"The Ballad of Billy the Kid"

“I don’t plan on talking to nobody,” Billy Wagner told reporters when asked where he might end up next season. “I’ve got nothing else to (accomplish).”

Wagner has mouthed off before, so whether or not this is just another in a long line of quotable quotes or how he truly feels is a good question.

Unfortunately…only one person can answer that.

Whether or not he makes it to Cooperstown is another story.

Whenever “Billy the Kid” decides to finally call it quits, it’ll be five years and up to what will then be a group of close to 600 writers (currently, the BBWAA has 539 members) that make that decision for him.

With 385 saves, Wagner sits sixth on the all-time saves list. Just five saves ahead of him is Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley.

And while closers haven’t always gotten the love they deserve from the writers, Trevor Hoffman (591 career saves) and Mariano Rivera (526) are no-brainers to get their ticket punched.

What can Wagner do to be a shoe-in?

“300 saves used to be the milestone mark when closers were two or three inning guys,” former Royals closer Jeff Montgomery told The Hall of Very Good, “but 400 will be the new mark as most good closers will reach the 40 save per year mark even on mediocre teams.”

But what of Lee Smith and John Franco and their 478 and 424 saves?

“I think Smith should be considered for the Hall as well as Franco,” Montgomery added. “If Wagner returns and surpasses the 400 mark he should be considered also.”

But is Wagner going to return? That’s the big question! And if he doesn’t, will his 385 saves be enough to get him to Cooperstown?

To answer that, you have to go much deeper than just the number of saves he has amassed.

His career ERA of 2.39 is out of this world! Only once, during an injury plagued 2000 season, did Wagner’s ERA jump above 2.85. By comparison, Eckersley has a career ERA of just that (2.85) out of the pen…while Hoffman hovers around in the same neighborhood at 2.73.

Wagner’s 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings is as sick as his career ERA. To say that the 5’10” lefty doesn’t bring the heat would be like saying Quentin Tarantino’s latest “Inglourious Basterds” lacked violence. 1092 punchouts in just over 830 innings pitched is amazing.

In 1999, Wagner was the National League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year after closing out 39 games and holding opponents to a diminutive .135 batting average. He’s a six time All-Star, appeared in the post-season six times (with three different teams) and in 2003, even closed out a no-hitter.

So why can’t Billy Wagner seem to get over the hump and be included in the same conversation as the other greats at his position?

Attitude.

That’s right, the same thing that managers crave from their closers is the same thing that might keep Wagner from becoming a baseball immortal.

Following the 2003 season, the Astros traded Wagner to the Phillies for Ezequiel Astacio, Taylor Buchholz and Brandon Duckworth. Something tells me that the Astros weren't looking for lightning in a bottle with the three bodies they got. I'm more inclined to believe they were looking to unload a problem child.

But back to that trade and before you give me some half-hearted “what’s a duck worth”, I’ll tell you this…in the two years following the deal, the trio of Astacio, Buchholz and Duckworth played in 76 games and combined for a 6.42 ERA with Houston.

In that same time, Wagner appeared in 120 games, collected 59 saves and had an ERA of 1.86 with Philadelphia. Unfortunately, repeated criticism of his teammates helped make Wagner’s stint in the City of Brotherly Love a short one.

Philadelphia’s National League East rival Mets were the next stop for Wagner. By many accounts, it was a combination of a 2008 season ending injury and a bad attitude that led New York to sign Francisco Rodriguez and, eventually, place Wagner on waivers.

"I don't want to end my career as a set-up man," Wagner said while the Mets looked for potential suitors. "I'd like to have that option (to close)."

Apparently, Boston missed that memo and once Wagner agreed to it, they picked him up and used him as just that…a set-up man for their closer Jonathan Papelbon. Red Sox fans know how that ballad ended Sunday afternoon.

So what’s next for the flame throwing lefty?

He can enter the free agent market this off season and see if there is a team out there willing to take their chances with a 38 year-old closer.

Or, he can retire now, 15 saves short of 400 (his last one coming on July 29, 2008) and seemingly enter Cooperstown at second place on the all-time list of saves by a lefty.

That being said…the BBWAA has been tough on those with what appear to be Hall of Fame numbers, but a piss poor attitude.

Only time will tell.

***Recently The Hall asked "who is the game's best closer"...67% of you responded Mariano Rivera, 10% said Trevor Hoffman and Dennis Eckersley, 5% said Goose Gossage, 3% answered Rollie Fingers while no one said Bruce Sutter.***

Wednesday with Monty...a closer's thoughts about Opening Day

A few months ago, I wondered if we were living in the “age of the closer” and to be honest…I still kinda do.

This off season saw a number of top flight closers change uniforms. Most notably, Francisco Rodriguez packed up his 2008 league leading 62 saves and made the cross country trek from Los Angeles to New York.

With “K-Rod” gone, Brian Fuentes fled Colorado to fill the void in Los Angeles. 2005 Rookie of the Year Huston Street went from Oakland to Colorado as part of the Matt Holliday deal and, well…you see where this is going.

All in all, more than a third of Major League teams have a new closer in place for the 2009 season.

One team that stuck with their hot hand was the Kansas City Royals, with Joakim Soria looking to, again, be one of the top closers in the American League. Soria’s 42 saves last year were the most by a Royal since Jeff Montgomery tied a franchise record with 45 in 1993.

In preparation of Opening Day, I had a chance to talk with Montgomery about some of his memories.

In six Opening Day appearances,
“Monty” was 0-1 with two saves. In 8 2/3 innings, he only gave up one earned run (a Mike Bordick single that plated Carney Lansford in 1992) and struck out 8.

Three of Montgomery’s Opening Day games were at home, the other three were on the road. So I asked him, was it easier throwing off the mound at Kauffman on Opening Day or in Oakland or Baltimore?

MONTY: (It) didn’t matter. Could have been Mars and I wouldn’t have known the difference.

HOVG: Of the Hall of Famers and future Hall members you faced, who was the toughest Opening Day hitter...Cal Ripken, Jr., Rickey Henderson, Rafael Palmeiro, Harold Baines or Roberto Alomar?

MONTY: Harold Baines.

For the record, Montgomery also named Baines as his “toughest out” when we spoke in November. Baines was 6 for 20 against Montgomery and led all opposing hitters with three home runs against the hurler.

HOVG: You also took on Albert Belle (got him to pop out) and Eric Davis (struck him out looking)...was there a batter in particular that made you nervous when he stepped up to the plate?

MONTY: All of them.

It’s worth mentioning that hitters batting .230 against Montgomery on Opening Day.

HOVG: Do your two Opening Day saves mean any more to you than the 302 other saves you picked up in your career?

MONTY: No.

HOVG: After Chris Sabo reached on an error on Opening Day in 1994, you struck out Mark McLemore, Jeffrey Hammonds and Brady Anderson...all swinging. Is it safe to say that that is one of your fondest Opening Day memories?

MONTY: Not really as I forgot about it. I remember going to the KISS concert afterwards.

HOVG: If striking out the side in Baltimore wasn’t your most memorable moment...what was?

MONTY: My first opening day in 1989 is the one I remember most. Can’t remember if we won or lost but I will never forget the electricity in the air.

HOVG: Is hearing your name on the PA the same when it is in front of close to 40,000 at home in Kansas City on Opening Day as it is when the crowd is a third of that size and it is the middle of August?

MONTY: (There’s) no difference. Opening Day was always special. All of the preparation, hype, the fact that Spring Training was finally over, and being back at home made it one of the best days of the year. Too bad the rest of the games on the schedule were not filled with the same level of excitement as Opening Day.

After being postponed on Monday, the Royals lost their Opening Day contest against the White Sox 4-2. The band KISS is currently touring South America.

***Jeff Montgomery played thirteen seasons in the Majors…twelve of them with the Kansas City Royals. He is a three time All-Star, a member of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame and their all-time leader in games pitched, games finished and saves. “Monty” resides in the Kansas City area and lends his expertise to Sports Radio 810 WHB-AM.***

The Age of the Closer?

Remember the long ball?

Yeah…it wasn’t THAT long ago that “chicks dug the long ball” and freaks of nature like Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds graced the cover of every sports magazine across the country.

As of late, we’re seeing more and more of Jonathan Papelbon and Mariano Rivera than their slugging counterparts. We’ve seen both K-Rod and Trevor Hoffman as the lead story on SportsCenter a few times.

Heck…three of the last five Hall of Fame induction ceremonies have included closers!

We’re living in the “Age of the Closer”, gang…get used to it.

Hoffman’s 554 saves have become the pitching equivalent of Bonds’ 762 round trippers. K-Rod’s 62 saves earned him a nightly countdown on ESPN akin to homerun chase of 1998.

Pretty impressive stuff until you think about it.

I mean, Lee Smith (the former all-time saves leader) wasn’t exactly Hank Aaron on the mound and Bobby Thigpen (the former record holder for saves in a season) was no match for the mythos of Roger Maris. And let’s face it…closing out a 4-2 game still isn’t as sexy as knocking one out of the park and winning that same game 5-4, right?

But regardless of the recent balloon in saves, it isn’t like they’re growing on trees.

Allow me break it down.

One of the most celebrated numbers in the game is 500 home runs and there are 24 players who have eclipsed that total. Give the average baseball fan a few minutes and he can name a number of them. On the other side of the coin are the 23 pitchers with 300 or more wins.

Both are MILESTONE numbers! You get to those numbers and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that would disagree with your Hall of Fame credentials.

So what is the equivalent for the closer? Is there one?

Recently, I had the privilege to talk with former Major Leaguer and member of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame Jeff Montgomery and he shared some insight on that very topic (and a few others)…what is the milestone for closers?

“300 saves used to be the milestone mark when closers were two or three inning guys but 400 will be the new mark as most good closers will reach the 40 save per year mark even on mediocre teams,” Montgomery said.

He’s right.

As recent as 1994 (when Goose Gossage threw his last pitch), there were only five closers that had eclipsed that magic number of 300 saves. Currently, there are 21 pitchers with 300 or more career saves with Montgomery being one of them with 304.

“The fact that managers started using closers as ninth inning specialists in the late 80’s and early 90’s (as LaRussa did with Eckersley) with so much success has allowed season save numbers to escalate dramatically.”

But will this inflate the number of closers in Cooperstown and will it make people look at the accomplishments of Rollie Fingers, Goose and Bruce Sutter and wonder why they are enshrined?

“Not really,” Montgomery responded. “The one great year will not get anyone any votes for the Hall…Goose and company were established, long term dominant relief pitchers.”

So who gets in?

“I think Lee Smith should be considered for the Hall as well as John Franco. Obviously Rivera and Hoffman will get in with their totals both being north of 500 at their retirement and (that) should help Smith and Franco’s cases for election. If (Billy) Wagner returns and surpasses the 400 mark he should be considered also.”

Smith is at 478 and held the all-time saves mark for thirteen years, but so far…the most support he’s gotten for induction to the Hall was this past year when he garnered 45%.

Franco is (quietly) fourth on the all-time list with 424, but more importantly, he has the most saves ever by a left hander and is one of three with more than 300. Add to that that he is second all-time in games finished (Smith is number one) and third all-time in games pitched…and you’ve got a serious contender for induction in 2011.

After that, it’s a crapshoot since there is going to be some tough competition out there sucking up Hall of Fame votes and only time will tell what the magic number (if there is one) ends up being for relievers to get their piece of the pie.


***Jeff Montgomery played thirteen seasons in the Majors…twelve of them with the Kansas City Royals. He is a three time All-Star, a member of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame and their all-time leader in games pitched, games finished and saves. “Monty” resides in the Kansas City area and lends his expertise to Sports Radio 810 WHB-AM.***