5 Reasons Why Billy Wagner Rocks

Mets pitcher Billy Wagner fires a pitch at Shea Stadium

Last night Billy “Country Time” Wagner pitched two solid innings of shutout relief, helping the Mets to their fourth straight victory.

Here are at least five great reasons to love Billy Wagner:

1. He’s as humble as pie, as most good southern boys are.

2. He says what’s on his mind, as most good southern boys do.

3. He gives credit where credit is due. For example, last night, when asked about Pedro Feliciano, Wagner stated, “If we don’t have Feliciano in that situation, we probably don’t win the game. He’s the best pitcher in our bullpen by far. He’s the one who gets the toughest situations of anybody, and he gets the job done.” How can you NOT like Billy Wagner after that?

4. He’ll take the heat and responsibility when he fails.

5. He can put a 99-MPH fastball at the knees — with movement.

Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.