And for good reason. Billy Wagner, easily the most accessible player on the Mets, was not happy to be fielding most of the questions after today's 1-0 loss to the Nationals. The main reason? He didn't play in the game.
Luckily for The Michael Kay Show on ESPN 1050, the incident just happened to coincide with Wagner's regular Thursday appearance. Here's a transcript of the first five minutes of that interview, during which Wagner suggests there is a lack of "accountability" among some Mets.
KAY: Is this a Mets team that's kind of reeling right now?
WAGNER: (laughs) You'd have to say so. Today was a tough game. It was very well pitched, but you know, we had plenty of opportunities to make something happen and we just weren't able to come through today.
KAY: Obviously I have to ask you what happened after the game. We've been told that you did not like the fact that everybody came to you to ask you questions and you kind of said where is everybody? People weren't there. Tell us what happened there Billy?
WAGNER: Well, I mean, it gets to a point where, I didn't even play today. I was not a participant in the game, and the guys that had participated were gone. I mean, we're all upset, we're unhappy with things that are going on, and how we're playing, and I just felt like I hadn't even played. I had no role in the game. David Wright's always there, and the same guys are always there. But there needs to be other guys that are accountable. It gets a little old when the same people keep getting interviewed even when they don't participate.
KAY: Can I ask who do you think should be there that wasn't there today?
WAGNER: No, I think that will be rectified tomorrow.
KAY: How so?
WAGNER: Well, I think that those guys will be talked to about how you need to stand there in the bad times rather than just stand there in the good times. So that will be something that will be focused on tomorrow by the team I'm sure.
KAY: I know you're a good quote, but that doesn't excuse other people from not being there …
WAGNER: Well, I mean, it gets frustrating for some of the guys that are there. Whether I'm there or David Wright or whoever is there constantly, there comes a point where they don't need to be answering the questions that should go to someone else. Then it causes that tension because my opinion on something may not be the way it really was.
If you're not there to answer the questions, the reporters can write whatever they want to. They can write you stunk, you su.cked, whatever. But if you're there to say, 'Hey man, I wasn't very good today. I came up and I had a chance and it didn't work out.' Well, you're accountable. When you're not there, it gets a little ridiculous.
KAY: Last year there were similar complaints by Paul Lo Duca. Do you think it has anything to do with Latin players or anything like that?
WAGNER: I think it's just certain guys. I don't think it's Latin or white or black. I don't think it's a color thing. I think it's just as a whole there's guys that need to stand there and take the bad with the good.
KAY: Do you want to be the spokesman?
WAGNER: I don't think I'm nowhere near the captain of this team. I think that, like you said, I'm a good quote. I'm not afraid to stand out on an island. We all hear the complaints. We know the situation, and yes, we're all frustrated because we want to win. We're out there putting out the effort. But somebody's got to stand up and say enough's enough. Things aren't going well, let's stand there and take the beating and then when it turns around, let's reap the benefits.
KAY: Have you gone to Willie and Omar about this?
WAGNER: I think they understand. They know what goes on and I'm sure they've talked to everybody. That's just a situation where I'm sure some of this stuff will be brought up tomorrow and see where we'll go from there. I'm not saying it's like earth-shattering. I'm just saying that I'm the closer of the baseball team -- I'm not the captain. There's other guys on this team that need to stand there and answer the questions during the tough times too.
