Maybe Wagner should just keep his mouth shut!

[Baseball Guru]

His big mouth is wearing thin with me..

I honestly dont care how well a pitcher performs, if he opens his mouth and talks the **** that Wagner does, I honestly will just not support him!!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-mets-wagnercomments&prov=ap&type=lgns

PHOENIX (AP)—New York Mets manager Willie Randolph told Billy Wagner to keep critical comments in-house Friday, two days after the closer ripped pitcher Oliver Perez following a blowout loss to Pittsburgh.

Wagner criticized Perez after the left-hander lasted just 1 1-3 innings in a 13-1 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday, a night after the Mets exhausted their bullpen in an 11-inning victory.

“Perez has honestly got to step up and know that we’ve just used every guy in our bullpen the night before,” Wagner said at the time. “He can’t come out there and decide that, `Gee, he hasn’t got it today and so be it.”’

When asked if talking to Perez was like talking to a wall, Wagner said: “Pretty much.”

[whoisonit]

Gotta tell ya, doesn't bother me one bit. At least somebody cares enough to go out on a limb. A little controversy or anger or some sign of life would be good for the team.
If Ollie is pissed off and wants to show him up, let him take it out on the opposition.

[NJMetfan4life]

He should have said it to Ollie's face instead of telling the press.

[NYMets523]

He should have said it to Ollie's face instead of telling the press.

Sounds like Wagner, and other players, have done that to no success.

I have no problem with Wagner doing this. It shows that not everyone on the team is content with mediocrity as they've suggested they are.

Perez deserves to be criticized. He won his arbitration and is pitching for a contract. He needs to go deep even without his best stuff. Greg Maddux went 7 innings after giving up 9 runs in the first in one of his starts this year. Not expecting Perez to do that but at least 3 would have been nice.

I really hope the Mets don't re-sign him. Only benefit I could see is if Boras was willing to let Teixeira sign with the Mets for a lesser price. Though I'd rather overpay him in salary and/or money than get a reduction at the cost of having Perez.

[freshprince85]

He should have said it to Ollie's face instead of telling the press.

Yeah, that's a point. But the point also is that Wagner is right with what he said.

[NY16CATCHER]

Wagner said that talking to Perez was like talking to a wall, my gut tells me that speaking to him directly, and privately, didn't take care of it, so Wagner took it to another level.

Honestly, I have no problem with someone speaking up and calling someone out for lack of effort. It's long overdue and everything Wagner said was 100% accurate.

The problem I have is Willie publically calling out Wagner the next day for what he said. Maybe if Willie actually was an effective leader and communicator Wagner wouldn't be forced to do these sort of things. Message to Wille: DO YOUR GOD DAMNED JOB AND THIS SORT OF THING ISN'T NEEDED. I think Willie more upset that it makes him look even worse than he already does, more than anything else.

[metssincekindergarten]

I have no problem with what Wags said, or how he said it. Willie probably feels that Wags showed him up, so maybe that's why WIllie did what he did. But, if it wakes Willie up, so much the better.

[Baseball Guru]

Well I'm not a big fan of a team airing out any problems through the press..

Not saying that Wags was saying anything wrong but i dont like the way it was done...

[NYMets523]

Wagner said that talking to Perez was like talking to a wall, my gut tells me that speaking to him directly, and privately, didn't take care of it, so Wagner took it to another level.

Honestly, I have no problem with someone speaking up and calling someone out for lack of effort. It's long overdue and everything Wagner said was 100% accurate.

The problem I have is Willie publically calling out Wagner the next day for what he said. Maybe if Willie actually was an effective leader and communicator Wagner wouldn't be forced to do these sort of things. Message to Wille: DO YOUR GOD DAMNED JOB AND THIS SORT OF THING ISN'T NEEDED. I think Willie more upset that it makes him look even worse than he already does, more than anything else.

Agreed. It's gotten to the point where Willie cares more about saving his own job. He's trying to make it look like it's not his fault the team has a "meh" mentality. Let's hope by June 1st he's gone with Delgado and Heilman.

[FatAngel]

Isn´t it ironic that Wagner blew the save in that bullpen-exhausting game ? ?

[penncentralpete]

I have no problem with Billy saying what he said (and the way he said it)........somebody's gotta say something...........Randolph never does......my problem, as a Mets' fan, is that IMHO, Willie tries to be Joe Torre. Ain't workin'........

[milladrive]

He should have said it to Ollie's face instead of telling the press.

Fully agreed.

Well I'm not a big fan of a team airing out any problems through the press..

Not saying that Wags was saying anything wrong but i dont like the way it was done...

Also agreed.

[KCGHOST]

Perez is only 26 and yet is wearing out his welcome on his third team.

[NYMets523]

Fully agreed.

It sounds as if he and other players have done just that with no success.

[milladrive]

It sounds as if he and other players have done just that with no success.

You're right, but goin' to the press is hardly a classy option. If anything, it can do more damage than good.

I say let Oliver do his thing without being chastised for a bad outing, or having an attitude that the other players may or may not agree with. It's up to management to deal with his attitude if it's not up to par, just as it's up to them to deal him if he doesn't pitch as well as they'd like (or fit the chemistry of the team).

Either way, I think that while Billy's heart was in the right place, his forum of expression was not. It can't be good for any team to air their negative internal issues to the press.