I have never seen a 3-run ninth inning lead evaporate so fast. Why does wagner always choke away big games...I feel a flash back coming. Game 2 1998 Division series, Wagner serves up a 2 run tying homer to Jim Leyritz in the ninth. (fortunatley the Astros won that game, but not because of him) Game 1 2001 Division Series, Wagner serves up a three run shot to Chipper Jones gving the Braves the lead ( on the very first pitch I must add) What is the similarity between the ATL playoff game and tonight's game against the ATL?, Wagner's meltdowns put a damper on Wade Miller's solid pitching efforts. How are the Astros ever going to advance in the playoffs with a closer like this. Pathetic. the Astros should groom a closer that has more than two pitches. Wagner is becoming evidence that an explosive fastball pitcher is overrated. Wagner has Chris Simms-i-tis. By that I mean, both piles up stats against the crappy teams of their respective leagues, and then, when the big boys come out, they choke in dramatic fashion. Anyway we can put Wagner on waivers?
Dotel is the guy, unfortunately, management decided he wasn't ready. Hopefully they dump Wagner and his contract in the offseason.
Wagner has Chris Simms-i-tis. By that I mean, both piles up stats against the crappy teams of their respective leagues, and then, when the big boys come out, they choke in dramatic fashion. HAHAHAHA I was just about to post this exact thought. I wish we had two Dotels.
AHHHH!!!! AHHHH!!! Man. It's over. I'm going to the game tomorrow...and even if we win....I won't be happy. Drop Wagner and his 'amazing repertoire' of one pitch.
me: have the astros found them yet? my friend: what? me: wagner's nuts, he always seems to lose them when we face the braves. seriously, i cannot believe he pulled that ****. not only was miller about to get another W for the fantasy team, but we were about to take down a red-hot team with the best record in the league and pull back within one of st. louis. whenever dotel is in, i feel completely at ease as if there is no possibility a run will score. but with wagner i am always uneasy, even though he gets the job done 80% of the time or so. and what the **** was with sending biggio. i mean i realize smoltz was on the mound with 2 outs and you don't know if another hit will be coming (especially with the stros), but good lord you should actually have a friggin chance at scoring. and it's not even like he saw furcal trip while throwing as that happened long after he waved him in. and to make it worse you're at freakin minute maid park with the 315 porch out there so it's even harder to score on that play. DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTT. while i doubt i'll last past the 3rd inning of tomorrow's game, i said i was through watching stros games this year. they absolutely never pass up a chance to rip your heart out. and why couldn't they just let dotel close it out. if it's a one-run-gotta-have-the-closer-in type situation i can see it, but with a 3 run lead just let dotel go finish it off and if he gets in trouble then bring in wagner. that way your 2 top closers have to start sucking to lose instead of putting all your eggs in wagner's basket.
lol, i agree i was so pissed, more at billy though. i'm the biggest wagner supporter but DAMN!!! it's like atlanta and pittsburgh own this guy. would jimy make the move with dotel as the closer if we make the playoffs? somehow i doubt it.
Easy there, you're on a site with a ton of billy wagner apologists. Understand this, Billy, only likes to pitch for one inning, with a 3 run lead. That one inning has to be in the ninth. Also, if he falters, it's not his fault.
I was majorly pissed off last evening watching that, too. I'm kind of pissed at the manager for not pulling his sorry ass when it was clear he couldn't get anyone out. Freaking Octavio pitched the 8th and should have pitched the 9th. The game would have been over. You always take a chance bringing in Wagner cause all he can really throw is that stupid fastball. It was like freaking batting practice out there. I'm so pissed...we had that freaking game. I knew going in that we don't always do so well against the Braves. With a 3 run lead in the 9th, I thought I could be comfortable that we would win. Boy, was I wrong. I just wish he would of choked against another team. I'm so bummed I think we don't win a game the rest of this series. ******* ********
"Jim Leyritz in the ninth." Thats where he makes his living. BTW, good teams like the Braves don't get fooled like the fools in the NL Central by a pitcher with one pitch. That's why they win.
Do you have any data to show that the Braves have never been shut down by a closer with just one pitch, or are you just being inflammatory?
The Braves have some guys that can rip the fastball big time. Sheffield, Castilla, and Andruw Jones are forever Wagner killers. If they're due up you might as well just send in Brandon Puffer.
Having only one pitch is not always bad. Mariano Rivera's only got one pitch. The difference is that his one pitch is stank nasty, 94-96 (??) with a cutting movement that makes it unhittable. Billy's one pitch is too straight, zero movement, nada, regardless of whether it breaks the 100 mph mark or not.
Wags worries me big time, his fastball does not appear to be moving at all, and the hitters are on to it. I think Wags has lost a little confidence, he needs to be going inside more, make the batters uncomfortable when they are in the box. His ERA is above 3.00 and he has blown about 10 saves this year. I think Wags may be on his way down........ DD
Wagner just needs a few games against the Brewers and he'll be right back to dominant until the playoffs of course.
Wagner's problem, to me, seems to be control. He has no control of his pitches -- he just throws and hopes people miss. He never hits corners or anything like that anymore, and he gets behind in the count way too often. Not to mention he seems to think he's the best pitcher on the planet.
