William Edward Wagner was born on July 25,1971, and nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball.
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49 Facts About Billy Wagner
2.
Billy Wagner pitched for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves.
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3.
Natural-born right-hander, Billy Wagner learned to throw left-handed after fracturing his arm twice in his youth.
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4.
Billy Wagner was a seven-time All-Star and the 1999 National League Rolaids Relief Man Award winner.
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5.
Billy Wagner finished in the top ten in saves in the NL ten times, and in the top ten in games finished nine times.
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7.
Billy Wagner's parents divorced in 1976 when he was five years old.
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8.
Billy Wagner chose to follow his cousin to Ferrum College, a small liberal arts college in Ferrum, Virginia, where they both played baseball and football.
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9.
Coaches at Ferrum encouraged Billy Wagner to focus on baseball and he would eventually take their advice and stop playing football.
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10.
Billy Wagner set single-season NCAA records for strikeouts per nine innings, with.
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11.
In 2012, Billy Wagner was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
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12.
Billy Wagner was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft in June 1993 by the Houston Astros.
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13.
Billy Wagner pitched exclusively as a starting pitcher in Minor League Baseball for the Quad Cities River Bandits, until his major league debut.
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14.
In 1994, Billy Wagner led all North American minor league pitchers in strikeouts, with 204.
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15.
Billy Wagner began in 1996, in the minor leagues as a starting pitcher, but he finished the season by becoming a relief pitcher for the Astros.
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16.
Billy Wagner struck out the side 13 times in his 66 innings pitched, and his season total of 106 strikeouts set a Houston Astros record for relief pitchers.
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17.
Billy Wagner saved 30 games, which was the third-best single season in team history.
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18.
Billy Wagner was alert and conscious on the ground, and his vital signs remained good.
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19.
Billy Wagner was carried off the baseball diamond on a stretcher, and it was found that he had suffered a concussion.
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20.
Billy Wagner worked on his balance and coordination for weeks before he was cleared by the team physicians to embark on a rehabilitation assignment with a minor-league team.
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21.
Billy Wagner captured the 1999 Relief Man of the Year Award in the National League.
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22.
Billy Wagner continued to struggle before going on the disabled list with a torn flexor tendon in his pitching arm and would miss the final three and a half months of the season.
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23.
Billy Wagner was one of the leading candidates for The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award in the National League.
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24.
On June 11,2003, Billy Wagner closed out a no-hitter thrown by a record six pitchers against the New York Yankees.
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25.
Billy Wagner was traded to Philadelphia before the 2004 season, only to have his season shortened by a strain in his hand.
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26.
Billy Wagner had the best ERA of his career in 2005 and again led the league in games finished.
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27.
Billy Wagner became a free agent after the 2005 season and signed a four-year, $43 million contract and a one-year club option with the New York Mets.
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28.
Billy Wagner's performance contributed to the Mets' first division championship in 18 years.
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29.
Billy Wagner was successful in 17 out of 18 save chances, and his ERA was 1.
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30.
Billy Wagner's performance earned him a slot on the National League All-Star Team.
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31.
Billy Wagner converted 13 out of 17 save chances, and his ERA was 3.
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32.
In September 2008, the Mets announced that Billy Wagner had torn the ulnar collateral ligament of his left elbow and his flexor pronator tendon.
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33.
Billy Wagner had a guaranteed-payment baseball contract, and he was paid a total of $10.
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34.
Billy Wagner said that he had dreams of winning a World Series, and of reaching a total of about 420 saves in his career.
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35.
However, Billy Wagner stated furthermore that he had "played his last [baseball] game as a Met".
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36.
Billy Wagner explained that it would not make good business sense for the Mets to guarantee him $8 million for 2009, pitching or not pitching.
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37.
Billy Wagner pitched for the first time in 2009 for the Mets late in the season on August 20, in a game against the Atlanta Braves.
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38.
Billy Wagner pitched one inning with two strikeouts and giving up no hits or walks.
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39.
On July 11, Billy Wagner was selected as an injury replacement to the 2010 National League All-Star roster, which he declined due to an ankle injury.
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40.
Billy Wagner played his final regular season game on October 3,2010, and struck out the final four batters he faced – the last three of whom struck out looking.
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41.
Billy Wagner concluded his final major league regular season with a career-best 1.
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42.
Billy Wagner made his final major league appearance on October 8 in Game 2 of the 2010 National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants.
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43.
Billy Wagner suffered an injury to his left oblique and left the game after facing just two batters.
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44.
On February 12,2011, Billy Wagner reiterated his intention to retire, stating, "I'm totally content with not playing baseball, " Billy Wagner said.
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46.
Billy Wagner coached against his high school alma mater and his own high school coach on April 6,2013.
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47.
Billy Wagner has the lowest hits per nine innings ratio in history, for pitchers with 800+ innings, allowing 5.
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48.
In 2019, Billy Wagner was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
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49.
Billy Wagner has appeared on balloting for the National Baseball Hall of Fame since 2016 when he received 10.
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