Wagner finds a new home with Braves

By BRIAN WOODSON

BLUEFIELD — Among the many possessions of Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox is an autographed baseball from Billy Wagner.

It has a message.

“When he came to my house — it was funny —when I got back this past year, we were playing the Braves and I sent a ball over to him that said, ‘Bobby, I’m back, Billy Wagner’,” Wagner said. “When he was talking to me, he said I’ve still got your baseball.”

Cox will be able to hand a baseball to Wagner from the mound next season when the Tazewell County native serves as the closer for the Atlanta Braves, having signed a one-year $7 million contract on Wednesday.

Fifteen years and 385 saves later, Wagner is finally with the team he followed as a child. Wagner said Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell first approached him about two weeks ago at his Virginia home.

“I’ve known Bobby forever, playing against the Braves and it was a situation where I always wanted to be with the Braves,” said Wagner, who was in Bluefield on Thursday night as the keynote speaker for the Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner. “There was never the right opportunity...there was always one thing or the other.

“This just happens to be a great situation where I get to pitch and end my career with Atlanta and maybe win a World Series with Bobby.”

A 38-year-old fireballing southpaw relief pitcher from Tazewell, Wagner is sixth all-time in baseball history in saves, and is just 15 away from his personal goal of 400. His ultimate dream, though, is a World Series championship, something that has avoided him over the years.

“It’s big in a lot of ways. Longevity in this game plays a big part and to get to those numbers it means you have been around and been very successful,” said Wagner, a natural righthander, who became a southpaw after breaking his right arm twice as a child. “When you are successful, your numbers reflect that and I’ve been very fortunate to be on a lot of good teams that got me the ball and made me look good so getting to 400 is big.

“To be honest with you at this point in my career it’s more about winning that championship. In order for us to win that championship, I would have to go past 400 so my goal is to do my job when I get there, but not just get caught up in reaching 400.”

Many felt that Wagner’s career was over after undergoing Tommy John surgery before last season. He came back late in the year, pitched a combined 19 games (counting the postseason) with the Mets and Red Sox and admitted that he feels ‘25’ again, and is confident in being able to pitch like his old self.

“For me being the age that I am at 38, what they told me was pretty much my career was over and that they didn’t know if I would be able to bounce back,” Wagner said. “It’s obvious that these people that know baseball don’t know Billy Wagner.

“Every time I have had that one person tell me I can’t do something, God blesses me with the opportunity to show them that I can.”

A six-time All-Star, Wagner has reached 30 saves eight times in his career, with a high of 44 with the Astros in 2003. Known for a fastball that has often reached 100-miles per hour, the 5-foot-10 Wagner eagerly anticipates playing with the Braves, which boasts one of the top starting staffs in the game.

While Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine are gone, Wagner likes the trio of Derek Lowe, Javier Vasquez and Tim Hudson, and the potential of several youngsters to help the Braves challenge the Phillies in the National League East.

“(The top three starters) are about as good as it gets, there are not too many teams that you are going to run up against that are going to stack a 1-2-3 like that...,” Wagner said. “The starting pitching will be the key.

“Of course, you’ve got to score some runs and that’s all up on Chipper Jones’ shoulders. The bullpen is definitely going to get a boost. They are going to add some arms and I think they’re going to add another bat.

“I’m excited. It will definitely be a dogfight with Philadelphia, and it will be exciting.”

Staying in the National League was important to Wagner, who spent a short time with the Red Sox — including the playoffs — and learned the differences in the two leagues.

“One through nine are hitting .300, probably 20 home runs, close to 75 to 100 RBIs (in the American League),” Wagner said. “It’s just that you’re not able to catch a break with hitters, every one of them are very good hitters and you have no relief.

“It is just very difficult. I see now why when an American League pitcher comes to the National League, he’s dominating because he has probably a better pitch selection and better quality pitches than the guys that go from the National League to the American League. It takes them a little time.”

Wagner also received interest from Washington and Tampa Bay, but he’s not complaining with his final destination.

“I’m in the right place,” Wagner said. “I know I’ve been put there for a reason so I’m excited and I am looking forward to being in Atlanta.”

Especially since Cox is there. The veteran manager will be spending his 25th and final season with the Braves in ‘10.

“He is the manager you hope to play for because he’s truthful to you, he competes for you, he wants you to be the best and he’s the kick-you-in-the butt-and pat-you-on-the-back kind of guy, and you need that,” Wagner said. “He’s old school, and there is only one way to play when you’re with Bobby and that’s hard...

“Bobby is definitely one of a kind, a dying breed and to possibly end my career and his tenure together is something that you can really only dream about.”

While Cox will be done after next season, Wagner — who has a $6.5 million option from the Braves for 2011 — isn’t thinking retirement just yet.

“I’m not going to pitch much longer,” Wagner said, “but what I am trying to focus in on right now is finishing this year, staying healthy, winning a championship and then making that decision next year.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

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