergo the dreaded Tommy John surgery and will definitely miss the rest of this season. Next year will see a lot of rehabbing, and he may miss all of that season as well.
Hello, Francisco Rodriguez.
As bad of an injury that may be, I'm glad it happened when it did. The bullpen already has had to live without Wagner to close games, and now must get used to it as the rest of the season will be like this. We've seen what Luis Ayala can do, and while he's not lights out, he's semi-capable in that role.
It's my hunch that Wagner has thrown his last pitch as a member of the New York Mets, and probably as a closer in the major leagues as well. Should be interesting to see where he goes from here.
It'll be even more interesting if the Mets pursue K-Rod this offseason, something I thought they were on the fence about during the year. Now, they have a need and he would more than fill it.
